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Robot Arena: Design and Destroy (a.k.a. Robot Arena 2)

[My attempt at an ASCII graphic:]
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CONTENTS:
Given the size of the guide. A code of sorts was made so that you can pop them
into a finder and jump to any particular section.

RA201 INTRO
RA202 VERSION HISTORY
RA203 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
RA204 CONTROLS
RA205 ROBOT CONSTRUCTION
RA205A OFFENSE/WEAPONS
RA205AA WEAPON TYPES
RA205AAA RAMS
RA205AAB WEDGES
RA205AAC LIFTERS/LAUNCHERS
RA205AAD CLAMPS
RA205AAE THWACKS
RA205AAF HAMMERS
RA205AAG SIDE HAMMERS
RA205AAH SPEARS/PUNCHERS
RA205AAI SAWS
RA205AAJ BAR/DISC SPINNERS
RA205AAK VERTICAL SPINNERS
RA205AAL DRUMS/THRESHERS
RA205AAM FACE SPINNERS
RA205AAN FULL-BODY SPINNERS
RA205AAO FULL-BODY DRUMS
RA205AB MISC. WEAPON Q’S
RA205B MOBILITY/DRIVE/MECHANICS
RA205BA MOTOR STATS
RA205BB MISC. MECHANICAL Q’S
RA205BC SELF-RIGHTING/BEING INVERTIBLE
RA205BCA MISC. SRM Q’S
RA205BD AIR MECHANICS
RA205C POWER
RA205CA BATTERY STATS
RA205CB MISC. BATTERY Q’S
RA205CC AIR TANK STATS
RA205D DEFENSE/ARMOR
RA205DA MISC. DEFENSE/ARMOR Q’S
RA205E EXTENDER COMPONENTS
RA205F WHEELS
RA205G WEAPON COMPONENTS
RA205H EXTRAS
RA205I MISCELLANEOUS COMPONENTS
RA205IA MISC. COMPONENT Q’S
RA206 AI/OPPONENTS
RA206A HEAVYWEIGHTS
RA206B MIDDLEWEIGHTS
RA206C LIGHTWEIGHTS
RA206D MISC. AI/OPPONENT Q’S
RA207 BATTLE ARENAS
RA207A FIGHTING ARENAS
RA207B TABLE-TOP ARENAS
RA207C KING OF THE HILL ARENAS
RA207D MISC. ARENA Q’S
RA208 GENERAL TACTICS & TIPS
RA209 HAVOC WITH HAVOK
RA210 MULTI-PLAYER/ONLINE
RA211 ACEUPLINK FAQ’S
RA212 OTHER Q’S
RA213 CREDITS

RA201 =========================================================================
INTRO:

Robot Arena: Design and Destroy (here in shortened to RA2) is an
action/arcade/simulation game based on the robotic combat events seen on TV. As
of when this was written (late 2003), it is the best of the remote controlled
robot fighting games out there. Customization and versatility are what set it
apart from all those before it.

RA2 is a tough game to write an FAQ for. This isn’t a FPS or platform jumper
where I can say "at this point jump on x to kill y" or the like. This game,
(just go with me on this one) is actually closer to and RPG 3D Fighting Game.
"What?[!] Are you @$#%ing nuts?[!]" you say. "This game is nothing like an RPG,
it doesn’t have swords and spells and what not!" Ah, but it does have swords
(and axes, for that matter). And spells? Well, depends on what you count a
Havok glitch I suppose . . . Anyway, just look at it: you start from nothing
and build a mechanical warrior. This warrior will end up having some kind of
weapon type -- very similar to the class system in most RPGs. Implicitly, you
have stats in ways of offense, defense, and control. RPGs have things like
attack, armor, and agility (or something like that). Having said that, [minus
downloaded bots] each and every robot warrior will be unique in some way.

RA202 =========================================================================
VERSION HISTORY:

082303 First rendition, several sections incomplete.
050204 Second rendition. Big re-structure and additions.


RA203 =========================================================================
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
450 MHz Pentium II or higher
64 MB RAM
170 MB Hard Disk Space
4x Speed CD-ROM
16 MB 3D Windows 98/ME/2000/XP compatible graphics card
Windows 98/ME/2000/XP compatible sound card
TCP/IP (LAN or Internet for online play) (DSL, Cable modem or faster)
DirectX 8.1 (included) or higher
Mouse & Keyboard

RA204 =========================================================================
CONTROLS:

Navigation and building is mouse-based.

Any time:
[F11]: take screen shot

When building:
[shift]: change component position (rotation) by left/right mouse movement
[control]: change component height by left/right mouse movement
[delete]: remove selected component
[right click]: toggles orbiting around robot or component w/ mouse
[mouse wheel]: zoom in/out

The game allows full customization in terms of what controls your robot.
(The default controls for the ready-made ‘bots use the WASD control system,
with [space-bar] as the weapon)

Match keys:
[Esc]: Pauses game and brings up the match menu
[F1]: Pauses game and shows the current wire controls
[F2]: Orbit camera. defaults to just behind the robot; use left mouse button
    (right button in test area) to change the camera's angle and mouse wheel
    to zoom in and out.
[F3]: Stationary camera. ("Blimp cam")
[F4]: Watch camera (camera automatically tracks and follows bot)

RA205 =========================================================================
ROBOT CONSTRUCTION:

Robot Arena has you make an outline of your chassis, then extrude it. After
that, you place all your components inside this, like a fish tank. This is
somewhat the reverse of real life, where most people start with the components,
and build out. Of course, that would just not be logistically possible. The
downside is that you usually have to know what kind of robot you're building
from the start.

Here are some typical Chassis shapes and how they’ve usually been used:

Rectangles: everything

Triangles: Wedges, Spinners, Spears
    Triangular wedges become a bit of a plow shape. This becomes useful in
tabletop matches. Some spinners opt to place their weapon head as close to the
apex of the triangle and the drive wheels at the other corners. This often
ensures that the weapon covers the entire front half of the robot.

T-shapes: Rams, Hammers, Spears, Thwacks
    If the front is the top of the "T," it makes a good shape to setup a
ramming surface. The drive motors are wheels are then mounted behind that,
fairly protected. Thwacks, of course, may set up in the opposite orientation,
such that the lower part of a "T" is the weapon boom.

H-shapes: Clamps, Hammers, Saws, Spears
   In this case, it’s not really necessary to make the middle bar in the exact
center. You’ll probably want to move it upwards for more lead-in space. An H
shape would be used versus a U/V if you wanted a longer stance for the wheels.

I-shapes: Spinners, Rams
    Here. there’s a factor of which orientation is the front. For rams, it’s
better to have the top of the "I" as the front making a chassis design similar
to a "T" design, just capped on both ends. Spinners, on the other hand, are
going to want to have the sides be the front, adopting a wide stance. This will
give them much better control of their weapon. In addition, it makes for a huge
area of attack. A real robot known as "Sweet" is a perfect example.

U/V-shapes: Clamps, Saws, Hammers
    As you’ll read below, the listed weapon types benefit from immobilizing
the enemy.

Hexagons/Octagons: Wedges, Spinners, Thwacks
    These are similar to a circular chassis [below], but are easier to get
even-sloped edges.

Circles: Spinners (and on occasion a hammer)
    It comes to no surprise that a spinner would adopt a circular chassis, If
you want a more conical shape, you’re going to have to un-click the "snap to
grid" box and move them manually. Really though, it’s probably just better to
use a hexagon or octagon instead. There isn’t much other reason to use a
circular chassis with any of the other weapon types.



Now, repeat after me: "THERE IS NO PERFECT ROBOT DESIGN."
Say it again.


Seriously, there is no design that will do _everything_. It just is not
possible. Of course, that doesn't mean that there aren't good designs or bad
designs; far from it, but nothing will ever be able to handle all scenarios.
When you construct a robot you have a machine that performs in basically three
different categories: Offense (weapon), Mobility (drive), and Defense (armor)
(OMD). A subset of mobility is self-righting or being invertible. Also, power
factors into Offense and Mobility. If you look at these stats, you can only
distribute so many attributes to each. Of course, in this game it isn't clear
cut and in numbers where you assign values to each stat. In this case, it's
more along degrees of emphasis. After a while, you run out of space or hit the
weight limit. And yes, there is some overlap between them.

All right, let's cover the fun stuff at the front:

RA205A ************************************************************************
OFFENSE/WEAPONS:

In Battlebots, matches are often scored by judges in terms of damage,
aggression, and strategy. RA2, however, tallies up damage and assumes the other
categories. Damage values vary depending on the weapon used and the velocity in
which it is traveling. F=MA. (Force = Mass*Acceleration) Remember that. Also
keep in mind that chassis damage (crunching] merely cosmetic. It will not
effect the collision shape of the chassis.

While there aren't any official rules regarding weapon building per se, there
are some things to keep in mind if you are to use any machines for online play:

+ In general, employing more than 3 or 4 active weapons is excessive.
+ A vast number of pneumatic pistons will lag
+ Connecting pneumatic pistons to each other is _not_ recommended
+ Don't attach spikes to axle mounts
+ Massive amounts of spikes or other appendages (more than 6-8 is overkill) bog
    down the game
+ Stack motors (attaching the motor axle to the base of another motor) with
    discretion.
    + 2 Stacked spin motors are dangerous, and more than that is overdoing it.
    + Don't stack burst motors (or burst motors to pistons)
+ Do not make a robot that deliberately causes problems with the physics
    engine.
+ Check with whoever you're playing against regarding custom parts (for one
    thing, they have to have them, too). In addition, you have to alter some
    game data. Tournaments generally do not allow them.

RA205AA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WEAPON TYPES:
These are the basic weapon designs that are common in the world of robotic
combat. Under the type, I've listed real-world examples.

RA205AAA ----------------------------------------------------------------------
RAMS:
EXAMPLES: Tricerabot, Hammerhead, Frostbite (season 2)

For all intents and purposes, your drive train and your weapon motors are one
and the same. You are going to need at least 4 wheel drive for better control
and maximum speed. Ideally you must be invertible and using the most powerful
motors available. Traction is key, so have the wheels with the widest treads.
Place your wheels as far forward and rearward as conveniently possible. This
helps prevent you from losing traction if you get lifted. An alternate strategy
for rams is to employ automotive steering (the powered steering unit). It's a
bit easier to make minute turning adjustments while ramming. Since the unit is
invertible, be sure to have alternate control keys when upside down. This is
much easier than using the standard controls. The front of your machine must be
strong enough to withstand the high-speed rams and the beating that results
while doing so. Having multiple spikes can rack up points quickly and make
aiming less tedious. However, know that in an online battle, the risk of
lagging the battle becomes greater. Be sure to have rails or spikes on your
side plates so you won't get stuck in an embarrassing position.
The ram's greatest weakness is requiring a long charge to cause enough damage.
In addition, with the 4+ wheels, rams are inherently large. This provides a big
target for hammers (and some spears). Vertical spinners may be tough since
ramming one head-on may result in them flipping you over. Often, rams will have
their wheels mounted outside the chassis in order to have maximum internal
space for batteries and motors. Your opponent is going to go after these as
quickly as possible. Put guards of some kind if you can.

STRONG: Spinners, saws,
WEAK: Lifters, Wedges, Hammers, Vertical Spinners

RA205AAB ----------------------------------------------------------------------
WEDGES:
EXAMPLES: Double Agent, Bad Attitude, Mosquito, War Machine

The most popular design feature on any machine. The idea is to get the wedge
under the opponent and take away their traction, even flip them over. Some
wedges are two wheeled and let the chassis hinge on these wheels, resulting in
a ground scraping front wedge. Others use a parallelogram style wedge which is
advantageous if you get flipped over. Few designs incorporate just the wedge
alone, and in a game defined by points, just the wedge will not likely be
enough to win. However, it always makes for a good, solid back-up weapon
(everyone saw Minion during Season 1, right?). All wedges need a strong drive
train. Since the sloping chassis means less component space, wedges will
usually be slower than a ram of the same original chassis outline.
A wedge gets a disadvantage in that it can't easily reinforce the attacking
surface the same way rams can. Wedges are usually ground scraping (or should
be). This means that it is very easy for a wedge to lose traction and driving
ability if something manages to lift part of the chassis. It also means they
can high-center very easily.

STRONG: Just about everything that can't get under it
WEAK: Hammers, anything lower (lifters, another wedge)

RA205AAC ----------------------------------------------------------------------
LIFTERS/LAUNCHERS:
EXAMPLES: Vlad the Impaler, Biohazard; Toro, T-minus, Hexadecimator

Lifters take the concept behind the wedge and actuate it. The default burst
motors in RA are not very strong and can pretty much only do moderate lifting
(especially in the heavier weight classes). Remember, bursts have to lift not
only the up to 800kg opponent, but the attachments, as well. Servos are
generally not usable, although there has been some minor accounts of success
(may need counter-weights). One way to get around this is to have more than 1
lifting mechanism. Light, wide, and low should be your lifter. Of course,
obtaining all three is very difficult.
The general strategy for a lifter is to get under the opponent and forcefully
take away their traction, flipping them over or taking them to a hazard. Thus a
similar drive train sufficient for a wedge is recommended. Making a lifter out
of spikes is a good idea, to get some damage points from a lift (it will be
pathetically low, however). Having a pneumatic lifter is possible, but the
pistons have to be aimed straight up.
It is possible to make an arm similar to Biohazard by connecting two burst
motors. Just be aware that it isn’t as effective as a true 4-bar lifter arm and
is rather unstable.
By attaching a pneumatic piston to the burst motor, you will get a little bit
more power, plus a more complex lift. This creates something more akin to a
launcher. A burst motor by AW at AceUplink also allows a much more powerful
action. Definitely check it out. AU burst motors allow for longer and heavier
mechanisms, and in fact this is almost required (otherwise they'll have too
much power and are uncontrollable). Since launchers are dedicated to out right
flipping the opponent, supposedly a drive train is not as crucial. However,
investing in driving power is a good idea, especially against machines that are
invertible. Typically, launchers do well in matches with multiple opponents.
You can flip one robot, turn around and flip the next closest robot. Usually,
the first opponent needs time to re-orient him/herself if invertible, or needs
time to self-right.
In both cases, your worst enemies are spinners and thwacks. A spinner is going
to be very difficult to get under without risking the loss of your lifter arm.
Thwacks by design are almost impossible to get in a position where a wheel
doesn't touch the ground.

