Manta

## Overview

**Manta**, known formerly as **Drago**, is a heavyweight robot designed by **Team Tanto** which applied for *BattleBots* World Championship VII.

It is a four-wheel drive robot armed with a 20" wide, 60lb eggbeater drum spinner machined from 4340 alloy steel. The primary weapon is powered by two TP5870 brushless inrunner motors. Manta also sports four large serrated forks at the front, which are hinged to feed opponents into its spinning drum. According to the team, Manta's drum is capable of hitting 12,000rpm. It also features a separate self-righting arm at the rear, behind Manta's primary weapon.

Team captain Nick Dobrikov has previous experience with Malice in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons of *BattleBots* and has previously designed and build various drum spinners in lower weight classes. It is one of two robots to be sponsored by Team Malice ahead of the seventh reboot season, alongside Banshee. Unlike Banshee, however, Drago was not selected to compete.

In 2022, Drago was renamed **Drago X**, before eventually settling on the name **Manta**. The team intend to apply for World Championship VIII following the conclusion of *RoboGames* 2023, which marked the robot's competitive debut. Dobrikov intends to drop the separate self-righter arm seen on Drago's CAD, which was also not present at *RoboGames*, and give Manta and blue and white color scheme to accompany its bright yellow weapon.

With assistance from former Team Malice member David Small, Nick Dobrikov entered the 2023 edition of *RoboGames* with **Manta**. After receiving a bye in the first round, Manta took out Banana Runt in destructive fashion. Returning for Day 3, Manta lost to veteran HexaDecimator in the winner's bracket, bursting into flames after being flipped upside-down, despite causing serious damage to Team WhoopAss' robot.

After having its internals replaced, Manta returned to winning ways as it knocked out Ray Billings and Stink Eye. It then took the win over *BattleBots* World Championship VII alternate Terrortops in controversial circumstances; both robots were on the unfortunate end of an arena breach, in which one of Terrortops' forks damaged the Lexan roof and landed outside the arena, mere feet away from the camera crew.

Despite this, however, Manta was still eligible to advance in the bracket, winning its next fight over Ziggy Jr. before facing White Rabbit in the final. Here, the battle was stopped following another arena breach, in which an inner Lexan panel was dislodged and fell from the ceiling after Manta ripped one of White Rabbit's weapon teeth off. Despite arena safety being compromised at that point, the battle was restarted with no immediate repairs being carried out to the Lexan. Manta continued to inflict damage to White Rabbit, eventually throwing it into the ceiling and dislodging another Lexan panel in the process. White Rabbit tapped out immediately, enabling Manta to face Cataclysm in the overall final. Manta won the first of two potential encounters against Martin Mason's machine, damaging it so severely that Mason decided to formally forfeit the rematch. Thus, Manta was declared the overall 2023 *RoboGames* heavyweight champion.

## Outside RoboGames

Manta, then known as **Drago**, applied for BattleBots World Championship VII, but was ultimately not selected to compete.

## Robot History

### RoboGames 2023

After recieving a bye in the first round, Manta met Banana Runt in the round of 32.

The fight started with a box rush from Banana Runt as Manta spun up and was shoved out of the way. Manta used this opportunity to land a shot on the back of Banana Runt. Banana Runt retreated and attempted to devise a plan of attack, but Manta stayed squared up with it and managed to land a series of shots that flipped Banana Runt, forcing it to self right. After repositioning, Manta came at Banana Runt head on and threw it into the wall. Banana Runt was now down a side of drive and Manta was still at 100%. Manta then bullied Banana Runt into the corner before stranding it against the wall. Banana Runt managed to free itself and tried to escape, but Manta was there and responded by grinding away at the bottom of Banana Runt's billet. Manta then tore off a side armor panel from Banana Runt before landing a series of devastating shots that killed Banana Runt. Banana Runt was counted out and Manta advanced to the round of 16 where it would face *BattleBots* and *RoboGames* veteran, HexaDecimator.

