Last weekend's Robot Smashing League event was one of many firsts for MRCA. Not only was it the first event of 2024, but it was also the first to utilize new streamlined judging rules, the first to rank beetleweights, and the first to use a tournament format other than double elimination.  Instead, it actually tried out two formats new to the league, both of which were a resounding success.

The antweights ran on a modified Swiss system where every competitor is guaranteed four fights. It is divided into rounds where robots are matched against others which have a similar win record in the previous rounds. Once the four rounds are over, the top eight bots are thrown into a single elimination tournament to determine the winner. This system allows a more even distribution of fights among the competitors where they are going against others with a similar skill level.

Because there were relatively few beetleweight robots competing they were run in a round robin. This is a tournament format where each competitor fights each other competitor once and the robot with the most wins is declared the victor.

With that in mind, lets see who saw success at RSL!

Beetleweight 3rd Place:
Dead Batteries Robotics with The Trooper

Tina of Dead Batteries Robotics has been seeing consistent success with her D2 kit The Trooper. She has competed at the past three RSL events, and placed in two of them. This event was no different, with her Gary Gin-esque driving style once again proving to be a winning strategy. Maybe its time for her to head out to some other events and show the rest of the Midwest what she can do.
The Trooper vs Ataxia Fight

Beetleweight 2nd Place:
Team Fairy Powerful with Fairy Powerful

Michael of team Fairy Powerful decided to spend his birthday fighting robots at RSL. Maybe his opponents went easy on him for this reason, but its more likely he's just a great driver with a well designed bot. Fairy Powerful was easily the fastest bot in the arena while still being very durable and able to deal big hits.
Fairy Powerful vs Skippy Fight

Beetleweight 1st Place:
Blackpony Productions with Confidently Incorrect

Mike of Blackpony Productions made the drive from Illinois for his first ever Minnesota event. It was definitely worth his while, because he went 6-0, defeating every other beetleweight in attendance. This was his first time reaching the podium with his bot Confidently Incorrect. He attributes the success to some fixes he made to his weapon belt retention since the last competition, but still believes it could use some work. His biggest takeaway from the competition was that he really like the new tournament styles, which give everyone more opportunities to fight, learn from their mistakes, and improve.
Confidently Incorrect vs Fairy Powerful Fight

Antweight 3rd Place:
Sneaky Tiger Robotics with Antmine

Emmaline of Sneaky Tiger Robotics may now be the youngest person to ever win a trophy at a MRCA event. At 9 years old, she has been competing in MRCA since its inception with her bot Antmine. Although it doesn't have a weapon, this may be the single most durable bot in all of the Midwest, and she is a fantastic driver for her age. Within a few years she will surly be a competitor everyone fears.
Antmine vs SLAM Fight

Antweight 2nd Place:
AMP Robotics with Entity

Anthony of AMP Robotics (formerly Rochester Robotics) is known and feared among the MRCA community for his horizontal spinner Specture. This year he decided he wanted to try something different, so instead he's running a new 4-wheel vertical spinner called Entity. Once again he has designed a masterpiece, as this bot is already seeing just as much success as his last. Robots are consistently getting launched several feet into the air whenever this Entity is fighting.  It will surely be a top competitor when it inevitably makes it to the MRCA finals this year.
Entity vs Blackout Fight

Antweight 1st Place:
Team Kwin-alt with Klonoa

Alex of Team Kwin-alt is a regular at both RSL and MRCA events. Last year he made a big splash when his control bot Scrapper managed to place 3rd at the Minnesota Mecha-Melee, then do it again at the MRCA Finals. He didn't enter Scrapper into this competition, but managed to pull off a first place finish with his other grab-bot Klonoa. This victory easily cements him as the top control bot driver in the Midwest right now. Expect to see more great runs from team Kwin-alt in the 2024 season!
Klonoa vs Entity Fight

Well, that's a wrap for the first MRCA event of the year.  A special thanks to Robot Smashing League for holding the event, and RFA Engineering for sponsoring. If this competition was anything to go by, it's going to be an exciting year of robot fighting!

Rumble!

Public Roadmap for the Midwest Robot Combat Association (MRCA)

As part of our mission to increase transparency and enrich our competitive environment, the  Midwest Robot Combat Association (MRCA) is excited to share our latest roadmap. As a growing community, we are committed to attracting newcomers, making our sport more accessible, and expanding our online presence to reach a broader audience.

A Greater Stage with More Venues

One of our key goals is to bring the thrilling world of robot combat to more regions. An upcoming event in Illinois marks the latest stage of this expansion. We're thrilled to announce that we're actively exploring possibilities for hosting events in several additional Midwest states including North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Ohio, and Indiana. We are also considering events in areas adjacent to the Midwest, such as Toronto and Kentucky.

Our events aim to serve as a celebration of innovation, strategy, and skill where competitors come together to do battle with their carefully crafted creations. We envision our events as spaces not only for competition but also for learning, networking, and inspiring the next generation of robotics enthusiasts. Every new event is a new opportunity to showcase the brilliance of our sport and engage with communities that share our passion.

Searching for the Perfect Finals Location

As for the finals, we understand the importance of a convenient location to maximize the accessibility and overall quality of the event.  For next season, we're scouting for areas near the Chicago area that would make travel easy for as many competitors as possible. We promise to keep you updated on this and value your feedback or suggestions during the venue selection process.

