S3 E8: Return of the Evil Henchman ft Sam Hanson

Summary

The Havoc Rundown – S3 E8: Return of the Evil Henchman ft. Sam Hanson

Date: May 7, 2026
Host: Hunter Bro Studios (Justin, Ryan, Tony, Thomas)
Guest: Sam “Evil Henchman” Hanson

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Episode Overview

This lively episode spotlights Sam Hanson, widely recognized as “the Evil Henchman” and the outward-facing MC, content creator, and fan ambassador of NHRL (Norwalk Havoc Robot League). Returning for his second major interview, Sam reflects on his evolving role, the changing landscape of NHRL—especially with the launch of the Pro League—and shares behind-the-scenes perspectives, content creation philosophies, and plenty of anecdotal charm. The discussion features the hosts' trademark humor and deep robotics knowledge, making it a treat for both combat robotics insiders and newcomers.

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Key Segments & Timestamps

• Introduction & Icebreaker: [00:08–14:49]
• Sam Hanson: Role Evolution & Life as the “Face of NHRL”: [14:53–27:35]
• Pro League: Structure, Payouts, and Upcoming Changes: [27:37–33:57]
• Pro Event Differences & Streaming Updates: [32:01–34:37]
• The Metal Floor Crusade & Potential Invitational Events: [34:37–36:40]
• Mailbag & Five in Focus Q&A: [38:43–86:09]

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Highlights & Insights

1. Icebreaker: "Who's That Henchman?" Game

A customized trivia game where the hosts and guest deciphered movie henchmen from cryptic plot descriptions. The game’s “be more specific” rule led to some playful point steals.

• Memorable moment:

  • [04:49] Justin: “Despicable Me. It’s the Minions. The first Despicable... Bob, Stu, and Phil, I want to say…”
  • [08:49] Sam: “Is it Odd Job?” (correctly nailing the Bond henchman and stealing the round)

• Sam’s Henchman Spirit:

  • [14:22] Sam: “Oh, my gosh, probably pain and panic.”

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2. Sam’s Evolving Role at NHRL

[15:33–27:35]

• From Fabricator to Content Lead:

  • Started at Eastern Standard (an Austin McCord company), helping with fabrication and building support systems.
  • “I was kind of free to take it any direction I wanted to... I wanted to be on camera from the get go.” [16:01]
  • Shifted to “Manager of Fan Experience” — organizing events, partnerships, and in-person activations for fans.
  • Transitioned to content: “Now, I'm able to switch more full focus onto the content side.” [18:54]
  • Once handed off the ‘fan experience’ to Casper, Sam embraced being the visible, energetic face on social, stream, and in viral content.

• Crafting the Builder & Lifestyle Narrative:

  • “There’s like more to the sport than the tournaments... There’s a touch of a lifestyle to it, and it’s cool to show off that side.” [19:29]
  • Offbeat content like farm visits and skate park sessions help broaden what people imagine a fighting robot builder to be.

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3. Being the Face of NHRL

[23:01–27:35]

• Sam on Visibility and Impact:

  • “I'm the first touch point for a potential new generation of builders...you want to maintain a positive representation… of yourself and the organization and the sport itself.” [23:29]
  • “I do still try to take things lightly... But I’m not for everybody. There’s haters out there in the YouTube comments.” [24:28]
  • On public attention: “I don’t get recognized outside of robot competition stuff that frequently... but it has happened, and it is all—it’s weird but cool.” [24:57]
  • “I've been on ESPN at this point.” [25:05]

• Hosts’ Observations:

  • [26:00] Justin: “You have this energetic personality that draws you in… gets you even [excited about] the bracket or specifics… It’s real. I get stoked during tournaments. I cry during tournaments. I feel it all.”
  • [27:07] Sam: “That’s what’s needed—you can’t just have a fake face there. You have to have someone that actually feels it and knows what goes into it.”

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4. NHRL Pro League: Behind the Scenes

[27:37–33:57]

• Building the Event, Builder-first Philosophy:

  • Core focus: Guide communication about tournament structure, build hype, prep for new broadcasting platforms.
  • Trophies: “It’s different than the open and different than World Champs.” [31:56]

• New Prize & Superlative System:

  • “It was a builder-driven desire to spread the wealth… everyone that participated got something.” [29:49]
  • “The deeper you go, the more you get.”

• Event Changes for May’s Pro League Launch:

  • Expect a new group stage streaming dynamic, builder introductions, and improved presentation both on stream and for in-person experience.
  • Uncertainty about exact stream structure, but confirmed “it’s going to be a little different.” [33:41]
  • Sam (teasing forbidden secrets):
    • [34:30] “Yeah. But magnets are banned.” (running joke about secrecy and robot meta)

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5. Metal Floor Crusade & NHRL’s Unique Arena

[34:37–36:40]

• On arena surfaces:
  • “I wouldn’t say never [to metal]. It’d be cool to have a ‘Steel Floor Invitational’ or something to really try it out before fully committing.” [35:54]

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6. Mailbag & Five in Focus Q&A

[38:43–86:09]

a. Favorite Moments, Bloopers, and Content Stories

• Outtake from a Fishing Shoot:

  • [74:04] “...the line snapped and the robot that I was pulling up fell into the sound and it’s there forever now.”

• On Content Evolution:

  • “It’s constantly evolving–experimenting, then replicating what works, always continuing to experiment....” [65:38]
  • Side quests & global reach: “My dream would be going and experiencing the fighting robot scene around the world and like really establishing fighting robots as a global sport.” [66:32]

b. Underrated NHRL Fights Worth Watching

• [53:10] “If folks haven’t seen it, they have to see Synthesis versus Booty Brigade for sure. That is the most iconic fight... chills every time I watch it.”
• “[Synthesis vs. Booty Brigade]—absolutely destroys them. … It’s untoppable.” [55:18]

c. Robot Building, Scratch That Itch?

• [76:28] “Sometimes it's to fight at tournaments outside of NHRL… and sometimes it’s for video stuff like Dreambots where we’ll take a kid’s drawing and turn it into a real fighting robot. The itch remains scratched.”

d. Favorite Snack for Late Night Builds

• [73:44] “It’s ice cream and it’s Ben & Jerry’s because it’s ice cream and candy and that’s it.”

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Notable Quotes

• Sam on responsibility:
  • “I’m like the first touch point for a potential new generation of builders. You don’t want to let them down or set them on the wrong path.” [23:29]
• Sam on fighting robot content:
  • “There’s more to the sport than the tournaments. There’s a touch of a lifestyle to it, and it’s cool to show off that side.” [19:29]
• On Synthesis vs. Booty Brigade:
  • “That fight still gives me chills... the most iconic fight that still gives me chills when I watch it, and I’ve watched it so many times... the best fight that we have ever had in any of our cages.” [53:10]
• On NHRL’s constant communication improvement:
  • “We’re definitely aware of communication issues and looking to resolve and not have it be an issue with the pro tour events going forward. ...And beyond that, get your confirmations in as soon as you can.” [36:40]

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Fun & Memorable Moments

• Who's That Henchman?
  • [05:02] Tony unexpectedly pulls ahead in the trivia by specifying “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker)”
  • [10:02] “Paul Blart, Mall Cop!” (as a joke answer to the henchman prompt)
• Sam’s dream off-the-wall event:
  • [62:57] “I’m just going to start a side series of invitationals. The Evil Henchman Invitational Series, including the Steel Floor series…and the Pocket Bot Battle.”
• Poking fun at notoriety:
  • [80:29] “If someone asks if you’re a famous person that you are, you will always say yes... what’s the worst that could happen?”

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Listener Mailbag: Top Questions

• If you could do any job at NHRL, no limits:
  • [60:52] “I feel like I’ve been fortunate enough to really be able to dabble in all the things that interest me… I’m just going to start a side series of invitationals. The Evil Henchman Invitational Series...”
• Sam’s favorite moment to date:
  • [83:43] “Maybe it was like Gremlin versus Mako.”

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Additional Notes

• Side Quest Content:

  • Sam’s “Side Quests” (extended video adventures, including the New Zealand trip and robot sheepdog trial) are on the NHRL YouTube and were highly praised by the hosts. [41:41, 46:26]
  • “If you are listening to this, finish listening to this and then hop over [to] the NHRL YouTube page and watch those…”

• Pro League Payouts:

  • Pay-per-fight structure, with extra for awards such as “biggest hit of the day.” [29:39]
  • The aim: reward deep tournament runs but also ensure every participant receives at least something.

• Building Community & Future of the Sport:

  • NHRL’s exponential growth, especially in Maryland, is a strong sign of the sport’s rising organic reach. [84:36]

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Closing & Takeaway

This episode is a celebration of the personalities—especially Sam’s—driving the “new wave” of combat robotics. It’s equal parts inside baseball, shop talk, and encouragement for builders, fans, and curious new viewers. Sam’s journey from fabricator to figurehead shares how the sport is as much a community as a competition, while the focus on experimentation, creator collaboration, and expanding the experience beyond the box hints at a bright, creative future for NHRL and all of combat robotics.

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To learn more about NHRL, see cool robot content, or join the conversation: head to havocrundown.com, follow NHRL and Sam “Evil Henchman” Hanson on socials, and check out the recommended Synthesis vs. Booty Brigade fight on YouTube!

