Current Events > BattleBots 2020 begins THIS THURSDAY, episode 1 fight card revealed

(+) Yeah! (+)

A fairly destructive start, with only one judge's decision; an easy decision at that. It looks like most veteran teams have dialed in their bots.

People have already commented on Shrederator... If it really was a malfunction due to a tiny braking pin then swapping the part out might help.

After watching the fight with Malice I'm interested in seeing how an oversized horizontal drum spinner will perform going forward. If the mass ratio and weight distribution are good the bot might avoid the problem of careening around the box like a pinball as the other horizontal spinner bots do.

On a personal note, I'll be rooting against Skorpios again this year. That basic saw is far too fragile to last against the tougher bots... and I would rather not see wins awarded by technicality in judging after a basic pushing match.

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https://youtu.be/NkB2X3lbnGc

I love the flame weapon! It actually seemed to do something. Do they get points for using the flame? I know there is a primary weapon that you score points with, but I'm guessing for that bot the primary weapon is like flipping?

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MorbidFaithless posted...

I love the flame weapon! It actually seemed to do something. Do they get points for using the flame? I know there is a primary weapon that you score points with, but I'm guessing for that bot the primary weapon is like flipping?

Complete Control, as the name suggests, primarily wins matches by controlling the match and pushing the opponent around into hazards. It can sometimes flip opponents, deflect enough attacks that an opposing spinner knocks themselves out with recoil damage, or cook their opponent like in that match (which is one of the only times a flamethrower has done any actually decent damage), but they're primarily meant to go to the judges and win on control and aggression even if they lose on damage. Control-based bots generally don't do as well because the judges' scoring system is inherently weighted towards damage, but some, like Sawblaze and the season 1 version of Bite Force, have done really well over the years.

Also, if you're watching matches from previous seasons, definitely go watch Complete Control vs. Warhead.
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So I'm finally watching partying now. Every wrong pick means you have to take a shot.

It is not going well friends

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MorbidFaithless posted...

https://youtu.be/NkB2X3lbnGc

I love the flame weapon! It actually seemed to do something. Do they get points for using the flame? I know there is a primary weapon that you score points with, but I'm guessing for that bot the primary weapon is like flipping?

Iconic fight! And in case you're wondering exactly why bombshell had a package its axe... you really have to see it to believe it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVxB8t68UvE

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The trailer is lit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsCLmIoxQ-o

Slap Box looks like the next Complete Control (the one that fought Chiabot) and the new Chomp is...wut

Why does such a high-tech bot need to be continually ruined by shitty design?

Anyway...

• End Game continues to be incredible in every fight. Not having to deal with Bite Force or Death Roll will be huge. Humiliating Tombstone is game-changing.
• Every Shredderator fight: When will he stop spinning?
• Sawblaze is still top tier
• Smeeeee has low rpms and probably can't do much unless there's a full enclose
• Fusion looks really unstable but has potential as a better Rotator
• Rusty: If it's stupid and it works, it's not stupid
• Axe Backwards demonstrates why whackers have no place in this tournament

And with respect to flame weapons: Propane is hotter than butane, but if you don't focus the flame like a torch, it's pointless.

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Oh I'm drunk

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Calwings posted...

Also, if you're watching matches from previous seasons, definitely go watch Complete Control vs. Warhead.

Thanks for the info. Complete Control vs. Warhead was insane! This sport is the most unpredictable thing I've ever witnessed and it's great.

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Not the same without Grant Imahara.

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Just officially announced today: we're getting MORE BattleBots content along with the main tournament!

https://popculture.com/reality-tv/news/battlebots-bounty-hunters-launches-new-series-with-legendary-bots-discovery-plus-exclusive/

BattleBots legends are taking on new challengers in Discovery's new show, BattleBots: Bounty Hunters, which PopCulture.com can exclusively announce is premiering Jan. 4 only on discovery+. The bots that helped define the sport are making their grand return to the ring on the network's new streaming platform, taking on top challengers from across the country in search of bragging rights, a spot in BattleBots history, and a $25,000 cash prize.

Legends like Tombstone, Bronco, Witch Doctor, Son of Whyachi, Beta and Icewave will all be making their return to the screen as they take on challengers, who are competing with each other for the right to become the bounty hunter and fight a legend for ultimate victory. Like any season of BattleBots, Bounty Hunters will still give inside looks at the teams behind the bots and their build process, showing that everyone from families to university students and everything in between can become champions.