Ruleset Revamp

We're also working on an overhaul of our ruleset. It’s important to us to keep our sport fair and enjoyable, so we're aiming to remove out-of-date rules, tailor our rules to suit our unique needs, and simplify them for better understanding. However, we want to ensure the ongoing season isn’t disrupted, so no changes will take effect until after the current season.

Improved Judging Criteria

To make scoring more transparent and consistent, we're introducing clearly defined judging guidelines along with a quick reference sheet. This will make it easier for everyone to understand how performances are evaluated and points are scored.

Diversified Weight Classes and Categories

To add more diversity and competition, we are beginning to lay the groundwork for incorporating ranked beetleweights for future seasons. The first step in this process will be to start tracking beetle fights to create preliminary rankings for MRCA beetles. Stay tuned for more details regarding future plans for beetleweights in the coming months.

Boosting our Online Presence

As part of our commitment to reaching a wider audience and helping them better understand and more easily participate in our community, we're planning to increase our social media reach and the number of articles and guides available on our website. This will provide resources for new and existing competitors, as well as anyone looking to learn more about the fascinating world of robot combat. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to shaping the future of robot combat in the Midwest.

For all of the fight videos check here
For the full bracket check here

KCBC had its first tournament as a MRCA event on Saturday, and it went fantastically. With a full roster of 32 bots and a crowd pumped for combat there was a ton of energy in the air. Not only had most of robots never competed at a MRCA event before, but for many builders this was also their first competition. This lead to a fun event where no one knew who the top bots were likely to be. Lets see how they all stacked up!

3rd Place: GBT Robotics & Pirithous

Ethan Hyden of GBT Robotics was one of only a handful of MRCA regulars to make the trek down to Kansas City for this one. He made it worth his while by placing 3rd with his flipper Pirithous, and stamping his ticket into the MRCA finals. This is one place better than his 4th place finish at WRC earlier this year, and at this point Pirithous is easily the most feared flipper bot on the circuit.

2nd Place: Team Keep Flyin' & Red Sun

At his first ever event, Bill Carlson started the day not expecting to go far. However, he managed to drive his new Baby Nautilus kit, Red Sun, like a leaf on the wind. Putting his previous RC racing experience to use, he took control of nearly every match and showed his opponents no mercy. Still, at the end of the day he humbly chalked up his performance to "beginners luck".

1st Place: Rocket Squirrel Robotics & NautiBoy

For the second time ever, the final match at a MRCA event was between two identical kit bots. At his second ever event, builder Ryan Lowen managed to prove his kit NautiBoy was not only the best Baby Nautilus, but also the best bot at the competition. Not only did he manage to drive this bot into first place but his other entry, Slobberknocker, took 4th place and won a prize for being the best new robot. Despite his fantastic performance, Ryan was just happy he was able to put on an entertaining show.

Finally, a special thank you to sponsors Repeat Robotics and Fingertech Robotics. As well as the venue, Timeless Arcade, and event organizer Eric Bultman for putting on a terrific event. Everyone should be looking forward to the next one

A brief overview of commonly used methods to get your robots, spinner, lifter, forks or other weapon bits in contact with the other guy's robot.

WHEELS

"why would you use anything else?"

The obvious option and by far the most commonly used method of getting across the arena to wack that other guy. Wheels come in all shapes and sizes and whether  driven directly, by gear, or by belt they are the most efficient method of movement.  There are 3 commonly used wheel materials in insect weight combat robotics. Each has its own benefits and trade offs.  

Foam wheels are the lightest and most commonly used option.  Because there is a lot of air inside the structure, they are extremely light weight, even at very large sizes.  Even so, they are able to take impacts well.  The downside is they are prone to tearing out when stuck by sharp horizontal blades and the traction leaves a bit to be desired on most arena floors.

As with any vehicle the traction that the tire is able to exert on the floor of the arena makes a huge difference in its ability to move itself and by extension other robots.  One common fix to this issue is applying a coat of latex body paint or rubber cement over the contact surface of the foam wheel. This provides a rubbery and grippy surface for the wheel to better grab the floor. An excellent tutorial on how to do this can be found here.

Most robot part suppliers (including Fingertech, ItGresa, and Palm Beach) offer a wide variety of foam wheel options. They can also easily be made at home on a budget. All that's needed is a drill, a hole saw, and a sheet of foam.

Molded wheels, are another option. With these the entire tire is molded from a grippy material such as silicone or RTV. This means that wear and light damage on the tire won't remove the ability for it to maintain traction. The primary reason to avoid these is the added weight of the denser tire material. Given the lack of air in the tire structure, every added millimeter of width or diameter significantly increases their weight. As a result these are best used for robots that need smaller grippy tires. Many builders will cast their own tires around a printed hub which allows them to have attachment points for their specific need. However, premade options such as Banebots also exist.

0-ring wheels are simple to make and have the benefit of good traction, but with a host of negatives that are solved by a molded wheel. Essentially an o-ring wheel is a loop of grip material stretched over a rim that holds the o-ring on the robot.  A big negative of this style is the tendency for the 0-ring to pop out of place which at best causes the tire to lose effectiveness and at worst can bind the wheel causing complete loss of drive. Gluing the O-ring on can help alleviate this issue but is unlikely to completely prevent it. Pololu is a common supplier for this type of wheel.

Subtypes: Tracks, Omniwheels, Mecanum wheels

Tracks, while technically not wheels, are driven by wheels (cogs).  They are essentially o-ring wheels which have been stretched over two or more wheels instead of one. Tracks are used when a builder is looking for maximum surface contact for (in theory) the best possible traction. They tend to be a less common option than a simple 4x4. This is because tracks can easily be damaged or popped off the drive cogs. Still, if properly protected tracks can be a viable method of drive and always have the "cool" factor.