STRONG: Anything non-invertible it can get under
WEAK: Thwacks, Spinners

RA205AAD ----------------------------------------------------------------------
CLAMPS:
EXAMPLES: Huggy Bear, Complete Control, Dead Metal

In this game, clamps are less successful for the same reason that lifter's and
wedges aren't rewarded, but also in that most of the mechanics just aren't
strong enough. There have been some innovative ways of achieving this. MAD
Scientist has one such way. Clamps rarely work well on their own. By combining
it with another weapon, like a saw, you can keep your opponent from moving
while your other weapons do damage. Your drive train will have to be on par
with a lifter, since your going to be moving a huge mass.
Spinners and hammers are your toughest fights. Both are going to rip off the
arms of your robot with the first chance they've got. The worst part is that
getting (and maintaining) a good grip is extremely difficult.

STRONG: Anything small enough to fit in the grab zone
WEAK: Spinners, Hammers,

RA205AAE ----------------------------------------------------------------------
THWACKS:
EXAMPLES: Blade Runner, Herr Gepounden, T-Wrex, Whirligig

Thwacks are almost always two wheeled and invertible. Essentially, they employ
sit-and-spin tactics using just their drive train. Long extenders with a heavy
attachment form the weapon. This can be very destructive. Unfortunately, the
thwack is hindered by not being able to move while spinning. For the AI
opponents, this is fine; the computer will always move in regardless of what
you're doing. Human opponents, however, are much more savvy and will wait for
you to stop spinning. Like the wedge, a thwack exists as one of the easiest
designs to make. It is very difficult to disable by lifters and launchers, and
the shape often makes for a hard target for hammers. Of course, also like the
wedge, the thwack makes for more of an alternative or back-up weapon since it
relies entirely on your drive train (and if your drive train's dead, so are
you). No, currently, there is no way to employ a Melty-brain or Tornado drive
system in this game (system used by Blade Runner and Herr Gepounden to
translate while spinning).
An off shot of the thwack is the overhead thwacks like Overkill and Toe
Crusher. The concept is to have the entire chassis built within the radius of
the wheels minus a single extender. While moving forward, if you suddenly
reverse, the entire chassis spins forward, swinging the weapon. Within the
game's physics, this is just not possible. The only way to accomplish this is
through thwack walkers (using discs or saws as wheels).
In any case, a thwack has several disadvantages. As said, you can't move while
spinning and your opponent can come at you from any direction. Wedges are hard
to fight since your weapon will easily get deflected. It is possible to try
angle your weapon to act as a wedge, although it is difficult to have it at
precisely the right angle to get under the opponent. Lastly, and it's more
dependent on who you're fighting, but thwacks are generally not appreciated
amongst the community.

STRONG: Lifters, boxy robots
WEAK: Rams, Spears, wedges

RA205AAF ----------------------------------------------------------------------
HAMMERS:
EXAMPLES: Frenzy, Deadblow, Pressure Drop, No Apologies, Diesector, Beta Hurtz

In this game, hammers are solely electric powered. Like thwacks, hammers
utilize kinetic energy and bring their weapon down onto the opposing robot. The
easiest way to achieve this is to use burst motors. Unfortunately, none of the
burst motors allow for a full 180 degree swing (somewhere around 120-150
degrees). In addition, the default burst motors lack sufficient power to fully
self-right on a return swing. You can often be able to right yourself if the
hammer is fully retracted (the AI does this). Again, the AU burst motor is much
more powerful and can even self-right on the return swing.
An alternative to burst motors is to use spin motors like Diesector or Frenzy.
Unfortunately, this usually results in less damage. For a faster swing, it is
best to employ a counterweight (like a sledge hammer head) on the opposite end
of the hammer arm. Unfortunately, the ability to self-right is not guaranteed
(depends on how well-balanced it is). Often times, the hammer arm has to be
constantly swinging, almost like a spinner when it is flipped. This design
often ends up being rather tall in order to allow the counter weight to swing
underneath. Of course, if you mount them like Diesector and be fully
invertible, than it shouldn't be a problem. One thing you will encounter is to
be careful on the return swing. The hammer head is going to strike the floor,
damaging the head. If you’re not careful, the weapon might break and then
you’re sunk.
Control is the key for your robot. Watching the TV show(s), you've probably
noticed one of the problems of hammers is that they often miss. Do not mount
your hammer on a turret. Your aim will go out the window. Your drive train
should be enough that you can turn and aim your robot in a controllable manner.
It is a good idea to make the front of your robot into a "v" or otherwise have
a forward indentation to lead your opponent into the kill zone. Of course, this
means it can lead your opponent's weapons into this region as well, so
reinforce appropriately. More than any other weapon type, driving skill is
important. Rams and spinners (all of them) can count on their weapons to take
the brunt of a forward charge. Even spears can rely on their weapon’s speed and
rush in. Hammers can’t do that. Blitzing an opponent will just get the front
end of your machine crunched and possibly even your weapon arm ripped off.
On the plus side, hammers are one of the best counter-attacks to a wedge bot. A
wedge surface presents itself as a huge target. Since a wedge is sloped, and
low to the ground, you often get the full stroke (swing) of your weapon,
causing maximum damage. It is very difficult and it depends on their weapon
mounts, but hammers can often get good shots at a vertical spinners weapon
motor(s). Just make sure your reach is longer than his weapon radius. It is
also the ideal weapon for hitting enclosed wheels.
When facing another hammer robot, it comes down to control and who has better
positioning (and timing). Spears can be a nightmare for hammers. They too are
going to be utilizing control and positioning. However, they have speed on
their side. A spear can usually get in at least twice as many hits and each
strike is going to bounce your bot around, messing up your aim. Spinners can be
tough, just make sure you start striking after you’ve stopped their weapon.

STRONG: Robots with a large, exposed  roof (usually rams and wedges) and/or
    lots of extenders
WEAK: Spinners, Spears, other Hammers

RA205AAG ----------------------------------------------------------------------
SIDE HAMMERS:
EXAMPLES: none that are famous

A variation on the hammer bot is mounting them sideways. This is typically done
in pairs and has the two weapon heads converge somewhere in front. This is
about as close as this game comes to a crusher. For some reason, this has not
been implemented much in the real world. In a way, the design is somewhat like
combining a hammer and a thwack (plus a little bit of a clamp). This particular
type of weapon is a bit difficult to analyze since there are few examples.
Unlike normal hammers, side hammers don't have the advantage over wedges. They
do however possess easier invertibility. Side hammers have a very large attack
zone since they're traveling horizontally, not vertically. While you won't have
the damage values of a spinner, the range is very handy. As such, you don’t
necessarily need as much finesse while driving. You can also sometimes thwack
with them if necessary.

STRONG: boxy machines.
WEAK: wedges

RA205AAH ----------------------------------------------------------------------
SPEARS/PUNCHERS:
EXAMPLES: Rammstein, Rhino

In this game, are solely pneumatic. The game mechanics don't possess the
ability to pierce the opponent. Instead, the idea is taking the ram bot's
tactics and miniaturizing it down to just the weapon. This makes spears
slightly easier to control since backing off and ramming isn't required (but
helps). In fact, combining a ram bot chassis with pneumatic punchers is highly
recommended. Ideally, reach is the advantage of a punch bot, striking from a
safe distance. Spears also have a speed advantage; they posses fastest attack
in the game. This type fairs well in arenas with pits, allowing you to safely
knock an opponent into a hazard without the danger of overshooting (like a ram
bot does). Spear bots posses a small weapon profile -- often resembling a ram
bot array, making them less susceptible to spinners. In fact, with this game,
you can even hide the spike inside the chassis as a surprise attack. Of course,
savvy opponents will be suspicious, since your air gage is full. The easiest
opponent is one with box-like chassis and/or exposed wheels. Thwacks and rams
predominately fall into this category. You also get an edge against hammers,
being able to knock the opponent back and mess up the aim.
A disadvantage of spears is an even narrower attack range than hammers. This
can be compensated by having more pistons or more surfaces that are extended
(or a combination of both). Keep in mind, however, that this creates a danger
of creating massive lag on online games. Thus, only have as many pistons as
necessary (usually no more than 4). As with hammers, control is key. Spears
have a psychological disadvantage. Your opponent knows that you need a separate
source of power for your weapon. This means that your drive train, battery
power or armor is comparatively weaker to a ram bot of the same type. Wedges
are a difficult target since your attack will more likely bounce off and up.
This will knock your robot up into the air, often resulting in the wedge
gaining the upper hand.

STRONG: Boxy robots (thwacks, rams), some hammers and face spinners
WEAK: Wedges,

RA205AAI ----------------------------------------------------------------------
SAWS:
EXAMPLES: the Master, Anklebiter (season 1-4), Ginsu, SOB, Low Blow

In real life, saws suck virtually outright. In this game, they fair a little
better. Saws do a small amount of damage in a short amount of time. The goal
then is to keep the opponent in place long enough for the points to rack up.
The Battlebot SOB is a good design to base from. This involves a saw mounted on
servo arm. The weapon can be raised out of harms way and only be brought in
when you have a good hold on the opponent. Alternately, you can try mounting
them in the front of the wedge like Ankle Biter so that your wedge has extra
bite, even maybe flipping the opponent. The robot Low Blow employed an
interesting tactic of mounting the saw horizontally on top of a dome-like
chassis. However, in this game, you might as well just make it a spinner.
Compared to a spinner of similar diameter, the saw is lighter, possibly ideal
for the lower weight classes.
Given their lackluster reputation in the real world and only so-so status in
the game, your opponent will probably not regard your weapon as very dangerous.
Saws are incredibly easy to knock off (by hammers and vertical spinners if
horizontal, and thwacks, spinners, and side hammers, if vertical). Do not use
them as drive wheels (like Ginsu) unless absolutely necessary. Your traction
and pushing ability is greatly reduced. In addition, they will be constantly
taking damage from the arena.

STRONG: Any robot that you can get to stop moving
WEAK: Just about anything else

RA205AAJ ----------------------------------------------------------------------
BAR/DISC SPINNERS:
EXAMPLES: Mauler, Hazard, Malvolio, Hypno-disc, Surgeon General

Spinners are generally regarded as the most destructive machines in robotic
combat. It is basically the kinetic energy achieved by a hammer or a thwack,
except continuous and separate from the drive train. Spinners come in just
about any flavor. The advantage of spinners is that typically the spinner has a
large attack radius. This is an area that your opponent is going to try his/her
best to get around. If your spinner is all-encompassing (surrounds the
chassis), you effectively have an extra layer of armor -- a weapon that
functions as both offense and defense. Take a note, that as your spinner gets
up to speed, the chassis’s going to want to turn in the opposite direction of
the rotating mass. How hard you turn depends on the mass of the spinner and the
motor powering it. Once it reaches full speed, control usually stabilizes. Just
know that this means that when you hit the opponent, you may have steering
problems afterwards as the spinner gets back up to speed. Jimxorb has
discovered that using servos as part of the drive train, can help steady the
robot. You may opt to shut off the spinner at the last second before impact and
then be able to retreat in a controlled manner.
The psychological aspects of a spinner against an opponent vary. The opponent
is generally going to be fearful (at worst, respectful) of your weapon and will
avoid it at all costs. On the other hand, some opponents (such as a ram bot)
may bite the bullet and just go straight at you. They know your weapon is the
result of sacrifices -- even neglect -- to your drive train. They have superior
pushing ability and will try to move you into a hazard or stop the spinner by
pinning you against a wall. They will also hope they can knock off a part of
your spinner, causing the spinner to become unbalanced or even come off
entirely. This will basically neuter your weapon since an unbalanced spinner is
in danger of spinning out and "pulling a Mauler." Wedges pose a problem
depending on how low your spinner is mounted. Machines like Hazard and Malvolio
compensate by having wedges of their own. Malvolio also employs mounting the
bar at an angle, resulting in a lower kill area. Of course, he loses the
ability to strike anyone at his rear and sides. If you are going to use an
angled spinner, be sure to have some weapons to deter any hammer robots aiming
for the center connector. The steeper the angle (more than 45 degrees), the
more your spinner becomes akin to a face spinner (see below). Another machine,
Code Black, has his blade mounted almost flush with the ground. This makes
getting under it virtually impossible, as well as gives him perfect shots at
his opponents wheels. This particular type seems to be called "Under-cutters."
In general, you're going to want to hit the opponent depending on which
direction you're spinning. If you're spinning left (counter-clockwise), you
should hit the left side [his left, your right] of the opponent. This will
knock the front end away from you, usually giving you access to his sides and
rear. In a spinner vs. spinner scenario [both normal or vertical), it usually
comes down to what your weapons are and where they're located.

