Some screen shots from SMIDSY's appearance in the fourth series of Robot Wars
Robot Wars fans were glued to their sets last Friday night when Crawley's Robin Bennett and the Team Ixion robot SMIDSY (Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You) took on all comers in the Robot Wars Arena. Designed over the internet and built by Sheffield University's Andy Pugh, SMIDSY is a small battler using gas main and titanium for armour and is willing to gore and bash any opponents with its gnashing jaws and twin rear spikes. Its low body with racing kart wheels let it run either way up.
SMIDSY vs Panic Attack vs Overkill
First up SMIDSY faced Panic Attack, the 98 Robot Wars champion from Wales and Overkill Gti from Bristol. Racing around the arena the plucky contender smashed into Overkill and gouged its way down the side of Panic Attack, showing the awesome driving skill and vicious will to attack sought by fans and judges alike. Flipped in the air twice by Overkill it charged straight back in to the fray. By the end Overkill was limping on punctured tyres after a hard hit from SMIDSY?s rear spikes. The judges had no problem putting Panic Attack and SMIDSY through to the next round.
Round two
SMIDSY vs Aggrobot
After some joking with presenter Jules Reed, ("it's a 70mph robot, down the M1 in a car!"), it was back in the arena against 20th seed Agrobot. What looked like a close contest was blown apart in the opening seconds as Robin smashed SMIDSY into Agrobot, slamming it into the arena wall, carrying it around on SMIDSY?s back. Agrobot was crunched, smashed, mauled and rammed until the house robots fell on the smouldering remains cutting up the armour and throwing it around the arena. Craig Charles interviewed the team, amazed that a robot with such a cute-sounding name was such an aggressive fighter in the ring. He was sure it was capable of going all the way, but the final showdown with Panic Attack was looming..
The Heat Final
SMIDSY vs Panic Attack
Once more the action had the crowd on the edge of their seats, screaming at the top of their voices as both metal warriors crashed into each other. SMIDSY drove over the low-slung Panic Attack attempting to smash off its top and lights, Panic Attack flailing with its twin lifting spikes trying to slice SMIDSY open. Finally Panic Attack managed to hook a spike into the tenacious little robot's wheel arch but could do little with it. Realising its weakness the Welsh robot went for the arch a second time, and managed to dump SMIDSY in the pit winning a place in the Semi-Final. The valiant effort from the SMIDSY team has won the respect of the Robot Wars organisers and plans are underway for the next war. It's hoped that a sponsor can be found to help in the creation of a hydraulically powered SMIDSY with sights set firmly on the winners' podium.