---
title: "Robot combat"
chunk: 3/11
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot_combat"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:20:55.912995+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Rammer – Robots employing high-power drive trains and heavy armour can use their speed and manoeuvrability to crash into their opponent repeatedly with the hope of damaging weapons and vital components. Their pushing power may also be used to shove their opponent into arena traps. Rammers (AKA 'Bricks') typically have four or six wheels for traction and stability and are often designed to be fully operational when inverted. Because many modern rulesets require all robots to have a moving weapon, modern rammers are often equipped with other weapon types. Robot Wars Series 6 champion Tornado and Series 7 runner-up Storm II were effective rammers. The former used interchangeable weaponry (usually a small spinning drum) while the latter opted for a lifting arm to avoid disqualification. Battlebots 3.0 superheavyweight champion Vladiator was a rammer armed with a small lifting spike.
Wedge – Similar in concept to a rammer, the wedge uses a low-clearance inclined ramp or scoop to move in under an opponent and break its contact with the arena floor – decreasing its mobility and rendering it easy to push off into a wall or trap. The wedge is also useful in deflecting attacks by other robots. Small wedge-lets are used to lift an opposing bot and feed it to a secondary weapon system. A small wedge may be attached to the rear of a robot with other weaponry for use as a 'backup' in case the main weapon fails. Like rammers, modern wedges must be combined with some other weapon to be legal in some modern competitions. The lower the degree of inclination of the wedge, the higher the chances of lifting the opponent bot from the ground. The 1995 US Robot Wars middleweight champion La Machine was an early and effective static wedge design, as was the Robot Wars Series 1 champion, Roadblock, in 1997. Two-time lightweight BattleBots champion Dr. Inferno Jr. was a low rectangular machine surrounded by hinged wedges. 2018 BattleBots competitor DUCK! utilized a powered lifting wedge. Original Sin is a four-wheeled ramming robot that has won eight heavyweight RoboGames competitions thanks to a combination of durability and hinged wedges. The Panzer series of robots have managed to win several competitions (Robotica season 3 and both seasons of Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors) with six-wheeled drive and a powered or unpowered wedge.
Thwackbot – A narrow, high-speed, usually two-wheel drive attached to a long boom with an impact weapon on the end creates a robot that can spin in place at a high speed, swinging the weapon in a horizontal circle. The simplicity and durability of the design are appealing, but the robot cannot be made to move in a controlled manner while spinning without employing sophisticated electronics (See Melty-Brain Spinner, below). The 1995 US Robot Wars lightweight champion Test Toaster 1 was a thwackbot, as were T-Wrex and Golddigger from the BattleBots series.
Torque Reaction – A variant on the thwackbot is the torque reaction hammer, also known as axlebots. These robots have two very large wheels with the small body of the robot hanging in between them. A long weapon boom has a vertically oriented hammer, pick, or axe on the end. On acceleration, the weapon boom swings upward and over to the rear of the robot to offset the motor torque. When the robot brakes or reverses direction, the weapon will swing forcibly back over the top and hopefully impact the opponent. These robots are simple and can put on a flashy, aggressive show, but their attack power is relatively small and, like thwackbots, they can be hard to control. BattleBots 2.0 middleweight champion Spaz was a torque reaction pickaxe robot, whilst Robot Wars Series 4 Grand Finalist Stinger primarily relied on a bludgeoning mace. BattleBots 3.0–5.0 semifinalist Overkill combined a wedge with a massive swinging blade.

=== Spinners ===
Spinners are weaponry based around blades, cylinders, discs, or bars rotating at high speed around an axis. This is among the most popular and destructive forms of weaponry, thanks to its potential to quickly deliver a high amount of kinetic energy over a small area.

Saw Blades – A popular weapon in the early years of robotic combat, these robots use a dedicated motor to power either a modified chainsaw or circular saw, or a custom-built cutting disc, usually at high speeds (up to 10,000 rpm). The serrated blade is used to slice through an opponent's armour to try and reach its internal components. These weapons can create spectacular showers of sparks, and are easy to combine with other designs, but can be ineffective against robots with tougher armour. The aforementioned Robot Wars champion Roadblock had a rear-mounted circular saw in addition to its wedge, while Series 4 runner-up Pussycat had a custom cutting disc with four serrated blades. BattleBots 5.0 middleweight runner-up S.O.B. used a wide metal box (a "dustpan") in conjunction with a saw blade mounted on an arm. While true saws are obsolete in higher weight classes, a vertical spinner mounted on an articulating arm has seen renewed popularity in recent years. BattleBots 2023 champion SawBlaze combines a three-pronged dustpan design with a "hammer saw": a spinning blade mounted on a 180º pivoting arm.