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

To the Havoc Rundown.

[C]

Welcome back to another episode of the Havoc Rundown. I'm your host, Justin, and tonight we're diving into the world behind the camera, on the mic and right into the middle of the action at nhrl. We've got a returning guest tonight. Someone's been part of this show since almost the very beginning. He first joined us all the way back on episode three.

[B]

Three.

[C]

That's right. Episode three of season one in December of 2023. And since then, both his presence and NHL itself have grown in huge ways. Well, he may not be the one running the social media accounts. He is the one in the most recognizable faces of NHL. Whether it's on stream and highlight clips or across the countless videos and shorts that bring the sport to life for fans everywhere, he's right there in the middle of the action, helping tell the story of every hit, every upside, and every unforgettable moment. And now, with some of the biggest developments in NHL history happening, including the launch of the pro league, we brought him back to. So talk about how things have evolved and what's coming next, what it's like being one of the voices and faces people associate with the league. So please welcome back the evil henchman himself, Sam Hansen.

[B]

Hello, everyone.

[C]

It's awesome to have you back on all the way back. Episode three. That was in 2003. Three years ago.

[D]

Our first year.

[A]

Listen to it on YouTube.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

I remember it like it was yesterday.

[C]

As always, I can't do this alone. Joining me tonight, it's the House himself. Please welcome Ryan Hunter.

[D]

Hello there.

[C]

Our creative lead and webmaster general, Tony Baker.

[A]

Hey, everyone.

[C]

And if we knew what he was going to say, it wouldn't be as fun. It's Thomas Carroll.

[E]

I don't know what to say. Oh, I'm honored.

[C]

Okay, so we have an awesome episode ahead, but before we get into all of that, we will start with the icebreaker that we have every episode. And we're gonna head over to Ryan's game corner. What do you got for us tonight, Ryan? You've been pumping this game up and I want to see what you've got brewing.

[D]

I am super excited for this one. All right, so we are going to play who's that Henchman? It's a custom built for our guest game. And here's how it works. I'm going to read a vague henchman perspective plot summary of a movie, and your job is to be the first to ding in and name the henchmen that is being described. But there is an evil Twist to this. I have a new rule set. I'm going to call it be more specific. That means when you answer, it is not safe. Someone can then ding in afterwards and be able to add more detail. They get an additional point and steal your point. So if you want your points to be safe, be very specific with your answers. Make sure you put things in like the movie title and are very specific with what the henchman's name is.

[C]

All right, so very diabolical of you.

[D]

Are in very much. And if nobody figures it out, as always, the house gets a point. And I always love when that happens. All right, everybody understand the game? Everybody got their own dings in their own heads?

[B]

Yeah, I got a ding in the head.

[D]

Okay. Okay. So round one. You are part of the most powerful organization in the galaxy. Your boss is basically in charge of everything and you personally are the chosen one. The plans for your plant sized weapon are stolen by some thieves. Now you're sent to clean it up. But between your old mentor, your long lost children, and a space cowboy showing up, this is getting way more complicated than what your job should be. Ding, ding. All right, Justin, who's first?

[C]

Darth Vader.

[D]

Okay. Okay, Justin gets a point. Would anyone like you more specific?

[B]

Actually, it's Anakin Skywalker.

[D]

I am willing to give Sam the extra point. Would anyone like to be more specific?

[C]

Nah. Are you looking for which movie? Like the first movie that he's in?

[A]

Okay, Tony, it was in episode four of Star Wars.

[D]

What is the full title? Tony?

[C]

A New Hope.

[D]

Okay, so yes, Tony is going to get two points. Episode four, A New Hope. Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker is the full answer here. All right, does everybody get now how this is gonna work?

[C]

Yeah, as long as it has I

[A]

got two points, so that'll be all I get.

[D]

Okay, Wait, Ryan.

[B]

Okay, are we allowed to interrupt you with our dings? Is that a thing you are not?

[D]

You have to wait until I finish.

[B]

Gotcha.

[D]

Okay, next life is good. You and your many, many identical co workers serve a grumpy genius who suddenly decides the moon would look better in his pocket. Job one, we need to steal back a shrink ray from a younger, flashier villain. Somehow this turns into adopting three tiny humans and running a cookie based infiltration screen. The moon gets grabbed, tears are shed, and now we're doing a rescue mission instead of crimes.

[C]

Banana.

[E]

I mean, I know who it is, but someone's gonna take my. My extra points.

[C]

Yeah, that's why I was like pausing for a sec. I don't Know how much detail? I could try and add as much detail as possible.

[D]

It's up to you.

[C]

Okay. Ding.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

Despicable Me. It's the Minions. The first Despicable Bob, Stu and Phil, I want to say, is the third one or the three main ones. I'm trying to see if someone else has more detail than that.

[D]

Like there is. Jessica got one detail wrong. If anyone would like to steal it from him.

[C]

What?

[B]

I've got nothing.

[D]

All right, I'm going to give Justin the point. The Minions full names are Bob, Kevin and Stuart. Kevin, Bob, Kevin and Stuart. But Jessica gets a point there. Okay, next. Your boss loves two things. Gold and over complicated plans. The idea is simple. Break into a very secure vault, remove all the guards with gas, and make the gold inside worthless. So your boss becomes rich somehow. Unfortunately, a very persistent agent shows up and he seems very offended about the whole dead girlfriend situation. To cap it off, let's hope your pilot co worker with a funny name doesn't betray you.

[E]

I got a question. Wait. Are they removing the guards who are in possession of gas, or are you removing the guards via gas?

[C]

Do you not remember this? Insane.

[D]

Guards are removed via gas.

[E]

Okay, so this isn't the other one where the guards had gas and they're being removed.

[D]

Got it. No. No. All right, who would like to ding? Who has a ding

[C]

ding? 007. Goldfinger.

[D]

Okay, that is one detail. Would anyone. Can anyone be more specific? It is Goldfinger. The movie is Goldfinger.

[C]

I'm trying to remember what the coworker's name is in this one.

[D]

I am not looking for the co worker's name. It is not appropriate for this podcast. It is one of the least appropriate names in all of 007 franchise.

[C]

Really? Now I gotta. I. I gotta look up what. Which one it is.

[E]

Well, after the question.

[D]

After the question.

[E]

Extra information.

[C]

Yeah, I don't have any additional details. Double Seven. Goldfinger. His name is Goldfinger?

[D]

Yes. He's.

[C]

He's trying to make all the gold in Fort Knox not worth anything. I know. It's Fort Knox he's going after.

[D]

Does anyone know the name of the henchman?

[B]

Nah, I only know one. Is it Odd Job?

[D]

Yes, Sam. It is Odd Job. Sam has stolen the points.

[B]

Thank goodness for goldeneye Classic Banned character. Too short or something.

[E]

He's too good.

[D]

The plan is to knock out all the guards with nerve gas and then place a dirty bomb inside of Fort Knox. Not to steal the gold, but to make the gold so irradiated that you can't go and get it? So it is worthless. Making your boss, making Goldfinger rich because he owns a majority of the gold that is not in Fort Knox.

[C]

Except for. And as people have pointed out when reviewing this movie that that's not how our gold system works.

[D]

Yes, it's, it's our, our system of

[C]

currency is based on the gold that's in it, not gold that you can literally just go in and grab. Like, that's not how the system works. So.

[D]

All right, next.

[E]

No, actually, our system is based off of gold and golden eye rules. So yeah. Checkmate.

[D]

You work for a very dramatic guy with a serious case of middle child syndrome. His big plan? Become king by killing his family. Your job. Handle one baby, just one baby, you fail immediately. Now, that baby is a full grown problem who keeps accidentally ruining everything. You try monsters, traps, distractions, even hire a professional romantic interest. Surely he won't fall in love and gain strength from his own selflessness. That would be wildly inconvenient.

[C]

Oh.

[D]

Does anyone have any ideas?

[C]

No, I, I don't. It's like I, I, I picturing the movie, but I can't. Anyone, Anyone got anything for this? No.

[E]

Wait. Yes, it's Paul Blart, Mall Cop. And since no one has anything more accurate, then I am currently the point holder.

[D]

You, you need to be correct in your, in your answers before you get points.

[E]

It's clearly Paul Blart, Mall Cop.

[D]

It is not Paul Blart Bar.

[E]

Oh, Fast and Furious, Tokyo Drift, Marley and Me. Hercules Space Jam.

[D]

Yes, Justin, it is Hercules.

[E]

Man, I'm so close.

[D]

Does anyone know the name of the henchman in I do. Oh, Sam, what is it?

[B]

Pain and Panic.

[D]

Yes, Sam, it is Pain and Panic.

[B]

Oh, thank you, Corey, for that little nugget. Corey Nation named our multi bot from New Zealand, Pain and Panic, after the henchmen from Hercules. I never.

[D]

Exactly. Okay, one last round. Are we ready?

[C]

Oh, I, I looked up the, the girl from Goldfinger and is exactly the one that popped into my head. I was like, I connected the two and I was like, what's the worst one? It's that one. Is it that one? Yes, it is that one. It is literally that one. It's the one. You're like, that's her first name.