The Omniwheel is a unique type of wheel with certain benefits and significant drawbacks sometimes used in combat robotics. Omniwheels, and their cousin the Mecanum wheel, are constructed with a central tire section that rolls in two directions as with a normal tire but then also have subsections built into the primary tire that roll perpendicular to the first axis. The benefit of these is added mobility. A robot with omniwheels is able to move in any direction, allowing a degree of surprise and the ability to attack quickly from odd angles.  The downside to this is the ability for these wheels to push another robot is almost non existent given the unsecured rolling subsections of the wheel. On top of that the wheels are heavier than other options and  tend to be delicate given all the added parts and complexity. Never the less, if you simply must build something weird and suboptimal then Omniwheels might be of interest to you.

Camshaft mechanism

(AKA Shufflers)

To understand how the shuffler mechanism works it is possibly easiest to imagine the common internal combustion engine. Inside of which there are pistons and rods connected to a cam shaft in the method seen below.

Most ICE engines harness power by creating small explosions by compressing fuel injected on top of the pistons. This power is then transferred to a rotational energy through means of the rods and cam shaft.

Shufflers work just like this but in reverse using the power of an electric motor to spin the cam shaft which then moves the rods (shuffler legs) in an up and down motion.  There is a bit more too it than that, but that's best saved for a tutorial on the subject. So one might ask why anyone would choose such an unconventional way of providing motion for their robot? In almost all Insect weight competitions shuffler robots are allowed a 50% additional weight bonus to account for the added complexity of the cam and foot mechanisms.  In many cases it doesn't take all of the additional weight to make a successful mechanism so the additional weight can be put into armor, size, or the more common option "BIG wEapON"

Shuffler mechanisms have become very fast and efficient as brushless motors have improved. As a result, there is talk of nerfing the bonus a little given the dominance of certain designs. For now however, it is an excellent way to get an edge on the competition if not a simple way.

Torque reaction walker, Gyro Walker, Bristle bot

"The best drive is no drive at all!" ~Caleb of Team Kill More Robots... Probably

The last relatively common method of moving a robot is simply using the power of the spinning weapon(s) on your robot.  Gyro bots tend to be slow and difficult to maneuver. But, what this class lacks in versatility it makes up for in weapon weight and power. Essentially this class is made of of 3 types of robots that use similar but distinct ways of moving the body.

This ENTIRE class of robots is the least well defined in most common events rule books. Generally they are either given a full walker weight bonus or no bonus at all.  MRCA however defines this class as being distinct from a shuffler but not quite a true walker.  This difference caused the creation of the "not quite a walker" bonus of 75% additional weight" This class is still new and may potentially change in future MRCA seasons if it proves to be too dominate.

First the Torque reaction walker. This is pretty much exclusively a 2 weapon horizontal spinner robot and was popularized by the 3lb robot "Droopy"

These robots move by varying the speed of their two weapons to "torque pull" forward one side of the robot and then the other causing an odd sort of walking movement.

Gyro walkers are similar to a torque reaction walker in premise. These robots use the Gyroscopic force of a single vertical spinning weapon that has been forced off axis. When off of center the weapon causes a lifting and spinning force that lifts and pulls the side of the robot after which the spinner is brought off axis in the opposite direction causing the other side of the robot to lift. Careful moderation of these lifts and weapon speed can allow a builder to "walk" their robot forward. Control of such a robot is somewhat limited and reverse movement is impossible, but there have been a few successful designs.

Bristle Bots are another class of robot that are similar to the others mentioned. However, they use a different force to achieve movement. Bristle bots use a combination of bristles similar to a toothbrush or hairbrush and vibration to move forward. The bristles are angled at a slight backwards tapper from the front of the robot causing any vibration transferred into them to be pushed against the floor in the opposite direction.  While the previous robots of this class are a bit more limited on weapon orientation to allow the force to be properly applied, a bristle walker can in theory use any vibration causing component to exert force into the bristles.

WALKER Mechanism

(True walker) "is anyone here?"

A true walker is defined in the MRCA and spark ruleset as: "Robots in which multiple linear or limited-travel rotary actuators are intermittently driven to produce linear travel of the robot. Actuation may be through electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic means. Walkers must have no parts normally in contact with the ground undergoing continuous rotation, and must require some change in timing or sequencing of the driving mechanisms in order to reverse direction. Walkers will typically have control systems significantly more complex than those found on shufflers or rollers, involving multiple actuators, servos, or valves running through a specific sequence to produce motion."

This definition differentiates walkers from the shuffler in which all the cam parts work in unison and cannot be actuated separate from the other parts.  To offset the added weight from the walker mechanism builders are allowed a whopping 100% weight bonus. Even still this class is almost never used given the significant increase in complexity and  reduced reliability. Very few instances of walkers exist outside of the semi-successful Battlebots participant "CHOMP"

As you can see, there are a wide variety of ways for a robot to transverse the arena. There are numerous types of wheels that can be used on any robot.  For someone who wants to build something more unique, shufflers and gyro bots are a great option that'll also give a weight bonus at most competitions. Walker bots are rare and difficult to design, but perfect for anyone looking for a challenge.

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of ways to move a robot. Feel free to come up with your own unique methods such as flying or hovering. Just make sure to check with your local Event Organizer before building to see if it will be allowed. They might not be fond of your rocket propelled bot.

