Intro

One of the key components of a battlebot is its weapon system, which is critical for defeating opponents. Weapon systems in battlebots can be divided into two broad categories: passive and active.

Passive weapon systems are designed to absorb or deflect the impact of an opponent's weapon. These can include armor plates, wedges, and shields. Armor plates are typically made of hardened steel or other materials that can resist damage from spinning weapons, hammers, and other active weapons. Wedges are designed to deflect an opponent's attack, and shields can be used to protect vulnerable components of the robot.

Active weapon systems, on the other hand, are designed to damage or disable an opponent's robot. These can include spinning weapons, flippers, hammers, saws, and crushers. Spinning weapons are often the most destructive and generate a significant amount of kinetic energy. Flippers use pneumatic, hydraulic, or motorized systems to launch opponents into the air, which can be effective against robots with low ground clearance. Hammers strike opponents with a high amount of force, and saws and crushers use blades or hydraulic pressure to cut or crush opponents.

Each weapon system has its strengths and weaknesses, and robots can be designed to maximize the effectiveness of their chosen weapon. For example, a robot with a spinning weapon may have a low profile to minimize the risk of being flipped by a flipper, while a robot with a flipper may have a strong wedge to protect against attacks from spinning weapons.

In this section, we'll go over the different types of weapons systems that Conant, other schools, and professional battlebots have used in the past, breaking down their pros, cons, and effective combinations.