So, finally got round to joining the club and doing one of these!
Have been competing for a little while now (since August 2023) with my beetle, Tsukikage (as of 2026, now semi-retired), but I’ve come to a point where I’ve got both that and a brand-new machine (Hyperion, a modified Nightclaw Kit designed to house bigger motors than the usual 24mm Repeat Mk2s) to work on. Here’s what I have in mind for each:
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TSUKIKAGE
(Active since 2022 under original ownership, August 2023 under mine; formerly Full Combat, but is now Pub/Sportsman Rules only)
Status As Of March 26: Slightly Mangled.
Chassis/left lifting fork twisted, many parts (baseplate, weapon mount, removable link, speed controllers and all but one of my drive motors) wrecked, left TPU side panel cracked open.
As such, I’ve compiled a list of things I’d like to do before the Pub Rules events (Summer Showdown, Botfest, etc.) arrive, so it’s as good as it can possibly be… and hopefully get at least one career Top 3, if we’re lucky!
THINGS TO DO
Would like to completely re-do the wiring, since that’s a big part of what let me down at the last event (Capital Punishment 2 ), when the wires to the front motors finally became too short to really reach them. Once I’ve got the gauge down, I’ll strip the whole bot out and redo it properly with the Heat Shrink and Cable Ties.
Replace the damaged 3D printed and plastic parts; have got some new weapons on the way, including a new design of hinged fork that won’t go over the top and get stuck like the old ones do. Will need some new side panels for sure, as well as a new clear 1.5mm/3mm polycarb top.
Along with redoing the wiring to a safer and more reliable standard, replacing the destroyed ESCs will be crucial. I think the Receiver might be okay, but I’ll have to test it further (and re-bind and failsafe it if I do have to replace that as well) once those are installed.
The current Lifter Motor does work (it was one of the few internal things that did survive last time!), but the old mounts for that were completely destroyed. As such, either I’ll have to:
A) Design/print replacement mounts for the existing motor. In particular, including a second, smaller set on the other end that supports the back of the motor — providing extra force to where it should be and stopping the belt from slipping when it lifts/clamps something — while still allowing the wires for the front motors to pass underneath.
B) Design and install a new motor/mount setup entirely. Same basic principles as the above, but with a bigger and more modern motor — was thinking of this one, 30-50rpm at 12V; very similar to the one Lilith uses for its flipper, but slower and more torquey — with a similarly more robust mounting setup that accommodates the front wires.Crucially, a brand new baseplate to replace the one that Corruption and Rotovator smashed. The size is 100mm x 160mm x 2mm, and while it probably won’t see Full Combat again, it still needs to be light and strong to keep everything safe and stop the Lifter setup from moving about too much. As such, I’m thinking of 7075 Aluminium Alloy, lined with 1mm fire-retardant EVA foam inside the chassis to prevent shorting if any wires do come loose.
Replace the three dead drive motors (in particular, the 22mm Planetary Gearmotors), and then re-mount them more securely with blue threadlocker.
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HYPERION
(New Build, started February 2026)
Status As Of March 26: Not Yet Complete.
Has been partially put together to test how everything fits (including the motors/mounts), but still needs the electronics and such sourcing and installing before I can begin the testing and prep for the events (Scouse Showdown 5, New Blood, etc.) I intend to enter it into.
PARTS SO FAR
HAVE:
1 x Nightclaw Kit (with all attachments, including the lifter, wedge and extra forks; adapted to use two of the below motors)
2 x Repeat Drive Pro 2006 drive motors (4S)
1 x 12v LED Safety Power Strip Light
1 x Fingertech Metric Power Switch
1 x 4S 850mah LiPo battery (XT60, reused from Tsukikage since it fits and it’s about as strong as I need it to be)
DEFINITELY NEED (can be adjusted):
Wires
Fuse (not sure what kind I’d need for my switch; any help is appreciated)
ESCs (debating whether to do one each or a double for the drive; will also need one for the lifter)
Flysky 4-Channel Receiver
BEC (for Receiver and Weapon Motor)
UNSURE OF:
What kind of fuse to use for this kind of design? Have searched around, but never been entirely sure of what would work for a Beetle.
What kind of ESC to use for the lifter?
Anything else that hasn’t been covered in the above two lists?
Then, once I’ve got it up and running, I’ll see how much weight I have left over to potentially improve the defences up top before it really fights; was thinking of updating the standard 3D-printed top plate to one made of G5 Titanium or 7075 Aluminium Alloy of the same thickness, for maximum protection against hammer saws, crushers and such.
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In any case though, any guidance here would be greatly appreciated; I intend to learn how to do Brushless and Switches while building Hyperion, then once my commissioned design (“Arashikage”) is ready, I’d like to move onto that and take things up a notch once I have everything here down. Do let me know what you think!