The fight started with Manta spinning up and HexaDecimator tentatively making its way across the arena. When the drum met flipping arm, HexaDecimator took the shot and flipped Manta on its head. Emboldened, HexaDecimator went in and landed several more shots with its flipping arm before reversing Manta into the wall. Manta refused to stay down and HexaDecimator re-engaged, taking damage to its wedge in the process. Undeterred, HexaDecimator continued to charge at Manta who kept ramping over it with its drum, tearing off the tip of HexaDecimator's flipping arm. HexaDecimator then got itself stuck under the wall, but managed to wiggle free before it could be counted out. By now, Manta had lost its drum and HexaDecimator used this to bully Manta around the arena until it stopped moving and burst into flames. Manta was counted out and the win went to HexaDecimator despite all the damage suffered. This loss would demote Manta to the losers bracket where it would fight Ray Billings' new robot, Stink Eye.

The fight started with both robots spinning up and Stink Eye charging across the arena only to be deflected up by Manta's mighty drum. Manta bent up Stink Eye's wedge and proceeded to bully Stink Eye around the arena. Eventually, Manta bullied Stink Eye into a corner and tore one of its wheels off. Manta then landed a brutal double tap then flipped Stink Eye on its back. Stink Eye was counted out and the win went to Manta, sending it to the next round of the loser's bracket where it would face *BattleBots World Championship VII* alternate Terrortops.

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Terrortops making its way across the arena only to be flipped onto its back by Manta, forcing it to self right. Unfortunately, Terrortops self righted right back into Manta's drum which threw Terrortops right back over, forcing another self right. Manta then began to bully Terrortops across the arena and tore off a fork before the match was called right then and there.

It turns out that Manta had managed to throw Terrortops' fork through the roof and into the crowd. Because of this, Terrortops decided to forfeit due to safety concerns.

Regardless, Manta was now through to the loser's semifinal where it would face Ziggy Jr..

The fight started with Manta spinning up and Ziggy Jr. charging halfway across the arena before backing away. Manta took the opportunity and charged in, ripping into Ziggy Jr., throwing it, and generally bullying it around the arena. Manta repositioned itself and charged into the grill of Ziggy Jr., flipping it onto its back and forcing multiple self-right attempts. Manta kept up the pressure, and when Ziggy Jr. finally self righted, it couldn't move. Ziggy Jr. was counted out and the win went to Manta. This win sent Manta to the loser's final where it would face White Rabbit.

The fight started with both bots spinning up and exchanging a vicious weapon to weapon shot that threw both bots back into their starting squares. Unfortunately, this led to the match being stopped right then and there because the arena had been compromised again.

Once the issue had been resolved, the fight resumed and both bots spun back up to full speed and manta ripped White Rabbit apart. White Rabbit tapped out to save itself and Manta advanced to the grand final against Cataclysm.

The fight started with both bots spinning up and exchanging several weapon to weapon shots that all ended in Manta's favor. Manta then got around to the side of Cataclysm and tore off one of its side armor panels. This shot killed Cataclysm and Cataclysm was counted out, giving the win to Manta.

Cataclysm suffered too much damage from its encounter with Manta the first time and had to forfeit the rematch, crowning Manta as the RoboGames 2023 Heavyweight Champion.

## Results

* Wins: 7
* Losses: 1

## Trivia

* If accepted, the robot's 20" weapon would have been the widest drum spinner in *BattleBots* history.
* According to an interview on the *Green Square Talks* podcast, the robot's drum was originally going to be made from S7 steel. This was changed to 4340 alloy steel for unknown reasons.

## See Also

* Manta (BattleBots)
* Manta (AZ) (Ultimate Robot Archive)

## References

1. ↑ Public message by Nick Dobrikov in the Out of the Arena Discord server
2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QU7\_YUfEpE
3. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/malicebattlebot/posts/511694550359419
4. ↑ https://discord.com/channels/293793025761476611/412189458637520896/1094773685480587315
5. ↑ Public message by Nick Dobrikov in the Out of the Arena Discord server
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/19KRLzKvU60?t=12731

## Trivia

* If accepted, the robot's 20" weapon would have been the widest drum spinner in *BattleBots* history.
* According to an interview on the *Green Square Talks* podcast, the robot's drum was originally going to be made from S7 steel. This was changed to 4340 alloy steel for unknown reasons.

## See Also

* Manta (BattleBots)
* Manta (AZ) (Ultimate Robot Archive)

## References

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/19KRLzKvU60?t=12731