Take Cover

**Take Cover** is a British featherweight robot which competed in the 2018 *King of Bots* UK International Championships. Entered by Gareth Barnaby and the Bristol Bot Builders team, it enjoyed a successful run in the qualification rounds, picking up two knockout victories against Raving Luna-Tic and Luna-Tic respectively, as well as a second-place finish against 2018 Beijing champion Saber-X. This ensured that Take Cover scored enough points to finish in the Top 20, and secure a place in the knockout round. However, it would lose its next battle to Amnesia after getting flipped against the wall, and was eliminated from the main championship after losing its subsequent Losers’ Melee to Orpheus.

In addition to the main 2018 UK International Championship, Take Cover also fought a Tag Team battle, partnered with Crabsolutely Clawful, but both lost to Apex and Broadax 2 after getting stranded on the wall in unison. It also took part in the eighteen-way Gladiator battle at the end of the event, but was eliminated after getting stranded on one of Crabsolutely Clawful’s arms at one point.

## Design

Take Cover was an invertible, circular-shaped robot with two-wheel drive and a translational drift weapon system, also known as a ‘Meltybrain’ system. Using complex electronics, this system enabled the entire robot to spin on the spot while moving across the arena simultaneously, by varying the amount of power sent to its drive motors during each rotation. To facilitate attacks, Take Cover was fitted with two large static hammers, one on each end, which often caused considerable damage to opponents throughout its 2018 UK International Championship run.

## Robot History

### King of Bots UK 2018

Take Cover's first match was against The Claw, and Raving Luna-Tic. The match started poorly for it, with Raving Luna-Tic box rushing Take Cover before it could spin up. After this it backed away as Take Cover got up to speed.

Raving Luna-Tic then slammed into Take Cover sending the Meltybrain spinner bouncing off its wedge, and into the air. Raving Luna-Tic then went for the pit release as Take Cover went after The Claw, which had been having severe mobility issues from the start. Raving Luna-Tic then attempted to pit Take Cover, but gave up after a few attempts, before going after The Claw, which was now immobile near the pit. This allowed Take Cover to get up to speed again, Raving Luna-Tic then attempted to slam it, but got sent spinning away by Take Cover's weaponry, and ripping part of the top off. Raving Luna-Tic then came in for another attack, but again suffered more damage with the top being completely ripped off. Raving Lunatic then tried yet another attack, unfortunately like before Take Cover came out on top here, and Ravin Lunatic then stopped moving completely, it was the counted out meaning that Take Cover had won its first battle by KO.

## Results

### Wins/Losses

* Wins: 2
* Losses: 5

## Outside Robot Wars

On the British TV show *Robot Wars*, Gareth Barnaby helped to design the Meltybrain weapon system of Nuts 2, and competed as one of the televised members of Team Nuts in Series 9. Nuts 2 lost its only battle here to Rapid and Terrorhurtz, although Nuts 2 would later go on to achieve great success in Series 10 without Gareth Barnaby present.

Take Cover was retired after its appearance in *King of Bots UK* and was succeeded by **TRAC**, a similar Meltybrain spinner using much larger and heavier HARDOX weapon teeth. TRAC competed at the FRA UK Featherweight Championship in August 2019 with success, collecting victories over Aegis Mk II and Enigma to qualify out of its Heat in second place. In the Top 16, TRAC faced a fellow Bristol entry in Crabsolutely Clawful, but after electing not to spin up at the beginning of the fight, TRAC was pitted by its opponent and eliminated at this stage.