My Battlebots Predictions
Just for fun, I decided on Friday to post my own prediction bracket for the Round of 32 on this season of Battlebots. I’m sure I have more wrong than right because so much of this competition comes down to small changes and how teams react in the Arena. Still, I have a few minutes and I’ll gladly break down what I’m thinking.
Play-In Matches
First, the play-in matches. I see them going the same way. Everything is going to come down to weapon reliability.
Malice vs Skorpios
Malice with a working weapon has the potential to do a lot of damage to Skorpios. I could see Malice actually knocking Skorpios out. However, if Malice’s weapon goes down, Skorpios is going to be able to reach in and cause enough damage to take a judges’ decision. I still think Malice will come through here.
Hydra vs Defender
Hydra has the potential to knockout Defender if its weapon works the entire match. If the weapon goes down, Defender can take control of the match. This one is harder to call since we haven’t seen Defender work 100% as intended yet, but we have seen Hydra get some great flips in. We’ll see. I’m giving the edge to Hydra.
Round of 32
End Game vs Malice
End Game is an incredibly destructive robot with great reliability. Malice is also very destructive, but I feel like this version of End Game could get underneath Malice and take control of the match. Both teams drive well, but End Game has better maneuverability. I’m not anticipating a knockout, but I am anticipating End Game moving on.
Minotaur vs Bloodsport
Minotaur is running very well this season. That drum spinner is no joke. Bloodsport is also strong, but I feel like Minotaur is going to be able to box rush and stop Bloodsport from spinning all the way up.
Lucky vs Copperhead
Lucky is a tank and super-fast. Copperhead is another very destructive drum spinner. I just feel like Lucky is going to be able to get behind or to the side of Copperhead and control the fight that way.
Glitch vs Witch Doctor
Glitch is an impressive rookie with a powerful eggbeater. Witch Doctor is far more experienced with a stronger drive train thanks to traditional vs omni wheel drive. I think Witch Doctor can survive Glitch’s hits, but I don’t know if Glitch can survive Witch Doctor’s.
SawBlaze vs HiJinx
SawBlaze is an awesome robot. The only reason I see HiJinx taking this fight is weapon reach. HiJinx’s four foot long blade is not a joke and I don’t know if SawBlaze can consistently get in range to attack without being hit by that blade.
Hypershock vs P1
Hypershock’s weapon is strong this season. So is P1’s flipper. I give the edge to P1 because of the driving skills and durability. P1 can likely get underneath Hypershock and control the pace of the match.
Uppercut vs HUGE
Uppercut is consistently one of the most terrifying vertical spinners in the competition. HUGE is strong, but Uppercut has better maneuverability. If Switchback could hit HUGE’s central frame, so can Uppercut.
Shatter! vs Riptide
Shatter!’s hammer is so strong this season and the body is staying close to the ground on hits. This is bad news for Riptide. Riptide has a great eggbeater, but Shatter! has the reach and speed to find the right angle to attack Riptide without going headfirst into the eggbeater.
Ribbot vs Hydra
Ribbot looks great this season. We know it has knockout potential. Hydra has been knocked out this season and its weapon has had some consistency issues. I think Ribbot is just more reliable going into this fight.
Black Dragon vs Mad Catter
Black Dragon’s weapon is very strong. I think it has the best chance of the eggbeaters that made the Round of 32. Mad Catter has great driving and their vertical spinner has put in good work this season, but I think Black Dragon can take this in a knockout.
Blip vs Valkyrie
Blip is as dangerous as it is cute. That flipper design is no joke and avoids the reliability issues caused by a pneumatic system. Valkyrie is still incredibly destructive, but I think Blip can get underneath and flip until Valkyrie’s weapon stops working.
Jackpot vs Tombstone
Jackpot vs Tombstone could go either way. I’m betting on Tombstone because of Ray Billings’ experience in the end season, but I won’t be surprised to see either robot knockout the other.
Whiplash vs ICEwave
Whiplash arguably has the best driving on this season of Battlebots. ICEwave has the potential to knockout anyone, but the weapon needs to stay spinning to do it. I think Whiplash’s mobility gives it the win here.
Cobalt vs Yeti
I didn’t expect Cobalt to rip Ghost Raptor in half and I still haven’t quite recovered from that fight. I think Cobalt can get under Yeti and tear it up.
Captain Shrederator vs Rotator
Captain Shrederator is amazing when it works right. They weren’t the only team having radio control issues and it seems like the builders worked together to figure out solutions to those interference problems by this point. Rotator is a great robot with better maneuverability, but I don’t think it survives against a working Captain Shrederator.
Tantrum vs Gigabyte
Tantrum’s another tank. Even if the weapon breaks, it’s not going to get knocked out easily. Gigabyte is a strong full bodied spinner, but I see Tantrum more likely to stop Gigabyte’s weapon than Gigabyte knocking out Tantrum.
Round of 16 and Beyond
My logic kind of extends naturally from there at the Round of 16. I think Minotaur can knockout End Game and Lucky can outdrive Witch Doctor. I think P1 can outdrive HiJinx and Uppercut can potentially knockout Shatter! Ribbot can outdrive Black Dragon and Blip can break Tombstone’s weapon with a few good flips. Cobalt can get under Whiplash for damage and Tantrum can outlast Captain Shrederator.
At the quarterfinals, Minotaur can knockout Lucky and P1 can outdrive Uppercut. Blip can probably disable Ribbot’s weapon and Cobalt can probably keep their weapon going longer than Tantrum.
At the semifinals, Minotaur can knockout P1 and Blip can get under Cobalt.
With the way the brackets lined up, I see a clear path for Minotaur to take the Giant Nut. Blip is an awesome flipper, but I think Minotaur’s experience with that particular bot is going to give them the advantage.
The best part is all of these predictions can be totally wrong. This is just for fun. Making the Round of 32 is an awesome achievement, as is being accepted on the show at all. The rest is a televised opportunity for us to watch some great engineering in action.
Everything will start to be revealed when the left side of the bracket fights on 17 March.
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