[D]

Really?

[C]

Okay.

[D]

And what's her last name? Wow. Okay. All right, next round. Your boss disappeared years ago. So naturally you stepped up and turned his evil empire into a sleek, modern corporation. You diversify into the most evil things you can imagine. Gas refineries, oil tankers, coffee corporations, and most evil of all media conglomerates evil but professional. Now he's back to screw everything up and get foiled by his nemesis. This is bad for business. This is very bad for business. Ding.

[C]

If nobody else has it. Austin Powers, the spy who shagged me when he comes back from time.

[D]

Right.

[C]

Isn't it the. Or is it the second one? Is it the. It's one of the. Austin Powers. Because it's number two who takes over the business and then he comes back and messes it up, right? Yes. Am I thinking right?

[D]

Yeah, you are entirely and completely right. I don't know if there's any extra details to be stolen here, so I'm going to have Justin have two points and I am going to declare Sam is the winner for this round as he was able to take care. Take advantage of all of the extra points. All right, so. So that's the game corner this week. Thank you, everybody. The house cast.

[A]

How many points?

[D]

Zero points. The house currently has zero points.

[E]

Ashley will be very happy.

[D]

All right, well, that's it for the. For the game corner this week.

[B]

All right. Not bad. I thought the only henchman I knew worked at NHRL or for Austin. I was like, ready for. With a rob and a gym and a call.

[D]

And which, which, which henchmen do you feel the Moses like, every day from.

[B]

From that list?

[D]

Yeah, from that list.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Probably pain and panic.

[C]

Oh, God. I like it. Okay, Very cool. Nice game corner. I love that game. I'm not sure about the. The extra detail thing because I did get my points stolen away from me, but we'll see.

[B]

I like that part.

[D]

I am enjoying it. I'm going to bring that back. I really like that.

[A]

That should be really cool in the little shorts.

[D]

We're going to do it.

[B]

Yep, yep.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, we'll get to that. I have a segment for you, Tony, at the end to tell to update on everything. So we'll. We'll get to that point. Okay, so before we get to the five and focus, Sam, we wanted to check in with you about your position as henchman. What's going on in NHL? So my first question as far as this is concerned is we had you on in December of 2023. That was the last time that we kind of interviewed you. You were one of our first guests. We're still getting our sea legs under us and trying to figure things out, figure out how to interview people. You were relatively new to the role at that point. Correct? You'd been there, Been there for like 23.

[B]

I was about A year at that point, depending on the time of year.

[D]

But.

[C]

Well, you've been there for, for quite a while now. So the first, the first thing that I kind of wanted to touch base on is how has your role evolved since 2023? Like how has your role evolved from the first time we talked to you to now you being kind of, we're calling you the face of nhrl because I mean you're just everywhere as far as the social media is concerned. So how has your role evolved? What, what has it been like?

[B]

Oh man. So when I first first started, when I was first hired and moved up to Norwalk, it was to work for Eastern Standard, which is another company that Austin owns and they're kind of like a support company for his, his network of companies that he owns in and around Norwalk. And so I got hired through the NHL discord. My, I fought at NHL tournaments so that, that was my pretty much full focus even while working for Eastern Standard. But when I was doing that it was a lot of hands on fabricating, making stuff, building things that NHRL needed, that Austin's other companies needed just for fun because there's stuff around the building and it was kind of loose, like there wasn't a main directive and I was kind of free to take it any direction I wanted to and I wanted to be on camera kind of from the get go. And so the first opportunity to do so was like a video about the rules and, and I, I did all right. And every other opportunity that that popped up, I would, I would try and take it. The, I think it was 23 was the first year I announced for a new bots event and, and I haven't missed an event announcing since. And beyond that other stuff has popped up through. When I started working full time for nhrl, I came on to be the manager of fan experience. So I was responsible for activations throughout the building that were outside of the tournament. So stuff for kids and like partnerships with STEM orgs and like makerspaces, stuff like that, bringing in food and, and like caring about the feedback that we would get from the in person fans and trying to address that of which there, there was a lot there. There's always stuff to fix and I fixed a good bit of it, but I wasn't, I don't think I was ideal for that specific role and brought in Casper who's been great and really hit the ground running and has taken on that fan experience and even more broadly overall experience in the building for both builders and fans. And when he came on. I was able to switch more full focus onto the content side. And so that has meant doing a lot with both short form and long form and more recently like experimenting with my own like henchmen channel as well and creating content outside of NHL's pipeline but in the orbit and they're all, they all kind of work together.

[D]

I do love, I do love your Instagram evil hit Finn and everything like that. You're doing a really good job. Like you're. I really enjoy your content. Even the non age or else stuff. It's really great.

[C]

Thanks.

[B]

It, it's. There's like more to the sport than the tournaments and.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And like it or not, there's like a touch of a lifestyle to it and it's cool to show off that side of stuff like having fun in another way with, with like stuff that's in fighting robots orbit. Playing with RC and motors and just building and printing and, and breaking. It's. It's all cool and it all, it helps like broaden the perspective of what a fighting robot builder is and like how fun the sport is.

[D]

It's such a huge community and there's so many people that like are touching it in all different, like from different standpoints and everything like that. And it's, it's really cool to like find out about people's like how they connect to it and then how robots connect back into what they do.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

And everything like that. It's really great. And, and also every once in a while you post something, I'm like, oh, I recognize that place. That's the island.

[C]

Oh, it's the place or the, or the farm video that you did that. That was pretty cool.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

How was it doing that?

[B]

Yeah, that was pretty wild. I never thought I would be doing agricultural content at the fighting robot company at nhrl, but prior to working up here in Connecticut, I managed the Baltimore farmers market and was part of a University of Maryland agricultural leadership program. So I felt very comfortable on the farm and knew some questions to ask. And it was kind of a treat to have the crossover. Like that trip was wild, the skate park stuff. Like in between my periods of fully focused fighting robots, I did a lot of trick set that on bikes that sent me to skate park. So like it really all came together on that trip.

[D]

We have a skate park in very close to us and I've been thinking I'm going to take the weapon out of my Beetle and go and go up and down the ramps and everything like that.

[C]

Do you live by the One that

[A]

Rob Zombie tried to shut down.

[D]

No, I live. No, no. It's a tiny little skate park. But I, I wanted to, I wanted to send. Make a video of sending my Beetle up and down ramps and then put Superman in the background of it and then send it to. And then send it to Sam on the Discord and be. And challenge him to escape battle.

[B]

Dude, the secret, you gotta leave the weapon on. Put a dummy blade on, you know, no teeth. And then your throttle control for your weapon. You can like control your angle in the air so you can hit those transitions air to fakey on the quarter or whatever.

[C]

You can have a. I have a PLA blade for, for Reaper that no explode.

[D]

It'll explode.

[C]

I've never tested with it, but it is. I have a couple PLA blades from when I was first designing the blade and I wanted to actually like have it in my hand. I was printing them out of pla.

[D]

But you. Yeah, I, I'm thinking of just making a cage over the, the weapon. The actual like the motor and everything like that. So you get the gyro, but no, nothing happens if you touch it basically.

[C]

So, so what is it like being. Because like I said, we, we are referencing you as the face of NHL. One of the most recognized recognizable faces in combat robotics now. Um, what has it been like having that Persona just like taking that on as, as like this. This sport has evolved and become bigger and bigger and bigger and more important and you're like NHL's like front facing, you know, MC. Their, their social media guy.

[B]

Yeah, I think, I think there, it's a lot of responsibility because I'm like the first touch point for a potential like new generation of builders and you don't want to let them down or set them on the wrong path. So like you want to maintain like a positive representation of both yourself and the organization and the sport itself. And I think that, that there's like so much value to that and, and like it. It. I don't take it lightly, but I do still try to take things lightly and to balance the two. I, I think I pull it off. But I'm not for everybody. There's haters out there in the YouTube comments.

[E]

Yeah, I'm a hater.

[B]

And like your face is out there and your gray mustache is out there and people like to comment on the way you look and the things you say. And I don't think that like I'm not famous. Like I don't, I don't get recognized outside of robot competition related stuff. That frequently, but it. It has happened and it is all. It's weird but cool. And I

[D]

can't you at this point say that you've been on ESPN though? Like, you could say, I've been on ESPN at this point, right?

[B]

Yeah, technically, I've been on ESPN at this point.

[D]

That's pretty cool. That's really pretty cool.

[C]

I don't know.

[D]

I. I think. I think you do a great job. I think. I really think, like, your Persona at this point has really become that, like, nhrl, like fun. But at the same time, like, if. If I didn't know you, if I had never met you before and I watched a video with you in it, I think. I think this guy is fun, but this guy knows what he's talking about and he's, like, excited. And that's like the best part of it because, like, especially from like a builder and a fan perspective, that's all I want in a presenter is somebody that's like, knows what they're talking about, is fun and is excited for it. As much as I'm excited for it, I want them to be excited for it.

[C]

Yeah, definitely.

[B]

Yeah. Thank you.