MRCA Season 2 kicked off with a bang on March 4th. WRC this year was not only the largest MRCA event so far, but with 56 competitors, it was also one of the largest antweight events ever held! Despite the potential pitfalls of holding such a big event, everything went very smoothly and the final fight even finished ahead of schedule. A massive event such as this is bound to have plenty of exciting new bots and intense fights, so lets break it all down.

Team Sidewinder: Franklin

Franklin is a robot that was on no one's radar at the beginning of WRC, but with some impressive driving and a powerful drivetrain, they quickly proved they were a force to be reckoned with. With a 9th place finish at their first MRCA event, team Sidewinder is one everyone will have their eye on in the future!

Team Constructive Exercise: Bobber

Another first time MRCA entry, Ben and team Constructive Exercise impressed everyone with their sleek 4WD vertical spinner, Bobber. Throughout the day, he managed to pull off wins against favorites such as FL!P, and achieved a 7th place finish. Ben also recently took 3rd place in the MRCA CAD competition, showing that he's set to be a valuable member of the community for years to come.

Team Vokko: Yeeter McFlipperton

Powerful flipper bots have always been under-represented at MRCA events. That's why it's so nice to see Team Vokko join the fray with Yeeter McFlipperton.  Once they learn to control their extremely powerful drivetrain, this bot will surely be at the top.

Team 42 Robotics: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster

Dave of Team 42 Robotics brought a new melty-brain drive robot, which is a MRCA first! This design, which effectively turns the entire robot into a weapon, can lead to some very chaotic and entertaining matches. Unfortunately, the robot was operating in manual mode due to a control board failure shortly before the event, but it still had impressive durability and entertainment value. At times, Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster resembled a hockey puck more than a robot! When fully operational, this will be a robot to watch out for.

Killa Bees Robotics: Miles Edward O'Brien & Rules of Acquisition

Is Killa Bees' new robot Miles Edward O'Brien a successful bot? No. But at least it's a good robot, right? Also, no. But for all of its failures, it still deserves a mention just for its level of innovation. This attempt at a gyro-walking horizontal ring spinner may have failed, but let's hope Brendan doesn't give up on it. This is another robot that has the potential to become quite the spectacle if the bugs can be ironed out.

And because Brendan won't want this competition to be remembered for his ambitious failures, here's his new 4WD Rules of Acquisition repeatedly sending a Necessary Evil kit into the ceiling.

Team Mashup: KILLJOY

Jair and Team Mashup had a good showing with their bot Nosferatu, as one would expect, but lets take a minute to talk about their new bot, KILLJOY! Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the BattleBot, Ominous, this may be the first MRCA bot to employ an omni-wheel holonomic drive system. Clearly, Jair has gotten some practice with this new drive system because it's a spectacle watching KILLJOY strafe across the box.

GBT Robotics: Pirithous

Since its introduction last year, the pneumatic flipper Pirithous has been a consistently good robot, but this is the first time Ethan of GBT Robotics has managed to get it near the top of the pack. If he can keep up performances like these, could it even replace Theseus as his most feared bot?

Team Already Broke: Insipidity & The Victim

Team Already Broke brought four robots to WRC and saw a reasonable amount of success with all of them. That being said, their new bots Insipidity and The Victim stole the show. With third and second place finishes, respectively, both of these bots punched their ticket to the MRCA finals in the first event of the season. And in all likelihood, they'll only get better from here.

y0 Robotics: Mudskipper

For their third visit to Wisconsin in a row, team y0 Robotics walked away with the gold. Mudskipper was driven by Rachel this time. Her precision driving was on display throughout the entire tournament as Mudskipper swept the winner's bracket (again), leaving nothing but destruction in its wake.

WRC saw a lot of robots make really big statements in this MRCA season's opener. We're super excited to keep watching our deadliest field yet shape up for the 2023 MRCA Finals!

So some of you can CAD!

Over the past several months the MRCA has been holding a competition to design an official kit bot for the organization. The idea was to create a design which is easy for beginners to build and also competitive at the increasingly destructive MRCA competitions. The community really came together for this one, and with so many great entries it was difficult to pick a top three. The three judges scored on a ten point scale in the categories of competitiveness, ease of assembly, and manufacturability for a max possible score of 90 points. It was a very tight competition, where any of the entries could have won, and a tie-breaker needed between the top two designs. Without further ado, here are the top three entries!

3rd place
Robot name: Trapezoid
Designer: Ben Thompson
Competitiveness: 6
Ease of Assembly: 8.67
Ease of Manufacturability: 5.33
Total points awarded: 60

Trapezoid was the first submitted entry, and it set the bar for the rest of the competition. The judges were blown away by the level of detail in its instructions and overall build quality. This entry was so well written it received the highest average score in “ease of assembly” with an 8.67/10. It will be a great choice for those who prefer to build things with their hands rather than 3D printing. This design also gives the builder an option between getting the parts laser cut with services such as SendCutSend or doing it in a home shop with a bandsaw.
Because the second place finisher is ineligible for a prize, Ben has been awarded the 2nd place prize of a free year of MRCA event entries.


2nd place
Robot name: Budget Cut
Designer name Joseph Betz
Competitiveness: 7.67
Ease of Assembly: 6.67
Ease of Manufacturability: 8
Total points awarded: 67

Budget Cut was entered by our very own MRCA founder Joseph Betz. It is based around a design which won a MRCA competition but has been simplified to use fewer components. This was not ignored by the judges who awarded it the highest average score of 7.67/10 in the competitiveness category. With a short list of parts and excellent assembly instructions, this would make a great first kinetic weapon bot for any new builder.

