BattleBox

BattleBox
First Seen	Long Beach 1999
Role	Arena

The BattleBox, known as the BattleBox Arena in earlier events, is a purpose-built, 48' x 48' square arena in which all BattleBots matches take place.

Along with a steel floor and full Lexan enclosure both made by 4' x 4' panels, it features a variety of hazards which robots must avoid, or take advantage of to damage or hinder their opponent's movements. In one-on-one battles, competitors start from opposite sides of the BattleBox in color-coded red or blue squares, with a green square temporarily added to denote the third competitor in three-robot rumbles.

The arena has undergone a handful of changes since its initial construction in 1999. Special versions of the BattleBox were even built to facilitate specific events, such as the 2006 Cisco Party, 2007 JavaOne event and various competitions featuring 15lb competitors considered too small for the original BattleBox.

BattleBox Iterations

1999 Events & Comedy Central Seasons

Designed and constructed by Peter Lambertson, the original 1999 Long Beach and Las Vegas iterations incorporated a steel-plated floor raised two feet off the ground, and a 22' high Lexan enclosure incorporating 1" thick walls. During the Comedy Central run (Seasons 1.0-5.0), the walls consisted of two layers of ½" thick panels along the lower half, along with a single layer of ½" thick panels on the upper half. The BattleBox ceiling during the latter comprised of a ¼" thick layer. In Season 4.0, the BattleBox received a new, taller roof with multiple Lexan panels and an aluminum truss structure, an appearance which would be largely maintained for subsequent seasons.

Razer and Tazbot prepare to fight in the 1999 BattleBox.

For Season 5.0 only, a miniature replica of the BattleBox was created for the BattleAnts event, an invitation-only antweight competition hosted backstage by South Eastern Combat Robotics (SECR). According to a photograph of the event from a 2002 SERVO magazine article, this was built by California-based insectweight organizers Sozbots, featuring its own red and blue starting squares, Killsaws and Spike Strips. Michael "Fuzzy" Mauldin of Team Toad confirmed that footage of BattleAnts was recorded by Comedy Central for potential use in Season 5.0, though none of this would end up being televised.

The BattleBox during the 2002 BattleBots IQ event.

BattleBots IQ (2002-2011)

The BattleBots IQ (alternately BotsIQ) events used a variety of arenas to stage combat or non-combat tournaments between robots from the Large (120lbs), Mini (15lbs) or TableTop (12lbs) classes. The arena for Large Class competitors initially had a similar aesthetic to its televised counterpart, with hazards for the 2002 Orlando event including the Pulverizers (also referred to simply as the hammers), Killsaws and Spikestrips. From 2004 to 2008, the latter were replaced by spiked bumpers similar to those adopted for the NPC Charity Open and most other events thereafter. Footage from the 2008 event confirms that the Hellraisers returned as an active hazard during this period, and that Mini Class robots also occasionally fought 'grudge matches' inside the Large Class arena.

The 2010-2011 BattleBots IQ competitions utilized a more basic arena for larger weight divisions, with only red and blue squares and no visible hazards.

Regional BotsIQ events used a variety of smaller arenas without hazards to accommodate 15lb weight class robots for high school and college tournaments. The most recent example to be documented is the arena for the 2022 California University Finals, which used a rectangular base, red and blue starting areas marked on the yellow side walls, and a tall Lexan enclosure.

A bird's eye view of the NPC Charity Open arena.

2004 NPC Charity Open

The 2004 BattleBots-sanctioned NPC Charity Open used a smaller 40' x 40' arena with a 12' high roof, prepared by event organizers the Minnesota Manufacturing Educational Resource (MMER). Aside from the altered dimensions, it was largely similar in aesthetic to the Comedy Central-era BattleBox, but had a greatly reduced number of hazards as well as new outline markings for the red and blue squares.

