EVAC Combat Robotics Quick Start Guide
By the end of reading the guide you should have a rough idea of what’s going on when you’re watching robot fights. Please see the rules section of our website for a more in-depth explanation of the match rules and judging criteria.
What even is a combat robot?
Combat robotics is a sport in which two opponents build robots that will fight in an arena for 3 minutes. After the fight is over, each competitor has at least 30 minutes to repair their robots and then they do it again.
Combat robots are resilient machines that have to be able to survive being hit very hard, and keep going.
Weight Classes:
Fairies: 150 g
Ants: 1 lb
Beetles: 3 lbs
Hobbyweights: 12 lbs
Featherweights: 30 lbs
Middleweight: 120 lbs
Heavyweights: 250 lbs
There are some more variations on each of the classes, but in general, most fights you see will be in these weight classes. The most common weight classes at the hobby level are Fairies, Ants, and Beetles.
How to win:
Disable your opponent:
Your opponent can no longer show translational movement while not being pinned before the 3 minutes are up!
Judges Decision:
If the fight goes 3 minutes without a knockout, the fight will be decided by 3 judges. They will score the fight based on:
Damage 6pts
Agression 5pts
Control 6pts
If you are awarded the majority of points, you win!
Common Types of Bots
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Horizontal Spinner
Horizontal spinners typically have high diameter blades relative to vertical spinners.
Pros
Able to dish out high energy hits and bend forks.
Cons
Typically have less control than other types of robots.
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Vertical Spinner
Vertical spinners typically have smaller diameter blades than horizontal spinners, but spin much faster.
Pros
Hits typically throw opponents into the air.
Cons
Gyroscopic forces of the weapon can make the robot harder to control.
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Wedge Bot
A wedge bot typically has a slopped wedge on the front of it that is able to take big hits and get under the opponent.
Pros
Able to survive big hits, wedges are great at dealing with horizontal spinners.
Cons
Difficult to show aggression and typically cannot inflict any damage.
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Lifter/Flipper
A bot that focuses on control and aggression points through lifting or flipping its opponents.
Pros
The active weapon makes it easier to show aggression and control than with a wedge.
Cons
Your options for damage are still very limited.
Making your own robot:
“Where do I get parts?”
We have a recommended items list with affiliate links for a lot of the common tools you may want while working on robots. There are also a decent number of small businesses that are apart of the combat robotics community! We’re not sponsored by or affiliated with any of them but we like to use:
“I’m not an engineer, I don’t know how to do anything like that” is a common thing to hear when we suggest that someone should build a robot. But it really is something you can do! There are many resources that can support you and a great community who loves to help people getting into the sport. Plus, you already read up to here, so why not keep going?
Common Concerns:
“I don’t know how to code”
You usually don’t have to! You can if you want, but most people use common RC parts to control their robots. We really love the FS-i6 transmitter on our recommended item list, which is nearly as plug and play as it gets!
“I don’t know how to design something like that”
The great news here is you also don’t have to do any design if you don’t feel confident with that! There are many great kits that give you almost everything you need to build a robot. Kits are one of the best ways to learn how a robot goes together. You learn the basics of construction, transmitter setup, and competing without having to worry about how thick a plate should be or what size bolts you need. They help you build a great perspective of what is involved in combat robots.
If you feel the need to start designing your own robots, many kits give you a great starting point to build off of. Most kits are decently underweight, with the expectation that you can add onto and change things as you see fit!
Some common kits are:
Plastic Ant Kits:
Full Combat Ant Kits:
Beetle Kits:
A word on safety:
We want our hobby to stay fun! One of the best ways for it to stay fun is to keep all your limbs and keep your inside bits on the inside. These robots pack a ton of energy into a small form factor. It is never safe to spin up a robot weapon outside of a safe test box. You may ask “what could go wrong?” The answer is a lot, including but not limited to bodily harm, property damage, etc. Here are a couple of basic rules of thumb:
Never spin up a weapon outside of a safe test box.
Keep a locking device on the weapon whenever there is a battery in the robot. If you can't tell if there is a battery installed, treat it as if there is one.
This hobby can be a great time, but it only remains so when everyone treats the danger involved with respect.
ROBOT COMBAT IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. THIS WEBSITE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION. ALWAYS WEAR PROPER EYE PROTECTION AND SAFETY GEAR. DON’T OPERATE TOOLS YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TRAINED ON.
Competing:
Now that you’re ready to start working on a robot, where do you compete?
There are combat robotics clubs and events all over. The main league that EVAC participates in is the Robot Combat League. All the events in this league are on robotcombatevents.com.
FAQs
Can I use fire/liquids/sand/Radio Jamming/explosives?
For Safety Reasons, these are prohibited (See Sparc Rules). Also, we have to keep competing in the box after this, so most of these would delay the event, even if nobody was harmed.
How Big Can My Robot Be?
As big as you want! Your robot just needs to meet weight! Feel free to get silly with it!
What Kind of Robot Should I build?
Any Kind! Just have fun and get in the box!
What’s the best weapon/robot type/etc.
This is a hard question to answer. Part of the difficulty is combat robotics are like a game of rock paper scissors. For example, a wedge is great and resisting the massive hits a horizontal spinner can dish out. But forks can get under wedges very easily. But then a horizontal spinner can bend most forks like they’re nothing. So what do you want? Well it depends on your design, goals, etc.
Okay, but how to I have my first robot be a better robot than everyone else’s?
This is one of the most hard pills to swallow for a beginner at combat robotics. Your first robot will probably not be the best robot around. This is true even for amazing and experienced engineers. It's just hard to get a feel for how much energy these little robots can store! And you have to get a feel for staying in weight, while still being able to move. What’s important is that you get a robot in the box and start having fun and learning. You may have heard the phrase, “Fail Fast; Fail Often,” and it applies here too! Every failure is a chance to learn what you want to change in your robot.