Walkerbots, also known simply as Walkers and often referred to in technical/design rules as StompBots, are a unique class of BattleBots competitors which make use of independently-powered legs for locomotion. Their official definition has changed throughout BattleBots history.
Due to their complexity, walkerbots have often been granted an additional weight bonus in their respective divisions.
Design and History[]
Beginning in the untelevised 1999 BattleBots events, walkerbots were immediately granted a 50% weight bonus. Debuting in Long Beach 1999 were Red Scorpion and Lock-Nut Monster, with the latter also becoming the first walker to win a competitive BattleBots fight.
The weight limits for heavyweight robots were reworked ahead of Las Vegas 1999, with walkerbots granted an additional 15lbs and non-walkers given 10lbs extra. Lightweight and middleweight categories did not return for this event but superheavyweights were introduced, allowing walking robots to weigh up to 488lbs at their heaviest.
| Weight Class | Long Beach 1999 | Las Vegas 1999 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Walkers | Walkers | Non-Walkers | Walkers | |
| Lightweight | 25lbs - 55lbs | 25lbs - 83lbs | N/A | |
| Middleweight | 56lbs - 109lbs | 84lbs - 164lbs | ||
| Heavyweight | 110lbs - 200lbs | 165lbs - 300lbs | 116lbs - 210lbs | 174lbs - 315lbs |
| Superheavyweight | N/A | 211lbs - 325lbs | 316lbs - 488lbs | |
BattleBots was then picked up by Comedy Central, and the weight limits and walker bonuses were reworked again for Seasons 1.0 until 3.0. Lightweight walkers received an additional 4lbs from Long Beach 1999, whereas middleweight walkers were able to weigh 6lbs more than before. The heavyweight and superheavyweight limits were maintained from the 1999 Las Vegas event.
In Season 4.0, following controversy surrounding shufflebots being granted the same weight bonuses without having to necessarily compromise drive power or speed, rule changes were made to specifically omit shufflers from getting this advantage. Silicon Valley Destruction Company's Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors entry, Drillzilla, notably weighed 160kg (352.7lbs) yet could reportedly reach a top speed of 40mph, for example. Robot Wars rules at the time allowed for a 100% weight bonus for non-walkers, meaning Drillzilla theoretically could have weighed up to 440lbs and compete within the heavyweight division. This caused further controversy within the pits, as fellow competitor and The Combat Robot Hall of Fame founder Mark Joerger vocalising his distaste.
- "I did dislike 'Drillzilla' (AKA 'The Ugly Vibrating Brick'), but not because they beat us. I was convinced - correctly, I think - that their shufflebot design was not good for the sport. The rulemakers agreed..."
- — Mark Joerger, competitor with Run Away and The Gap during Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors
This rule change within BattleBots forced Season 3.0 heavyweight champion Son of Whyachi to move into the superheavyweight division, where it found less success. Within the Season 4.0 design rules, walkers were known by the term StompBots and specifically excluded any drive systems which made use of "crankshafts, rotary camshafts, or non-reversing rotary electric actuators".[1] Qualifying walkers were allowed a 20% weight bonus over non-walkers.
- "A BattleBot may be considered a StompBot if it satisfies all the following criteria:
a. The drive mechanism for the BattleBot locomotion is powered solely by linear hydraulic or pneumatic actuators or by certain actuators driven by rotary electric motors. Any electric actuator must operate such that the reversal of motion requires reversal of the rotary electric motor.
b. All BattleBot parts that touch the ground for locomotion or support must move forward and backward in a reciprocating motion relative to the center-of-gravity of the BattleBot.
c. All BattleBot parts that touch the ground for locomotion must be actuated such that they can potentially be moved vertically (up-and-down) without any horizontal (forward-andbackward) movement. Likewise, horizontal movement must be potentially possible without vertical movement.
d. When the BattleBot is moving along the ground, no part of the BattleBot weight is supported on the ground by any type of rolling or skidding mechanism." - — BattleBots Technical Regulations v2.2 for Season 4.0[1]
| Weight Class | Season 1.0 - Season 3.0 | Season 4.0 - Season 5.0 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Walkers | Walkers | Non-Walkers | Walkers | |
| Lightweight | 25lbs - 58lbs | 25lbs - 87lbs | 25lbs - 60lbs | 30lbs - 72lbs |
| Middleweight | 59lbs - 115lbs | 88lbs - 173lbs | 60lbs - 120lbs | 72lbs - 144lbs |
| Heavyweight | 116lbs - 210lbs | 174lbs - 315lbs | 120lbs - 220lbs | 144lbs - 264lbs |
| Superheavyweight | 211lbs - 325lbs | 316lbs - 488lbs | 220lbs - 340lbs | 264lbs - 408lbs |
With the return of BattleBots on ABC and later Discovery, heavyweight robots became the show's sole focus. Non-walker heavyweights were granted a 250lb weight limit, and shufflers were not granted a weight bonus in any capacity. Notably, Wrecks was not granted any weight advantage, despite its unique method of locomotion known as a gyro walker. Walkers now had to be able to demonstrate a minimum of two degrees of freedom in order to qualify for a 100% weight bonus - a maximum of 500lbs. Despite this incentive, only one robot fitting this criteria ever competed as Chomp was redesigned for World Championship V.
| Weight Class | World Championship I - Present | World Championship VIII - Present | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Walkers | Walkers | Non-Walkers | Walkers | |
| Heavyweight | 1lb - 250lbs | 1lb - 500lbs | 1lb - 250lbs | |
The future of walking robots within BattleBots is uncertain, though Trey Roski and Greg Munson have both vocalized plans for a dedicated walker league with a maximum weight allowance of 250lbs. Former competitor and judge Mark Setrakian also built a walking display and demonstration robot ahead of World Championship VII, named Stalker, and Arachnophobia would perform demonstrations at BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon shows in September 2023.
That same month, Greg Munson confirmed on the Behind the Bots podcast that the 500lb walker bonus would be phased out ahead of future World Championships. This decision was made partially due to how awkward 500lb robots such as Chomp were to maintain at the speed needed to satisfy a BattleBots filming schedule.[2]
Advantages & Disadvantages[]
Advantages[]
- Their extra weight can save them from getting lifted.
- Additionally, the extra weight permission allows them to employ some pretty effective weapons (as Chomp showed).
- They have high traction and therefore good pushing power.
Disadvantages[]
- They have the lowest speed of all robot-mobility, which can make it hard for them to win as the opponents can unleash hit-and-run attacks, and most walkers who won did so by dumb luck when an opponent suffered a malfunction or got stuck, and just about all of theses wins were by knock out (the only walker to win by judges' decision is Chomp).
- They are known to be complex to build.
- They often have high ground-clearances, which make it easy to scoop a walker.
- If the legs are exposed, then they can be ripped off by a spinner or crusher.
Notable Robots[]
| Robot | Seasons | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Arachnophobia | BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon |  |
| Chomp | World Championship V BattleBots: Bounty Hunters |
 |
| Mechadon | Las Vegas 1999 Season 1.0 |
 |
| No Tolerance III | Season 2.0
Season 3.0 |
 |
| Pressure Drop | Season 1.0 |  |
| Red Scorpion | Long Beach 1999 Season 2.0 |
 |
| More... | ||