Battle Bots WC VIII... Who should get in?
10:01 p.m. CST (0401 GMT) -- 27 Feb 2024
Battle Bots WC8 will happen at some point in the future. Thanks to a reddit post, we have a good idea who has applied, who intends to apply, and who is rejected. Here are my thoughts on who should get in. The Pref column is the preference for who to accept.
Feelings will be hurt. Sorry.
| Bot | Prev Competitor | Returning | Champ | Tournament | Fun To Watch | Intl | Pref | Notes |
| Banshee | Y+DAT | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | It did okay for a new team |
| Beta | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 1 | Now that he uses the friggin' hammer, I want this in my life |
| Big Dill | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | He could go all the way |
| Black Dragon | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 1 | Is on fire, doesn't care. |
| Bloodsport | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Could go all the way |
| Captain Shrederator | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Classic bot, full redesign |
| Claw Viper | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Could go all the way |
| Cobalt | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Could go all the way |
| Copperhead | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Could go all the way |
| Disarray | DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 1 | Real bot, putting in the work. 3-3 record at DAT, and 2 of those losses are against Jackpot! Has two more fights scheduled in a couple weeks. |
| End Game | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 1 | O YES |
| HUGE | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Finalist |
| Horizon | Y+DAT | Y | N | N | Y | N | 1 | Improved at DAT, and friggin' amazing. |
| HyperShock | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Of course |
| Kraken | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Needs second season on redesign |
| Lucky | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | They could go all the way, but probably won't. |
| Magnitude | Y+DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 1 | Offshoot of Copperhead+Behind the Bots crew + Ashley from Milk Tank. My new favorite bot, probably. |
| Malice | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | They could go all the way. |
| Manta | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | 1 | This is your champion |
| Maximum Paralysis | Y+DAT | Y | N | N | U | N | 1 | CC-era team returns. Has done DAT. |
| Minotaur | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | This is the runner-up |
| PinchPoint | DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 1 | 1-1 record at proving grounds |
| Psycho Duck (Hal Rucker) | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | I mean, it's Hal Rucker |
| Pteradominator | DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 1 | 0-2 at DAT, but neat concept |
| Quantum | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 1 | Solid performer, could go all the way |
| RIPperoni | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Could go all the way |
| Ribbot | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Solid performer, could go all the way |
| Riptide | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Don't like the team, and Stan should never show his face in public, but this bot hits and could go all the way |
| Rotator | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Solid tournament material |
| SawBlaze | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | 1 | Returning champion SawBlaze |
| Skorpios | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Solid performer, could go all the way |
| Switchback | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Solid performer, could go all the way |
| Team Whyachi | Y | ? | Y | Y | Y | N | 1 | Team Whyachi will have at least one bot competing if they want int. |
| Terrortops | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | 1 | Solid performer, could go all the way |
| The Twins | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | 1 | Looks like they are going all in on The Twins, no blip, no tantrum. |
| Tombstone | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | 1 | Previous champ |
| Traves T. | DAT | N | N | N | Y | N | 1 | Apparently has already reached Legendary status at proving grounds. |
| Valkyrie | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Solid performer, could go all the way |
| Vertigo | Y | N | N | N | Y | N | 1 | HyperShock bringing a second bot maybe |
| Whiplash | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | Solid performer, could go all the way |
| Witch Doctor | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 1 | This could be their year |
| Hellfire | Y | N | Y | N | U | N | 1 | Rick Russ. Will make for compelling drama w/ Tombstone, but with two possible entries, please, just pick one. |
| DeathRoll | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 2 | Loses a point for being international |
| Conquering Clown | Y+DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 2 | JFC it's real and it has a 2-0 record at proving grounds, and they have a history in Robot Wars and CC-era, too |
