Griffin

Griffin
Griffon with its team
Participation Information
Series	1
Team Information
Team	Team Tomco
Team Members	Tom Lloyd Sabrina Ferriggi Mo Hossaini Harry Lloyd (Mascot)
Robot Statistics
Weapons	Crushing Arm

Griffin was a heavyweight robot from the United Kingdom which competed in the first season of King of Bots. Built and entered by Team Tomco, it survived its first-round battle to a Judges’ decision on its combat debut, which it lost to Moment after sustaining damage to its hydraulics system.

The robot and Team Tomco were both accompanied by a ‘griffin’ mascot (portrayed by team member Harry Lloyd), who entertained the King of Bots audience before Griffin's solitary battle.

Design

Griffin was a tall, two-wheel drive robot modeled on the mythical winged creature of the same name. Its weapon was a large hydraulic crushing beak, painted gold, which was capable of producing up to ten tonnes of pressure at the tip. The robot also featured a pair of large silver wings on either side, used for self-righting, as well as a pair of hinged front forks enabling it to get underneath and push opponents around. In addition to its potent weaponry, Griffin was also able to spin on the spot at high speed, with the intention of hitting nearby opponents with the wings. However, its lack of armour left its weapon mechanism vulnerable to damage from side-on attacks, as demonstrated in its only battle, and the robot was generally top-heavy.

Robot History

Season 1

"I knew [Moment] were a massive bar spinner, so I thought if I could get in quickly, I could just stop them spinning."

— Tom Lloyd explains his tactics against Moment

Griffin's crusher is disabled by Moment's first hit

Griffin appeared in Episode 3, where it fought Chinese bar spinner Moment in the first round. In the opening seconds, it turned away from its opponent and drove behind the flame jets, before reversing, turning and attempting to position itself for an attack on Moment. In doing so, Griffin inadvertently exposed its side to Moment, resulting in the latter’s spinner damaging the hydraulic mechanism for its crusher and disabling the weapon. The two competitors immediately separated, with Griffin pursuing and luring Moment across the arena; eventually, it waited beside the far corner, before slamming head-on into Moment. Griffin followed this up with a second head-on charge, but struggled for traction as it kept spinning over various arena hazards, seemingly unable to drive in a straight line. It stopped beside the floor rods, allowing Moment to drive into its front and tear one of its forks off its hinges.

Griffin's forks sustain damage from a head-on collision with Moment

As before, Griffin pursued Moment once the latter’s weapon stopped spinning, repeatedly bumping it in the process, but without being able to grab hold of it as a result of its beak being disabled. Eventually, it started spinning on the spot between the circular saws and flame jets, and continued to do so for the remainder of the battle as it tried to grab Moment again. Time ran out, with the battle going to a Judges’ decision as a result of both robots remaining mobile. The decision went against Griffin, eliminating it from the competition; nevertheless, both teams congratulated, shook hands and hugged each other immediately after Ling Zhou announced the decision.

"The thing was wheel spinning and sliding all over the place! The shock of one of the first blows sheared the bolts mounting the weapon motor to the pump killing the weapon! We did get one chance to bite down but it was dead! Going 4wd for the upgrades to sort the control issues."

— Tom Lloyd on Reddit

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 0
• Losses: 2

Outside King of Bots

In the same year that they entered King of Bots, Team Tomco competed in Series 10 of the UK TV show Robot Wars with Bucky the Robot, a tall, two-wheel driven robot inspired by chattering teeth. Armed with a pneumatic clamping jaw, Bucky the Robot was eliminated in the first round after losing its Group Battle to Rapid and Robot Redemption battle to Vulture respectively. Like Griffin, Bucky the Robot also had its own mascot, depicting a large tooth, which interacted with other roboteers and Robot Wars personalities throughout the robot's appearances.

External Links

• Griffin on the official King of Bots website (Chinese)