[C]

So. Thank you. I completely agree with that. You have this. I'm trying to think of the right. The right words for it, but you have this very energetic personality that draws you into whatever you're talking about and gets you even. I don't want to call like, like, if you're talking about the, like the bracket or just like, some specifics on that. It's very easy for someone who's not excited or doesn't have the personality to make that sound boring or not put any kind of life into something like that. And I don't think. I think your personality lends very well into getting someone excited for something that may not be as exciting if you're just looking at it. And I think you're really good at doing that and just. Just getting that information into giving it more of a take that goes into the whole excitement of the entire event. So.

[B]

And I think that comes across because it's. It's real. Like, I get stoked during tournaments. I. I get so hype. I cry during tournaments. I feel it all. Like, it. Yeah, I'm into it.

[D]

And.

[C]

And that's what's, like, that's what's needed. You can't just have like a. A fake face there. You have to have someone that actually feels it and, and knows what goes into it. You've built you. You know, you know the mechanics behind it. You Know what goes into these robots and what it means to win, what it means to lose, what it means for your baby that you spend so much time on to get flamed and melted. And so it comes across when you're doing your on air personality. So.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

So I wanted to quickly also touch on. You're there behind the scenes at NHL. There's. There's a lot of things going on. I. I know there's a lot of information that come out and. And I'm not asking for any secret information. But you want to just talk about, like. Well, Thomas says, do you want to just talk about, like, pro league and some of the exciting things that are going on. NHL and, and how NHL is like, trying to improve upon the sport and make everything, like, just your aspect behind the scenes and what you know. Like I said, you don't have to. We're not asking for secret information. Just like, what it's like developing pro league, what it's like behind the scenes, actually, you know, trying to make this sport at the next level and then the next level and the next level, like, just trying to level up every single day.

[B]

Yeah. Primarily my focus with pro league is, like, how to communicate, like, the tournament structure in. In video form and build hype and get people excited and get prepared for whatever new platforms may come. And so I'm mostly focused on that side of stuff. But it is cool to see, like, the leveling up that. That people are looking into for, like, the experience around the building and in the bowl and with the graphics packages and the trophies that are coming. And I know we were a bit late with the, like, payout structure to get announced, but I'm stoked on where that's at. And I think it's. It's cool that everyone gets a piece of the pie. And the deeper you go, the more you get.

[C]

Can you talk about that system a little bit? Because that's really interesting that, like, pay per fight and, and for, like, different things you do. Like, how did that come about? Like, that. That whole structure? Because I know people are talking about it, about the fact that, like, oh, it's not just you win all your fights and you get to the end. There's actually more that goes into the prize structure than that. Like, how did that come about, the kind of thinking behind that.

[D]

And you could get a prize. Sorry. And you could get a prize for, like, the biggest hit of the day. I think it is.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Two. Which is sick.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Superlatives are always fun. And it's fun to win them. And it's fun to, to not go for it and get it by surprise. But beyond that, I think the, it was like a builder driven desire to, to spread the wealth a bit and not have it all, like at the very like grand champion level. And so we wanted to make sure that the further you progress, the more you were rewarded, but still make it so that everyone that participated got something.

[C]

Yeah. And like I said earlier, the, you know, going, you put so much into a robot and then you may not win, but at least if you got a certain, a certain amount far into a tournament or any of those superlatives, you walk away with something. You're like, well, you know, I tried and I got something cool for it and I think that's cool. I like it.

[B]

Yeah. And it's like, I mean, the prelim rounds, the winnings that you get could buy maybe a component. So it's not, it's not like a make or break thing. Like, it's not just a little sweeter. Yeah.

[C]

It's not, you know, getting completely destroyed and walking away with nothing but a pile of parts.

[B]

So taking it all is a significant chunk that, that could fund an entire build. Yep.

[F]

Yes.

[D]

Yeah, I, I, I really, I really like the, the big chunk at the end. And you, you, I'm not going to press you on it because I'm sure it's not something you're actually supposed to reveal, but you said trophies and I'm very curious if that means something besides a dumpster, but I'm not going to press you on it.

[B]

Don't.

[C]

Yeah, well, I, I'm just picturing.

[D]

All right.

[C]

I'm just picturing like the boxes that you make for, for, I think you were making them for a long time or still make them for the end of the year. Like the championship. For like, I'm just picturing that.

[D]

So I get the spark.

[C]

Yeah, the sparkies. Like, I, yeah, we don't have to go too much more into that, but that's kind of what I'm picturing when you say trophies.

[B]

It's, it's different than the Open and it's different than the, the World Champs.

[C]

Okay, well, that's actually leads into my next question.

[B]

It's Sparky.

[C]

Okay. What should fans expect from the first event in May? What is going to make a pro event different than a regular event?

[B]

We're going to shift our streaming structure a little bit. I'm not exactly sure what the format's going to be, but the group stages into the play in round for some of the fields is different than our open tournament with the prelims and then kosho and prime time. So that's going to be a bit different. Group stage dynamic is, is going to change how people prepare and like the bots that are confirmed are sick and stoked for them. So like the earlier you're confirmed, the sooner like hype stuff can start coming out and we can start creating stuff around the builders that are coming and the bots themselves that are coming as well. And just like the, the presentation of the, the stream itself is going to be different and the in person like in bull experiences is going to be better. And, and that's just for the one here in Norwalk. Right.

[D]

Awesome.

[C]

So. So you're not, I know you're not on the production side specifically, but is it going to be, it's not going to be the same structure of like Brett zone during the day and then switch over to another. Like it's going to be more of a unified stream?

[B]

Yeah. I'm not exactly sure how it's going to be structured because there are, there's reasons not to have like a full length, like a full tournament length stream. So I'm not 100% sure how it's going to break down, but I know it's going to be a little different.

[E]

Okay, Sam, what's one really cool thing that you can't tell us about? Like one really cool secret, juicy thing you can't tell anyone about?

[B]

Just say it.

[E]

We'll bleep it out. It'll be great.

[B]

Okay, okay, hold on one second.

[D]

That's not legally binding.

[E]

You will bleep it out though if you do say something actually.

[D]

Wow, I can't believe it, Sam. Really?

[B]

Yeah. But magnets are banned.

[D]

Oh, okay.

[E]

Okay, that makes sense.

[D]

See, I thought that was gonna happen.

[C]

So we have, I guess me specifically, this is just aside because you said magnets, but we, we are, have been doing this thing, I don't know if you've caught it on our YouTube at all, called Havoc TV. We're watching older matches and whatever and I don't think I've watched as many of the metal floor matches as before. And I think when we talked to Corey, he was talking about the metal floors as well. And now I am on a crusade for metal floors for nhrl. How likely? Like would you like to see NHL move away from the wood or does the wood make NHL very, very unique in the fact that it just needs to stay for all time?

[D]

We've officially seen you fight on Metal floors now.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Yes.

[B]

And I enjoyed it. And I, I like that magnets were banned for like, for that tournament. Obviously not magnets in your motors. I understand that they're there, but I wouldn't say never. I wouldn't say never. I think it, it'd be cool to have like a Steel Floor Invitational or something to like really try it out before fully committing to it. And there's also like. I mean. Yeah, it's worth trying out.

[C]

It's.

[B]

It's worth trying out.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Steel Floor Invitational sounds like something from the wwe. Like, is the Steel Floor Invitational.

[E]

Floor Invitational?

[C]

Yeah. No, that definitely sounds like a wrestling thing. Okay, very cool. Is there anything that you want the builders or listeners to know about pro league or anything more? Coming up nhrl because. Because we're going to get into the five of Focus, which is more focused on you, but anything about NHRL that may not have been maybe communicated as well over the discord or anything you're excited about that you really want people to know about that you can talk about.

[B]

I think the communication issues are something that we're certainly aware of and looking to resolve and not have be an issue with the pro tour events going forward and like definitely heard your feedback and, and understand where folks are coming from. And we're, we're looking to like be better and get the timelines down better and like lessons learned. So. And beyond that, get your confirmations in as soon as you can. I know we have like a deadline of May 1, but the sooner the better. As far from my perspective, as far as like making content about these builders in these box.

[E]

Well, I put my confirmation in, so.

[B]

Oh, you got your wild card invite already?

[E]

I did.

[D]

For.

[C]

For manufacturers recall version two.

[D]

Yes.

[E]

It's a 30 pound walker.

[D]

Well, here you go. Are we influencer enough with a podcast? Can we just submit a pod? I've already vote burned as a podcast, taking the spot.

[B]

You can submit anything you want. Go for it.

[C]

Okay, very cool. So that was that. So we are going to move over to five and Focus where we ask five questions, one from each of us. So the first one that we have on our five in focus is actually comes from Ashley, who's not with us tonight. But this is a throwback to so in season one. Sam, I don't know if you remember if this at all, but when we first started we were doing an icebreaker and the icebreaker was who's that superhero? So Ash's question is, would you still be Syrup man given the chance? And what has Syrup man been up to?

[B]

Oh, yeah. You know, with the way the tariffs are going and syrup man is necessary now more than ever. I haven't. I haven't donned the mask in a long time, though, quite frankly.

[D]

You're just keeping all the syrup to yourself now.

[B]

Yeah, and then I'm gonna like, release some poison gas into the national syrup supply and make it all worthless.