STRONG: any opponent with lots of external attachments (hammers, thwacks,
    lifters, saws)
WEAK: Well-armored ram bots, wedges, other spinners

RA205AAK ----------------------------------------------------------------------
VERTICAL SPINNERS:
EXAMPLES: Nightmare, Backlash, Garm

You've seen them on TV: the vertical discs of Nightmare and Backlash. You're
going to want to have something directly under the central axis of the spinning
mass. For Backlash, you've seen that he has casters in this location. This
prevents the weapon from slamming into the floor when you hit an opponent (it's
also going to want to pitch forward when you spin up, so distribute weight
accordingly). You will also notice that Nightmare has a wide stance and that
Backlash has had these long balancing rods sticking out the sides. These are
designed to help keep the robot upright as it turns. Adding stabilizers like
that will help in a big way. A good vertical spinner (spinning upwards) becomes
something of a launcher, but also has the damage qualities of a spinner. Anyone
who's seen the fight between Nightmare and Slam Job know what I'm talking
about. One of the disadvantages of a vertical spinner is that it's attack zone
is fairly narrow. This means that you have to work harder to keep your weapon
aimed at your opponent. One way to compensate is to have multiple discs. This
is recommended since with just one disc, your robot can become side-heavy and
easily tips over. Of course the more discs you have, the more it is like a
drum. The disc or bar on a vertical spinner is inherently large, often at least
twice the height of your chassis. This makes being invertible difficult since
ideally, your drive wheels should be at roughly in line with the axis of the
spinner. Have a reverse switch for your spinner and hit it any time you start
to leave the ground. This is usually enough to keep yourself from flipping.
It’s also often enough flip yourself back over if it happens, by striking the
ground enough times.
Yes, it is possible to mount your drive motors in a way to achieve an angled
chassis like Nightmare. An RA2 robot known as Digital Apocalypse designed by
TDS is reportedly the first to achieve something like this. An interesting
design, DA also utilizes a powered steering unit at his rear, which vastly
improves his turning ability. Bare in mind, however, this is one of the most
unstable robot designs.
Of all the weapon types, vertical spinners seem to be the most common to have
stacked motors. As stated, this can be dangerous. You risk being very unstable
and a complete physics anomaly.
Wedges are tough for vertical spinners since they require a surface to catch
on to be really effective. A pyramidal machine is a difficult target for this
weapon type. Of course, one way to counter this is with a wedge of your own.
Historically, vertical spinners have not done well against horizontal spinners.
Hammer bots with long reach may pose a problem, as they will be aiming for your
weapon motor, which is not easy to protect.

STRONG: Boxy robots, robots with lots of attachments
WEAK: Wedges, (some hammers & spinners)

RA205AAL ----------------------------------------------------------------------
DRUMS/THRESHERS:
examples: Little Drummer Boy, El Diablo

An off-shot of the vertical spinner is the drum. By default, there is no drum
attachment. However, a make-shift drum can be achieved by taking a disc and
attaching wide weapon types to the edges (such as pick axes or lawnmower
blades). Downloadable components are also available. The advantage of a drum is
a wider attack zone. Almost always, the entire front of the robot becomes a
weapon. Generally smaller in diameter, drums do smaller hits, but reach top
speed much faster as well as easier to make invertible. It’s common to see them
adopting ram-style chassis shapes. It is also easier to protect the spinner
motor. This usually removes the weakness hammers can exploit on vertical
spinners. However, the lower, wider chassis shape is just begging to be hit.
Wedges are tough for this design as well.

STRONG: Boxy robots, robots with lots of attachments
WEAK: Wedges

RA205AAM ----------------------------------------------------------------------
FACE SPINNERS:
EXAMPLES: B.O.B., 911

Face spinners are kind of a cross between a vertical spinner and a drill. They
have the vertical spinner or drum's ability to toss a robot (on the edge that
spins up). Of course, this means that the other edge is striking down. One way
to compensate for this is to have at least 2 counter-rotating spinners on the
front of your robot. Take note to not make your spikes or striking appendages
all the same size. Have one set act more as a protection for the disc, while
another set be the ones dedicated to attack. The idea is to get enough spacing
to achieve high enough damage points.
Like the drum, face spinners take up a good portion of the front end of the
robot. In addition, they are generally small in size, which makes for an
invertible design. Being small and numerous, face spinners are hard to stop.
This also means you can add more power to your drive train.
Unlike drums, spear bots have an advantage over face spinners in that they have
a clean shot at the center of your discs. Such a tactic would require superior
control and near-perfect aim. This is rare (especially online), but it is
reasonable to consider this scenario. Know which part of the disc is spinning
downward. This will make a big difference against a wedge, as the side that
spins down is going to pop your bot in the air, giving the wedge the advantage.

STRONG: Boxy robots, robots with lots of attachments
WEAK: wedges, spears

RA205AAN ----------------------------------------------------------------------
FULL-BODY SPINNERS:
EXAMPLES: Y-POUT & Why-Not (sort of)

Basically, this is a thwack that has translating ability. One way to achieve
this is to have an axle in the center of the base plate. Mounted to this are a
pair of servos. These become the drive motors. Mount some high-powered motors
on the outer edges. Set a switch that spins the outer motors in a single
direction and wire the servos like a drive train. This will cause the chassis
to spin at high speed, but the servos will remain stationary.
There is an alternative, which involves weight distribution, but the creator,
TDS, hasn't released his secrets, yet. You can try figuring it out if you want.
The strengths and weaknesses of this type of machine are the same as a spinner,
just extreme in both directions. Since the entire chassis is spinning, this
means a high-speed ~700kg machine of doom (these machines will invariably be
heavy weights). Normal spinners only get 1-2 (at most 3) motors powering their
weapons. A full body spinner has as many drive motors as you can fit into a
chassis (generally 4-6). This means extremely high spin speed without the
problems of stacking motors. People employing this design have had hits in
excess of 2000 points (one record of over 6000). A disadvantage of this type of
machine is that your drive train is pitiful if you're using the servos. In
fact, it's likely the worst drive train possible (you will have zilch in the
pushing department). Having a separate control for the spin motors to act as
drive motors is a good back-up plan. Of course, since you're hitting with such
high damage, there is a higher likelihood of breaking your own robot's
attachments with that same hit.

STRONG: [weak armored] Boxy robots, robot with lots of attachments.
WEAK: Well-armored ram bots, wedges

RA205AAO ----------------------------------------------------------------------
FULL-BODY DRUMS:
EXAMPLES: Daffodil

Currently, this design has yet to be successful. The idea is to make a
cylindrical chassis. Mount the weapon motors, one facing the base, the other
facing the top. Your drive motors are then attached to the weapon motors. You
then have to get the robot to fall on its side. The chassis  becomes a gigantic
drum. The trick is preventing both drive pods from spinning. Also, since you're
tipping it on its side, control setup becomes problematic.

STRONG: n/a
WEAK: n/a

RA205AB +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MISC. WEAPON Q’S:
Q: Why can't I get my wedge under the opponent?
A: (Crazy sub-conscious says that sounds wrong... ) Try putting some ballast
in that particular section. This should weigh down that part of the chassis,
getting it lower and also should make it harder for the opponent to get
leverage. Keep in mind that batteries (for some reason) do not appear to have
any effect on weight distribution. Also try putting a caster on the opposite
end of the chassis to angle the front (or whichever side the wedge is on) down.

Q: Can I make hinged wedges/skirts?
A: No. Attaching a wedge on an axle mount will not work. The fact that the
game drops the robot a short distance before a fight often causes the wedges
to fold underneath itself, rendering them useless. Lu-Tze and the Ubermod have
come up with hinges, but really they’re just extremely weak servos.

Q: Why would I stack motors?
A: RA2 lacks the ability to use chains or belts to have multiple motors power
an axle (as is common in real robot combat). Everything must be directly
mounted. RA2 builders have tried getting around this by stacking motors to get
increased speed and power. Despite this, the robot is going to be highly
unstable and often possesses a long spin-up time. The AU Z-tek was created to
try and prevent motor stacking (and for God’s sake, don't stack the AU z-tek).

Q: How do I stack motors?
A: Stick a connector (most use "T" connectors) between the axle of the first
motor and the attachment point of the second one.

Q: What about the cannon, flame thrower and the magnet?
A: Those weapon types are available only after you use the cheatbot code.
They are not available online, so there's no real point in discussing them.
(Besides, they suck for the most part).

Q: Are there any weapon types [popular in real robot combat] you’re not
covering here?
A: Yes. They are Crushers (because the default mechanics can’t achieve it),
Drills (because they suck more than saws)

RA205B ************************************************************************
MOBILITY/DRIVE/MECHANICS:

Battlebot builder Christian Carlberg once said that drive train is the most
important part of the robot. You can see where he's coming from, in that as
long as you can move you won't get counted out.
More often than not, your weapon choice determines the type of drive train you
have. Other factors are the shape of you chassis and weight class.

This is a wheel number break down (that are touching the ground):
2 WHEELS: pretty much used for thwacks, as well as some hammers and spinners
3 WHEELS: you are on crack 8P, Really, some do this to increase translation
    speed and to slow down turning. If you try building an auto-steering bot,
    you may need to put counter-weights on the opposite side.
4 WHEELS: good all-around. It may have some turning problems due to slippage.
6 WHEELS: This is a fine compromise of turning and translating speed.
    However, this is a lot of dedication to the drive train, so your weapon
    and armor may start to suffer.
8 OR MORE: You are almost certainly building a ram. With all those wheels and
    motors, you're not going to have much for other active weapons.

Omni-Drive: This is a design that employs 4 motors (I suppose 3 or 6 could
work, as well), each at the corners of the chassis in an "X" shape. The result
is (with some additional wiring setups) the ability to side-step of "strafe" as
it is commonly known amongst FPS (first person shooters). The disadvantage of
this system is that the translation (forward, backward, & side-to-side) power
of the robot is greatly reduced compared to another machine with the same
motors mounted parallel. The only real up-side other than the novelty of side
movement is a very fast turn speed (ideal for thwacks).

Walkers: It is very difficult to build a walker in this game, and there’s not
much incentive, given the lack of a bonus weight allowance present in most
robotic competitions. There are three types of walkers:
Thwack rollers, which are discs or tri-bars with weapon heads attached. These
are technically illegal walkers by Battlebot rules. They aren’t much better
than using saws as wheels.
Shufflers, are long bars that cam using axle mounts.
True Walkers, incredibly difficult to make and exceedingly unstable.

RA205BA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MOTOR STATS:

Here's some numbers, courtesy of TDS:
(note: the mod also by TDS, the Ubermod, has different values)

WEIGHT: in kg
SPEED:
TORQUE: strength. Basically, this is how easily it can move a heavy object
BATT. DRAIN: amount of power pulled per 20 seconds (see power stats)
# (drive train possibilities)

SPIN MOTORS:
There are used for spinning wheels or weapons. Any of the controls (analog,
switch, button) can be wired to these.

RIGHT ANGLE MOTOR
WEIGHT: 16
SPEED: 18
TORQUE: 14
BATT. DRAIN: 80
2: good light weights, ok  middle weights
4: great lightweight rams, good middle weight, ok for heavy spinners
6 or more: good middle weight, ok heavy (but consider other motors)
These are great because of their size. You will almost never use them for
weapons. Vertically, they are a little taller than z-teks.

REDBIRD
WEIGHT: 21
SPEED: 26
TORQUE: 18
BATT. DRAIN: 140
2: very good light weight or middleweight
4: good for middle weight rams, ok heavy
6: decent heavy (will be on par with two z-teks)
8 or more: Probably not necessary, try using z-zteks instead
Good speed, (slightly slower than a Z-tek, but lower torque). These are for
bots that need more control (versus using a z-tek) or just simply your machine
isn’t tall enough to fit a z-tek. They will fit in a chassis at its lowest and
sub-lowest height. Fitted vertically, it’s slightly taller than a vertical
right angle.

Z-TEK
WEIGHT: 25
SPEED: 36
TORQUE: 24
BATT. DRAIN: 200
2: very good middle weight thwack (you can try putting it in a light weight)
4: Good ram (see if you can upgrade to hp's, though)
6 or more: very powerful ram bot (see if you can upgrade, though)
Two words: Speed (&) Power. Z-teks will not fit in the shortest chassis
height. Raise the height measurement by half a scroll bar (kind of hard to
explain) and it will fit. They are basically the same height whether on its
side, or on its back.


Z-TEK(HP)
WEIGHT: 30
SPEED: 36
TORQUE: 48
BATT. DRAIN: 400
2: try it in a middle weight thwack (good luck getting them in a light weight)
4: Outstanding heavy ram.
6 or more: virtually unstoppable heavy ram, but can be difficult to drive (and
    will drain power like crazy)
Three words: More Speed (&) Power. (Size is same as z-tek, of course) It is
also the motor of choice for driving weapons.

POWERED STEERING UNIT (Narrow; Medium; Wide)
WEIGHT: 50
SPEED: 18
TORQUE: 14
BATT. DRAIN: 80
This seems to be a matter of taste and what you intend to do. It can help
achieve a more controlled turn on some robots. If you need to turn completely
around quickly, doing a bunch of short 3-point turns (consult a DMV manual)
usually does the trick.

AU-Z-TEK (BY AW)
WEIGHT: 65
SPEED: 90
TORQUE: 48
BATT. DRAIN: 1200
Use them for weapons, not for drive trains.

Here's a different way of looking at it, if your head is whirling from all
those numbers:

4 z-teks(hp) ~= 10 redbirds ~= 20 right angles


BURST MOTORS
These will be your motors to self-right and/or lift/hammer with. These can only
have a button wired to them. They have also been cleverly been used to mount
spinner motors in positions the game would normally not allow (intersecting the
chassis, for example). Just know that it will probably wobble a bit.

