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Galvanized Machines to Thrill and Ignite You! Advance Review: Robot Combat League — Series Premiere

Season 1 Premiere

Air Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 10/9c on Syfy.

Rating: ★★★★★

 

If you have a heart condition, get your pacemaker tuned and the nitroglycerin tablets ready because Robot Combat League is unabashedly electrifying! The robots alone are mesmerizing and induce an awestruck reaction from not only the contestants, but the audience as well.

Fight Night: L-R: Scorpio and Commander

This competition is no-holds barred with a great mix of male and female competitors. And if you are a gear-head, gamer, all-around geek of electronics, or just simply a lover of amazing technology, Robot Combat League is the show for you. I can guarantee your adrenaline will start pumping from the moment the show begins. The teams are introduced and paired with their robot and then it’s time for the battle rounds. One robot will be eliminated each week until there is one left standing. The winning team gets a cash prize of $100,000.

Pictured: (l-r) Chris Jericho and robotics expert Mark Setrakian

When I heard about this show, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it but after seeing the premiere and these monumental robots, I knew I was really going to enjoy watching this series. And who better to have as a host than the enigmatic WWE Superstar Chris Jericho? One of the contestants even gets a tad star struck.

I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: if you’ve ever seen the movie Real Steel, Robot Combat League ups the ante. From the impressive gears to the disturbing mini-skull of the robot Thunder Skull, once you meet the combatants, you only want to see one thing – metal crunching fighting.

The Power Up Challenge gives the contestants their first taste of the robot controls. One person controls the movement of the lower extremities while another team member controls the upper. The potential downfall is if the two people on the team don’t work well together—building a rapport and devising strategies—they could be going home. Some of the contestants are likeable straight away, others not so much. But, what I am really interested in are the robots and their mechanics.

Tune in to the series premiere of Robot Combat League, Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 10/9c, only on Syfy.

 

List of the robots and teams:

“The robots of the Robot Combat League were designed and created by robotics expert, Mark Setrakian (Hellboy, Men in Black), a leader in the sport of robotic combat. Through groundbreaking engineering, Setrakian has fused a human’s fighting spirit with a powerful robotic machine built for destruction.”

AXE

A.X.E.: The head of this robot is shaped like an axe, which can be used to smash other robots. Cameras mounted in two holes on either side of the blade capture all the action during combat. The robot also features heavy armor to protect it during close range attacks. However, the heavy armor restricts range of motion and ground speed.

TEAM A.X.E.

Robo-Jockey: Andrew Montanez, martial arts ambassador – Mineola, NY

Robo-Tech: Ross Mead, USC PhD Research Fellow – Edwardsville, IL

 

Brimstone

BRIMSTONE: Steel and leather are the materials of choice for this robot — a mechanical brute with unstoppable pummeling power. The all-important brain/computer is housed inside a triple thick hammer-finish dome that is three times tougher and heavier than the armor of any other robot in the league. The gleaming gloves and thug boots are made of the same heavy steel alloy. For speed and agility, its arms and legs are protected by tough leather armor, which is light and flexible enough to offer excellent mobility. The smooth surfaces of the robot are made to deflect attacks by causing them to glide off the body armor. But an exposed mid-section allows opponents to open gaps and possibly damage internal mechanisms.

TEAM BRIMSTONE:

Robo-Jockey: Devonric Johnson, actor/model/motivational speaker – Terrell, TX

Robo-Tech: Russell Tait, mechanical engineer and software developer – Brisbane, Australia

 

Commander

COMMANDER: This robot is the mechanized infantry of the future. Commander is a heavy-armored trooper rigged for combat, featuring tank tread feet for extra traction on the floors inside the ring — which are often slick with the oil-blood of opponents. The head pans and tilts on a servo-actuated neck mechanism, and includes a helmet-cam similar to those used by the US military. This robot has superior overall protection and strength, but its extra armor and pack limits speed and range of motion.

TEAM COMMANDER:

Robo-Jockey: Jeffrey Fellin, National Guard helicopter pilot – Kansas City, MO

Robo-Tech: Paulo Younse, NASA robotics engineer – San Ramon, CA

 

Crash

CRASH: Crash features a shock-mounted roll cage that can absorb high impact attacks. Its smoked titanium panel and roll cage armor is light, but still offers good range of protection. Light and fast, this robot is ready for rough action, but the roll-cage can restrict range of motion, making Crash more prone to attacks.

TEAM CRASH:

Robo-Jockey: Amber Shinsel, software engineer at Intel – Portland, OR

Robo-Tech: Dave Shinsel, engineering manager at Intel – Portland, OR

 

Drone Strike

DRONE STRIKE: Based on bleeding-edge military hardware, this robot is the most tightly engineered of the robot fighters. Features include stainless steel armor laminated with ballistic nylon in a digital camo-pattern, giving this robot a distinctive appearance. The midsection includes shock-suspended armor bands that completely encircle the critical valve and hose assemblies, while the large multifunction head/turret pans and tilts. Unique to this robot are the barrel weapons, which are devastating to opponents. With a strong center of gravity, this robot has great balance and is extremely difficult to knock around. However, some of the armor features create mobility issues.