[C]

See, that's not how syrup economy works.

[D]

There was already a syrup heist. It was the opposite of that. They made it water. But, you know, there was a syrup heist. It is one of my favorite crime stories of all time.

[C]

More than the KitKats, the three tons of KitKats that were stolen?

[D]

No, the. If you don't know about the Canadian syrup heist. Canada has a strategic reserve of syrup. Like literally millions and millions of gallons of syrup. Right. And people started. This group of people started stealing from it because they would take the drums, take all the syrup out, replace it with water so it still had like, they still were full of something. And then they were selling all the syrup on the side. And it was one of the. It is to the this day one of the biggest heists in all of history because they ended up making millions and millions and millions of dollars from this syrup that they stole. And it's. They stole it from Canada, of course, and they came and sold it in America. It's one of the craziest stories of. And then they. The Mounties had to go find all the. The syrup thieves.

[C]

It's like a whole thing.

[E]

Oh, you don't want to know what they did to the thieves once they

[D]

caught them or they put them in the syrup.

[E]

They gave him the old molasses wave.

[D]

They gave him the sticky, sticky.

[C]

If you, if you had to build a combat robot based off of syrup man, that Persona kind of like Mark did with Tony Clifton, what would that robot look like?

[B]

Oh, it would probably be hydraulic, I guess, and use the syrup as the hydraulic fluid. And so when it gets wounded, it bleeds syrup.

[C]

Best smelling cage fire of all time.

[B]

Yes, definitely.

[D]

You would.

[C]

You would put the lipos. Yeah, you would put the lipos in strategic places that they would get hit every.

[D]

Every fight.

[C]

All by nhrl. Just smells like breakfast. Ryan, I have you going next.

[D]

Okay, My question is, I want to dive deeper into those side quests because videos, how did they come together and are there any plans for continuing the videos? I am a huge fan of them. I really enjoy them. They were pretty much exactly the sort of thing I watch on YouTube. All the time. So I really enjoyed them.

[B]

Well, they came about from a discord message from Connor down in New Zealand asking if I knew anyone that could do Robot Rampage. And I was like chatting with Colin at the time and we decided to do it. And then I proposed it to nhrl and it kind of evolved through some like, group thing, I guess, and a bunch of minds came together on it and the influences were like, like Top Gun stuff and. No, no, dude, I don't watch the show Top Gear and, and his other show, the Great Something or other. And I watched a few episodes of, of those and we kind of landed on like a story for it where we go and try and help New Zealand out with our advanced American technology and, and get shut down by them not needing it and us being bad at it. And it kind of, it kind of worked like we were exactly bad at it and they did not need our help whatsoever. And, and so we, we like reached out to Connor and to the, the Robot Rampage team and, and Nick and Jack and them. And they linked us up with, with Rocket Lab and with the Halter Farm and we, we just made sure to stop by their places and, and kind of showcase the cool tech stuff that they've got going on and trying to like, cast a wider net because the like, number of people that are looking for specifically fighting robot combat is pretty small and the number of people that watch YouTube are pretty big. And the wider the net you cast while keeping it in NHRL's orbit, you can bring people in through touch points that aren't specifically fighting robots and you can reach people who don't know that they could be fans of fighting robots. And so that is the purpose of side quests and I am excited to do more. It's. It's a tough balance to hit like that. That was Colin, Danielle, me, and another person on the production side gone for like two weeks. And so, like, we all do other work as well for nhrl, so it's kind of hard to, to get the time to, to make it out, but I'm hoping to do it again this year and I wish I could say more, but stuff still needs to be firmed up. So. Yeah, thank you for enjoying it. I wish more people have watched them because they, they aren't doing so hot.

[D]

Oh, that sucks. They YouTube. You guys did such a good job with them too. Like, it literally felt like. What's his name? Like, Tom Scott, I think his name is like. It felt very educational and good and I really hope that you guys continue it, like, I could really see you, like, maybe going even around Kagit and finding, like, very interesting things, because there's a lot of interesting stuff even just within New England that you could find a showcase. I mean, like, hell, like Boston Dynamics is in Boston, which is like an hour and a half that way. You know, like, let's.

[C]

Is it on the main NHL? Because I don't think I've actually. So I'm. I'm one of the ones that have not watched it, that have to go and watch this now. It's on the main NHRA YouTube page.

[D]

Yeah, correct.

[B]

It is, yeah.

[C]

Okay, so. So let. Let us use the. The power of our very small 500 YouTube subscribers and just say that if you're listening to. So you have not seen them, please hop over to the NHL YouTube after finishing. Listen to this. Hop over to the NHL YouTube and. And watch the side quest. I'm going to do it. I. I believe in Ryan's endorsements. Anything Ryan has ever endorsed, I've always enjoyed. So I'm actually watching Malcolm in the Middle right now. Yeah. Because I never watched it before. That's a whole. Yes. While recording the episode. So if you are listening to this, finish listening to this and then hop over the NHL YouTube page and watch those or. They sound awesome. Okay.

[A]

We're all looking at the numbers. They actually are doing pretty decent compared to the rest of your videos. Yeah, thanks.

[C]

As crazy as that.

[A]

Like, your cow one has 60,000 views.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

And some of your other videos only have, like 2,000 views.

[B]

Yeah. Long form is hard.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

I know.

[D]

What I really want is I want to see Sam on a sub in Groton this year. That's really what I want. I want to see Sam riding on a nuclear submarine.

[E]

Sam on a sub.

[D]

Okay. Okay. That's what I want to say.

[B]

I'll see what I can do. But we've got two more coming up from the New Zealand trip.

[D]

Oh, really? Oh, sweet.

[B]

We went. We fought in the tournament there. Content. We. We filmed the whole thing. So. And he's still there. They're fun. Yeah, I'm still there. That's why we're still putting out videos from there.

[A]

He's in his hobbit hole. Can't you tell?

[C]

Okay, Tony, you're next.

[A]

All right. So I just got back from Ireland, and they have a lot of sheepdogs. So I actually watched your video about the Boston dynamic dog actually trying to herd sheep. And we've learned, apparently, that it's not a very good idea. I want to know what the dogs thought of the robotic dog.

[B]

They. They were curious and. And the, like, shepherds were like, oh, if we weren't here, the dogs would tear that thing apart. And I really. The dogs were like, a little wild. They were definitely a farm dog for sure. They. They spent a lot of time outside doing whatever they want, and then once they hear those whistles, they. They fall in line. But they were goofy dogs. I don't think they felt threatened in any way, shape, or form. And I don't even. I don't know. Like, some people are commenting that they're stealing the dog's jobs, but do dogs. Do dogs want to work? Like, yeah. Yes.

[A]

Believe it or not. Yes.

[D]

Like those dogs.

[A]

Yeah, like the one that we saw out there actually in Ireland doing it. Like, that dog enjoyed it. Like, you could tell, like, he was smiling. He was running everything else. Like, they actually really do want to work. Some dogs, yes, they want to lay around on the couch, but the working dogs, they want to work.

[B]

They're instinctually bound to chase sheep, I suppose sheep are instinctually bound to run away. So it's like a good dynamic. And that's part of the reason why the robot dog didn't work, because it's not dog like enough. It lacks the teeth and the bark and that other.

[C]

Yeah. So she kind of look at it and go, what is this? What are you doing?

[D]

Yeah, you could put a speaker on it and add a little bit of a woof to it.

[B]

Yeah. It talks every once in a while on its own. If it's stays idle for too long, it reminds you that it's here.

[C]

That sounds so lonely.

[B]

Next.

[A]

I swear I'm still here.

[C]

Okay, Thomas, your. Your secret question.

[E]

All right, Sam, you've got one month, a car that's not going to break down, and enough money to pay for gas. Where are you going?

[B]

One month. Oh, man. Okay. I would be able to drive there

[E]

or I guess take a ferry out with the boat, with the car.

[B]

Is it about the destination or the journey?

[E]

Destination and journey. You can go to one location multiple, but you have to drive because you drove for 48 hours straight.

[B]

I'm driving cross country. I'll hang out in California after the week of driving there.

[E]

Anywhere in particular?

[B]

Yeah, I'll. I'll hit up San Diego. And then if I. My car still works? I guess it still works. I could.

[E]

It's gonna keep working.

[B]

Yeah, we'll do it all. San Diego, California.

[E]

Hell, yeah.

[C]

So when I was. When I was graduating high school, I had grand Plans of doing that at one point. And I was looking up, like, how long it takes to go from Connecticut to California and like, where you can go and the best routes. And I had all these plans, which I don't know why I had. I had a POS Honda that wasn't actually mine. And I don't know why I had all these plans of driving across, but whatever. That's beside the point. But I wanted to go to California and I. That would be a really cool trip after looking into it a long time ago. But I agree with you, Sam. That would be a really cool trip to do as far as the road trip is concerned.

[A]

Highly suggest if you get the opportunity to drive cross country. This country is absolutely insanely beautiful and there's so many amazing things out there that you never see when you just fly over to places. So absolutely suggest always if you can drive cross country, take the trip and just drive.