SNAPPER II (hidden -- must be unlocked via RFSoftware’s pack)
WEIGHT: 13
BURST: 0 20 25
SPEED: 4
TORQUE: 5
BATT. DRAIN: 400
This thing is pitifully weak.

SNAPPER 2
WEIGHT: 22
BURST: 0 40 60
SPEED: 4
TORQUE: 25
BATT. DRAIN: 300
Works best for the smaller weight classes. It is about the same size as a
right-angle motor.

DDT
WEIGHT: 30
BURST: 0 50 90
SPEED: 5
TORQUE: 35
BATT. DRAIN: 500
Ideal for the middle and heavy classes. It is about as tall as a z-tek.

AU BURST
WEIGHT: 55
BURST: 10 100 300
SPEED: 6
TORQUE: 1000
BATT. DRAIN: 3000

SERVO MOTORS
These items are unique in that they resist any outside force and usually stay
in the position they are in. In general, servos are for a slow, controlled way
of changing the position of something. Usually it’s adjusting the angle of a
weapon head.

SERVO 302 (small servo)
WEIGHT: 22
SPEED: 3
TORQUE: 26
BATT. DRAIN: 50
Horizontally, about the same height of a [horizontal] red bird. Mounted
vertically, its close to a black batt.

SERVO 502 (big servo)
WEIGHT: 30
SPEED: 4
TORQUE: 40
BATT. DRAIN: 90
On its side, ~same height of a horizontal pink batt. On its base, about the
height of a large air tank.

SERVO 702 (Big flat servo)
WEIGHT: 30
SPEED: 4
TORQUE: 40
BATT. DRAIN: 90
Mounted vertically, roughly that of a [horizontal] pink batt in height.  On its
side, the same as a large air tank.

RA205BB +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MISC. MECHANICAL Q’S:

Q: Why don't you get detailed about some of this stuff?
A: The game came with a great set of tutorials to help you (there's a folder </pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
marked as such in the RA2 directory)

Q: Where can I get tank treads?
A: There are no tank treads. As it stands, there is no way to have treads in
the game. You have probably seen a custom machine by Dummee which only appears
to have treads, but uses normal wheels. That, or you're thinking of the first
game (and no, exporting that model does not work) or some other game.
Lu-Tze did release a component that resembles tank treads, but they too are not
real treads.

RA205BC +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SELF-RIGHTING/BEING INVERTIBLE:
Don’t ever assume you can’t be flipped over. Sure, you might have a design
where the other robots might not be able to flip you completely over, but
consider things like the hellraisers in the Octagon Arena and the dreaded Havok
explosions. You cannot travel the road of Bio-hazard, who is not invertible,
and just make it hard to get under you.

Not to re-word an old car slogan, but "Lower is better." This makes it much
easier to be invertible, plus it makes for a lower center of gravity, so the
risk of being flipped is reduced.
General rule of thumb is to make your robot invertible if possible. There are
several ways to do this:

One way is to simply use wheels that have a diameter large enough to stick out
enough on both the top and bottom. The problem inherent with this method is
that when you get flipped, you’re controls are now reversed. Unlike what most
builders do, you can’t just flip a switch and invert your controls (and if you
can, I want to know where you got it). The counter for this is to have another
set of controls. This means you have to have an extra 2 slots in the control
box. Generally this is not a problem, however this often limits you to using
the keyboard.

Another method is to have an extra set of free-spinning wheels towards the top.
This set of wheels are wired in such a way that when flipped, you can still
drive normally without changing controls. The Robot War bot Pussy Cat follows
this idea. The problem with this method is that at a given time, this set of
motors will drain battery power even if they’re not touching the ground.

There also has been methods that mount the motors on servos or linear actuators
that changes the drive train layout of the robot. There are a few problems with
this. One is that often the controls are still reversed depending on how
they’re mounted. Also consider that servos are painfully slow, meaning there
are precious seconds in which you are vulnerable trying to reconfigure. Lastly,
this is a lot of complicated attachments to the drive train, compromising
weapons, armor, etc. Tacking on to that, all those parts will increase the lag
in online play.

For self-righting, the sure-fire way is to use burst motors. It’s usually
pretty simple, just follow something similar to the Minion self-righter.

Don’t use the burst pistons for self-righting. It’s a flaw in the physics
engine which doesn’t follow Newton’s 3rd law. That is, the every action causes
equal reaction. In this case, there’s no reaction. Most of the times, firing
the pistons results in nothing. Although if you follow that logic, you could
theoretically try mounting the piston the opposite way to try to shift enough
weight to flip over.

If anything, at least make sure you can move around after being flipped.
Vertical spinners could use their weapon disc, spears can scoot around by the
pistons.

For spinners and some Face spinners, you can use something akin to Ziggo’s
flag. Mount somewhere in the chassis an extender that offsets the bot when it’s
upside down such that the spinning causes it to flip over. You do not want this
mounted in the center for easier righting. If you have it either tall enough or
sufficiently offset, this can actually apply to some of the other weapon types
as long as a wheel also touches the ground. At this point, all you have to do
is spin in place at full speed. Eventually centripetal acceleration will get
you back on both wheels.

If your spinner is mounted on a burst motor, than you usually can just use that
to self-right. You do run the risk of breaking your spin motor.

RA205BCA ----------------------------------------------------------------------
MISC. SRM Q’S:

Q: Why should I build a self-righting mechanism or make my robot invertible?
[Favorite Robot] doesn't have anything like that.
A: [Favorite Robot]'s builder also likely spent at least $800 (usually in
excess of $2000) and at least a month of designing and actual building. You
spent ~$20 [plus S&H] and maybe 1-3 hours before you had a good working robot.
Even then, you'll notice that builders are trying to build self-righting
capability into their machine more and more.

RA205BD +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AIR MECHANICS:

BURST PISTON (60; 80; 100; 120)
WEIGHT: 22
Speed: 60
Torque: 100
AIR. DRAIN: 100
Take note that [for all of these] the length does not change the weight. The
deciding factor is usually where you’re putting it.

Air servos/linear actuators.
Like motor servos, these are used to adjust the position of something. Mostly,
used to extend a weapon head forward for attack, and then bring it back in out
of harms way.

SERVO PISTON (60; 80; 100; 120)
WEIGHT: 22
Speed: 1
Torque: 20
AIR. DRAIN: 80
The action, is like the burst piston, just now the in-out can now be [slowly]
controlled.

LINEAR ACTUATOR (60; 80; 100; 120)
WEIGHT: 23
Speed: 1
Torque: 20
AIR. DRAIN: 80
Similar to the servo piston, these have the sliding part on the side instead.

RA205C ************************************************************************
POWER:

This is a supplement of both weapons and mobility. Batteries and air tanks are
the source of energy that allows these systems to run. Without power, you can't
move nor have an effective weapon. One way to think about the power system is
like a giant dam full of water. When the dam is full there is much more pres-
sure than when it is half full. The same applies to the power meters. Once the
meter goes down, your strength will start to decrease. Power levels are maxed
out at the beginning of every match (and by default, there is no way to get
back lost power).

RA205CA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BATTERY STATS:

All right, you stat fiends, here's some more numbers:

POWER: Take the total battery drain numbers of your motors and multiply that by
9 (to equal 3 minutes). That number is how much total power you will need.
AMPS: This designates how much power can be dished out at a given time. This is
very important depending on how much is being pulled by your motors. The total
number of amps should be at least equal to the total battery drain.

SMALL BATTERY PACK (PINK BATTS)
WEIGHT: 8
POWER: 7000
AMPS: 100
Like right angle motors, are small and can fit in tight places (also a bit
more versatile with two attachment points). However, they are the least
efficient for their weight. Mounted vertically, they are about the same height
as a vertical right angle motor.

NIFTY 6V (RED BATTS)
WEIGHT: 16
POWER: 24000
AMPS: 400
‘An in-between, but their height is a disadvantage. Because of that, the least
versatile. They’re about the same height as a z-tek.


SUPER VOLT 12V (BLACK BATTS)
WEIGHT: 30
POWER: 52000
AMPS: 800
This is very powerful. Not only that, but it can fit in a bot of lowest
chassis height (but not at sub-lowest). If you have the chassis tall enough to
fit a z-tek, a control board can fit over a black bat. (Naturally, the same
goes for 3 pink batts, but you’d probably use a black batt instead anyway)

Again, here's another equation that simplifies it a bit:

1 black ~= 2 reds ~= 8 pink

What does this mean? If you have 3 pink batts next to each other, they are
slightly thinner, shorter and lighter than a single black batt. However, a
black batt is almost 3 times as powerful.
Rules of thumb:
Place a black batt whenever possible
1 black batt for every z-tek on the robot
1 pink for every right angle

RA205CB ----------------------------------------------------------------------
MISC. BATTERY Q’S

RA205CC +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AIR TANK STATS:
WEIGHT: in kg
PSI: just like battery power
Flow Rate: just like the amps measurement

CO2 TANK
WEIGHT: 10
PSI: 800
Flow Rate: 120
Pretty standard. Fits in the lowest and sub-lowest chassis. Height is between a
red bird and a right-angle.

CO2 TANK

WEIGHT: 14
PSI: 2000
Flow Rate: 200
The hard part is how big this thing is. It’s about as tall as a z-tek

RA205D ************************************************************************
DEFENSE/ARMOR:

This is an area that often gets the least bit of attention when building a
robot. There are 4 armor sets (plastic, aluminum, titanium and steel) which
increase in toughness and weight. It is also a good practice to use
ram plates, snow plows and/or some weapon heads to create an extra layer of
protection. This applies especially to spinners, who tend to dedicate more
weight towards their weapon.

There’s a typo in the manual. The left number is the weight and the right
number is the strength.

ARMOR VALUES:

PLASTIC
STRENGTH: 80
WEIGHT: 8
Unless you’re in the low weight classes (or building an ant), you had better
have sufficient external protection.

ALUMINUM
STRENGTH: 100
WEIGHT: 12
Default armor and about average. You can certainly get by in any of the weight
classes with it. Besides, I like the texture 8P.

TITANIUM
STRENGTH: 150
WEIGHT: 16
An in between of steel and aluminum.

STEEL
STRENGTH: 175
WEIGHT: 20
Strong, but as one can imagine, very heavy. Take note, that the heavier the
robot, the more work your motors have to do.

RA205DA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MISC. DEFENSE/ARMOR Q’S:

RA205E ************************************************************************
EXTENDER COMPONENTS:

These are pieces used to do their name sake. They should never intentionally be
used as weapons. (The default parts; custom parts are another issue)
("NI" means "Need Info") (some alternative names for parts are in parenthesis)

ROUND EXTENDER (20; 40; 60; 80; 100; 120; 140)
WEIGHT: 2; 4; 6; 8; 10; 12; 14
HP: NI
FRACTURE: NI

SQUARE EXTENDER (20; 40; 60; 80; 100; 120; 140)
WEIGHT: 5; 10; 15; 20; 25; 30
HP: NI
FRACTURE: NI
Use these for a stronger mount, usually required for weapon booms and mounting
motors. They’re also just easier to build with.

DISC (60; 80; 100; 120; 140)
WEIGHT: 15; 17; 19; 21; 23
HP: 500
FRACTURE: 20
Standard spinner weapon piece.

ROTATOR BAR (tri-bar, whyachi-like bar)
WEIGHT: 14
HP: 500
FRACTURE: 20
Lighter than the discs, but at a fixed size. The width between the rotors is
usually not much of an issue, but it can make spin-up time difficult if the
opponent is really close.

RA205F ************************************************************************
WHEELS:

Minus the casters, wheels can only be mounted to axles.

BALANCE CASTER (10; 15; 20; 25)
WEIGHT: 6
I don’t think you can knock these off and frankly, shouldn’t even try. Remember
these weigh the same regardless of height and also that they stick out further
than you think.

BUZZARD WHEEL (Team Toad wheels, yellow wheels)
WEIGHT: 17
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .2
This wheel if often forgotten and not used. But then, there’s nothing really
special about it. You would use it for a Team Toad replica or to offset the
sides without having to add extra spikes.

FATBOY WHEEL
WEIGHT: 20
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .2
I don’t like these wheels. Their rounded shape often has problems balancing.
N-12's fare much better.

MINI WHEEL (Hazard wheels; Colsons) (Personally, I swap the map to grey color)
WEIGHT: 17
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .1
These are really small and ideal for robots that need concealed wheels.

MUD TIRE (hidden)
WEIGHT: 22
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .2
Slightly taller and narrower than the N-12's. Otherwise nearly identical.

N-12 WHEEL (Nightmare wheels; NPC wheels)
WEIGHT: 22
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .2
I like these wheels, but they’re heavy, so often this restricts them to the
latter weight classes. The wide, flat tread is ideal for rams.

RUBBER WHEEL
WEIGHT: 17
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .2

SHINY HUB WHEEL
WEIGHT: 12
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .12
These are the lightest wheels, and hence perfect for light and middle weights
or robots on a weight budget. At lowest chassis height, this can cover both top
and bottom if the axle bisects the height.

SLIM WHEEL
WEIGHT: 20
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .2
By far the wheel with the largest diameter. These are the easiest to use to
make a robot invertible.

SLIPPER-BOTTOM WHEEL (Wheelchair wheels; grey wheels)
WEIGHT: 18
HP: NI
RESISTANCE: .2

RA205G ************************************************************************
WEAPON COMPONENTS:

PIERCE: Additional damage to chassis and internals
CONCUSSION: Additional damage to components

BLADES:

AXE HEAD
WEIGHT: 12
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .9
PIERCE: .4
Average by most regards. Two attachment points has seen it used for everything
from lifters to side guards.

