Hammersaw

A hammersaw mixes two classic robot-fighting weapons: the hammer and the saw. A motor spins a circular blade at the tip of an arm. A second motor swings the arm down onto whatever sits in front of the robot.

Picture a chop saw in a hardware store. You pull the spinning blade down onto a plank, and it cuts instead of just knocking the wood. A hammersaw does the same thing to another robot’s lid.

It works best when the opponent is held still. That is why builders often pair it with forks or a wedge that lift the rival and stop it from driving away.