Only the Pulverizers were carried over to this incarnation, with one being placed in each corner and operated by competing teams. Additionally, the spike strips were replaced with a spiked bumper surrounding the BattleBox perimeter, itself topped by smaller Lexan panels forming an inner wall. The bumper and inner wall would both be retained for later live and televised events, the latter serving an important role in preventing robots from damaging the outer enclosure. This arena was used for Featherweight, Lightweight, Middleweight, Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight combat events, as well as a number of non-combat demonstrations.

2005 R3: Rochester Robot Rampage

The 2005 Rochester Robot Rampage event used a simplified arena similar to that of the NPC Charity Open, with only spiked bumpers and corner-mounted Pulverizers present. Red and blue squares maintained the outline markings of the NPC incarnation, but without any additional sponsorship logos.

The only public image of the scaled-down Cisco Party BattleBox.

BattleBots Cisco Party 2006

A 'scaled-down' version of the BattleBox was created for the invitation-only 2006 Cisco Party private event in Las Vegas, accommodating specially-invited middleweight robots. This differed in having a rectangular base (16' x 24') and only two Pulverizers located in the arena corners, each operated by team members. The positioning of the red and blue squares was also swapped, with the blue square being placed to the left of the BattleBots logo.

In a first for BattleBots events, the Cisco Party arena contained an 'interior wall' section across the top-right corner, alongside a more prominent gap between the inner spiked bumpers and outer enclosure. Through these, competitors could now throw opponents out of the arena, in a similar tactic to that available in Robot Wars. The 'interior wall', along with the significantly smaller dimensions in general, reportedly made it more difficult for certain robots to maneuver across this arena incarnation.

The Mortician in the BattleBox during the 2007 JavaOne event.

BattleBots JavaOne 2007

Another compact variant of the BattleBox was used for the 2007 JavaOne competition in San Francisco. This differed in having an octagonal-shaped fighting arena, with only the spiked bumper and two Pulverizers (both on the right-hand side) as hazards. The red and blue squares reverted to their classic solid patterns which remained for subsequent events, though their positioning remained similar to the Cisco Party variant. Though the JavaOne event was primarily host to middleweight robots, one battle is also known to have taken place there between the superheavyweight Ginsu and heavyweight Sewer Snake.

As with the Cisco Party arena, the JavaOne incarnation included flip-out zones, now taking up each corner, as well as a larger space between the inner and outer walls. Unlike subsequent competitions, it was possible for robots to be placed back into the BattleBox if they were flipped out within the first minute of any fight prior to the final round. The JavaOne logo sat just below the classic BattleBots logo in the middle of the arena floor.

2009 Pro, Collegiate and High School Championships

For the 2009 BattleBots Pro, Collegiate and High School Championships, several hazards returned, including the hellraisers.

Similarly to the previous two iterations, open spaces between the inner and outer walls were present in some areas, allowing robots to be thrown completely out of the arena.

The BattleBox for the 2015 season.

World Championship I - IV (2015-2019)

For the BattleBots reboot in 2015, the BattleBox received a significant update to its aesthetics and hazard line-up. As in the Cisco Party, JavaOne and 2009 incarnations, competitors also had the ability to throw opponents out of the arena into spaces between the inner and outer walls, usually in between the spiked bumpers and entry/exit doors. Alongside the existing red and blue squares, a third starting area named the 'green square' was added to enable an additional robot to fight in three-way Rumbles. This was marked out in introductions and warm-up sequences by green spotlights, in the absence of a separately-painted zone.

Returning hazards included the Pulverizers, Killsaws, Screws and original Hellraisers - all receiving various improvements. In addition to these, two new hazards were introduced:

The WOPR system.

The majority of hazards in the rebooted seasons switched over to a computer-controlled system dubbed the WOPR, with the notable exceptions of the Pulverizers, which were now operated by competing teams, and the original panel-based hellraisers, which saw greatly reduced usage throughout the main competitions. For World Championship II, the Killsaws and Ramrods were only made active after 60 seconds had elapsed, signaled by rows of LED lights around the perimeter of the arena which flashed to warn competitors of their activation. No active hazards were used in the preliminary Rumbles forming the opening 2016 season episode, as to better emphasize the individual performances of main competition hopefuls. However, the Screws could still trap any robot with low wedges if they drove front-first into them, a matter which cost Skorpios its chance to progress into the main 2016 bracket.