BATTLE AXE
WEIGHT: 20
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: 9
PIERCE: .4
It’s size and reach is its advantage (aside from the katana).

BLADE (40; 60; 80; 100)(Razor blades)
WEIGHT: 10; 12; 14; 16
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .8
PIERCE: .3
Personally, I find these things to be too heavy to be very useful. At their
longest length, they make for good drum weapons, though. Do note that the side
that actually cuts is the larger triangular edge (don’t look at it as if it’s
an exacto blade).

FIREMAN’S AXE
WEIGHT: 13
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .9
PIERCE: .4
In general, these do more damage than Axe Heads, although less versatile.

LAWN MOWER BLADE
WEIGHT: 20
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .8
PIERCE: .3
Don’t implement them for the obvious use. Blade/bar spinners don’t do quite as
well since the physics engine doesn’t seem to calculate tip speed on a spinning
[solid] object. Instead, use it for external armor or to make drum shapes.

SAMURAI SWORD (hidden) (katana)
WEIGHT: 14
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .8
PIERCE: .3
I’ve found it to be excellent for hammer-style weapons, as well as good guard
rails. They also make for good Ziggo-style righting bars. However, it seems to
make for lousy spinner weapons.

HAMMERS:

HAMMER HEAD
WEIGHT: 25
HP: NI
The two attachments provide good versatility. Use for anything that swings in
only one direction. Has been used as spear point weapons to good effect.

IRON FIST (hidden)
WEIGHT: 18
HP: NI
Generally speaking, these do more damage and seem to have more hit points than
sledge hammers.

SLEDGE HAMMER
WEIGHT: 30
HP: NI
Basic heavy thwacking object. Being double-sided, is good for spinners. They
seem to stand up to more punishment than the battle axe.

SAWS/CUTTERS:
These can only be mounted to axles. Most of them can pass through the chassis.

CHEW BLADE
WEIGHT: 12
HP: NI

NINJA STAR (hidden)
WEIGHT: 8
HP: NI
A bit small to be of any real use. These cannot intersect the chassis.

SAW BLADE (60; 80; 100; 120; 140)
WEIGHT: 16; 18; 20; 22; 24
HP: NI

SPIKES:
Spikes generally can intersect the chassis

IRON SPIKE (Dark spike)
WEIGHT: 10
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .1
PIERCE: .8
Good length and decent in most regards.

POINTY TIP (Short fat spikes)
WEIGHT: 8
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: 0
PIERCE: 1
This spike cannot intersect the chassis. As such, not used much.

POLE SPIKE (30; 50; 70) (Round skinny spikes)
WEIGHT: 8; 12; 16
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: 0
PIERCE: 1
They’re a bit on the heavy side.

RAZOR TIP
WEIGHT: 7
HP: 500
CONCUSSION: 0
PIERCE: 1
They’re light weight and rather wide shape is their advantage. The fins do give
it slightly odd collision values.

SPIKE STRIP
WEIGHT: 14
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .1
PIERCE: .8
Really long and nasty looking 8P. These have been used to make good lifters.

THWACKING OBJECTS

BEAR CLAW (hidden)
WEIGHT: 8
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .8
PIERCE: .3
Has not seen extensive use in the RA2 community.

ICE PICK (Pick Axe)
WEIGHT: 16; 8
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .1
PIERCE: .8
The single spike version has slightly different collision values than the
double-sided. In fact, the single-sided are ideal for hammers and vertical
spinners. The double sided is good for spinners that need to spin both ways,
drums and for extra defense.

MACE
WEIGHT: 10
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .5
PIERCE: .5

SPIKED CLUB
WEIGHT: 14
HP: NI
CONCUSSION: .5
PIERCE: .5
It’s shape alludes to good drum attachments.

RA205H ************************************************************************
EXTRAS:
These are miscellaneous pieces that usually aren’t used to attack. However,
some parts have been used as weapons.

BRACKET WEDGE:
WEIGHT: 16
HP: NI
These have been used as wheel guards, as well.

EMERGENCY FLIPPER (hidden)
WEIGHT: 14
HP: 600
FRACTURE: 20
Use these over the Bracket wedges if you can. Their wide shape can be used for
some protection.

FORKLIFT ARM
WEIGHT: 12
HP: NI
FRACTURE:
Not very useful as lifters for the larger weight classes. It has been used for
stabilizers on vertical spinners. In theory, it is the lower-reaching lifter
part.

SMALL WEDGE
WEIGHT: 10
HP: NI
FRACTURE:

SNOWPLOW (SD Plow is identical)
WEIGHT: 16
HP: NI
FRACTURE:
The advantage here is their width combined with the sloped edge.

RAMPLATE
WEIGHT: 20
HP: 1000
FRACTURE: 40
These are your best external defense. Some have used them as weapon heads.

RA205I ************************************************************************
MISCELLANEOUS COMPONENT NOTES:

Some parts have weird collision values, so if something won't fit, rotate it on
its mount -- sometimes that works.

RA205IA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MISC. COMPONENT Q’S:

Q: How do I attach a component in a different orientation?
A: All right, when you select a component you will notice that a small cube is
glowing bright green. This is an attachment point. Depending on the part, you
can see other cubes, just a duller shade of green. You may have to rotate the
part using the right mouse button. By clicking (left mouse button) on any of
the dull green cubes will highlight it. This now makes it the current
attachment point. Anyone who has played the game Roboforge will be slightly
familiar with this process.

Q: Where do I get all this custom stuff?
A: Go to this site: http://www.the.iwarp.com/downloads.html

Q: What is this "sub-lowest" height you keep talking about?
A: There’s the [generally accepted] lowest chassis height, which is what you
get when you scroll the slider all the way to the bottom. However, there is a
trick to go even lower. Raise the slider to maximum, and then click on the area
for lowest height. The slider should jump to that position, but the chassis
will be much thinner.


RA206 =========================================================================
AI/OPPONENTS:

These are the default AI opponents in the game. I've divided it up by weight
class, starting with the heavy weights.

RA206A ************************************************************************
HEAVYWEIGHTS(399-800):
This will likely be a common weight class for you given the huge range of what
counts as a heavy. Most of the opponents (minus EMERGENCY) will be fairly easy.

SENTINEL:
TEAM: Redzone
WEIGHT: 426
DRIVE: 2 red birds, 1 power steering
ARMOR: steel
WEAPON: Lifter (Bracket Wedge)
DIFFICULTY: very easy
COMMENTS:
You will encounter this guy often and have probably fought him many times
during exhibition matches by default. He's not invertible, so flip him all you
want. Give the lifter a respectful distance, however. More than anything,
practice getting around to his wheels. He uses auto steering, so his driving is
really lousy. This guy seems to have a strange attraction to the arena wall.

GROG, THE WARRIOR:
TEAM: Prehistoric
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 514
DRIVE: 2 zteks
WEAPON: Hammer (Battle axe)
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
Never underestimate the hammer bots. This guy's axe can take off almost any
extender with one hit, motors and wheels in 2-3. The axe gives him a reach
advantage, being the longest of the hammer bots. However, it is also the
narrowest, so dodging to the left or right is fairly easy. With a
forward-mounted ram plate, all frontal attacks are for only the
bravest/strongest. Get at those over-sized wheels as much as you can. You'd
think with those wheels, he'd be invertible, but he's out of luck. Despite
possessing the strongest motors of the hammer bots, he is a lousy driver and
it's fairly easy to get around (he shares Sentinel's love for walls). Grog
doesn't seem to have the same self-righting prowess as the others. The back
wheels aren't powered, so don't bother attacking them unless necessary. It's
kind of sad, since the design itself is ok.

BEAR:
TEAM: Good Ol' Boys
ARMOR: aluminum
WEIGHT: 424
DRIVE: 2 redbirds, 1 power steering
WEAPON: Dual Hammers (Bear Claws)
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
Fairly straight forward. The claws are individually actuated, and thus don't
seem to do as much damage as the others. This guy uses auto steering, making
him a lousy driver. His armor is the weakest of the hammer-types, plus his wide
chassis makes for a big target. On top of it all, his wheels are exposed (and
not invertible, no less).

RONIN:
TEAM: Dragon
ARMOR: titanium
WEIGHT: 406.3
DRIVE: 2 ztek(hp)s
WEAPON: Wedge, (4 pole spikes)
DIFFICULTY: medium-hard
COMMENTS:
(bears no resemblance to the Battlebot of the same name) Want to know why no
one likes wedges in Battlebots? This machine is quite effective. His wedge is
not to be underestimated. He's invertible, although his effectiveness decreases
drastically. His sides are defended by spikes, making the most likely area to
attack difficult. On top of it all, his wheels are enclosed, so only a hammer
bot or a spinner at the correct height is going to knock them out. He is one of
the better drivers of the weight class. Keep in mind that he has no weapon
minus the wedge when ramming, so he can damage himself if you have a good,
powerful weapon up front. Likewise, hammers have the biggest advantage, here.
His shape has proven a disadvantage in some arenas with ramps and he gets high-
centered. Take advantage of this and try leading him into one (just don’t get
high-centered, yourself). Play this guy in exhibitions a lot, especially to
test your own wedge/flippers.

COAL MINER:
TEAM: Black Storm
ARMOR: aluminum
WEIGHT: 453.3
DRIVE: 4 zteks
WEAPON: Face Spinner (2 Iron Spikes), Ram
DIFFICULTY: medium-hard
COMMENTS:
Dangerous if you're not careful. The disc has an annoying tendency to stay
attached. I believe this is due to that a right angle motor powers his weapon.
This makes him more of a rammer with an actuated weapon, than a true face
spinner. Its own wheels are enclosed and is invertible. The good news is that
he has weak armor, so a few good hits and he's dead. Lifters/Launchers can try
getting him stuck on his side.

EMERGENCY:
TEAM: Spark:
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 795.8
DRIVE: 4 ztek(hp)s
WEAPON: Lifters (2 Emergency Flippers), Rammer (4 Ramplates)
DIFFICULTY: very hard
COMMENTS:
Just by reading those stats, it is very apparent this is one nasty robot.
Unlike a lot of the other machines, there is not a glaring flaw in this guy's
design. He's the only one to actually take advantage of the 800 kg weight
limit. He has the fastest motors and he has the strongest armor. Quite frankly,
he is an excellent ram-lifter. I think this thing was inspired by Vlad the
Impaler and just as effective. His lifters _will_ get under you and you _will_
visit a wall. His entire front is guarded by 4 ram plates, and he's pretty good
at keeping that aimed at you. If he has his lifters, he’s even able to even
flip himself over if inverted. This is one of the few machines that pins.
Sometimes, he'll even stay there even if his own countdown starts. If you both
tie at the immobile countdown, you still lose. So if you get pushed against a
wall, my advice is to flail (struggle) for all it's worth to hope he backs off.
This will be a tough fight. Vertical spinners/drums that can take off the
wedges will have the edge here. It's hard, but try to get him to misfire with
his flipper and then just charge in. You may be even able to flip him over. Use
arenas with ramps to your advantage since his flippers won't be flush with the
ground. All the other weapon types will just have to out-maneuver him. For
spinners, you had better have a decent drive train to maneuver or the ability
to kill in 2-3 hits, because this guy is practically a spinner-killer.

LITTLE METAL FRIEND:
TEAM: Spike Heads
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 528.8
DRIVE: 2 ztek(hp)s
WEAPON: Inverted Thwack (2 Hammers Heads)
DIFFICULTY: medium-hard
COMMENTS:
This guy poses an interesting challenge. His tactics involve a kind of inverted
thwack by smacking you around with those hammers. He does this very well. In
addition, he can run inverted. The best thing to do is knock those extenders
off ASAP and then go for his exposed wheels. The arms are actuated, but he
never uses them.

SNOW JOB
TEAM: NorthPolers
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 484.7
DRIVE: 4 ztek(hp)s
WEAPON: Ram (snow plow)
DIFFICULTY: easy
COMMENTS:
Kinda looks like Frostbite, but sucks. Other than the fact that this guy will
try ramming you at high speeds, there isn't much of a threat. His driving is
somewhere between lousy and so-so. His wheels are exposed. That snowplow is
usually ripped off by most decent spinners. On top of it all, he's not
invertible (although sometimes shifts/slides around for unknown reasons -- get
him into a corner)

WIDE LOAD:
TEAM: High Voltage
ARMOR: aluminum
WEIGHT: 405.7
DRIVE: 2 zteks
WEAPON: Spear (4 Pointy Tips)
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
The token spear bot of the weight class. This thing can be difficult since the
spikes take up most of the front of the machine, and it is a very wide robot.
His drive train pretty much lets him turn on a dime, so other spears and
hammers will probably have some problems. On the plus side, he’s not
invertible. However, note that he can still scoot around using the piston, so
either kill him or push him into a wall/corner.

HANKYPANKY
TEAM: Hex
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 410.3
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Lifter (Iron Spike)
DIFFICULTY: easy
COMMENTS:
This guy is about as lousy as he sounds. Seriously, if you can't take this guy
down, you need to re-think your design, or might have entered the wrong weight
class. His lifter will do more damage than Sentinel, but barely counts for
much. The only thing to look out for is if the spike gets under any external
defenses and hits the extenders, wheels or motors. He has sloped front and
sides, but has a lot of ground clearance (for a lifter), so just about anything
can get under him. He's a rotten driver and he's got a high center of gravity
so tipping him's easy.

EYE POKER:
TEAM: Z
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 429.3
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Ram (2 Pole Spikes)
difficulty: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
An annoying push bot. He hardly ever rams, nor does he really have the drive
train for it. This guy is invertible, and has enclosed wheels. Ideally,
spinners will want to attack him from the sides or rear, since those spikes are
a bit resilient. His chassis is lower than Coal Miner, which makes knocking him
on his side harder, but it is possible. The only difficulty this guy poses is
that often the only way to win is by beating the guy into submission.