As Joseph is a MRCA board member he will not be receiving any prizes but his entry will be immortalized for all to enjoy on the MRCA website.


1st place
Robot name: Vortex
Designer name: Lane Moschel
Competitiveness: 7
Ease of Assembly: 7.33
Ease of Manufacturability: 8
Total points awarded: 67+1

Vortex is a fantastic robot which is made even more astounding by the young age of its designer. Fourteen year old Lane did a great job of creating a simple yet destructive bot which should do very well at any tournament. This was a very close competition with a bonus point being awarded to Lane for having very clear instructions making it easier for someone new to the hobby to get started.

Lane is receiving the 1st place prize of a year of free entries at MRCA competitions. Additionally, MRCA will be supplying him with the funds to make Vortex a reality. So expect to see it soon at a competition near you!


Thank you to everyone who participated. There were plenty more exciting new designs which aren’t listed here, but we look forward to seeing them at events across the Midwest!

Do you have what it takes to design the first ever MRCA Community combat robot!? Hopefully you do, because we are hosting the inaugural MRCA robot design competition. The intent is to come up with a bot design that will allow an easy entry point to the MRCA for new robot builders. Winning designs will be posted on our website for anyone to attempt to build. With that in mind, these robot designs will be judged based on manufacturability, ease of assembly, and perceived combat effectiveness. The winner will receive a free year of MRCA event entries and we will pay for the winning robot design to be built. This design will also be immortalized for all new comers on the MRCA website. Keep it inexpensive, keep it simple and have fun. Official rules can be found here. All submissions are due by February 25th, 2023.

Good luck, and may the best Midwesternite win!

The MRCA 2023 construction rules have been updated! The rules can be found here with changes/additions highlighted in RED, but here’s an overview anyways.

The first thing you may notice is the addition of a new weight bonus called “Almost Walking Robots”. This category is targeted at the often mobility compromised gyro walkers and bristle bots that occasionally pop up at events. By putting this bonus higher than the shuffler bonus, there is still an incentive to innovate in stranger realms of the non-wheeled category; however, the bonus is still low enough to leave room for the multi-servo crab themed walkers we all dream of in the true walker category.

Farther down the rules is a new Autonomous Bonus. This bonus gives established builders a new competitive advantage to explore, but it should also give something for our programmers and “real robot” purists something to play with. A particularly exciting addition to this is the fact that true melty brain bots (which rely on sensors/accelerometers) auto qualify for this bonus.

These two changes have also affected the multibot formula, but as nobody built a mixed locomotion multibot last year, this is probably not something to worry about.

Finally, we have removed our 1lb of allowed magnetic downforce rule and decided to go with no permanent magnets for any MRCA events. It’s very hard to monitor downforce during events, and the system can be gamed quite easily when using a hang test. This change does still leave the door open to unlimited electrical magnet downforce, but currently, there are no events on the 2023 MRCA schedule with a steel floor.

On Saturday, the most successful MRCA builders converged in Oconomowoc, WI to determine who is the best of the best. There was an air of excitement and anticipation in the morning as the thirty competitors filed in and started to prepare their bots. Each and every one of them could have brought home the gold, but a champion was eventually crowned after an incredibly tense competition featuring some of the closest matches, biggest surprises, and most destructive performances of the entire season...

3rd Place - Killa Bees Robotics & Rules of Acquisition

Brendan Metz of Killa Bees Robotics underperformed during the MRCA qualifying season. His robot, Rules of Acquisition, had a pretty good win record, and he managed to get the #14 seed at the tournament, but everyone was expecting him to take home some trophies. Everyone knew the bot had potential, but for whatever reason, it could never manage a podium. All that changed on Saturday when THE ENGINEER himself finally found some momentum. Apparently, he was saving his best tournament performance for last because he knocked it out of the park at the finals! Along the way, he put on a dynamic performance that just kept getting more impressive. Highlights include one of the most intense driving matches of the tournament against the #3 seed, FL!P, a knockout against the #6 seed, Theseus, and even a knockout against the #2 seed, Atoma! With losses to only the first place and second place finishers, Brendan certainly earned this position.

2nd Place - Bots 'n' Stuff & Atoma

In order to make the MRCA Finals, Owen Marshall actually chose to pass on attending BattleBots with his team Bots 'n' Stuff's heavyweight, Bloodsport. With that in mind, I'm sure he's happy he placed as highly as he did! Atoma kept its insane pattern of placing in the top five of every tournament its been to, this time with six knockouts, leaving no questions about its dominance. His only losses were to the first place finisher and the third place finisher, Rules of Acquisition. He took revenge against Rules of Acquisition at the top of the losers' bracket though.

1st Place - y0 Robotics & Mudskipper

Owen wasn't the only one juggling Battlebots and MRCA participation. Remy DeGuzman flew in straight from Las Vegas, where he was supporting the new heavyweight entry, Shreddit Bro!, to be at the MRCA finals. Going into the tournament, he was the heavy favorite to win based on his #1 seed and a history of destruction in the WRC arena. He did not disappoint. After a surprisingly close first match against the #32 seed, Karen, he swept the winners' bracket with very little opposition. This victory will surly cement Remy as one of the most feared builders and drivers in the MRCA for years to come.

You can see the full results of the tournament here.

That's a wrap on the first season of the MRCA! We laughed. We cried. We ripped each other's hard work to shreds. We're excited to see you in 2023 when we do it all over again!