| Doom | Y+DAT | Y | N | N | N | N | 2 | Apparently improved at DAT |
| Emulsifier | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 2 | Needs a second season |
| Gigabyte | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 2 | Needs a second season w/ the new team |
| Gruff | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 2 | Want to see that redesign |
| HiJinx | Y | Y | N | Y | SOMETIMES | N | 2 | I love it, but I'm okay if this doesn't get in |
| ICEwave | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 2 | Electric ICEwave is Bloodsport |
| Jackpot | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 2 | Instant in |
| Khaos 3 | Y+DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 2 | Competed in BBIQ & RoboGames. Planning on DAT. |
| Maharana (IN) | BRAZIL | N | N | N | U | Y | 2 | Apparently competed in Brazil and can hold their own against Team RioBotz |
| Monsoon | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 2 | I love it, but I'm okay if this doesn't get in |
| Mudhole Bullfrog | Y+DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 2 | BB Pro team (2009), 1-1 record at DAT |
| Orion | N | N | N | N | U | Y | 2 | It's a flipper, but it's international |
| Railgun Max | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 2 | Fun team, Greg likes them, but intl meh |
| Samurai (BR) | BRAZIL | Y | N | N | U | Y | 2 | Exhibition fight at WCVII, KO'd Doom, does good in Brazil |
| Shatter! | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 2 | I love it, but I'm okay if this doesn't get in |
| Taco Tuesday | DAT | N | N | N | Y | N | 2 | This bot is stupid and I love it |
| Triton | Y | Y | N | N | SOMETIMES | N | 2 | Improved at DAT, they run DAT, local team, instant in |
| Warthog | Y+DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 2 | It lost to Conquering Clown |
| Slammo | Y | Y | N | N | SOMETIMES | N | 2 | Apex or Slammo, choose one, but since Slammo beat Apex at proving grounds, and otherwise Slammo is doing pretty good there, go all-in on Slammo, please. |
| Swamp Thing | Y | N | Y | N | Y | N | 2 | Another Rick Russ bot. Choose one, please, but I like the look of Hellfire better. |
| Blacksmith | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 3 | It's fun, but I liked old hammer-style blacksmith better |
| Doomba | Y+DAT | Y | N | N | SOMETIMES | N | 3 | I love it, but I'm okay if this doesn't get in |
| Fireball | Y | N | N | N | U | N | 3 | Team Bots'n'Stuff (bloodsport) |
| Ominous | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | 3 | I'm okay if this doesn't get in |
| PainSaw | N | A | N | N | U | N | 3 | Accepted for WCV but covid. Has an actual bot. Plans to compete at DAT. |
| Roundhouse | Y | N | N | Y | SOMETIMES | N | 3 | Team Robo Gym. Bot is designed but vapor at the moment |
| Shreddit Bro | Y | Y | N | N | SOMETIMES | N | 3 | I love it, but I'm okay if this doesn't get in |
| Spartacus | N | N | N | N | U | N | 3 | Bot is being built, intends to do PG, but has yet to be scheduled |
| Double Jeopardy | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | 4 | A friggin' cannon |
| King Crab | Y | N | N | N | N | N | 4 | This is Defender. I don't like it. |
| Snakebyte | DAT | N | N | N | U | N | 4 | I mean, they have a bot, and it showed up for its 4th proving grounds fight, lost by KO to Traves T |
| Starchild | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | 4 | Don't love it, should get second season, but I'm ok if it doesn't get in |
| THAGOMIZER 250 | N | N | N | N | Y | N | 4 | Rumored, but team knows how to build, and they're awesome |
| Afterimage | N | N | N | N | U | N | 5 | Unknown |
| Glitch | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | 5 | You're supposed to *improve* your 2nd season |
| OgreKill (UK) | UK | N | N | N | U | Y | 5 | Nothing about this is exciting |
| Apex | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | 5 | Apex or Slammo, choose one |
| Orbitron (CA) | N | N | N | N | U | Y | 7 | Algorithms and AI and smoke and assholes, but cool render bro |
| Team ORBY? (KR) | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | 7 | Blade did not make compelling televsion. Sorry. |
| Wrecks | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | 8 | No. Gyro-walkers are bad news at 250 pounds. And if it's not a gyro-walker, what's the point? |
| Arachnophobia | N | N | N | N | U | N | 9 | Scheduled for DAT but had to withdraw because not ready |
| Jawbreaker | N | N | N | N | U | N | 9 | Vapor bot |
| KillDozer | N | N | N | N | U | N | 9 | Vapor bot |
| Mantis | N | N | N | N | U | N | 9 | Intending to do DAT, but unschedule, and no build photos. Vapor bot afaict. |
| Max Q | N | N | N | N | N | N | 9 | Apparently was called roundhouse but renamed to Max Q, and the application video is just a dude talking, no renders, and he sounds Not Right |
| Sucker Punch | N | N | N | N | U | N | 9 | Their other bot was outright rejected by Greg. This is vapor so far. |
| Tyranabot 2 | N | N | N | N | U | N | 9 | Vapor bot |
| Skorpion (not Skorpios) | N | N | N | N | N | N | 999 | You can't have a new hammer saw named similar to another hammer saw, and bot doesn't actually exist. |