BIG DOG:
TEAM: SteelYard Dog
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 529.0
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Ram (SD Snow plow), rear ramplate
DIFFICULTY: easy
COMMENTS:
Rather reminiscent of Punjar. This guy is very similar to Snow Job except the
wheels aren't exposed. He isn't as fast, but a slightly better driver. Despite
the slot on the front of his chassis, his plow isn't actuated. Take advantage
of his lack of speed to get at those exposed sides. This guy’s low ground
clearance sometimes gets him in trouble in arenas with ramps.

RAPTOR:
TEAM: Riot
WEIGHT: 518.8
DRIVE: 4 red birds
ARMOR: steel
WEAPON: Hammer (2 Ice Picks), side spike strips
DIFFICULTY: medium-hard
COMMENTS:
Raptor is arguably the hardest of the AI hammer bots of the weight class. Using
the dual pick axes, he has a wider strike area than any of the others and his
sides have a spike strip guarding his wheels. Strangely, he seems to take
damage easily from spinners (I’ve killed him faster than Deadbeat).

DEADBEAT:
TEAM: Megaton
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 434.8
DRIVE: 2 redbirds, 2 right angles
WEAPON: Hammer (Sledge Hammer)
DIFFICULTY: medium-hard
COMMENTS:
I think the second hardest of the hammer bots. It's pretty good at keeping
itself from being tipped over. In fact, if left alone long enough (it takes a
while), I’ve seen it right itself after being completely inverted. Those front
wheels are rather easy to hit, although he's a better driver than Grog. The
back wheels are powered (but he's only able to drive forward or backward with
them), so you'll have to take those out or flip him over.

BACKYARD RIPPER
TEAM: Scrapper
ARMOR: titanium
WEIGHT: 531.6
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Spinner (4 disc-mounted Axe Heads)
DIFFICULTY: medium
COMMENTS:
The big spinner of the weight class is only moderately difficult. The axes(the
connectors behind them to be more precise) come off pretty easily, as does the
disc itself. Hammer bots are going to want to aim directly for the center of
the disc like it's a bull's-eye. He's not invertible, but if he still has the
disc, he can flail about the arena (and sometimes right himself) and his rear
wheels stick out such that he can roll around if on his rear. The wedge body
usually doesn't come in to play unless you've knocked the front wheels off. If
the disc is gone, but the front wheels remain, he can sometimes get some grip
and move around if flipped over. It is possible to carve out that z-tek on the
front, so be careful of Havok explosions.

RA206B ************************************************************************
MIDDLEWEIGHTS: (250-398.9)

This is a common weight class for online tournaments since given the weight
restriction, is less likely to cause lag. The also means the way you balance
OMD is more of an issue. Hammers in particular will have it tough in this
weight class since there are 2 spears, 3 hammers and 1 good spinner. These
AI are somewhat unique in that about a third of them are actually overweight.

ALARM:
TEAM: Red Zone
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 373.1
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Spear (Hammer Head)
DIFFICULTY: medium-hard
COMMENTS:
This guy is just plain annoying. Since he has the hammer head on the piston,
he has a very large attack range. He has a decent turning ability, so getting
around him is difficult. Not only that, but his sides are angled, giving some
spinners a hard time. The robots with most difficult time are going to be
hammers, other spears and possibly face spinners.

SABERTOOTH:
TEAM: Prehistoric
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 409.9
DRIVE: 2 zteks
WEAPON: Inverted Thwack (2 Ice Picks)
DIFFICULTY: medium
COMMENTS:
You'd think they'd design this guy to be invertible, but no, he's not.
Basically, you treat him like a much weaker Little Metal Friend. Maybe it’s the
angle of the arms or the more flighty weight class, but I’ve found it harder to
get around him than LMF. Don’t try hitting him in the front because of the
forward ramplate. Hammers can hit over it, but spears may have problems.

MUD RUNNER
TEAM: Good Ol' Boys
ARMOR: aluminum
WEIGHT: 418.6
DRIVE: 4 red birds
WEAPON: Dual Hammer (2 Fireman axes)
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
I suppose I could give creative points of this guy looking like a monster
truck, but I won't. He's fairly easy just in the fact that his wheels are such
easy targets. Just be careful about Havok explosions. Since he has two hammers,
his weapon is pretty fast.

BUSHIDO:
TEAM: Dragon
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 406.0
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Hammer (Samurai Sword)
DIFFICULTY: medium-hard
COMMENTS:
This guy features a part normally not available to you: the katana. This gives
him damage down the entire length of the weapon, longer than the battle axe,
but at almost half the weight. His reach is formidable and the damage is
deadly, especially in this weight class. On the plus side, he's not invertible.

DEVIL
TEAM: Black Storm
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 387.9
DRIVE: 2 ztek(hp)s
WEAPON: Wedge, (Iron Spikes)
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
Given the team name, this bot seems so random . . . This is a wedge, so his
difficulty is dependent on your ground clearance and your drive train. He does
sport spikes on the top, but they almost never come into play. However, they do
make him surprisingly difficult to flip over. His wheels still touch the ground
if you stick him on his rear, so don't try. As with Ronin, hammers have an
advantage here. That being said, be careful when attacking from the rear since
you may end up hitting the spikes instead.

THE BOXER
TEAM: Spark
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 364.9
DRIVE: 2 red birds
WEAPON: Dual Spear (2 Iron Fists)
DIFFICULTY: hard
COMMENTS:
Literally a punch bot, this guy is going to hit hard and fast. Those fists have
greater hit capabilities than the sledge hammers, at about a two-thirds of the
weight. Like ALARM, hammers and spears will probably have the most problems.
He’s not invertible, but like Wideload, he can use those pistons to scoot
around. Caution to those who rip off those exposed pistons [Havok Alert!].

DEMENTIA
TEAM: Spike Heads
ARMOR: titanium
WEIGHT: 353.1
DRIVE: 4 red birds
WEAPON: Lifter (Iron Spike)
DIFFICULTY: easy
COMMENTS:
Very much like Hanky Panky with exposed wheels. The only problem you might have
is that this machine is closer in weight to yours than the HW variation. With 4
redbirds it does have a better drive train than Hanky.

ICEBERG
TEAM: NorthPolers
ARMOR: aluminum
WEIGHT: 411.9
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Hammer (Ice Pick)
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
The difficulty of this robot somewhat depends on what type of robot you're
using. Most machines will have an easy time with him. Hammer bots, on the
other hand, will have it a little difficult because of he's so tall. So, your
damage values won't be very high. His height may make it difficult for some
lifters/launchers, just try tipping him on his side.

BACKSLASH
TEAM: High Voltage
ARMOR: titanium
WEIGHT: 377.7
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: axe Lifter (2 Axe Heads), wedge body
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
He's a wedge, so depending on your ground clearance, he may be a problem.
Curiously, his own ground clearance is fairly high (for a wedge). The weapon
usually doesn't cause many problems and even breaks easily. Hammers will have a
field day.

LUGNUT
TEAM: Hex
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 318.1
DRIVE: 2 red birds
WEAPON: Ram (2 Pointy Tips)
DIFFICULTY: very easy
COMMENTS:
Nothing to really see here. He's not invertible, but does possess some phantom
sliding ability. He's big, boxy, has a crappy weapon and has high ground
clearance. What more do you want?

RAZOR
TEAM: Z
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 320.5
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Wedge/Ram (2 Spike Strips)
DIFFICULTY: easy
COMMENTS:
I'm starting to think this was an after-thought. The spike strips provide for
a very narrow range of attack. Hammers may have some problems, hitting the
spikes instead of the body.

DA DOG
TEAM: SteelYard Dog
ARMOR: aluminum
WEIGHT: 287.3
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Ram (SD Snow Plow)
DIFFICULTY: easy
COMMENTS:
Basically this is a smaller Big Dog without the rear ram plate. His drive train
is the same as Big Dog, but more than 100 Kg lighter. This means he is
comparatively faster.  He also has pretty low ground clearance.

REVENGE
TEAM: Riot
ARMOR: steel
WEIGHT: 389.2
DRIVE: 4 right angles
WEAPON: Spinner (Lawnmower Blade)
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
This guy’s a spinner, though his blade doesn’t do a whole lot of damage. This
is a problem to consider since many bar spinners don’t do as much damage as
they should. This seems to stem from bad physics. So if the weapon was a disc,
than the potential danger would be higher. That aside, the wheels are exposed
and he’s not invertible. Be careful if you knock off that exposed z-tek.

TORNADO
TEAM: Megaton
ARMOR: titanium
WEIGHT: 417.4
DRIVE: 2 right angles
WEAPON: Spinner (2 Sledge Hammers + 2 pole spikes)
DIFFICULTY: hard
COMMENTS:
All around, a decent spinner that can even sometimes right himself if flipped
over. He doesn’t really spin up until you get close to him, so his stored
kinetic energy won’t be as high as it could be. If you have the armor for it,
rams, hammers and spears should just ram him into a wall and just keep smacking
down on him. In a spinner vs. spinner, I hope your weapons are mounted lower.
In a rumble, see if you can get him to beat up the other machines first.

RIPBLADE
TEAM: Scrapper
ARMOR: titanium
WEIGHT: 481.5
DRIVE: 2 right angles
WEAPON: vertical spinning disc
DIFFICULTY: medium-easy
COMMENTS:
Sadly, this is the only fully invertible robot of the weight class. BEWARE!
This guy is a rolling Havok explosion waiting to happen! Still, just knock off
the front support wheels and his weapon is useless.

RA206C ************************************************************************
LIGHT WEIGHTS: (0-249.9)

This can be one of the hardest weight classes simply because you have to cram
everything into the 249.9 limit. It is very difficult to have a balanced OMD
machine. Usually one has to be strong, the others very weak. Definitely build a
SRM or be invertible because it is very easy to get tossed around.

SCOUT
TEAM: Red Zone
armor: titanium
weight: 243.5
drive: 2 right angles
weapon: Lifter (Forklift Arm), (wedge body)
difficulty: medium-easy
Basically, this guy is Sentinel, but a better driver. His sloped front and
sides makes him harder to get under than his bigger brother.

Prehistoric: Roly Poly
armor: plastic
weight: 236.1
drive: 4 right angles
weapon: Ram (2 Pointy Tips)
difficulty: easy
Avoid the spikes and hit him with whatever you got; he's that easy.

Good Ol' Boys: Catfish
armor: aluminum
weight: 244.5
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Wedge/Ram, (2 Iron Spikes)
difficulty: easy
Can’t say there’s much to this guy. Decent drive train for the weight class,
but a crappy driver.

Dragon: Ninja
armor: aluminum
weight: 236.0
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Vertical Spinner (2 Ninja Stars)
difficulty: medium-easy
This pseudo-vertical spinner only does mediocre damage. Watch out for Havok
explosions from those weapon motors, however. It’s a decent design I suppose,
if only it was invertible.

Black Storm: BOT-204
armor: aluminum
weight: 242.3
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Saw (Rip Saw), Wedge body
difficulty: easy
Hey, look everybody; it's Ankle Biter! However, the caster on the front
prevents the wedge from getting under most opponents (unless you have really
high ground clearance). Thus, his weapon doesn’t pose much of a threat. Plus,
he’s not invertible.

Spark: Jackpot!
armor: aluminum
weight: 241.8
drive: 2 red birds
Weapon: Hammer (Mace), Wedge body
difficulty: medium-hard
Here’s a decent mix of a hammer and wedge design. Like all the Spark machines,
treat with respect. Since he’s a hammer bot, he can often recover from a flip.

Spike Heads: M.A.D.
armor: steel
weight: 249.9
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Ram (2 Iron Spikes)
difficulty: easy
This is almost Roly Poly with better armor, so the only concern is you have to
hit him more times.

NorthPolers: MiniBerg
armor: plastic
weight: 244.7
drive: 4 right angles
weapon: Hammer (Ice Pick)
difficulty: medium
Essentially a smaller version of Iceberg with similar strengths and weaknesses.

High Voltage: Flapjack
armor: titanium
weight: 244.1
drive: 2 right angles
weapon: Lifter (Small Wedge)
difficulty: medium-easy
In essence the same thing as Scout, just with a larger flipper.

Hex: Flame Chopper
armor: aluminum
weight: 259.2
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Hammer (Fireman's Axe)
difficulty: medium
An ok hammer bot. Not quite the same prowess as Jackpot, but (depending on the
weapon type) don’t underestimate him either.

Z: Berserker
armor: plastic
weight: 243.7
drive: 2 right angles
weapon: Spinner (rotator-mounted Axe Heads)
difficulty: hard
I freaking hate this guy. If your attack surface is lower than his axes, then
you’ll be fine (spinners, wedges). Vertical spinners are going to have some
difficulty (actually, vertical spinners are tough to make in general for this
weight class). See if you can be lucky enough to flip him over.

SteelYard Dog: Lil' Dog
armor: plastic
weight: 224.5
drive: 4 right angles
weapon: Wedge
difficulty: easy
It’s a non-reinforced, un-invertible, plastic wedge. Aim and kill.

Riot: Civil Disobedience
armor: titanium
weight: 219.0
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Ram (spike strip), wedge body
difficulty: easy
A wedge with a spike that’s not invertible. Basically this is Catfish with
weaker armor.

Megaton: Stinger
armor: steel
weight: 244.6
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Spear (Razor Spike)
difficulty: medium
Like a lot of spears, poses a threat dependent on your weapon. He’s pretty good
at keeping his weapon facing you. No, he’s not invertible.