[C]

The closest I ever got was driving from here to Chicago. And I remember at one point breaking out of the fields and. And having the lake. Whichever lake is right there. I forget which lake Chicago is on, but the lake just right there to my right for like an hour and a half, two hours. As you're driving that. That. That was an insane drive. So, yeah, I agree.

[A]

Once you get past the Mississippi, Pennsylvania doesn't seem so bad.

[C]

Well, that we drove. We drove from one side and I told Ashley, who lives in Pennsylvania now this. We drove from one side of Pennsylvania to the other. And it. We kept on asking ourselves over and over again, is Pennsylvania done yet? Are we done with this state yet? Because it's literally like six hours of just driving through one state and it gets to be a lot.

[A]

Yeah, I think North Dakota. Took me just over nine hours to go across North Dakota.

[C]

Yeah, it's insane. Okay, very cool. So that was Thomas's question. I have the last question in the five in focus. Um, mine is, Sam, being as close to the action as you are, is there a moment or fight that didn't get nearly as much attention as you think it deserved? And why did it stand out to you? And I'm sure there's probably a couple that come to mind that you wish that we had given more or production and given more attention to or that you thought deserved more attention than it got, but just like one or two that stand out to you that you think more people should watch or more people should have paid attention to.

[B]

I feel like if folks haven't seen it, they have to see synthesis versus booty brigade for sure. That is the most iconic fight that still gives me chills when I watch it, and I've watched it so many times and I know it got its. Its accolades. They had one fight of the year and it was in shorts and all that, but that fight is still so incredible. That is the best fight that we have ever had in that. In any of our cages.

[D]

Hell yes.

[C]

He got.

[D]

He.

[C]

He got close to almost topping that, I feel with this last. With his golden for synthesis 30. That, that fight, honey.

[B]

Fight. Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

No, the. The. Was it that. Yeah, the last fight that he had. The, the championship fight.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Aries.

[D]

Yes.

[C]

The Aries fight. Yes.

[B]

Oh, man. Oh, yes. From. Oh, that one was great. That was great. It was great. But I don't, I don't know. The two on one nature, the, the just dismantling of both those champions now. It. It's untoppable. The Synthesis V. Booty Brigade.

[D]

It's crazy that Booty Brigade was in the box, period. And if you continue the context of all, not even all day that day, if you go back to when Booty Brigade was initially like, announced to be a thing, like when it was come out and everybody went, are you kidding? That Booty Brigade is a real thing. Like, how is this possible? How is this allowed? What is going on? And then it started getting in the box and it started fighting and people, everybody that had to fight, it went, I don't want to fight that. That's. That's crazy. Why is that fighting? And then like, when we, when we get to that fight and you go to Corey loading into the box and everything like that, after this full day of everybody going, broody Brigade is this unbeatable? Like, they broke the rule. They broke the whole thing because they just went, oh, I could just put Lynx and Droopy in a box and then you can't beat me.

[C]

And we don't want to call it because they were, they were going by the letter.

[D]

They were within the rules. That's not what I'm saying that I, I. But like, if you put it in the context of how op that was. And then Corey gets into the box in that moment and with all that going behind him for the beginning of the day and gets in the box and absolutely destroys them. Not like, absolutely, like takes out links and Droopy is like off in a corner not being able to get anything. And then he takes down links, which is a thing in and of itself. And then he goes after Droopy and absolutely, like, makes Droopy look Like a. Like a beginner bot. Like he, like drew be looks like it can't hit at that point. It is nuts. I love that fight just as much. It is so good.

[C]

For me, I don't. The fight is amazing, but I think it's Cory's reaction after he wins that always gets me.

[B]

That's part of it.

[C]

That's part of it. Yeah. That's what I was guessing. Just fall into the floor like he did like it.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Yep.

[C]

No, I agree with you. That's. That's one. And I don't. If you're listening to this and you haven't watched that, I'm not sure why you haven't watched that. But like, there's shorts of it. There's. There's however way you want to watch it, reach out to Corey on Discord. I'm sure that he just sends you a file of it too. Like, however you get to watch it, make sure that every single person has watched that fight at least once, if not more than once.

[D]

With the past several podcasts that we've had, this podcast has just become a Corey Love podcast. Because we just talk about how much we love Corey always.

[C]

Every single podcast.

[B]

Well, it's hard not to.

[D]

Oh yeah, it is.

[C]

He was supposed to be on last episode and he had technical difficulties that made it so he wasn't able to. But yeah.

[D]

And then we spent the whole podcast hyping him up still, even if he wasn't there.

[F]

Just cause. Robotics revolutionized robot combat by bringing off the shelf hub motors to the world. Those designed to take any steel blade you want and slap them on a motor and be able to take the punishment and dish out some massive hits in combat. Now we bring you the modular hub motor drum system we call Scarab. Scarab is a 100mm wide, 65mm effective diameter drum with hardened S7 tool steel teeth. 2024 aluminum hub, fully modular with replaceable magnet rings that can be swapped out with two screws in seconds. This has been designed from the ground up to be the most modular and most repairable weapon system you'll ever find off the shelf. Check it out at justcuzzrobotics.com scarab that's J U S T C U Z robotics.com scarab buy your scarab today and get a free weapon lock tag with your order. Just make sure to add the tag to your cart and it should cost $0. Check it out at justcuzzrobotics.com s scarab or just google. Google S C A R A, B and just C U Z Robotics.

[C]

Hey everyone, you're already listening, so you know the fights don't end when the episode does. But the Havoc rundown now lives over@ Havocrund.com again. That's Havocrundown.com that's where we're posting Combat Robotics news news, hosting every episode of the show and running the largest Combat Robotics bot registry that's ever been put together. Stats, history, teams and results all built to grow alongside the sport. We're also curating fight videos, rolling out community games and dropping merch for anyone who wants to rep the chaos. And the 2026 fantasy league is live right now. You can create your own fantasy league for a full season or spin one up for a single day event. Draft robots track performance across events and compete in a way that actually fits how Combat Robotics is run. This year, our focus is the sport as a whole. If robots are fighting, it belongs in the conversation. All leagues, all formats, all rule sets. From local events to competitions around the world. We have got you covered. Thank you for listening everyone. Let's get you back to the episode and back to the chaos. Right now, The last thing that we need to get into to is we are going to see what our listeners have to say and go check our voicemail on the listener mobag. You've reached the voicemail of the HAVOC rundown. Please leave your message after the tone. So if you are listening to these questions and you have never submitted a question and you are listening to the podcast, make sure to go over to our Discord, which you can find at the top right of our website, havocrundown.com and go to the mailbag section and we'll announce whenever we're going to have a guest and you can throw a mailbag question that you want to ask that guest in and it'll be read on the air and answered. So, as usual, and we make fun of him when he's not first, Nick from Crafty Cat is the first one to ask a question here. And Nick says, sam, as a beloved evil henchman, you've done a lot of different things for nhrl. If there's one thing in the space you could do with no mind paid to the practicality or how good you'd be at it, what would you still want to try?

[B]

Oh, my goodness. I feel like I've been fortunate enough to like, really be able to dabble in all the things that interest me. Gosh, I guess like I've. I've held cameras and filmed. I've. I'VE run the sky cams before of designed kits. I've been in every type of video we do. I've gone on the TV interviews for the league. Like, is there. I'm going to have to invent a new thing that we do. And it'll be. I'm just going to start a side series of invitationals. The Evil Henchman Invitational Series, including the Steel Floor series, and I was about to say open and the Pocket Bot Battle. So I think that's. That's it. That's it. Side tournaments, big entry fee, no refunds. All goes into the. The. The prize pool. Volunteers only. No one's getting paid. That sort of thing.

[C]

You got to act like it's a secret. Like, Austin's not supposed to know that you're doing it. Like. Like bouncers at the door. Just, like, severely.

[B]

I'm not supposed to be doing it. It will be a secret.

[C]

I like that idea, though. That's very cool. And you know what? I think I don't. No matter where you put the cap on that, I. Builders would totally be into any of that. Like, you could turn around and tell builders, like. Like two months from now, we're having this one tournament with these very specific rules. And all the entry fees are going into a pot, and whoever wins gets it. There's going to be a handful of builders. Be like, okay, cool. I'm starting the CAD right now.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

You're always going to get builders that are like, new robot. I have to build a new robot for. Oh, dang. I have to build a new robot.

[D]

Sam, do battle boats.

[C]

Sam, please make it real battle boats back.

[B]

All right, you got it. I'll add it to the list. We've got like three or four now.

[C]

Austin's got an island now. There's no way that we can't do battle boats. He's got an island.

[B]

That event where they had the GoPart course set up, they also had a boat set up in the. In the sound with remote control boats.

[C]

Oh, there you go. See,

[B]

the seeds have been planted.

[C]

Okay, so I think this is kind of in the same vein that we were just talking about. But Tom Farkas says, think there's a chance we could see a battle tournament in the same format as robot or beetle tournament in the same format as Robot Rampage. So the New Zealand Robot Rampage.

[B]

Absolutely. In the Evil Henchman Invitational series, it's going to be a pocket bot battle, which means it's a three pound robot that is either zoomorphic or anthropomorphic. And it's kind of set up like a poke battle. You got your team of five. I guess we'll do five.