The last MRCA qualifier is over, and the Finals are coming up fast. With 12 of the top 20 ranked bots on Robot Combat Events in attendance, this event is guaranteed to be the most intense antweight competition of the year. Let's check out who's competing!

Seed 32 - Team Guac -n- Queso & Karen

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (midcutter)

While Karen may have only just snuck its way into the finals, it has had impressive and destructive showings at more than one event. With its very dangerous horizontal spinner, Karen looks to upset the bracket in her first fight against Mudskipper.

Seed 31 - Team Guac -n- Queso & Depressant Meds

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (overhead)

Team Guac's second qualifying bot slots in just above Karen, and while weapon durability has plagued this overhead spinner, it will take more than a middling performance to KO this durable contender.

Seed 30 - Team Last Place & Lasty

Bot Type: Lifter

Lasty has been competing for awhile now and with each revision becomes more durable and competitive. It started its life as a Viper lifter kit but no longer resembles its origins in any way. With its own home brewed spicy 16mm motor setup, keep in eye on this top bot.

Seed 29 - Sneaky Tiger Robotics & Aardvark

Bot Type: Wedge

Aardvark uses its 4 grippy wheels and many wedglets to control every match! While not the fastest or most dangerous, this bot is among the most durable at the competition, and will always be a contender.

Seed 28 - Team 42 Robotics & Mostly Harmless

Bot Type: Drum Spinner

Mostly Harmless has suffered weapon durability issues many times throughout the season. Nevertheless, his placement here just goes to show the durability of all the other parts that make up this strong robot.

Seed 27 - Dead Batteries Robotics & Painkiller

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (undercutter)

PainKiller is a well known kit bot with an extremely destructive horizontal spinner, but it's often chaotic enough to do more damage to itself than its opponent. This will definitely lead to some entertaining matches!

Seed 26 - Barcode Robotics & Pulse

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (midcutter)

Pulse only fought at one MRCA qualifier event this season: the final one in Iowa. It managed to do well enough here to sneak into the finals, where we'll see how it stacks up against some more developed horizontal spinners.

Seed 25 - TobyTopia & HoriVertzical

Bot Type: Horizontal/Vertical Spinner (midcutter)

Horivertzical might just be the most innovative build in all the MRCA. Switching from horizontal to vertical spinner with just the press of a button gives this bot the double threat it needs to keep opponents guessing at all times.

Seed 24 - Team Crackhead Energy & Unicorn Death Blade

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (undercutter)

A bot that had disappointing performances for much of the 2022 season only to become a very serious threat after a total overhaul.  This rotator-esq robot is now a true contender. TPU cutter blades are sure to strike fear into the hearts of many builders given its popularity in the MRCA.

Seed 23 - Mistakes Were Made & Disappointment

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (midcutter)

Disappointment appears to have been anything but a disappointment this season with its many impressive performances and destructive fights. While generally less flashy than other horizontal spinners, this one has proven to be extremely durable.

Seed 22 - Team Cringe & The Pit

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (overhead)

Nobody would have guessed a Tupperware container with a weapon strapped to it would place this highly, but here we are! The pit struggles with drive, but its powerful weapon has yet to stop even in its lost fights.

Seed 21 - Team Kwin-alt & Bunnicula

Bot Type: Horizonal Spinner (midcutter)

The extremely unorthodox robot, Bunnincula, fights with what amounts to a horizontal drum inspired by the Battlebot Malice.  This weapon has proven quite effective at shredding foam wheels and leaving its opponents high and dry.

Seed 20 - Team Kwin-alt & Thumper

Bot Type: Wedge

Team Kwin-alt's second placing robot, Thumper, is a strong wedge to prepare for. It's primed and ready for some upsets in this horizontal-spinner-heavy field of competitors.

Seed 19 - y0 Robotics & Super Space Turtle

Bot Type: Wedge

With 3 robots attending the finals, y0 Robotics has more representation than any other team. Although Super Space Turtle may be the lowest ranked of their bots, it's still a force to be reckoned with.

Seed 18 - Team Experimental Designs & Doomed Experiment

Bot Type: Wedge

Here's another bot that only needed one performance to seal the deal. Doomed Experiment enters the MRCA Finals following up a strong 5th place finish at IRFC.

Seed 17 - Team Mashup & Nosferatu

Bot Type: Vertical Spinner

Without a second driver for CHOPSHOP, all of Team Mashup's hopes rest on Nosferatu. Regardless of the pressure, its speedy brushless drive and oversized weapon should carry them far in the finals.

Seed 16 - Sneaky Tiger Robotics & Antmine

Bot Type: Wedge

Antmine is Sneaky Tiger's second entry into the finals. This father-daughter team is well known for their impeccable control and indestructible robots. They have consistent top-10 finishes. Can they push it just that little bit further for a trophy at the finals?

Seed 15 - Team TORG & Chreig Jarviszion

Bot Type: Vertical Spinner

With one of the more difficult names to pronounce, this brutal vertical spinner has consistently done well at Michigan Mashup. With a rumored brushless upgrade being implemented for the finals, this will be one to watch.

Seed 14 - Killa Bees Robotics & Rules of Acquisition

Bot Type: Drum Spinner

At one time, this small, hard hitting drum spinner was ranked at the very top of the MRCA charts. While it has dropped a few spots since then, it's still a strong contender and one of only a few bots that have taken wins off Mudskipper, the current no.1 ranked robot in MRCA.

