Getting Started
Rules
Beginner Tutorials
SPARC Getting Started Guide - SPARC is the organization that governs robot combat rules. They have also put together a good introduction to robot combat
How to Build a Test Box - In this video Zach of Team Skorpios walks you through how to build a simple test box to spin up dangerous weapons in a safe environment
Witch Doctor Junior - Created by Team Witch Doctor, this video series is the quickest and easiest way to learn to build a robot. If you only do one bit of research, make it this
RioBotz Combat Robot Tutorial - If you prefer to learn the traditional way, with a book, this is the one you want. Written by Marco Antonio Meggiolaro of team Minotar, it is considered by many to be the Bible of combat robotics
Runamok - Laid out before 2000 and about as easy to navigate. Has an unbelievable amount of information, tutorials, and handy calculators. It’s worth the trouble!
How to Build your Everything Really Really Fast - Excellent general guide on building things quickly and efficiently.
Combat Robotics Vendors
FingerTech Robotics - One of the oldest and most reliable vendors on combat robotics selling just about everything.
Palm Beach Bots - Florida based vendor of combat robotics items.
itgresa - One of the more recent but large vendors of combat robot parts.
Repeat Robotics - Source of some of the best antweight drive motor setups you can purchase.
Robot Shop - Not quite a combat robotics only store but has a ton of combat robotics items.
Robot Smashing League - Robot Smashing League store, great for hard to find items like weird battery sizes and connectors.
JustCuz Robotics - Good robot parts from drive motors to electronics.
3D Modeling Programs
OnShape - Ready to design your own parts, but need modeling software? OnShape is a great free option for beginners. Plenty of tutorials are available online
Fusion 360 - One of the lead competitors with OnShape for free online CAD. If you want a different modelling software, try this
Team Small Robots Fusion 360 Tutorial - Learn how to do CAD design for combat robots using the Fusion 360 program
Other Blogs
Near Chaos - A blog by Bombshell builder Mike Jeffries with great info for bots of all weight classes.
Level 5 - Excellent builder Jeremy Germita’s blog documenting their bots and construction processes.
The Variable Constant - Blog by Jamison Go around his beetleweight Silent Spring.