Warthog

Warthog
Participation Information
Reboot Seasons	World Championship VI (Not selected)
Live	BattleBots Proving Ground BattleBots FaceOffs
Team Information
Team	Team Kerberos Robotics (a.k.a. Team Warthog)
Team Members	Chris Haataja Ricky Matsko Tyler Tautges Vlad Angere Kaleb Kutska Adrian Choy
From	Valders, WI
Associated Robots	JackPot, Deep Six, Pardon My French (Chris Haataja)
Robot Statistics
Weight	250lbs
Weapons	Full-body flipper
Statistics correct as of its most recent appearance on the show, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Warthog is a robot designed by Team Kerberos Robotics which originally applied for BattleBots World Championship VI. It later fought in Proving Ground and then BattleBots FaceOffs.

It is a long, two-wheel drive robot with a large barrel-shape at the rear which houses much of Warthog's electronics. The robot is designed to resemble the wild mammal of the same name and is armed with a unique take on the traditional flipper weapon, utilizing its rounded chassis and front 'tusks' to throw opponents. The tusks themselves utilize three pieces of UMHW plastic bolted between the metal supports to improve durability. Warthog has two omniwheels to allow for the robot to strafe and translate across the BattleBox in multiple directions. One of these is positioned at a 45 degree angle, though it is unknown whether this was for performance-related reasons or purely aesthetic.

"We're not quite the first to ever use that concept, but we're the only ones to flip our entire chassis to do it. It'll look "reactionless" when it fires, since the bot pushes against its own inertia rather than the ground like most flippers."

— Team Kerberos Robotics explain their unique primary weapon

In March 2021, the team confirmed their application for the sixth season of BattleBots. However, a month later, they confirmed their rejection via Facebook. Despite not competing, Warthog's team captain Chris Haataja was present at filming to support Deep Six, having been part of JackPot a year prior. Following Warthog's rejection, Chris Haataja joined up with Pardon My French as its designated driver ahead of their unsuccessful World Championship VII application.

In May 2023, the team posted updates stating their intention to appear at Proving Ground later in the year. The team posted an updated CAD, as well as progress on a functional drive system for Warthog. Several weeks following these posts, Warthog was confirmed to fight Conquering Clown in October 2023. It lost both of its fights and finished the weekend winless.

Warthog returned for BattleBots FaceOffs in Fall 2024.

Warthog and its team.

Progress on Warthog circa June 2023.

Warthog showing its unique flipper weapon.

Warthog under construction.

Updated Warthog CAD, circa May 2023.

CAD of Warthog, circa January 2021.

Outside BattleBots

Warthog registered to compete at RoboGames in April 2024. Though it received a Round 1 bye, Warthog was defeated by Echo 3.0 in its first match, and fell into the loser's bracket. There, it received another bye before suffering defeat against former event champion Gary Gin and Original Sin.

Chris Haataja working on Warthog ahead of RoboGames 2024.

Warthog and other competitors in The Pits during RoboGames 2024.

Robot History

BattleBots Proving Ground
Warthog vs. Conquering Clown (10/14/2023) Warthog vs. Conquering Clown as advertised on Battlebots website Warthog debuted in BattleBots Proving Ground, where it fought Conquering Clown 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. Warthog is attacked by Conquering Clown. 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 won by crowd vote. It was later revealed that Warthog was unable to get its weapon into play throughout the fight due to issues with the VESCs controlling their internal drum. Additionally, Warthogs drive VESCs constantly reset due to over-currenting, something which was addressed for their second fight.
Warthog vs. Conquering Clown (10/15/2023) Warthog fought Conquering Clown for a second time during the weekend. Prior to the match, the team fixed most of the issues with their VESCs, as well as swapping drum bushings. This allowed their drum to get closer to full speed, as it had not been working at full power in the previous match. Warthog throws itself around. 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 and bending its flipper downward. 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. Warthog is immobile and 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, confirming a winless weekend for Warthog.
BattleBots FaceOffs
Please note that the order of the following fights is unknown, as documentation on the event itself is either limited or non-existent. This is typically true of untelevised events such as BattleBots IQ and those sanctioned by the BattleBots name. Warthog vs. Cobalt Warthog will return to the arena for the Fall 2024 BattleBots FaceOffs events, with one of its confirmed group stage opponents being Cobalt.
Warthog vs. Hot Mess Warthog will fight Hot Mess as well during the week.
Warthog vs. Slammo! Warthog's other group stage opponent is Slammo!.

Exhibition Wins/Losses

• Wins: 0
• Losses: 2

Competition	Wins	Losses
BattleBots Proving Ground	None	Conquering Clown Conquering Clown
BattleBots FaceOffs	TBC	TBC