Seed 13 - Dead Batteries Robotics & CookieCutter

Bot Type: Vertical Spinner

CookieCutter is an experiment in how far a Fingertech Viper kit can be taken. Apparently, it worked out! A 3rd place finish at WRC quickly locked this robot into the finals. Since then, CookieCutter has failed to relive that same glory at any other point in the MRCA season, but maybe revisiting the arena where it all happened will bring something back!

Seed 12 - Head Through Keyboard & External Screaming

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (undercutter)

After kicking the season off with a violent ESC fire, this robot bounced back with unfaltering performances at a non MRCA event, HORD, and then a MRCA qualifier, WCS, earning it a high ranking seed for the finals.

Seed 11- Team Hazardous Robotics & Bit Error

Bot Type: Vertical Spinner

If any MRCA robot had a legendary status, it's Bit Error. Known across the midwest for its CIRC run from 2016-2019, builders were unsure if it would be outpaced by the post-pandemic builds, or if it would live up to its previous glory. Spoiler alert: it crushed its competition after essentially no changes or competitions during the current era. With losses to only top competitors Atoma and Specture, Bit Error is a robot to watch.

Seed 10 - Kill More Robots & Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Bot Type: Dual Horizontal Spinner (midcutter)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (or KKBB for short) is one of only a handful of bots in the MRCA currently taking advantage of the added weight bonus for unique mobility systems. Its bristle drive system may be slow and difficult to maneuver, but this allows KKBB to have two massive and absolutely devastating weapons. Despite holding the fastest KO in MRCA history (as seen below), its builder still decided to give KKBB a ground up rebuild before the finals. Time will tell (like the hours before its first fight) if that strategy pays off or not!

Seed 9 - Team Striped Might & Big Bill

Bot Type: Wedge

Team Striped Might may have only attended one MRCA event this year, but they certainly made an impression at that event. Their intimidating control bots Flippin' the Bird and Big Bill took 1st and 3rd place respectively. Unfortunately, they're only allowed to bring one of these bots to the finals due to driver rules, so they chose Big Bill.

Seed 8 - y0 Robotics & Weird Flex

Bot Type: Wedge

Weird Flex is a control bot that has been making waves in the Midwest for a little while now. It gets its name from a body made entirely out of TPU. This gives it an impressive durability that lets it go toe to toe with some of the nastiest robots in the league.

Seed 7 - Rochester Robotics & Specture

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (midcutter)

This is a robot that is almost elegant in its simplicity.  It managed a 4th place finish at WRC, its first ever competition. This was followed by even more impressive showings at MNM (2nd Place) and the non-MRCA event RFC (1st Place). Through all of these competitions, few changes or even repairs were made to Specture.

Seed 6 - GBT Robotics & Theseus

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (midcutter)

Going into the start of the season, Theseus was the most feared bot on the MRCA circuit and already a favorite to win the finals. This was clearly justified, because with a 2nd place finish at WRC, Theseus qualified for the finals at its first event. GBT Robotics then decided to give this bot a break for the rest of the season and play around with their flipper, Pirithous. It's time for Theseus to come out of retirement and show everyone who's boss.

Seed 5 - Team Imminent Disaster & Necessary Evil

Bot Type: Wedge

Here's a control bot with a long history of success. So much success in fact, that Team Imminent Disaster has started to sell it as a kit bot. With a 7th place finish at WCS and a 2nd place finish at MM, this is one control bot to keep your eye out for.

Seed 4 - Fluffy Robotics & Garchomp

Bot Type: Wedge

Remember how Necessary Evil is a kit bot that took 2nd place at MM? Well, the only bot that beat it was a Necessary Evil kit called Garchomp. Fluffy Robotics managed to outdrive the creator of his bot in a nail-biting finals match. They are in the same quadrant of the finals bracket, so we may get to see this matchup again.

Seed 3 - Team Already Broke & FL!P

Bot Type: Lifter

FL!P is another competitor that only made it to one MRCA event this year, but Team Already Broke didn't leave much room to argue about its credibility after an astounding performance. FL!P managed to win WCS undefeated, a competition with the largest arena in MRCA, no pit, no hazards, and one of the most stacked fields throughout the season. With considerably better circumstances for a control bot at the MRCA Finals, FL!P will be a competitor to watch.

Seed 2 - Bots 'n' Stuff & Atoma

Bot Type: Vertical Spinner

Atoma has competed in 4 events this year. It managed a top 5 finish in every one of them. The combination of an extremely damaging weapon, fantastic durability, and the ability to control every match make this an opponent that nobody wants to face.

Seed 1 - y0 Robotics & Mudskipper

Bot Type: Horizontal Spinner (undercutter)

Mudskipper might resemble a wooden bench more than a robot, but maybe that's the key to its success. Mudskipper broke the meta between its excessive use of TPU, unique shuffling mechanism utilizing no bearings, and extremely wide stance that nearly doubles the width of most opponents. Accompanied by low expectations, its debut fight against Rules of Acquisition resulted in a loss. Little did anyone know that Mudskipper was a single component away from being the WRC champion. By using an old weapon hub design, Mudskipper found its stride and managed to win the next 9 fights with just one judges decision. That insane win streak even included back to back KOs on Theseus to dethrone them as the most feared horizontal spinner in MRCA. With plenty of other dominant performances since then, namely at the non MRCA event, Bot Supremacy, there is no question as to why they're the number one seed in this tournament.

Well, that's it! Who do you think will come out on top? Make your predictions on the Challonge here. Then make sure to check out the event here on October 22nd to find out!