According to Zoe Stephenson, the BattleBox floor for the 2016 season comprised of three layers of ⅛" mild steel sheeting, equal to ⅜" inches in thickness, along with a thick rubber coating over the top layer. This had the side effect of rendering some electromagnetic devices - such as the ones fitted to Chomp to counter the forces of its hammer weapon - largely ineffective.

A bird's eye view of the BattleBox in 2019.

For the 2018 season, the WOPR system was updated to enable more frequent use of the Killsaws, as well as bidirectional movement for the Screws to reduce the likelihood of them getting jammed. The period in which they could be activated was also changed to the final minute of any given match, a practice carried over into subsequent seasons. In Episode 9, more information on the updated legacy hazards was revealed in an opening segment where Kenny Florian summarized and illustrated their functions. The Screws were now belt-driven and made from ½" inch stainless steel, while the Killsaws adopted new multi-layered silver blades rotating at 1,800rpm. The former proved especially hazardous to drones or minibots, as later seen during the Fight Card battle between Red Devil and SubZero in Episode 10. The Pulverizers now also operated with 3,000lbs of force, likely increasing their damage output against tougher and more heavily-armored competitors.

In the intro segment for Episode 10 of the 2018 season, the height of the BattleBox between the floor and the top lighting rig was quoted by Kenny Florian as being 16ft.

World Championship V (2020)

The 2020 season BattleBox featuring Tombstone vs End Game.

Following instances where the 2018 and 2019 arena floor became damaged by spinning weapons, the 2020 BattleBox received numerous updates to improve durability in this area. Key changes included a newer, thicker floor made out of 1/2" mild steel and a redesigned internal superstructure, both of which were implemented with substantial investment from Trey Roski himself. This coincided with an aesthetic overhaul which included the addition of the current BattleBots logo in the center.

Updates to the hazards were also evident in the Pulverizers, which retired their classic mallet-shaped heads for a newer, denser design with a rhomboid shape. Lights at the bottom that previously only signalled the activation of Killsaws now also follow the sequence for starting a match. A further change was the apparent removal of the panel-based hellraisers from the center of the arena. In their place, an additional set of upward-firing spikes were added to the same area identified by the updated BattleBots logo, rising from small unmarked holes.

For this season, a number of changes were implemented to the surrounding arena complex, as measures to maintain participant and crewmember safety in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the absence of a live studio audience, 'box-side suites' were added as sectioned areas for teams to watch matches from a distance. Extra Lexan barriers were also fitted around the outer Lexan, again as distancing measures for teams, presents, judges and production crewmembers.

The Upper Deck during the 2021 season

World Championship VI (2021)

"This season, the biggest change within the BattleBox is geometry."

— Pete Abrahamson during a segment dedicated to the BattleBox.

For the 2021 season, further changes were made to the BattleBox, specifically with the addition of 'Door Buffer Zones' marking the spaces between the inner walls and entry/exit doors. Though still possible, competitors were generally disallowed from deliberately throwing opponents out of the arena into these zones for safety reasons; doing so would usually result in an automatic loss. The killsaw slots were also slightly widened to allow for sparks to be thrown from them during displays. A new layer of sloped Lexan sheets, referred to as slap guards, has been added between the inner and the outer wall, preventing out of the arena knockouts from happening at the sides of the Battlebox.

Additionally, a brand-new hazard was introduced called the Upper Deck and unofficially known as The Shelf.

Main article: Upper Deck

World Championship VII (2022)

Inside the BattleBox.

In 2022, the BattleBox received minor changes. Aesthetically, the Upper Deck received red and blue decoration across its otherwise plain top.

As well as this, the low walls which provided wins by Out of the Arena knockout in fights such as End Game's quick victory over SawBlaze, Tantrum's wins against ROTATOR and Cobalt and HyperShock's fast knockout over Skorpios had seen attention. Lexan sheets now extended above these walls to make out-of-the-arena knockouts more challenging, but theoretically not impossible.

