The Havoc Rundown

04/03/2025

By popular demand our newest episode is dropping early!!!!

In this special episode of Havoc Rundown, the crew welcomes an all-star lineup from the MIT Combat Robotics Club ahead of the April NHRL event. From bold design philosophies to open-source accessibility, this conversation dives into what it takes to build competitive bots under pressure—while juggling coursework, team dynamics, and the love of the sport.
Each builder brings their own unique flavor to the fight, and you’ll get an inside look at six exciting bots being prepped for the arena. Plus, things get competitive in our Game Corner with a round of Name That Bot, putting the MIT crew’s trivia skills to the test.
If you’re into design innovation, builder culture, or just love a good rivalry, this episode’s got something for you.
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:tada: Special Thanks To Our Guests from the MIT Combat Robotics Club
Huge thanks to the brilliant MIT team for joining us and sharing their builds:
• Ryan Duarte – Budgetboi, an open-source 12lb bot designed for maximum accessibility
• Abi Dixon – Killer Queen, a striking new contender with creative weapon architecture
• Anhad Sawhney – Kratos, featuring a custom axial flux motor for peak performance
• Miles Roper – Traiano, a hammer saw bot built with precision and power
• Tom Nguyen – Marshmallow, returning with smart design and tactical flexibility
• Carlos Lopez – Underdawg, a bot with heart, grit, and sharp engineering instincts
We loved having you all on the show—good luck in April!
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:link: Follow Us & Join the Community!
Stay locked in with everything Havoc Rundown—from fantasy league updates to bot breakdowns:
:calling: https://linktr.ee/havocrundown
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:notes: Music Credits
This episode features royalty-free tracks from Artlist:
• Paving the Way by Danny Shields
• Hands Held High by Aves
• Pine by Joley

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/justin-hunter2/episodes/Robotics-401-Advanced-Combat-Skills-Ft-The-MIT-Combat-Robotics-Club-e312t8a

In this special episode of Havoc Rundown, the crew welcomes an all-star lineup from the MIT Combat Robotics Club ahead of the April NHRL event. From bold design philosophies to open-source accessibility, this conversation dives into what it takes to build competitive bots under pressure—while jugg...

02/16/2025

The gang is almost all here at Motorama we have been fighting, announcing and judging since yesterday! Check out the rest of the stream and you can hear some commentary from Ryan and Justin and you might catch glimpses of Thomas and Ashley as fights happen in the small and large cage!

02/13/2025

New Episode Alert!!

We're back with another action-packed episode of Havoc Rundown! This time, we’re breaking down all the chaos from the February 1st NHRL event—which bots dominated, which fell short, and how it all shook up the Havoc Rundown Fantasy League.
But that’s not all—we have a special guest joining us! Aidan Reichenberg, the first-ever fantasy league event winner, stops by to discuss his draft strategy, his biggest takeaways from February, and how he plans to approach future drafts. We also preview Motorama, our standalone mini-league, and what to expect from this high-energy event.

🎉 Congrats to - Radix, Radon !
A huge congratulations to Aidan for winning February’s fantasy event! His strategic picks and well-calculated draft decisions earned him the top spot. Thanks for coming on the show, Aidan, and best of luck in the next round!

🔗 Stay Connected & Support Us!
Follow us on all our socials, check out our merch, and stay up to date with everything Havoc Rundown through our Linktree:
👉 https://linktr.ee/havocrundown

🎵 Background Music
This episode features music by:
🎶 Traffic Jams – Aves
🎶 Forgotten Dreams – Aves
🎶 Sunset – Ben Hendler

Thanks for tuning in, and as always—keep the bots spinning and the draft picks winning!
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/justin-hunter2/episodes/Bots--Brackets--Bold-Picks-How-Aidan-Took-the-Win-in-February-e2ur0ud

We're back with another action-packed episode ofHavoc Rundown! This time, we’re breaking down all the chaos from theFebruary 1st NHRL event—which bots dominated, which fell short, and how it all shook up theHavoc Rundown Fantasy League.But that’s not all—we have aspecial guest joining us!Aid...

02/01/2025

These are the team rosters for tomorrow's tournament! Who are you rooting for?

01/24/2025

In this episode, we kick off 2025 with a bang as we welcome Glenn Boxell, an incredible builder and the creative force behind the competitive bots Caldera and Caldera 12. We delve into Glenn’s journey through combat robotics, discussing his early inspirations, the challenges he’s faced as a builder, and his approach to designing bots that stand out in the arena. Glenn shares fascinating insights into the strategies and innovations that have helped him succeed, offering advice for aspiring builders and fans alike.
We also dive into the action from the Havoc Rundown Fantasy League Draft for the February 1st NHRL event. With 27 participants drafting bots across Beetleweight, Hobbyweight, and Featherweight classes, we break down the standout picks, the surprise draft strategies, and the competitive energy shaping this inaugural season. Whether you’re a league participant or just curious about the fantasy league format, you’ll love hearing about the drama and excitement of the draft.
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/justin-hunter2/episodes/NHRL-February-Preview-Glenn-Boxell-Talks-Bots--Drafts--and-Competition-e2tudid
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A Special Thanks to Glenn Boxell
We want to extend a huge thank you to Glenn Boxell for joining us on this episode. His passion for combat robotics and his openness in sharing his journey inspire us and countless others in the community. Glenn, it was an absolute pleasure having you on, and we can’t wait to see what you achieve in the arena this year!
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Background Music
This episode features the tracks Coffee Shop by Aves and Sunchilling by Vicate. Their music perfectly complements our conversations, adding a relaxed and engaging vibe to the episode. Be sure to check out these amazing artists for more great music!
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Stay Connected
Want to stay updated on the Havoc Rundown Fantasy League and all things NHRL? Join us on Discord and explore more at our Linktree! (https://linktr.ee/havocrundown)
You’ll find everything from event updates to in-depth coverage of the league and beyond.