You can also catch the regular season of BattleBots, airing Thursdays on Discovery at 8 p.m. ET. Ahead of the Dec. 3 season premiere, host Chris Rose explained of the bounty hunter "twist" on the format that the challenge not only comes from competing against the legends, but surviving the knockout rounds. "Can you win a handful of fights and then knock off the baddest bot at the end of the day that's just been sitting there?" Rose asked of the bots looking for the grand prize.

Since this one is specifically on the Discovery+ steaming service and not actually airing on TV, I won't be making separate topics for it like I will the main BattleBots episodes on Discovery. But if you decide to watch these episodes as they air (and not just binge them once they've all aired so you only have to pay for one month of Discovery+ like I'm going to) then I'd say they're fair game to discuss in these topics if you want.

There's also separate confirmation on the BattleBots Facebook page that the main competition will be 14 episodes long, to go with 6 episodes of this Bounty Hunters side show, for a grand total of 20 episodes of BattleBots content this season.
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Are we trying to do a new topic each week, or trying to keep this one alive?

I ask because the fight card for the next episode is out. Spoilers, I guess?



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NightRender posted...

Are we trying to do a new topic each week, or trying to keep this one alive?

I was planning on doing a new one each week since bumping it in the middle of the week when there's nothing to discuss is annoying. But due to the extra bit of news we got, it looks like this one will last the week, so we'll just use it again.

Beyond this week, the plan is still to just make a new one each week.

NightRender posted...

because the fight card for the next episode is out. Spoilers, I guess?

I'm super excited to see Perfect Phoenix in action. It's an updated version of Brutality, the bot formerly owned by Paul Ventimiglia (who is now a 3x champion with Bite Force) that one upon a time forced the legendary Biohazard into retirement by destroying it so badly that it was beyond repair. Brutality was later sold to a new team and finally brought back as Perfect Phoenix this year, and its weapon looks like an absolute monster.

The opener and main event both look like great matchups, and Huge vs. Mammoth will be meme-worthy.
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Calwings posted...

I'm super excited to see Perfect Phoenix in action. It's an updated version of Brutality, the bot formerly owned by Paul Ventimiglia (who is now a 3x champion with Bite Force) that one upon a time forced the legendary Biohazard into retirement by destroying it so badly that it was beyond repair. Brutality was later sold to a new team and finally brought back as Perfect Phoenix this year, and its weapon looks like an absolute monster.

The opener and main event both look like great matchups, and Huge vs. Mammoth will be meme-worthy.

Oh, that's the Biohazard killer! It'll be awesome to see it in action.

And yeah, Huge vs Mammoth is defintely the fight I've been waiting for.

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Ah, the absolute biggest fight Battlebots has ever seen, eh? It'll definitely be a thing... I'm thinking that the overall power and durability of the weapon drive motors on each bot will play a defining part in determining the winner.

The main event looks like it'll be a fun one as well. It'll be interesting to see how the drum weapon pairs against the opponent, considering that last year Hydra had a glass jaw once it was struck in combat. I don't see how it could be as stunning as the decisiveness of the first main event though.


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Fight night has arrived, so now that we're only a bit over an hour away, I can post tonight's card without the spoiler tags to hype it up. That being said, any episode discussion that might reflect the results of a match should remain under spoiler tags, at least for tonight. Future weekly topics will have a spoiler warning in the topic title, so the spoiler tags won't be necessary within the topic itself. Anyways, here's the card for episode 2 tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/xaMndii.jpg

The opener and main event both look like great matchups, Huge vs. Mammoth will be meme-worthy, and I'm really excited to see Perfect Phoenix in action. In its past life as Brutality, that weapon once forced the legendary Biohazard into retirement by destroying it beyond repair.
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So hyped to watch!

... tomorrow morning or whenever it's ready to stream.

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TOMBSTONE! TOMBSTONE! TOMBSTONE! TOMBSTONE! ToMBSTONE!

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KFHEWUI posted...

TOMBSTONE! TOMBSTONE! TOMBSTONE! TOMBSTONE! ToMBSTONE!

Did you see its awesome fight in episode 1 last week?
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Calwings posted...

Did you see its awesome fight in episode 1 last week?

Nope!

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KFHEWUI posted...

Nope!

Go watch it then, it was awesome. You might be able to watch the episode on-demand through your cable provider, and if not, you can order the episode (or the whole season) on Amazon as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08PL1MT7F/ref=atv_dp_season_select_s5
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The episode is starting now! IT'S ROBOT FIGHTIN' TIME!
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Go time!

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Friendly reminder:

Last week, End Game beat Tombstone. Last year, Ribbot beat End Game. Therefore, by the transitive property of algebra, Ribbot > Tombstone.
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Two awesome fights already. Both winners took some big damage in their fights but only needed one well-placed shot to turn the tide of the battle. Next up is the powerful crushing jaws of Kraken vs. the winner of last year's Desperado Tournament and one of the only international teams able to make it this year, the burning pride of Brazil, Black Dragon.
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Calwings posted...