[C]

You have to be able to throw the robot into the arena. You can't just place it down like a Pokemon battle. You have to yell, I choose you, and throw the robot in. It just has to be ready to

[B]

go like a little Frisbee. We still have to figure it out, that whole part of it. But I wouldn't say there's never a chance that that format was cool and is cool. We liked it. Like the general NHRL consensus.

[A]

Corey seemed to really like it.

[C]

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He had nothing but very positive things to say about that format when we were interviewing him about it.

[B]

So he almost broke it a little bit.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

You, Corey? What the heck.

[B]

Yeah, Corey.

[C]

So, Will, why am I forgetting? I can't. Well, Marquez.

[D]

William Marchese Marquez.

[C]

Yes. Sorry, Will. I know I always get your name wrong. I'm sorry. He says. Hey, Sam. During your time in nhrl, how is the company's strategy towards content creation and presentation evolved? Is there a type of video or event you like to see the company produce, assuming proper time and money are available?

[B]

Yeah, it's. It's constantly evolving. Like it's a matter of experimenting and when you find success, you replicate it. And all while continuing to experiment. And so, like, somewhat recently we experimented with a different style of short form that really has popped off, and so we've been replicating that and now we're like experimenting more in our long forms and doing the wide net with the side quest stuff. And so it's constantly evolving and changing and I don't see that ever ending really. And as far as. More the type of video event that we'd like to produce or I'd like to see produced. Yeah.

[C]

Is there a type of video event you'd like to see the company produce, assuming proper time and money are available?

[B]

Yeah, I. I mean, I'm not trying to be selfish, but the side quest stuff was pretty enjoyable from my perspective and would be fun to replicate. But it's gotta be. It's gotta make sense. So in a world where it doesn't have to make sense, it's more that it's like going and experiencing the fighting robot scene around the world and like really establishing fighting robots as a global sport and not just something that's done in the States or in Norwalk or in schools or whatever, it's like, it's everywhere and the culture around it is. Is varied and. But always positive. And we certainly Experience that in New Zealand and it'd be great to experience it elsewhere. Very cool.

[C]

Um, so this is from Che. She actually asked two different questions. I'm going to ask two of them because I, I have a prediction on what your answer to the second one's going to be and I want to see if I'm right. But her first question is, what is something you're passionate about outside of the world of robotics that we likely aren't aware of?

[B]

Uh, I like foraging. Um, I got into to mushrooms specifically. Like my first wild caught mushroom was a lion's mane and, and that was on my very first foraging trip and I got hooked after that and, and I've got like a pretty good catch rate, I suppose with, with stuff. Since I moved to Connecticut, it's been harder in some departments, but easier in others. Like we're in the start of spring and so ramps are popping up and they are everywhere up here in Connecticut and they were tough to find down in Maryland, but I was finding lots of morels in Maryland and I haven't found one yet up here. So I'm still learning, learning the woods up here, but I enjoy it. It's like a treasure hunt mixed with hiking and that's a fun combo for my brain.

[C]

So we, we, my wife and I took a walk the other day. I think the, the trail was in Trumbull, but it was a trail through the woods and there was. The plants were coming up in the thousands along the entire path, like the three miles that we walked. And I had to look up what they were and they were ramps literally in the thousands of thousands of thousands along the entire path in the woods. So yeah, those aren't that hard to find in Connecticut.

[B]

They're not. But I'm still like Maryland, conserve your patch brained. Like I, I'm really gen to the patches like one leaf only and I never touched the bulbs but, but I don't know if that's as important up here.

[D]

I, I've also heard through your content that you're into fishing.

[B]

Yeah, I enjoy fishing. The fighting robot team that Colin and I are on were on. It's called Ball Hogs and it's, it's been a group of individuals that have done a multitude of things under the same banner. So it, it started out as a fixed gear freestyle crew. We rode bikes like track bikes doing tricks in Baltimore. And then we switched to Baltimore's number one urban fishing crew. Looks wise. And we, we would just fish in city rivers and in the inner harbor and See what we could pull out. And we also fight robots under that moniker.

[D]

That's awesome.

[C]

So her second question. I have a couple names that come up that I'm not sure who you'll say here, but who is someone behind the scenes at NHREL who you'd consider an unsung hero either because you love working with them or they kick ass in the world that isn't visible that you'd like to give a shout out to.

[B]

Is Danielle unsung enough? Y' all know who Danielle is?

[C]

I think a lot of builders.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Danielle is, is great and like such a positive force and we work together a lot on the content side of stuff. She does a lot of the filming and she laughs at every single slightly funny thing I say. And that is motivating. And without that, I don't know, I'd probably be like 20 take SAM instead of 17 take SAM. That's a pretty good nickname there. There's like everyone at NHRL does a zillion different things and, and I don't know if everyone knows but like I don't know everything that all my co workers do. And I'm sure that the builders have, have like no clue the extent of the stuff people are responsible for like Colby and Casper and Bruce. And we've got a new guy, Matt, who's been grinding and like helping out on button boxes and then cage screens. And Josh is amazing at doing all the in house drone work and he, he's the like specific housebot driver during prime time and he's, he's good and he also runs the robot driving experience during tournaments and that is a lot, a lot of work. You're dealing with kids constantly, but you're also dealing with robots that need batteries changing and also stuff fixed and we literally like let them fight each other. We have a battle hour for robot driving experience and so that's a lot on him and he always does it like a champion.

[C]

I was thinking like, like Brian. Like there was a couple names that

[B]

came up like, yeah, Aiden and Eamon and Colin. They're. They're on the eastern side of stuff and, and they like NHL wouldn't be the same without the eastern crew. And they're great. Like just this week Eamon was taught me how to use the powder coating rig that he built and now it's like shifting how we do trophies and a lot of different things. It really opened up a lot for us and, and like they just go hard all the time and are so helpful and like giving with Their skills, it's like incredible.

[C]

Okay, very cool. Alex who drives Cole on the Panda team says, hi, Sam, if Austin wrote you a blank check to build the craziest beetle weight possible, what would you build?

[B]

Oh, I'd build like a good spring loaded hammer robot. Like a good one. Not like all the ones I built before, but a good one. And I'm sure the issue is the amount of money that goes into it and not that it's uphill battle from the get go.

[C]

I like that answer. John who drives Hydrox says, hey, Sam, super serious and important question. When you're working late at night on a robot or project, what's your go to snack?

[B]

It's ice cream and it's Ben and Jerry's because it's ice cream and candy and that's it.

[C]

Okay, that's a good answer for me. Yeah, I like that. Nora, driver of under destruction says, what are some of the best bloopers behind the scenes stories you have from filming content for nhra?

[B]

My bloopers are usually just me saying the F word. But let's see, we were filming the, the most recent cold open, the fishing one and I, I definitely broke one of the rods, the line snapped and the robot that I was pulling up fell into the sound and it's there forever now.

[C]

Oh wow,

[A]

lobsters. Just driving the robot around.

[B]

Yeah, I'm gonna send a magnet out there eventually once I get over my, you know, my magnet issues.

[E]

Don't ask Sam about his magnet issues.

[C]

Yeah, I was gonna say magnet fishing is probably an answer for that. Rain, who is the driver of Happy Birthday, says if you had to draft a 312 and 30 for our fantasy league, who would, who would be your picks overall? Not just for me. I think Rain is trying to get, trying to get your advice on who to draft for the May event.

[B]

Hmm. Yeah. Overall, like not specific to the May event. I would probably run with a full Maryland crew. So probably Mars and impact at the three pound level and maybe buzz kill and Liam at 12 and Brandon and Phenomenon at 30. Just, just honoring my roots.

[C]

Yeah, makes sense.

[B]

And they're also like, they're really good too, so that helps.

[C]

Yeah, it does. That entire. Any rebuilder comes from Maryland, like Maryland turns out some really awesome robot builders, so.

[B]

And some mediocre one.

[E]

Yeah,

[D]

so.

[C]

So actually Danny says, hi, Sam, do you. How do you scratch the itch to build cool robots nowadays? I think more of the question is do you still build cool robots even though you're in like the social media side of things like because we saw you compete in, in New Zealand. Do you skill still scratch that itch to CAD and build robots and design stuff?

[B]

I, I do, yeah. Sometimes it's. It's like to fight at tournaments outside of nhrl. Guy did a G scroll at the end of last year and sometimes it's for videos. Stuff like Dreambots where we'll take a kid's drawing and turn it into a real fighting robot. And that's something that I'm, I'm actually currently working on. So the itch remains scratched. Oh yeah,

[C]

yeah. No, I know that you've competed a couple of times, but yeah, I think that was more. That used to be more on the building side and you're more social media. So what is it more? Yeah, you, you answered the question.

[B]

I just have to make it a video. If it's for work, like I can't.

[D]

There you go.

[B]

And at home I just make the time. I stay up late, I, I fill it excessively and I, I, you know, I make sure to take my cats to the point of breaking fusion and then I, that's how you know you're pretty much done.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

To be fair, we have seen your, your building area at not 50, at, at the other facility at 50 day. That facility is a dream roboteer facility. So I think anyone who has ever like wanted, built a robot and could walk in there. I mean, like I can imagine you can make a lot of dreams come true there as far as like robot design.