Scrapper: Arc Pounder
armor: plastic
weight: 237.6
drive: 2 red birds
weapon: Thwack (Sledge Hammer)
difficulty: medium-easy
Personally, I’ve never had too much problem with this guy. It’s pretty easy to
get within his spin and break off his weapon. He might pose a problem to a
lifter/launcher since he’s invertible.

RA206D ************************************************************************
MISC. AI/OPPONENT Q’S:

Q: How do I play as the AI bots?
A: Go into the folder marked "AI" and you will see 15 team folders. Inside each
folder are 3 bot files. Copy these files into the Robot Designs folder and then
re-name them. (Bot0 is the lightweight, Bot1 is the middle, Bot2 is the heavy)

RA207 =========================================================================
BATTLE ARENAS/EVENTS:

Well, you’ve made your bots, but it won’t do much good staying in your team’s
"garage." You’ve now have take it and test its might and metal in battle!
(Note: Any setting changes done in exhibitions carries over to the events)

RA207A ************************************************************************
NORMAL ARENAS:

Deathmatches:
In these types of events you battle it out against a single opponent to the
death! The match ends when either one of you dies, gets counted out, falls
into a pit, or time runs out (default at 3 minutes). In events, you will get
30 minutes to make repairs to your machine between each match. Anything that
got knocked off during a battle automatically takes 20 minutes to repair, so
be careful in your fights. Unlike the Robot Wars games, you cannot partially
repair things. A death match event will have you in four matches as the
tournament tree runs down. As far as I can tell, the winner of the AI battles
on the other sides of the tree are completely random.
Team Deathmatch is similar, just a 2-on-2 or 2-on-1. I don’t think there’s a
way to set up a 3-on-1

Battle Royale
This features you versus 3 other robots at the same time in the arena. Other
than that, the same rules in deathmatches apply here. In events, there are
only 2 matches, but a grand total of 6 robots go towards your kill score. Take
note that the kill score is based solely on matches won. Even if you killed
two robots, but lost the match, you won't get credit for those kills. A royale
can be tough since the likelihood of something breaking on your robot is
greater when facing multiple opponents. Yes, you still only get 30 minutes
between matches. As such, spinners are not recommended for these types. You can
try alleviating this by playing vulture or leading the
AI into each other (they usually just attack the nearest robot).
(Note: I will generally refer to these as "Rumbles" which is the Battlebot
term for putting multiple robots in the arena)

Bridge of Doom:
Hazards:
    4 flamethrowers
    (ramps)
    (low overhangs)
Deathmatches:
    BBA Midwest Event
    Robot Magazine Combat Event
    Sawblade Elite Competition
4-way rumbles:
    none
Do not enter a large or wide robot into any battles in this arena. Also make
sure you have sufficient ground clearance. The bridge and the overhangs with
the flamethrowers are particularly annoying for some hammers and many vertical
spinners. A savvy ram or spear may even jam your weapon by shoving you under
the bridge before it can complete the return swing. That, or they could hide in
the safety of the bridge or overhang and attack with impunity.
Flamethrowers are small damage hazards doing around 25 damage per 1/4 second
you are under the jet. All in all, they aren't much of a threat. It seems
impossible for it to damage the control board.
Against the AI an interesting strategy is to almost immediately climb the
bridge. The AI has problems navigating it a lot of times and sometimes even
gets stuck. This gives you a great window of opportunity to attack.

Combat Arena
Hazards:
    1 large killsaw
    2 extending spike plates
Deathmatches
    Destructavision TV Show
    F.O.R.C.E. Tournament
    Grand Tournament of Robots
    Strategic Engineering Robot Games
4-way rumbles
    Masters of Destruction
Well, for everyone whose dreamt of putting a machine in the Battlebox (and
since the Battlebots games have been canceled), here's your chance (or get
AW's B-bot pack). The fight takes place in a flat perfect square, so ground
clearance is not a huge problem.
The big saw is similar to the flame throwers in damage, doing small points of
damage per ~1/4 second you remain on the hazard. Unlike the flame throwers,
these can effect your control board, although it is a rare occurrence. I
believe it's because something is physically striking your robot. Well, really
it’s just a setting in the program file, but I think that’s the philosophy at
any rate. The other hazards are two sets of pneumatic spikes that shoot up from
the ground. These things usually cause between 40-125 points of damage per hit.
Spikes are one of the most unreliable hazards. They pretty much shoot up
whenever the computer wants to. You can try taking advantage of this during
events since most AI's go around the hazards. Just plow across and get to at
their sides or rear. Saws, on the other hand, extend whenever anything gets
close. Both hazards rarely become a concern unless you're using lightweights or
your control board is critical. Do know that if you don’t have the hazards
switched on, the computer is not afraid to box-rush you (ram you from one end
of the arena to the other).

Compressor Arena
Hazards:
    2 Crushers
    (spike strips)
    (ramps)
Deathmatches
    Robot Scrapyard
4-way rumbles
    none
A bit unique since the fences around the starting point gives you no choice
regarding the ramps. You must employ a robot with enough ground clearance.
Thankfully, only one event uses this arena, so you always know which one it is.
The match is also thankfully deathmatch, as the fences would make for a very
narrow battle at the beginning of a rumble. Spinners would have a huge problem
in that case.
The crushers at either end of the main fighting area are very deadly and very
reliable. Their attack intervals are usually slow enough such that a mobile
robot can get out if hit once. It is possible to sort of jam the crushers by
getting a part stuck behind it, but the chance of this happening is almost
negligible. The spikes strips in the lower fighting area are present even if
you set hazards off. The only threat they really pose is getting high-centered
on top of them.

Half-Circle Arena
Hazards:
    1 giant hammer
    2 sets of killsaws
    (spikes)
    (ramps)
Deathmatches
    Robo-Destroyers Competition
4-way rumbles
    none
The center piece of this arena is the giant hammer that will lay waste to just
about anything under it. 3 ramps lead into the clearly-marked point of
destruction. These ramps mean your bot should have sufficient ground clearance.
Even though you can just patrol the outer ring, like the bridge, there is a
risk of getting pushed or knocked down into the entrenched area. The somewhat
narrow trenches may give some spinners or other wide robots problems.
The Hammer strikes at anything that falls under or near it (about the same
detection as saws) doing heavy damage. There are some smaller kill saws in the
upper level, which usually don't come into play unless there are multiple
opponents, or your using the upper area to exploit the AI’s ramp problem.

Electric Arena
Hazards:
    High-voltage grill
Deathmatches
    Father-Daughter Brunch and Robotic Combat
    Remote Xplosion
4-way rumbles
    none
This is a flat arena, the largest in fact. However, make sure you have
sufficient pushing power in your robot, otherwise you're going for a trip onto
the arena's only hazard. As such, it is not recommended to enter a spinner.
The large grill in the middle zaps any chassis that goes over it. This jolt
results in a series of ~25 damage points (around 10) to your entire chassis.
Your batteries, motors and armor are effected. Unlike saws or flame throwers,
you receive this set of damage points every time. Like flame throwers, the
electric bolt will not damage your control board. Know that the jolt causes the
victim to bounce around a bit, this just might be enough for a flipped opponent
to right themselves. Note that the grill will not work if more than one robot </pre><pre id="faqspan-3">
is on it at the same time. In a case like that, you have to hit the buttons in
opposite corners.

Parking-lot Arena
Hazards:
    2 sets of falling cinder blocks
Deathmatches
    none
4-way rumble
    Hot Dog Harry's Downtown Rumble
This is another generally flat arena. It's about as primitive as it looks. Just
keep in mind that you start rather close to your opponents, so spinners with
long spin-up times will have problems. The arena is also fairly small. This
arena, also features (in my opinion) the crappiest camera angles.
The cinder blocks rarely become much of a factor in this match. They fall too
slowly to be really effective. However, they can create a danger of
high-centering your robot.
Note: for online matches, just switch the hazards off. You'll prevent a lot of
lag that way.

Metal Skull Arena
Hazards:
    2 extending spikes plates
    1 pit
    (ramps)
Deathmatches:
    Mortal Robot
    Ultimate Fighting Machine Competition
4-way rumbles
    Pit of Destruction
Frankly, this arena is rather boring. It is nice that if you do enter a robot
that can't handle ramps, you can just drive off the ledge. In fact, this is
recommended, as long as you can survive a run like that. This puts you in a
position to catch the opponent as they travel down the other ramp. In fact, the
AI usually drives very predictably down ramps, giving you a free shot.
The pit starts opening about 10 seconds into the fight. Anything that falls
into the pit is automatically counted out. If you think about it, this balances
the arena out for rams, wedges and lifters, giving them an easier time. The
spikes are the same from the Combat Arena, and just as reliable. However, the
locations make them even less useful.

Octagon Arena
Hazards:
    2 hammers
    2 hell-raisers
    4 pits
Deathmatches
    Powerbolt Championship
4-way rumbles
    Biggie Bot Mash
    Metal Warriors Event
This arena is tough since the hazards make for very cramped places to fight in.
It is especially tough on spinners, since usually when you hit you'll be
knocked out of control. By the same token, physics anomalies are deadly here.
The hammers are smaller that the one in Half-circle, but no less dangerous.
Pit covers begin sliding back ~13 seconds after go time. Arguably, the most
dangerous hazards are the hellraisers since it is not uncommon to get tossed
into a pit.
It's a dirty trick, but if you somehow end up on the outer raised
area, position yourself behind one of the pits. The computer opponents will
try to get to your position, and fall right in.

RA207B ************************************************************************
TABLE-TOP ARENAS:

If you've seen Robotica, this game type is similar to the "Fight to the finish"
without any guard rails. You start on an elevated platform and have to knock
your opponents over the edge before they do. The scoring system is the same as
the deathmatches/rumbles so you can kill opponents the old fashioned way. Rams,
wedges and lifters shine in these events. In general, spinners should not be
entered. Drums and face spinners are usually ok. For vertical spinners, it’s
dependent on the drive train and weapon shape/size. If you’re a DA/Nightmare
type of machine, you might not want to enter.

ClawTop Arena
Hazards:
    4 sets of flame throwers
    2 claws
4-way rumbles
    Blackvolt TNT Tournament
    Toledo Tobotics Club Gathering
Very simple. Note that this is the only arena where you start out facing away
from your opponents (almost back-to-back, no less). If you have a robot with a
strong and/or effective rear weapon, you may just opt to just reverse at the
start and take out whoever's behind you. As with all tabletops, this is a
pushing match more than anything else.
Be careful of the flame pits. They are slightly recessed into the playing
surface so a robot without sufficient ground clearance will get stuck here. The
claws are usually too slow and can be driven out of the way.

FlexTop Arena
Hazards:
    itself
4-way rumbles
    Blade Tournament
Ok, I hope none of you get sea sick easily. This is a very unique battle arena.
Have a wide, low robot with lots of traction. Do not enter a spinner. Vertical
spinners can try bracing themselves against one of the four edges that stick up
if necessary. Lots of traction and low center of gravity is key. Un-clicking
the hazard check box prevents the table from moving. Then, it's just a generic
pushing battle.

RA207C ************************************************************************
KING OF THE HILL ARENAS:

Seemingly very simple, the idea is the get to the top of the hill and stay
there for as long as possible. The scoring system is different here. You get 10
points for about every half-second you (and you alone) are at the top. The
points are given by the location of your chassis, not your
extensions/weapon(s). Like Tables, rams, wedges and lifters fair the best.
Obviously, since they’re hills, ground clearance is a big issue.
You don't get any points for damaging the opponents, obviously, but you also
don't get any damage indicators. This makes determining your condition
difficult. You can still kill your opponents, but it isn't the focus of this
arena type. By default, these are four-player as well.

LumaZone
Hazards:
    4 sets of razor spikes
    (ramps)
4-way rumbles
    Robo-Depot
    Robotic Terror Zone
The hill for this arena is rather small so expect a lot of carnage.
The razor spikes in the corners are just bigger versions of the pneumatic
spikes from Metal Skull & Combat Arenas -- and yes, retain their reliability.

Hill Top Arena
Hazards:
    2 spike zones
    2 flamethrower zones
    (ramps)
4-way rumbles
    Powerup Robot Bash
This is a much taller hill with a smaller area to fight at the top. Even with
the patch, the AI has problems if knocked into the hazard zones.
The spikes pits, this time, seem reliable because of their numbers and arguably
the more dangerous of the hazards.

RA207D ************************************************************************
MISC. ARENA/EVENT Q’S

Q: How many seasons are there?
A: Infinite. You can keep playing ‘til you die (Although on my game the kill
count is unreadable after about 1700). No, there are no bonuses or what-not
after playing so many seasons.

Q: Isn’t there a repair cheat?
A: In the original release, yes. You could click to the main menu and then
click back to resume the event, getting another 30 minutes of repair time. The
patch fixes this.

Q: Any other cheats?
A: Well, if you think about it, if you’re losing you can just terminate the
program (hit the Windows key and then do an "End Process"). You would then just
play the match over again.

RA208 =========================================================================
GENERAL TACTICS & TIPS

Rumbles:
Pick a machine that has a lot of maneuverability. Being able to attack in
different directions is also helpful.

Gut-Ripping:
Here is a technique that is mostly regulated to vertical spinners and drums
(and some saws), but hammers and some spears can get in as well. Basically this
is getting under the opponent and striking the under belly plate with your
weapon. Statistically, most robots have extra armor on the top and on the
front, the bottom is almost never reinforced. This of course requires the
ability to get under the opponent and/or flip them over. There really isn’t
much the opponent can do while taking this kind of damage. The only possible
time to not do this is against under-cutters. Back off after awhile, though, or
else it starts to resemble pinning.