Friendly reminder:

....

That would be an extremely short fight lol. Also a mess to clean up

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I had to stop watching a few years ago because it switched channels, but now it switched again and put up the seasons I missed so I am catching up before current season
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Only the second fight of the season (and the first between two bots that aren't glorified meme bots) to go to the judges... that was a really close battle, and I'd hate to be one of the judges right now. But if I was, I'd give that fight to Kraken. Both bots took roughly equal damage (Black Dragon lost one of its two weapon belts, Kraken lost one of its two teeth) but I think Kraken controlled the fight more.

And I guessed wrong. Hell of a fight though, Kraken looked really good.

Machete posted...

I had to stop watching a few years ago because it switched channels, but now it switched again and put up the seasons I missed so I am catching up before current season

It was on ABC for seasons 1 and 2 of the reboot, then has been on Discovery (with re-runs on Science Channel) since then. Do you really not get Discovery? Or are you in another country that shows it on some other channel?
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I've got to assume HUGE wins this fight. I just don't see Mammoth as a threat

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Time for memes! Mammoth vs. Huge!
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Are we watching BattleBots or Cirque Du Soleil?
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So that was... a thing...
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Lol, well that was a much more entertaining fight than expected

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Two rookie bots going at it in this match, but both are driven by veterans who already have combat experience as assistants for other teams: the grabber/lifter of Claw Viper vs. the gigantic bar spinner of Hijinx. This should be interesting.
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Ah yes, the classic strategy of throwing your face at the giant fist enough times until the fist breaks works like a charm.
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Holy fuck, that was a literal one-hit knockout. Perfect Phoenix is every bit the monster that I thought it was.
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Jesus, you weren't kidding about that. That thing is scary.
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Main event time! Hydra vs. Witch Doctor!
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Well that was quite a fight. This season is looking good

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WHAT A FIGHT! That was incredible! Huge flips, huge hits, and both bots battered and bruised at the end. I had said before the decision that I thought Hydra's drive looking sluggish at the end of the fight would swing the decision in Witch Doctor's favor, but I was wrong on that one too. I went 0 for 2 guessing judge's decisions this episode. Still, that was the match of the night, maybe one of the best in the history of the rebooted series..
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hail hydra
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Mammoth vs. HUGE might just be my new favorite fight in all of BattleBots. That was fantastic, lmao.

Also, Kraken got robbed.

Mammoth vs Huge was more acrobatic than a Bronco or Hydra match.

I expected a different set of memes. Wow.

Witch Doctor continues to smoke in almost every single match. It's still my favorite bot because it always entertains.

Perfect Phoenix... I'm speechless. This bot is older than its driver. Undefeated and killed Biohazard. Reminds me of Hazard (not Biohazard), which was also near-unstoppable, more than Icewave.

What a toy to give a kid. Lot's of potential with the driver and hardware.

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Starks posted...

Perfect Phoenix... I'm speechless. This bot is older than its driver. Undefeated and killed Biohazard.

What a toy to give a kid. Lot's of potential with the driver and hardware.

Brutality retiring Biohazard happened before the kid was even born, and it won a championship the same year he was born. Then he turns out to be a supergenius prodigy, gets tutored into a bot-driving wizard because his mom was dating Ray Billings, and receives one of the deadliest machines to ever roll into the arena as a fucking Christmas present from Paul Ventimiglia. It's such a wild story and I can't wait to see how it ends.
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He is the chosen one
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Calwings posted...

Go watch it then, it was awesome. You might be able to watch the episode on-demand through your cable provider, and if not, you can order the episode (or the whole season) on Amazon as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08PL1MT7F/ref=atv_dp_season_select_s5

I am recording it now. Will have to watch see my boy in action!

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Starks posted...

Witch Doctor continues to smoke in almost every single match.

Yeah. Their bot might be tough but damn if the motors don't run hot. IIRC in the previous season they had to dial down their weapon at one point to prevent a full burn out of the motors.

There should be a bout between Witch Doctor and Hypershock just to see how much smoke can fill the battle box.

On an unrelated note, that fight between Huge and Mammoth was hilarious. At some points Mammoth looked like a small trebuchet that was trying to throw itself.

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Hydra vs Witch Doctor was a bullshit decision. Hydra's countdown probably shouldn't have stopped. It's a shame that Battlebots etiquette is to not attack stalled bots because Witch Doctor could have attacked an apparently not dead Hydra during that stall period.


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