The BattleBox ahead of the July 10 BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon show.

BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon (2023)

Ahead of the live show, BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon, the BattleBox received no notable upgrades.

However, with Hydra and Bronco starring in specific shows, the Lexan walls installed for the previous season were temporarily removed, resulting in out of the arena knockout flips against ShowBots OverKill and Chopper respectively.

World Championship VIII/BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon (2024)

In an October 2023 edition of the Skorpios Builder Blog, Zach Lytle spoke to Trey Roski about changes to the BattleBox ahead of future seasons. He confirmed the steel arena floor panels would be welded together in order to mitigate issues of robots getting stuck on seams. This was actioned ahead of the Magnitude vs. HyperShock Proving Ground weekend.

Active BattleBox Hazards

Killsaws

Circular saws which rise from slots in the BattleBox floor, attacking the underside of robots which drive over them.

Main article: Killsaws

Pulverizers

Large hammers housed in the corners of the BattleBox which are activated by competing teams and attack the top of robots. Though these weighed around 35lbs during the Comedy Central seasons, these now weigh 100lbs.

Main article: Pulverizers

Paddles

Spiked, yellow barriers positioned across the sides of the BattleBox which are pneumatically-powered and act like pinball flippers to push robots away from the walls.

Main article: Paddles

Ramrods

Spikes which raise from the floor to disrupt robots during fights. Since World Championship I, the Ramrods have had sharp and blunt variants.

Main article: Ramrods

Screws

A series of spinning augers positioned on the sides of the BattleBox which attack the underside of robots pushed into them. From Season 5.0, these were serrated to cause more damage and in recent seasons on Discovery, they have been made reversible.

Main article: Screws

Upper Deck

A raised platform towards the far end of the BattleBox which doubles up as an immobilization zone for robots stuck on top of it. The long edge of the Upper Deck also has sets of Screws attached to it.

Main article: Upper Deck

Retired BattleBox Hazards

Hellraisers

Parts of the BattleBox floor near the center which raised up and down slightly to create sloped ramps. Introduced in Season 1.0, they were a mainstay throughout Comedy Central BattleBots and several events which followed. Having been largely unused throughout the first four reboot seasons, these were eventually retired in World Championship V.

Main article: Hellraisers

Spikestrips

The spikestrips were rows of spikes embedded into the yellow walls of the BattleBox, designed to impale robots rammed into them. In 2005, they were replaced with passive bumpers.

Main article: Spikestrips

Spinners

Spinning discs in the BattleBox floor designed to disrupt robots which drove over them. Not designed to cause damage, they were introduced in Season 2.0 and scrapped after Season 5.0.

Main article: Spinners

Pistons

Pneumatically-powered cylinders which raised several inches from the BattleBox floor. They were introduced in Season 3.0, but were retired ahead of Season 4.0.

Main article: Pistons

Merchandise

Appearances of the BattleBox in merchandise is listed below:

• BattleBots Arena (2016)
• BattleBots Arena Pro (2018)
• BattleBots Arena MAX (2021)
• BattleBots BattleBox (2001)
• BattleBots/Kickbot Arena Game (2001)
• BattleBots: Design and Destroy
• BattleBox/BattleBots: Beyond the BattleBox
• BattleBox/BattleBots Video Game (Canceled)

Trivia

• Trey Roski estimates the custom-made bulletproof Lexan within the modern BattleBox to cost over $1,000,000.
  • He also states about 25% of the Lexan is replaced every year in order to maintain safety.
• A smaller version of the BattleBox used for BattleBots IQ events was loaned to USATL for their 2014 STEM Olympiad event, held in Miami, Florida.
  • At the time, BotsIQ organizer and former competitor Nola Garcia was also CEO of USATL.

References

34. https://youtu.be/S4qMNEmi_-I?si=F0lEQCXU8cv52Jnn