TEAM DRONE STRIKE:

Robo-Jockey: Ciji Thornton, marketing consultant/pro gamer – Dearborn Heights, MI

Robo-Tech: Fazlul Zubair, systems engineer – Torrance, CA

 

Game Over

GAME OVER: The skin for this robot was built using steel that has been stitch-welded together. The robot also features a 24” video monitor embedded in its upper torso, with a screen protected by a clear Lexan panel. The heavy armor of this robot offers excellent protection and is designed to allow for a wide range of motion, resulting in better attack mobility. However, an opponent with a high degree of accuracy can attack open gaps and destroy internal mechanisms.

TEAM GAME OVER:

Robo-Jockey: Keisha Howard, founder of Sugar Gamers – Chicago, IL

Robo-Tech: Annika O’Brien, robotics engineer – Stockholm, Sweden

 

Medieval

MEDIEVAL: Inspired by the valiant knights of a bygone era, Medieval is built from steel with chain mail coverings and metal crests that create additional layers of protective armor during battle. One of the robot’s unique features is its shield, which offers superior defensive capabilities and a possible strategic advantage against opposing robots. Heavy armor makes Medieval one of the strongest and best protected robots in the competition, but the added weight limits speed and range of motion.

TEAM MEDIEVAL:

Robo-Jockey: John Peel, personal celebrity trainer – Scottsdale, AZ

Robo-Tech: Heather Knight, owner of Marilyn Monrobot Labs – Lexington, MA

 

Robo Hammer

ROBO HAMMER: Built for speed using reclaimed parts from top of the line vehicles, Robo Hammer is fast and fierce with devastating acceleration. A variety of exposed hoses and non-vital mechanical parts on the body armor lessen the impact of opposing robot hits without allowing damage to internal structures. While the lightweight body armor on Robo Hammer lets the robot move freely and deliver lightning-fast punches, it also leaves the robot open and vulnerable to attacks.

TEAM ROBO HAMMER:

Robo-Jockey: Amanda Lucas, Pro MMA fighter – San Francisco, CA and Las Vegas, NV

Robo-Tech: Saura Naderi, UCSD Outreach director – Del Mar, CA

 

Scorpio

SCORPIO: This robot is built from fiberglass and aluminum. Like a real insect’s spike-like hairs, Scorpio features metal spikes that are firmly fixed to its skeleton. These spikes can be used to deflect its enemies’ blows and, at the same time, turn its entire body into a weapon. However, its lightweight armor makes the robot more prone to attacks.

TEAM SCORPIO

Robo-Jockey: Diana Yang, student – Irvine, CA

Robo-Tech: Chris Hardouin, toy engineer at Mattel – Topanga, CA

Steampunk

STEAMPUNK: Although more crudely constructed than its counterparts, Steampunk’s over-sized shells help it withstand attacks to any part of the body. This is possibly the most versatile robot on the show, and it can endure attacks to any part of its body. However, its heavy armor slows its rate of attack.

TEAM STEAMPUNK

Robo-Jockey: Ashley Mary Nunes, celebrity impersonator – Vacaville, CA

Robo-Tech: Kyle Samuelson, robotics mentor – Los Alamitos, CA

 

Steel Cyclone

STEEL CYCLONE: Sleek and deadly, the shell is 18” gauge steel with a high quality automotive finish. The low profile circular head, which houses a camera and high intensity light that scans side-to-side, makes it the shortest of the fighting robots at just over seven-feet-tall. This robot is sleek and light, making it fast and deadly with a dynamic range of motion for increased attack poses. And without an exposed head, it is more difficult for opposing robots to land attacks. However, it can only rely on its speed and strategy to overcome a stronger adversary.

TEAM STEEL CYCLONE

Robo-Jockey: Bayano Kamani, Olympic athlete/coach – Houston, TX

Robo-Tech: George Kirkman, owner of Rolling Robots – Greenlawn, NY

 

Thunder Skull

THUNDER SKULL: Thunder Skull’s tight-fitting body armor has been stitch-welded together to offer great overall protection and power. This robot has a clear resin dome that covers a tiny “skull,” which can be seen moving around with a life of its own. However, even with a protective dome, the head is vulnerable to opposing robot attacks. In addition, the hulking upper body of the robot makes Thunder Skull more top heavy, which could create issues with center of gravity and balance during close-quarters combat.

TEAM THUNDER SKULL

Robo-Jockey: Heather Williams, race car driver/realtor – Atlanta, GA

Robo-Tech: Brandon Lewis, entrepreneur – Austin, TX

 

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Tune in to the series premiere of Robot Combat League, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013 at 10/9c, only on Syfy.

Photos: ©2013 Syfy, a division of NBC Universal. All Rights Reserved.

 

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.