Turns out, TV shows like Robot Wars really hooked people back in the late 1990’s. It helped transform mechanical monsters such as Sergeant Bash, Shunt and Sir Killalot into household names. The event featured a thrilling roster of opulently monikered mechanical beasts smashing each other face-to-face. It shone a spotlight on the amazing designs and builds from the UK’s best amateur roboteers. Now, public enthusiasts such as Mosaic Tactics’ Becky Dowson and CivWorks’ Colin Scott are keeping that competitive, innovative spark alive. Above all else, they pursue the most radical frontier of robotic engineering.
Becky is a long-time passionate roboteer. She hops all over the country demonstrating her special-purpose robots, such as Parallelogram and Thwack Sabbath, at festivals and competitions. Her journey embodies the passion and commitment that many have for the sport, as she engages in friendly yet fierce battles with fellow competitors.
Colin Scott is filled with nostalgic delight as he hauls his way back to Robot Wars. Second competitiveness on the power, a quality he evident over four seasons of the our. He’s made 25 unique robots in his spare time, each one a reflection of his creativity and technical proficiency. Colin first came to the world’s attention with his first competitive robot, ‘Piece De Resistance’. TV robot wars in 1998 saw robots become a household topic. When lamenting the brutality of the clash of metal gladiators, he introduces a touching, loving poem.
“It’s not so much about winning, it’s just about having a good fight.” – Becky Dowson
The Robot Wars club, which has about 30 people attending regularly, acts as a hub of the local Maker movement. Competitors will have the option to participate in sportsman events or jump right into full-combat battles. That variety provides the perfect mix of crowd dynamics and geographic diversity to suit any traveler’s tastes. Andrew Davies, the chair of Robodojo, is the dynamo that powers this dynamic community. He explains how he takes inspiration from childhood memories of watching Robot Wars.
In the meantime, Andrew commutes from Preston to other clubs’ meetings, bringing his own passion for robotics and engineering to his peers. His enthusiasm is contagious, sparking the same creative energy in first-timers as well as veterans as they learn to hone their unique craft of robotic construction.
Colin Scott’s style of robot building is a testament to his ingenuity and “get-it-done” attitude. He reveals,
“I build mine out of bits and pieces I can find; microwave oven, dodgem car, old dustbins. I’ve had old dustbins on Robot Wars.” – Colin Scott
He is a proponent of building for reliability in robot construction, arguing that,
“Reliability – you can make it as destructive as you like but if it doesn’t move, you’ve got nothing.” – Colin Scott
Scott’s philosophy bleeds into the competitive side of robot combat. He wants to win in a fair, skillful way rather than through overwhelming violence. “I don’t like crushing them, I like defeating them legitimately through superior driving, superior skill and technique, and so on,” he elaborates.
Robot Wars ran for nine series in total between 1998 and 2004 before being revived in 2016. The renewed push for attention on global robotic combat continues to motivate younger generations of roboteers. It’s the competition, yes, but just as much it’s the camaraderie that competition brings that keeps them inside the flower of a sporting engine.