Pinning:
This is a tactic that is largely frowned upon in the RA2 community. It involves
merely pressing an opponent against a wall and staying there. This is not the
same as when a ram bot repeatedly backs off and rams (at quick intervals).
Against the computer, this is fine. The AI doesn’t care. Not only that, but
sometimes the AI actually uses this against you. However, in most online
battles this is not a welcome case. One can argue it’s like "Camping" in FPS
games. However, there are perfectly good tactics available to counter Campers.
Is it like Roll Canceling in CvS2? No, because you can’t accidentally pin some
one. In CvS tournaments it’s so hard to regulate roll canceling. If you’ve been
to Sirlin.net, you’ve read his theories on playing to win. In that sense, yes,
the game only understands that there is a winner and a loser. That’s all it
knows. So with that mind set, pinning would be part of anything goes strategy.
I’m going to pull from robotic combat history on this. In the past Robot Wars
events, there has been battles won on pinning. However, this was deemed boring
and thus the 30 second rule was invented. The pinning robot has to pull back
after thirty seconds.
Online gaming is of course up to you and you just might not care what the
community thinks of you. Naturally, you should read the rules of the battle
you’re entering. This tactic may be banned from tournaments. Now, you might be
thinking "I’ve lost my primary weapon and it’s the only way I can win," If
you’ve lost your primary weapon and the opponent is miles ahead of you, than
you might actually consider tapping out (forfeit). If both of you are these
sad, barely-rolling chassis, maybe try restarting the match. Once the countdown
starts, pull back. Don’t immediately start pinning them again. See if the
opponent can move. The game comes with a chat feature. Use it.

Always test your machine.
After you make a modification, always run it through the test arena. Often
times in the excitement of building something, you forgot to [re-]wire an
element. Check to see that you have sufficient ground clearance. Other things
to do is to do an exhibition match in the Octagon Arena and purposely drive
over a hellraiser to check invertibility. Test your robot against each of the
main weapons types (especially a wedge, a lifter, a hammer and a spinner)

Practice! Practice! Practice!
Being able to drive and control your robot like it’s a second skin is a must.
You might wonder how Battlebot Dr. Inferno Jr. can do so well in battle. It’s
in how well Jason Bardis drives his machine. Why do certain veterans do so
well? The number one thing is that they know how to drive their machine in an
almost flawless manner. They know the strengths and weaknesses of their
machine. Keep in mind you have an additional luxury of sparring in the various
arenas (in real robot combat, the arenas often change). Know the arenas. Know
which ones your robot(s) do well in and develop strategies for different
situations.

Winning the Crowd
Let me precede this by saying that despite what the guy in "Gladiator" says,
winning the crowd won’t get you crap. However, I acknowledge that it isn’t very
fun to hear an audience booing you. There are a few things that can get the
audience cheering:
1. Hard hits - Any hit over ~100 points ought to get the audience going. It
doesn’t matter where the hit came from (you, hazards, etc.).
2. Break Something - Any time a part snaps off, the audience goes wild
3. Damage the Control Board - Crowds love sparks.
4. K.O. the Opponent - Audiences love robotic death (count-outs and ring-outs
don’t count).

RA209 =========================================================================
HAVOC WITH HAVOK

Havok Explosions are basically whenever the physics engine goes wacko.

Mines: This is probably the most common kind of Havok glitch. I tend to think
of these things like inverted black holes. You can’t see them and the only way
to know where they are is by when other objects are repelled by them. The
biggest culprit for these "mines," as RadioFSoftware calls them, is knocking
off any external motor.
Of the AI robots, these include:
Backyard Ripper (hard to do, though), Mud Runner, REVENGE, RipBlade, Ninja
Boxer’s pneumatic pistons cause problems as well.
External casters are also problematic, so RipBlade is a major headache.
When any of these parts are knocked off (all that matters is the motor, the
attached wheels/weapons don’t factor) an invisible anomaly is created. This is
at the point of disconnection, not where the part lands.
How these points of physics errors effect you depends often on your own robot.
Most spinners will get tossed around.

Burst motors have caused some problems. These involve many flippers. I’ve seen
this with Sentinel and EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY seems to be after the flippers have
been knocked off, and it goes flying into the air.

Stacking anything increases the risk of Havok explosions. These motors are
spinning at outrageous speeds and sometimes the motors start to "break." This
is the first sign that something is wrong.

Overloaded bots (ones with tons of attachments) cause problems, especially if
it has a lot of moving parts. Don’t be surprised if your bot suddenly gets
swallowed into the floor. Also don’t overload the bot with unnecessary
batteries. Overpowering the motors causes problems.

Project Trinity Effect: So named and developed by MAD Scientist (which in turn
is named after a nuclear explosion test). This is a centrifuge principle gone
wrong. The way you achieve this is by mounting burst pistons on a disc on a
spin motor. Mount something to the burst pistons like sledge hammers. When the
spin motor reaches top-speed (the rails of the pistons start to pull out), fire
the pistons. The result is something that resembles a tornado or a top that
does massive damage as the rotation speed hits astronomical numbers. Take note
that you will have absolutely not control of the robot as it whirls around like
the freaking Death Blossom from Last Starfighter.

RA210 =========================================================================
MULTI-PLAYER/ONLINE

Online FAQ's
Q: Why is the game so laggy?
A: For that answer, I shall let TDS answer that: My knowledge of Internet
gaming is not that extensive, so I won't even try pretending.
(The following is an edited version of TDS's post "Why RA2 Lags 101" first
posted on March 14, 2003 at 6:12am on AceUplink:)
1. "But other games....."
Stop right there, RA2 is not UT2003 [Unreal Tournament 2003], is not another
game, it is RA2. UT2003 for example, runs on a primitive physics engine that
everything can be PREDICTED. That is right, all UT's netcode says is "I fired X
projectile from X location at Y heading" and the CLIENT takes care of the rest.
Having 32 people running around doesn't cause the game to blow up because as
far as the netcode is concerned, each person is a single point in space with a
heading, speed, and location. That's it.

Now for RA2. Ra2 runs on the Havok physics engine, there is an element of
randomness to it so it CANNOT be predicted at ANY time (for the most part) Let
me reiterate that, if you had a rocket launcher in RA2, instead of one "I fired
a rocket" signal, you would be sending five or ten per SECOND until that rocket
hit something. In addition, EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT in EVERY ROBOT is tracked
though the netcode. In the new patch, the torque and energy (I believe) isn't
directly tracked, reducing the "lag" so to speak.

Also, unlike other games, there is NO DEDICATED SERVER for RA2, this means, you
are relying on the person that created the room to do the server-ing. Try
creating a game of Half Life or UT online and having 32 people join it, and see
if your connection can handle it. IT WONT. In addition, the server is taking in
and sending out several times more data than in a FPS server, processing it,
and sending it out. When the server gets out of synch, it slows down, causing
that lag that you notice. FPS servers don't give a rats ass about the players
and keep going regardless. It only takes one person with a low end
CPU/connection to cause lag for every player. Yes, you should close down AIM
and the rest of the crap you are running.

2. "the netcode sucks"
No, it doesn't. You have two choices when it comes to netcode, you can try to
predict, and you will have things teleporting around/choppily moving/ etc. or
you can synch everything and slow it down. You have two choices people, you can
be happy with what you have, or you could be complaining about how you had
someone pinned in the wall, then suddenly they were behind you hitting you,
then they were across the arena, then you were suddenly dead with him no where
around. I really have almost no problem with the current netcode. You get
teleported back a second or so every once in a while, just redo what you did,
yes, its sometimes annoying, but its better than having things vanish and move
around at will isn't it? MOST, if not ALL of the lag I have experienced has
been because of poorly designed bots, I've covered this in another thread.
Also, if you are unconvinced by this post, feel FREE to get the trial version
of Havok and grace us with your brilliance, come up with better netcode, I'm
sure GI would be GLAD to include it in a future patch. Every last person that
has complained that I have heard cannot even COMPREHEND what is going on
between the computers, forget even begin to think of fixing it. I don't know
about you guys, but personally when I don't know something, or I think
something should be better, I don't sit around and complain, I look into it,
and ask questions. If something is so bad to cause you to bitch and moan about
it, do something about it, or you have no right to complain.

RA211 =========================================================================
ACEUPLINK FAQ’S:

Q: Why even have this section?
A: It is a popular Robot site, dedicated especially to Robot Arena. Most
likely, anyone who reads this will go there. (And yes, shameless plug)

Q: Why does the Showcase get closed?
A: Some poor soul forgot to attach an image of a robot in their post. Doing so
means automatic closing of the thread for a week. TDS and other moderators
follow this one rule of that thread religiously and without fail (ok, sometimes
they make exceptions, but it is rare). Also, do not make a temporary thread
during the dead time. It will more often than not get deleted.

Q: I was looking for [_____] and its not one of the threads available.
[What can I do?]
A: Use the search feature. The board often only shows the first ~20 or so most
recent threads.

Q: What are Ant-weights?
A: Ants refer to a 1lb weight class of fighting robots that has gotten popular
in recent years. On Aceuplink, a translated version of this has been made. In
essence it is technically a very slim lightweight. The rules are as follows:
Maximum weight of 125 kg.
Max chassis grid size of 5x5 (25 square units). Height unlimited.
No Z-teks
No large burst motors on non-flippers (ie. No large hammers)

Q: What is the Ubermod?
A: Ubermod is TDS brainchild, an almost complete overhaul of all the default
parts, plus some additional ones. The goal was to get more realistic combat
robots and not over-loaded bloat bots. It introduces a gear ratio system for
all the motors. The download is at AU.

RA212 =========================================================================
OTHER FAQ'S:

Q: I have the downloaded demo and registered. But I can't get the patch to
work. I hear I need to have the CD, but I don't have the CD because it's down-
loaded. . . . (Etc. Etc.).
How do I get the patch?
A: You have to go to Trymedia's website (trygames.com) and re-download the
demo. This should be the most-updated version. When it prompts you, just re-
apply for a licence.

Q: [________] is wrong/incorrect. Or I want to contribute [________].
A: E-mail me. ([email protected])

Q: "Invertibility" is not a word.
A: And that’s not a question.

Q: Could you build me a bot?
A: No. The point of the this FAQ is to supply you with some knowledge so you
can make your own. That is what the game is for: seeing what _you_ can build.

Q: Even if I paid you?
A: Yes. Besides, there is no asking price that wouldn't make me feel guilty in
some way.

Q: Will you put up your robots for download?
A: Not likely.

Q: Who are you anyway?
A: I go by "Korium9" on the AU forums (not mention most other forums I visit).
On the AU forum, I won the best "Minion Replica Contest" and made a few other
machines that granted me title of "Master o’ the Art Bots." (Great-looking
robots that don’t do crap) I have a deviantart account at
korium9.deviantart.com/

Q: Oh! Can you do a skin for me?
A: Unlikely, depends on the robot and how much time I have, so don’t get your
hopes up. E-mail or IM me and we’ll talk.

Q: Why can't I find Infogrames?
A: Apparently it's now called ATARI corp. That's all I know.

Q: I want to make a real robot. Where do I start?
A: Try some of these links and then branch out from there.
robotcombat.com
coolrobots.com
battlebots.com

Links:
Official Site: http://www.robotarena.com/
AceUplink: http://www.aceuplink.com/
AU downloads: AU http://www.aceuplink.com/ra2/
B4B (nearly every download available): http://www.the.iwarp.com/downloads.html
Lutze’s component page: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.foster47/
RA-Reborn (some other stuff): http://ra-reborn.com/downloads.php


RA213 =========================================================================
CREDITS:

Infogrames and Gabriel Interactive, who are responsible for creating and
distributing the game.

Weapons break-down based on "Build Your Own Combat Robot" by Pete Miles and
Tom Carroll and "Battlebots: The Official Guide," by Mark Clarkson.

"Building Lag Friendly Bots," "Motor and Battery Statistics," "Official
Antweight Rules," "Playing RA2," "Self-righting 101," "TDS Tutorials," "Why
RA2 Lags," TDS, AceUplink administrator

"Avoiding Havok Explosions," "Defeating the Heavyweights," "Getting New
Components," "Intimidating (Scaring) the Opponents," "Worst Case Scenario
Guide to Robotic Combat,"  RadioFSoftware, (aka Psygnos) AceUplink board member

"How to Kill Any Design," MiniDJBeirne, AceUplink board member

"Battle Tactics," "Having Multiple RA2's on hard drive," "Motor Comparisons,"
Anarchy5099, AceUplink member

"Batteries, CO2 tanks, Motors, etc. stats," Destroyer 101

"How to host a game," Disembowelinatron, AceUplink member

"Razor Blade tip," disturbed, AceUplink board member

AU power pack was created by AW, AceUplink administrator.

Other AU board contributors: clutch1, DarkRat, Fedexrico, Jimxorb, Goose,
mean2u, Panic Attack, reckah, Talon, TeamOmegaforce, Team Ragnarok, Toxic,
Wildcard

Legal stuff:
This is and unofficial guide intended on helping and informing the gaming
community. I am not affiliated with Infogrames, Gabriel Interactive,
Battlebots, etc (although I am an AceUplink board member) in any way. This
guide cannot be published or used for profit of any kind without permission.

Do not link directly to this text file. Link to the GameFAQs html page.

All trademarks and copyrights (of and including Robot Arena, Battlebots,
Robotica, and Robotwars) are owned by their respective companies

And for no real reason other than my ego, here’s my ascii graphic again.
(if you want to use it, just credit me somewhere)
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