The Pulverizers are microscorpice pneumatically-powered hammers introduced for Season 1.0 of Comedy Central BattleBots, the first competition of its kind to be televised. They remain part of the BattleBox ithe reboot era, having received upgrades over the years.
Housed in the corners of the BattleBox, the pulverizers are hazards which look to attack from overhead and hammer down on robots which drive into their path. Like other active hazards, the pulverizers were originally controlled by Peter Lambertson. However, they had a tendency to break following repeated use during the early seasons, so the hammers were upgraded and reinforced as the show progressed. Originally utilizing off-the-shelf mallets, the pulverizers used cylindrical hammer heads from Season 2.0 until the show's end on Comedy Central, and in the 2009 events too.
The original Pulverizer in action against KillerHurtz during Season 1.0.
The pulverizers returned for the 2015 season of BattleBots, with the major difference concerning the way in which they were controlled. Control of these hazards pooteam beginning in the red square and and the other by the team beginning in the blue square. This resulted in the pulverizers being used in a more tactical sense, and notably saw the pulverizers not firing if a team found themselves under the hammer they activated.
The blue pulverizer marker on the steel floor.
Redesigned ahead of the 2020 season, the pulverizers were now rhomboidal in shape, weighing 100lbs each. However, as more and more robots were built with tougher armor and stronger chassis, the pulverizers typically caused less damage. Their purpose has often been to score points with the judges during battles, especially in the case of controlbots which may not possess otherwise damaging weaponry. They have also been used to pin opponents in place in order to score control points, or tee robots up for a hit with their primary weapon.
For World Championship VI, the dots on the BattleBox floor signalling the impact zone for pulverizer shots were colored red and blue to signal which team was in control of that specific hazard.
In a November 2023 episode of the Skorpios Builder Blog, Trey Roski revealed plans to overhaul the pulverizer hazard, allowing for the hammer heads to be removed and replaced with a weapon of the team's choice.[1] Roski's concept would not come into play ahead of World Championship VIII, but if followed through, would be implemented for future seasons.[1]
.jpg "Hammers (1).jpg (18 KB)")
Notable Uses[]
RA is pounded by the pulverizer.
Season 2.0[]
El Diablo vs. RA[]
In a Season 2.0 battle, RA found itself immobilized under one of the pulverizers courtesy of El Diablo.
The hammer dealt continuous blows to the top of RA, completely destroying the middleweight robot, whose remains were collected in a garbage bag after the fight.
Wedge of Doom pushes Wacky Compass underneath the hammer.
Season 3.0[]
The Wacky Compass vs. Wedge of Doom[]
Ahead of this televised Season 3.0 fight, The Wacky Compass was repeatedly attacked by the pulverizer. This came in response to a message on the side of the robot reading "Pete, please be kind!", referencing Peter Lambertson.[2]
Ultimo Destructo lays immobile as the pulverizer continues to attack.
World Championship III[]
Witch Doctor vs. Ultimo Destructo[]
In the 2018 season battle between Witch Doctor and Ultimo Destructo, the latter was pinned in the corner of the BattleBox, where it was continuously hit by the pulverizers as its modular design split at the joins.
- "Oh, look at that! Break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar; Witch Doctor just split Ultimo Destructo!"
- — Chris Rose as Ultimo Destructo continues to take punishment from the pulverizer
Ultimo Destructo was counted out while still sustaining hits from the hazard, and was knocked out in brutal fashion.
DeathRoll's team pin Switchback using the pulverizer.
World Championship VII[]
DeathRoll vs. Switchback[]
During World Championship VII, the returning DeathRoll utilized the pulverizer in a unique manner - pinning its opponent underneath the weight of the hammer in order to line up an attack with its own vertical spinner. Switchback was immobilized soon after, and this use of the hazard contributed to DeathRoll's win by knockout.
Appearances in Merchandise[]
- BattleBots Arena MAX
- BattleBots Arena Pro
- HEXBUG BattleBots Arena
- BattleBox/BattleBots Video Game (canceled)
- BattleBox/BattleBots: Beyond the BattleBox
- BattleBots/Kickbot Arena Game
- BattleBots BattleBox (Toy)
- Mechadon Handheld Game
Outside BattleBots[]
Numerous other events are known to have incorporated similar hazards to the pulverizers. In both series of King of Bots, the arena featured large, cylindrical hammers in two of the four corners. For the first season, the arena sported three hammers with 60kg (132lb) hammer heads. In the second season of the Chinese show, the hammers were gold in color and now weighed 100kg (220lb) each.
The same was true of the short-lived series Clash Bots, which saw predominantly white hammers with red and blue decals on the outside. Each hammer had a circle and triangular symbol on the underside, and had a truss-like shaft rather than a solid arm.
In the United Kingdom, the heavyweight live show Robots Live! hosts battles in an arena with pulverizer-like hazards with a long, red and gray hammer head on the ends. They are both positioned on the same side of the arena, and rather than being located in the corners, are instead housed across the arena wall. Previous iterations of arenas used by Robots Live!, including a 2021 event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saw thicker, more cylindrical hammer heads similar to those seen in early reboot seasons of BattleBots.
Estonia's Robolahing competitions are often held in arenas with pulverizer hazards housed in two corners. However, the hammer heads are replaced with double-sided battleaxes.
![The Robots Live! arena in October 2023, with two hammer hazards on the far side.[3]](/wiki/File:Robots-Live-Stoke-2023.jpeg "Robots-Live-Stoke-2023.jpeg (343 KB)")
![The battleaxe hazard seen in Robolahing events in Estonia.[4]](/wiki/File:Robolahing_hazard_axe.png "Robolahing hazard axe.png (322 KB)")
Trivia[]
- According to an image gallery from Team Mauser, the pulverizers were taped up during preliminary rounds and only active in televised fights.[5]
References[]
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