DAGGER

The original DAGGER was based on a Tyco Fast Traxx, a
tracked toy with two Mabuchi 370 motors. It was
under-powered, way too fast for sumo, had no braking, and only
weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces in a 10 pound class. The on-off
AM radio was an extreme liability. It still managed to win the
2001 Atlanta Robot Battles "Battle Royale", the lightest robot
ever to win this event.

The next version of DAGGER was a true 12 pounder and used 2
of the Fast Traxx drivetrains which gave it sufficient power. An
electric lifter based on a linear actuator from a Honda Odyssey
seat was added with a titanium bot scoop out front. Most
noticeable was the Ryobi 12V drill battery pack perched on top
of the bot. This battery powered only the lifter. A welcome
sense of controllability came with the inclusion of fanless Victor
ESCs and an Airtronics PCM radio. This DAGGER finished 2nd
at Robot Battles and 2nd at the NCRSF2.

The third version of DAGGER moved the batteries and lifter
switchgear to internal locations. The battery was my first
homemade pack and was made up of (32) 1950 mAh AA NiMH
batteries bonded together into a single pack. This was a fairly
successful bot managing a 1st place finish at NCRSF3, securing
an invitation to the Nationals. CLICK HERE for a 14Mb wmv
video of the Finals match between DAGGER and Anaphoric
Antagonist at NCRSF3 courtesy of Tony at Team Radicus.

Never one to leave things alone, I rebuilt DAGGER with (2) HF
drills and moved the lifter inside a lifting body. This was the best
DAGGER to date, but everyone else had been improving, too.
DAGGER survived NCRSF4, but suffered substantial damage
from the overkill weapon of Flight Risk

Here is a picture of DAGGER after NCRSF4. The titanium bot
scoop was later replaced with spring steel for the RFL Nationals
held south of Minneapolis. DAGGER was just too slow for
fighting in the Nationals 40X40 arena and got shoved into the
barriers several times by fast bots that could easily escape the
lifter.

DAGGER was re-designed in Solidworks as an articulated
double wedge with four 9.6V HF drill drives at 12V. Control is
via the excellent Robowars IBC and a Futaba PCM radio. The
battery is made up of (10) GP3300 NiMH cells.

This version competed at Dragoncon Robot Battles 2004, losing
to Invertibot. It also competed at Stellarcon Robot Battles
Greensboro in 2005, winning both the round robin competition
and the finals against Cheep Shot 3.0, the 11th nationally rated
12 pounder. It also competed at the MURC Rocky Mountain
Showdown in Denver May 22, 2005 at the Opus Fantasy Arts
Festival winning 1st place against 4 other competitors in a round
robin competition. DAGGER worked well in the smooth floored
polycarbonate 8X8 MURC arena. This event qualified DAGGER
for the 2005 RFL Nationals.