In this episode, we kick off 2025 with a bang as we welcome Glenn Boxell, an incredible builder and the creative force behind the competitive bots Caldera and Caldera 12. We delve into Glenn’s journey through combat robotics, discussing his early inspirations, the challenges he’s faced as a buil...

10/10/2024

Havoc Rundown Shirts and Hoodies available now!!

Buy HAVOC RUNDOWN TEE merchandise from The Havoc Rundown. Featuring Dark Heather Grey Premium Unisex Tees, professionally printed in the USA.

09/20/2024

Couldn’t wait until 12 so here is our new episode featuring International Superstar Tony Clifton!!

In this exciting episode, we are joined by international superstar Tony Clifton for a lively discussion blending music and the world of robot combat. We dive into Tony's musical journey, including his chart-topping hit "I Hate Frank," inspired by a rival robot, and explore recent events in at NHRL. We ask Tony some important fan questions, we have fun segments like "Name That Bot," and dive into some insights into building robots, including Mr. Roper's underdog story and the birth of Sparky. We also discuss the importance of personas in robotics, showmanship, and the camaraderie that defines the NHRL community. Whether you're a fan of music, robot combat, or both, this episode offers a unique blend of entertainment, creativity, and innovation.

In this exciting episode, we are joined by international superstar Tony Clifton for a lively discussion blending music and the world of robot combat. We dive into Tony's musical journey, including his chart-topping hit "I Hate Frank," inspired by a rival robot, and explore recent events in at NHRL.....

08/23/2024

New Episode Alert!

In this exciting episode, we sit down with Kevin Biagini and Ariel Smith, the brilliant minds behind Team Pandamonium, one of the most formidable combat robotics teams competing at the NHRL. Join us as Kevin and Ariel share the origin story of Team Pandamonium, revealing the inspiration behind their unique name and how their passion for robotics brought them together.

We dive into their thrilling victory in the beetleweight division at the Teams Event, where they earned the coveted Golden Dumpster trophy. The duo also takes us behind the scenes, explaining the intriguing process of building a robot using black powder, a technique we are sure the fire marshals at NHRL are going to love. Finally, we explore what the future holds for Team Pandamonium as they continue to innovate and dominate the world of combat robotics.

Don't miss this deep dive into the world of robot combat with two of the most creative and determined builders in the field!

Special Thanks to:
Ariel Smith & Kevin Biagini

In this exciting episode, we sit down with Kevin Biagini and Ariel Smith, the brilliant minds behind Team Pandamonium, one of the most formidable combat robotics teams competing at the NHRL. Join us as Kevin and Ariel share the origin story of Team Pandamonium, revealing the inspiration behind their...

08/22/2024

Stay tuned tomorrow for a very exciting episode feautirng Kevin Biagini and Ariel Smith from Team Pandemonium!

07/30/2024

Our patreon is now officially live and has its first post for free. Check it out now to grab a full transcript from our interview with Kelly.

Patreon is empowering a new generation of creators. Support and engage with artists and creators as they live out their passions!

07/04/2024

We are back and this time we are talking to mad cat themed robot building genius himself Tom Farkas!! We get to know this fan favorite builder a little better and find out some of his favorite moments from the June NHRL event. Every wanted to know what got Tom into combat robotics? What about why the robot Death Muffin is called that or what it was like building gigapaws. More importantly what is in the future for Paws and Frank?? Find out all of this and more on this episode of The Havoc Rundown!

We are back and this time we are talking to mad cat themed robot building genius himself Tom Farkas!! We get to know this fan favorite builder a little better and find out some of his favorite moments from the June NHRL event. Every wanted to know what got Tom into combat robotics? What about why th...

01/09/2024

New Episode Alert!!

We have arrived in a new year of robot combat and we are looking forward into what the year 2024 has to offer. To help us do that we have one of the masterminds behind every NHRL event Jimmy Gibson! Have you ever wondered what running a PGA tour is like, what goes into making sure an event goes smoothly or what kind of robot Jimmy would love to be able to make. Come hang out with us while we talk to Jimmy about what its like running operations as well as what to expect this coming year.

We have arrived in a new year of robot combat and we are looking forward into what the year 2024 has to offer. To help us do that we have one of the masterminds behind every NHRL event Jimmy Gibson! Have you ever wondered what running a PGA tour is like, what goes into making sure an event goes smoo...

01/08/2024

Next time on Havoc Rundown! We interviewed the amazing Jimmy Gibson who runs tournament operations at NHRL. What kind of events did he run before he came to nhrl? What's it like planning, running and cleaning up after events? Find out this and more tomorrow with our latest episode!

12/20/2023

No new episode this week as we all enjoy the holidays but we will be back in the beginning of January!!