[B]

We got, we got a new building too. And that's where our massive fiber laser is set up and the talk and the sandblasting station and the powder coating setup. And that's also where the lifts are. If you got to do car stuff, you can do car stuff there too.

[D]

Oh my God.

[E]

That is a secret location we can't talk about.

[B]

They're all, all within blocks of each other. One block of each other.

[C]

So.

[D]

So what you're telling me is Austin is like Batman, but he doesn't go out and fight crime. He just like. Okay, just make, make things, please.

[B]

Yeah, I mean man, Man Racer, the, the power plant island project that he's a part of is, is doing. It's doing good stuff. I wouldn't say it's necessarily fighting crime in any way, shape or form, but it is transforming a defunct cool power plant into a public park that's free for everyone to use. So good. Good on them for that.

[D]

Yeah, yeah, it's super cool. I can't wait to see it finish. And Everything like that.

[B]

But it's, it's just like nhrl. It's like different every time I go there. There's constantly machines and new places and stuff missing or stuff that I've never seen before. It's pretty cool to see a project of that scale come together from. From nothing to, to where it is now. And I can't wait to see where it ends up.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

So Brian asked a funny question. I actually, I sent him a gift. I made fun of him before, but he says, hi, Sam. Is Hansen your real last name or a stage name? And I, I sent him the bop video from the Hansens. Cuz like, is this, is this what you're talking about? Is this what your question is?

[B]

I mean, it's one of those two for sure. It's either a real name or a stage name. I will say, when I was a child, I had that same exact name on the back of my soccer jersey. And I think the band Hanson was a bit more popular back then. And I was asked, are you part from the Hanson family?

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Yes I am.

[B]

Yes, I am. And you are you all, if someone asks if you're famous, like a famous person that you are, you will always say yes. Because what's, what's the worst that could happen?

[C]

Yeah, it's, it's like one of the Baldwins that people don't actually know about. Like one of those. He also said, what has been one of what has been your most unexpected surprise in the way things have gone in the robot community since taking the job at NHL? So one of the things that surprised you the most in the evolution of combat robotics since you took your henchman job?

[B]

Oh, well, prior to taking the henchman job, I was just, just like a builder, you know, I just like built robots and fought them at mostly Motorama and Franklin Institute. And so I never thought something like this would exist. And that was after going to the Lazy Toad Robot Club back in the day, like Fuzzy Maldwin's permanent fighting robot facility outside of Pittsburgh. So like I'd seen a permanent spot come and go rather swiftly. So I never thought something would come back and, and be so expansive and like. And the amount of new people that I've seen get into it, just like from TikTok and from Instagram, is not something that I'd experienced in the past either. So it's like cool new entry points to the sport of fighting robots that didn't exist. Like when my generation of builders got into it, we were every. Everyone watched BattleBots on TV everyone that's my age ish that, that fights robots is here from Comedy Central. And it's cool to see the new crop of folks coming in from, from something that like I have a part of. And beyond that, just like the bots themselves have only gotten gnarlier. Like I, the weapons are exceeding the armor, it seems like, and it's constantly pushing every little edge. And it's really cool to see people that have like honed one robot over so many years and the like ability to test and iterate from like monthly tournaments is, is really cool to see the effect that it has on the robots themselves. And I feel like you see it the most in 12s and 3s and, and they, they are some of the most dialed gnarly robots. The ones at the top of those classes are just, just figured out and, and the people that working, that work on them aren't done. And it's, it's cool to think how far it can get pushed in the future.

[C]

Okay, so I got two more left. Julian Papagian from Mako fame, of course, says, first off, how dare you not sure. He just loves starting things off with, with that kind of energy. Second off, second off. What's your all time favorite NHRL moment?

[B]

Maybe it was like Gremlin versus Mako.

[C]

I like that answer. I think we should just leave it at that.

[A]

Perfect answer for Julian.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Julian's new to being evil and I think, I think he'll, he'll figure it out eventually. I wish him the best.

[C]

He is listening to this right now. Furious. The la. The last question comes from someone that you know very well from Maryland. Bennett. Brandon Bennett Young says, how excited are you about the growth of Maryland Combat Robotics? And what's a class do you think needs more love or needs to be brought back?

[B]

I'm super stoked on the growth of Maryland Combat Robotics. And I only have a little bit of FOMO about it. Not being a Marylander as much anymore because I am a nut maker now. But it's, it's cool. It's cool. I like that what he's like established at UMD and seeing new, new faces under that banner. That's really cool. I like the like the Keziah side of stuff, the Black Cat Club presence in Maryland as well, and like the, the Honeycrack team as well. It's like Maryland's not that big of a state, but it has like individual scenes that are really powerful and it's, it's cool. It's cool. Also, baby shoes.

[E]

Baby shoes.

[D]

Hive Mania.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

Baby shoes.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay, very cool part.

[B]

Sorry. The class that needs to get brought back is none of them, I think. But I feel like he wants me to talk about the Mantis class.

[E]

Maybe Mantis.

[B]

Wait, because we both fought in that back at PA Bot Blast. And. And it was fun, but I don't know. Just, I don't know. Six pounders. Who wants to fight six pounders? Just make a true Walker.

[C]

Well, there you go, Brandon. So before we close out for tonight, let us stop off and see what Tony has as far as updates to our media package and our website. So, Tony, what do you want to tell our listeners about what we have going on?

[A]

All right, so on the website, we have merch, we now have a store. So hop over on the website, check out our store. Buy a T shirt, Buy a hat. Buy a water bottle. Rep Havok rundown.

[E]

Buy baby shoes memorabilia.

[A]

Exactly. On our YouTube page, we've got our Havoc TV coming out every Monday. Now. It's an amazing throwback to that old school robotics. We have our bot of the day. So if you have a suggestion for bot of the day, send it over and we'll feature that bot. And every one of our podcasts have now been uploaded to YouTube. So instead of hopping over to Spotify, which I know we all love, throw on YouTube and just stream through every one of our podcasts from episode one on. Maybe pay special attention to episode three where we interviewed Sam for the first time. And I think that's it for the day.

[C]

Okay, very cool. So that's going to do it for this episode. Have a rundown. Huge thanks to Sam for coming back on and giving us a look at everything happening at NHRL and everything that is being built towards the pro league and everything that's happened with his, his position, where he is now from where he was the first time we interviewed him. It's honestly wild to see how far things have come since the last time we had you on, which was again December of 2023. Before we wrap, we've got to talk about something generally caught us off guard in the best way. Got that? If you're a builder, especially someone traveling to NHL, you know the pain you need to cut a part, cut something breaks or you want to make a last minute adjustment and suddenly you're scrambling. That's where custom fabrication accelerant comes in. These guys are a CNC laser cutting shop out of Melford, Connecticut and they are fast. We're talking about same day turnaround parts done a matter of hours, not days. On top of that, their pricing is extremely reasonable, especially for the kind of speed they're delivering. But here's the part that makes it really interesting. They're only about 30 minutes from NH Rail. That means you can travel 30 minutes. That means if you're traveling from out of state, you can literally have parts cut ahead of time, show up, pick them up and head straight to an event. No shipping delays, no guessing, no last minute panic. If one of those things where once you realize this is an option, it's kind of changes how you think about prep entirely. So if you're competing or even building and want a reliable place to get parts made quickly, definitely check them out@cfa laser.com so before we get out of here, make sure to check our website for everything. Have a rundown. That's where you'll find out about updates.

[E]

They're also usually a bit cheaper than Sun Cut send. They've got AR500 and they're also really cool. So if they start getting a whole bunch of like radio or radio robot materials getting cut, they'll probably stock more of them. So give them a try. I don't think we're actually sponsored or anything, but we are not.

[C]

That's why I wasn't trying to go into much detail.

[E]

No, no, but, but, but if you do order from them, just put somewhere in the comments or notes that the Havok rundown sent you and maybe we can get a sponsorship. When they're like, oh wow, we just got like 30 orders of things that look really, really dangerous. I don't know if we should be cutting this. Let them know.

[D]

I was talking to one of the guys that works there today and I was like, you might see some weird things that are just sharp and pointy and odd ways. It's kind of a robotic stuff. Don't worry about it, just cut it, it's fine.

[C]

They also have a 20% off. They also have a 20% off your first order. So if you go to their website you can get 20% off your first order.

[B]

So.

[C]

But yeah it is, is so it is a. An amazing company that we are working on, you know helping up and trying to get them more combo robotics business. So, so make sure also the social media so you don't miss any new episodes, clips or announcements. Go to our website, go to our new merch store. Every single purchase really does help us keep this show going and continue to grow. We're building here. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your team, your friends, your local builders, anyone who loves the sport as much as we do. And again, Sam, thank you so much for coming on. We always love talking to you. You're an amazing person to talk to. It was an amazing episode. So thank you very much for coming on and talking to us.

[B]

Yeah, thank you so much for having me back. Good luck, everyone, with your fantasy teams, and I'll see everyone on May 2nd. See you soon.

[C]

Awesome. And with that, we will all see you next time. Keep the bot spinning. Everyone, say goodbye to our listeners.

[E]

Bye.

[C]

Goodbye.

[B]

Goodbye to our listeners.