Conquering Clown

Conquering Clown
Participation Information
Live	BattleBots Proving Ground
Team Information
Team	Silvis Robotics
Team Members	Mike Flanagan David Manary
From	Hereford, AZ
Other Entries	Garry Gizzmo
Robot Statistics
Weapons	Spinning blade
Statistics correct as of its most recent appearance on the show, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Conquering Clown is a heavyweight robot built by Silvis Robotics which competed at BattleBots Proving Ground as part of the live show, BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon.

It is a two-wheel drive robot armed with an angled spinning bar at the front. At either end of the bar are axe heads to cause damage to robots which ride up its front wedge. As its name suggests, Conquering Clown sports a vibrant clown theme, including a large torso atop its chassis adorned with a clown head with a rainbow-colored wig. Arms attached to its torso also act as self-righting mechanisms should Conquering Clown get stranded on its side.

Conquering Clown participated in BattleBots Proving Ground in October 2023, where it took on Warthog. On October 9, 2023, Mike Flanagan uploaded a YouTube video revealing the final design, showcasing the sharpened axe heads on its spinner and its articulating arms which allow Conquering Clown to self-right if tipped on its side. Conquering Clown is known to have won both fights, though not without teething issues.

The team previously competed in Comedy Central BattleBots with Garry Gizzmo, which fell in the preliminary rounds after defeating Velocity 1 but losing to multibot Pack Raptors.

Outside BattleBots

Conquering Clown started as an improved version of the team's debut robot, Garry Gizzmo. It competed in the US spin-off, Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors. In Season 1, Conquering Clown was set to compete in a six-robot qualifying battle. Due to technical issues, it had to withdraw and was replaced by Robot Wars loanerbot, Tiger Cat. It returned for an Annihilator special after the main competition, surviving the first two rounds before being eliminated in Round 3, allowing Drillzilla, Rippa Raptor and Red Virus to advance.

In its return appearance for Season 2, Conquering Clown sported a very similar appearance to its 2023 build, including a lawnmower blade painted red for weaponry which the team claimed could spin at 10,000rpm. Conquering Clown impressed during this tournament, winning three fights and advancing through its heat to make the Grand Final episode. However, it was defeated in the quarter-finals by Destructive Criticism.

After Robot Wars, Conquering Clown fought at a handful of smaller events in the midwestern US. The heavyweight Clown was retired in 2004 and a middleweight version named Anorexic Clown took its place. Anorexic Clown fought at three events over the course of a year before the team left the sport in late 2005.

Conquering Clown in the Pits during Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors.

Anorexic Clown, the middleweight version of Conquering Clown.

Robot History

BattleBots Proving Ground
Conquering Clown vs. Warthog (10/14/2023) Conquering Clown vs. Warthog as advertised on Battlebots website. Conquering Clown returned to combat at BattleBots Proving Ground, where it fought Warthog on the weekend of October 14-15, 2023 as part of the live show, BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon. Conquering Clown was quickest out of its starting square, dashing towards Warthog before opting to spin up its primary weapon. Warthog gingerly approached, looking to get its tusks underneath but failing. Conquering Clown strikes Warthog. Warthog struggled for mobility as Conquering Clown paused momentarily to spin its weapon up to a faster speed. It arced around to the blue square before driving head-on into Warthog. However, Conquering Clown hit the tusk and did not have the reach to strike with its weapon. Mike Flanagan then drove to the side of Warthog, landing the first damaging exchange of the fight. Bil Dwyer: "Oh! I'd say Conquering Clown won that exchange..." Steve Judkins: "Yep." — Both hosts react as Conquering Clown attacks Warthog's side Warthog struggles to right itself as Conquering Clown drives around. As the BattleBots veterans retreated, Warthog slid its tusk underneath the side of Conquering Clown. Despite its internal drum spinning, Warthog was unable to flip and missed a glaring opportunity. Conquering Clown instead used its sloped front to ram Warthog, but could not direct it towards any arena hazards. It again nudged Warthog, this time unbalancing Chris Haataja's bot as it turned sharply and landed upside-down. Conquering Clown leaves Warthog. Warthog lay stranded against the spiked barrier, but managed to edge itself to a more favorable angle to self-right as Conquering Clown drove around in celebration. However, Warthog eventually flipped itself back over, but exposed its back end to Conquering Clown in doing so. This allowed it to drive Warthog into the screws, who struggled to escape. Conquering Clown survives the count. Conquering Clown rammed Warthog across the BattleBox again, though the weapon chain had snapped, meaning it no longer had power to its spinner. Warthog flipped in retaliation, inadvertently propping it against the Upper Deck with a minute remaining. Warthog freed itself and both robots found it difficult to land an attack in the closing moments. Although it suddenly became immobile late on, Conquering Clown escaped a count-out by one second and both robots survived the three minutes. Conquering Clown was declared the winner by crowd vote.
Conquering Clown vs. Warthog (10/15/2023) Conquering Clown faced Warthog for a second time over the weekend. The team lacked confidence in their improved solution to fixing their weapon, so opted against using their spinning weapon from the off. Warthog throws itself over. Both robots met in the middle of the BattleBox as Conquering Clown proved it had the superior ground game, getting its wedge in underneath Warthog before Chris Haataja's robot escaped danger. As it was pushed, however, the front of Warthog lifted up before it was sent twisting through the air, landing inverted. Conquering Clown unbalances Warthog again. Warthog successfully righted itself but was at the mercy of Conquering Clown, who shoved it side-on before Warthog threw itself over again. As its internal drum got up to speed, Warthog self-righted for a second time but struggled to keep its long flipping tusk on the ground. Conquering Clown got around to its back, unbalancing Warthog and overturning it once more. Conquering Clown looks on as Warthog is counted out. This time, Warthog lay inverted but its internal drum was no longer spinning. Conquering Clown pushed it inside the blue starting square as the fight passed the 1:30 mark. "C'mon Warthog, back on your feet now." — Steve Judkins encouraging Warthog to self-right Though its drive wheels were still spinning, Warthog's primary weapon showed no signs of life and it was counted out, giving Conquering Clown a second win for the weekend.

Exhibition Wins/Losses

• Wins: 2
• Losses: 0

Competition	Wins	Losses
BattleBots Proving Ground	Warthog Warthog	None

See Also

• Conquering Clown (Robot Wars)
• Silvis Robotics Website (Archived)