Winning percentage by weapon type
From Combat Robot
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Introduction
There is a perception that spinners and other 'bots with active weapons have a better chance of winning than do 'bots without active weapons. In 2005 Team Run Amok's Mark Joerger ran a statistical analysis of robot weapons and competition results, and then published his methodology and results here: Wedge versus Spinner - what wins more matches in robot combat?
Method
The hobbyweight and beetleweight classes were selected for this analysis "because they are popular and are commonly fought at many events".
Joerger prepared a list of robot competitors (compiled from Builders Data Base as of December 12th, 2005) and the results of their matches (compiled from Botrank.com), and proceeded to analyze the winnings by weapon type.
This list included 24 Hobbyweight, and 40 Beetleweight competitors from the following events:
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Hobbyweight Results
Active vs. Non-active weapons
Of the 24 hobbyweight 'bots for which weapon type and win/loss information was available, 12 had active weapons and 12 had no active weapon.
- The median robot with an active weapon had a 39.4% match winning percentage.
- The median robot without an active weapon had a 47.5%.match winning percentage.
- Five of the twelve robots with active weapons won more matches than they lost: 41.7% winning records.
- Five of the twelve robots without active weapons won more matches than they lost: 41.7% winning records.
- The mean botrank.com rank of robots with active weapons was 62nd.
- The mean botrank.com rank of robots without active weapons was 48th.
Spinners vs. non-spinners
Of the 24 hobbyweight 'bots for which weapon type and win/loss information was available, 9 were spinners and 15 had no rotary weapon.
- The median spinner had a 33.3% match winning percentage.
- The median non-spinner had a 55.6% match winning percentage.
- Two of the nine spinners won more matches than they lost: 22.2% winning records.
- Eight of the fifteen non-spinners won more matches than they lost: 53.3% winning records.
- The mean botrank.com rank of spinners was 80th
- The mean botrank.com rank of non-spinners was 40th
Beetleweight Results
Active vs. Non-active weapons
Of the 40 beetleweight 'bots for which weapon type and win/loss information was available, 30 had active weapons and 10 had no active weapon.
- The median robot with an active weapon had a 50.0% winning percentage.
- The median robot without an active weapon had a 54.7% winning precentage.
- Thirteen of the thirty robots with active weapons won more matches than they lost: 43.3% winning records.
- Seven of the ten robots without active weapons won more matches than they lost: 70.0% winning records.
- The mean botrank.com rank of robots with active weapons was 63rd.
- The mean botrank.com rank of robots without active weapons was 44th
Spinners vs. non-spinners
Of the 40 beetleweight 'bots for which weapon type and win/loss information was available, 27 were spinners and 13 had no rotary weapon.
- The median spinner had a 50.0% win record.
- The median non-spinner had a 52.9% win record.
- Twelve of the twenty-seven spinners won more matches than they lost: 44.4% winning records.
- Eight of the thirteen non-spinners won more matches than they lost: 61.5% winning records.
- The mean botrank.com rank of spinners was 60th
- The mean botrank.com rank of non-spinners was 56th
Conclusion
Joerger concluded that the median hobbyweight or beetleweight combat robot without an active weapon has a higher percentage of wins than does the median 'bot with an active weapon. He also concluded that they also have an equal or higher percentage of winning records and a higher average botrank.com ranking than their active-weaponed conterparts.
Joerger found a similar result when comparing hobbyweight or beetleweight combat robots without spinning weapons to beetleweight spinners: non-spinners had a higher median winning percentage, a higher percentage of winning records, and a higher mean botrank.com ranking.
Joerger made a point to note that although the average hobbyweight or beetleweight combat robot with an active weapon performs less well than the average 'bot without an active weapon, there is an elite group of spinners and lifters that dominate the upper rankings of both weight classes. He stated that if you have the experience and skill to properly construct and operate a 'bot with an active weapon, the effort may be worthwhile.
