Stampede

Stampede
Participation Information
Reboot Seasons	World Championship VI (Withdrew)
Team Information
Team	CU CombatBots
Team Members	David Kopala Scott Scheraga Nicolas Garzione
From	Boulder, CO
Associated Robots	Overhaul (Scott Scheraga)
Robot Statistics
Weight	250lbs
Weapons	Flywheel flipper
Statistics correct as of its most recent appearance on the show, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Stampede is a heavyweight robot designed by CU CombatBots with the intention of competing in BattleBots World Championship VI.

Designed by a team based in Boulder, Colorado, Stampede is a four-wheel drive robot designed to look like a buffalo skull. It is armed with a unique flywheel-powered flipper, somewhat similar to that of 2021 season competitor Blip. Unlike traditional flippers which use pneumatics to power a flipping arm, Stampede uses a flywheel and clutch system to store energy and release it with a great amount of power.

Stampede's CAD as of November 2021.

Stampede has four-bar linkage in a similar vein to BioHazard and Lucky to help propel opponents through the air and achieve length with their flips as well as height. The sides of Stampede are slanted, bearing the bot's name as well as "CU Boulder", the university where the team study. The static front wedges can be swapped out for wedgelets if required.

"If you spin up an object with a large moment of inertia, it’ll keep spinning and store a large amount of energy. This can then be used to power another mechanism like a flipper. The goal is to spin up the flywheels with an electric motor and then connect them to the flipper mechanism. In doing so, this transfers their stored energy in to the flipper, producing a large amount of power."

— The team explain Stampede's flywheel flipper design in an April 2021 Reddit AMA.

Stampede was originally slated to be applying for World Championship VI having confirmed their application in March 2021. However, the team later withdrew opting to delay their build, with World Championship VII already being confirmed by the network. They did announce their intentions to compete in Robot Ruckus later that year, but did not for unknown reasons.

"I'm planning to do a major redesign, including improving the flipper "tongue" profile to be lower angle, and easier for the opponent to get up on our "face"."

— Scott Scheraga briefly explains plans for a redesigned primary weapon.

While Stampede ultimately did not compete in the 2021 competition of BattleBots, Scott Scheraga teamed up with Charles Guan and Overhaul for the competition.