Hammer

If you were looking for the weapon component, see Sledgehammer

Hammers have all one thing in common: weapons attached to a burst motor with a long extender (more than 60cm) between the motor and weapons.

Despite the bot's name, they are far from being limited to actual hammers as weapons, and can use indeed anything as a weapon. A common name for a hammer around newbies, especially Robot Wars-influenced ones, is "axe".

Hammer (vertical)

Real life examples: Frenzy, Killerhurtz, The Judge, Diesector (partly)

RA2 examples: Grog, BEAR, Bushido

A bot that basically brings down a weapon on the opponent using a burst motor (not to be confused with Torque reaction hammer or a popup). Can be everything: Bear claws, Axe, Samurai Sword, Sledgehammer... but most commonly builders use multiple razor tips for efficiency.

A hammer is basically better against bots with a vulnerable roof (rammers). It can be efficient against a bot with a lot of extenders and against horizontal spinners if built (extremely) well.

Side Hammer

Real life examples: Splinter (Robot Wars)

RA2 examples: Atom Smasher

A side hammer is exactly what it says on the tin : a hammer with side-swinging weapons. Rather than bringing down the weapon, it is bringing it from the sides, like a claw closing on the opponent. Can overlap with Clamps.

This type hasn't generally the damage values of a normal hammer and doesn't avoid horizontal weapons, but can be made invertable then.

If you want your hammer to be damaging, then put several weapons on your hammer head. A hammer head featuring three razor tips is way better than a simple sledgehammer.

Trivia

Hammers are a rarely built type.

A few builders still perpetuate the species, mainly Sage, Clickbeetle and to a lesser extent Naryar.

Pros&Cons

Vertical Hammer:

PROS

• Attacks the top of a bot, which tends to be unarmored
• One of the rare bot types that can attack freely when pinning opponents
• Weapons are difficult to damage
• Kills HS, Shell Spinners, and Rammers with ease, if properly built

CONS

• Needs to pin opponents
• Not the most stable of bot types
• Especially in Stock, fragile weapon extenders
• Difficulty self-righting
• Very specialized design: good against several bot types, poor against most others
• Low weapon weight

Horizontal Hammer:

PROS

• Hard to flank
• Invertible
• Can attack freely when pinning an opponent
• Can attack and remove wheels more easily than other designs

CONS

• Tends to hit the opponent's weapons if horizontal, unlike the vertical one
• Wide - may have mobility issues when next to walls
• Very specialized (good against rammers, awful against HS and SnS)