The last MRCA qualifier of the first ever season has come and gone. IRFC was a real nail-biter. Unlike several of the other MRCA competitions this year, this event was very control bot friendly due to large pits that were open for the entire match. Lets see who benefitted from this unique arena setup!

Antweights

1st Place: Grant Macura & Flippin' the Bird

Grant Macura of team Striped Might has been very busy attending competitions this year. IRFC however was his first ever MRCA event, and he did not disappoint. He overcame battles with vertical spinners, horizontal spinners, and other control bots, showing he can best any type of opponent. Let's see if he continues to prove himself at the finals in October!

2nd Place: Remy DeGuzman & Weird Flex

Everyone was expecting great things from Remy of y0 Robotics/Team Shreddit at IRFC, and he did not disappoint. After qualifying his powerhouse bot Mudskipper at WRC earlier this year, his control bot Weird Flex now has an invitation to the finals as well.

3rd Place: Grant Macura & Big Bill

Grant not only won the antweight tournament with Flippin' the Bird, but his other bot Big Bill also took 3rd place. I guess he just didn't want to leave any trophies for the rest of us.  But, this leaves him with a tough choice of which bot to bring to the finals. Which one will he choose?

Beetleweights

1st Place: Remy DeGuzman & Wicked Wedge

Remy wasn't only successful with Weird Flex. He also had to show up everyone by taking 1st and 2nd place in the Beetleweight division. To make the finals possible, He drove Wicked wedge while his Shreddit teammate Santana Starks took the reigns of Candy Striker. Unsurprisingly, Remy is a bit better at driving his own bot then Santana, but not by much!

2nd Place: Remy DeGuzman & Candy Striker

There's only so much I can say about Remy dominating this competition. Maybe this is just his way of telling everyone else to get good?

3rd Place: Matthew Zhang & Null Pointer Exception

Matthew Zhang of Non-Linear Robotics had a very successful run at his first ever competition! His bot Null Pointer Exception may have been chaotic, but it was also extremely damaging. At one point he even managed to punch a small hole all the way through the arena floor!

Fairyweights

1st Place: Elliot Peterson & R.A.M.

Elliot Peterson of Team Fireball and his fairyweight bot are on a roll. He managed to take 1st place at MNM, his second ever competition a few months ago. Now with three competitions under his belt he has two first place wins. There is certainly a future in combat robotics for him with that that type of win ratio.

2nd Place: Anthony Pressnell & FEAR

Anthony of Rochester Robotics was a last-minute entrant to the competition, but it's a good thing he came.  He ran the fairyweight bracket, losing only to the powerhouse that is R.A.M.

3rd Place: Dave Hurt & Ravenous Bugblatter

Dave Hurt of Team 42 Robotics had a successful run with his bot Ravenous Bugblatter. He only lost when Anthony and FEAR decided to fight him with their eyes closed.  Because FEAR couldn't see the Ravenous Bugblatter, the Bugblatter was unable to see FEAR in return. This left it dead in its tracks and unable to win the fight. If this didn't make sense, then you have some reading to do.

Well, that's it for IRFC 2022. Let's leave off with an Antweight Rumble!

Last call! If you want to compete in the MRCA finals, now's the time to qualify! There are only 24 available spots, and they aren't easy to obtain. With that in mind, we could go over the same old list of bots likely to win at IRFC (Such as Mudskipper, Lil' Twisty, and Bit Error). But instead, lets look at some of the bots that need to put on a good showing in Iowa if they want an invitation to the finals.

Team 42 Robotics with Mostly Harmless (Ranking - 44)

Dave of Team 42 Robotics competed at Michigan Mashup and several other non-MRCA events this year with his robot Mostly Harmless. Overall his results so far have been pretty middling, but he is clearly a good driver and the bot shows potential. Hopefully he can turn his luck around and IRFC this weekend, or he'll be saying "So long, and thanks for all the fish!"

Team Kerberos Robotics with Petty Thief (Ranking - 26)

Petty Thief, run by Chris of Team Kerberos Robotics, had a pretty disappointing showing at MM this year. Then it unfortunately couldn't make it to WCS, despite being registered.  Still, Chris has consistently shown good control of the arena and may yet be able to grab a spot at the MRCA finals.

Dead Batteries Robotics with Painkiller (Ranking - 27)

Painkiller started life as Ripper Smasher with Santana Starks and Superbad Robotics. Then one day Santana decided he had too many robots, and needed to slim down his collection. (How's that working out for you Santana?). Team Dead Batteries ended up purchasing it from him, and now it's run by their member Matt. Unfortunately, this means Matt got a late start to the season and has only been able to compete at MNM. He did however put on a respectable showing and is on the border of making it to the finals. Hopefully doing well at IRFC will push him over the edge.

Barcode Robotics with Mini-Tear (Ranking - 48)

Casey of Barcode Robotics has a really neat design with his shuffler bot Mini-Tear. Unfortunately, its debut performance at MNM was less than stellar due to a lack of traction. Even so, there is plenty of potential for shuffler bots to do very well at MRCA events. With a few small upgrades, he may still make his way to Oconomowoc this fall.

Team Guac-n-Queso with Karen (Ranking - 41)

Last month I predicted Karen as one of the winners of WCS. That.... didn't work out. Even so, this is a great bot that's just had some bad luck. It's also one of the only 2 bots to compete at every MRCA event this year. (The other being Guac-n- Queso's Depressant Meds). That being said, it would be a shame if Karen didn't make the finals. The Queso is ready to whoop some bot this weekend though, and Karen isn't going to go down without a fight.