Motorcycle pitfights!
A lot of fics tend to depict gladiators as big mecha. Even when the gladiators in question are spindly, they tend to be tall and heavily armoured. Gladiatorial area’s tend to look like the classic roman Coliseum, with seating circling around the combat area in the middle, with a VIP box in the place with the best visibility.
Then, I happened to see this gif of six motorcycles driving around in a small orb-cage, seemingly defying gravity; https://imgur.com/gallery/B3fFO0g A moment later, I saw this gif of this monster truck ‘Grave Digger’ performing a backflip; https://imgur.com/gallery/Ipsu8VM It immediately got me thinking about ALT-MODE related pit fighting, and alt-mode related showmanship. Monster trucks, aerial jousting, bumpercars, motorcycle cage fights - Why not? (Warning, this could get long! For anyone on desktop, Press J for the next post.)
Motorcycle cage fights
With a cage as the one in the gif, motorbikes have a vast advantage over tanks, cars, flyers, and heli’s. I imagine it could be the bloodsport of a specific city or colony, one where most bots have a motorcycle alt mode. Polyhex, to me, seems like a place with lots of small alleyways and tightly packed buildings - maybe most Polyhexians have a motorcycle alt mode to get around easier in these cramped alleyways. Light armour becomes a must, since you need to have just the right amount of mass to be able to drive up the sides of the cage without expending too much energy. Specialty matches could add rules such as; “Nobody may stand still” or “Only wheels may touch the cage” to spice things up. Collission matches would consist of motorcycles trying to control how they crash into one another to stay standing while the other bites the dust. Monstertrucks
I imagine that the Monstertrucks are considered to be the ‘bodybuilder beefcakes’ of Cybertron, with some mud-wrestling thrown in for good measure. They are all about the delicate balance of looking completely decked out in heavy armour, while having the system specs to back it up. I imagine this entertainment is popular in Iacon, where bloodsports are frowned upon, and the ‘combat’ consists mostly of wrestling and choreographed hand-to-hand combat. For variety there are several different competitions that add an entertaining factor to the wrestling, such as the mud-pit Cup, the Oil’d-up Cup, and the Slip-up Cup. Monstertrucks are celebrities with brand deals and sponsorships, and they are expected to undergo many reformats and rebuilds to keep up with current trends. They often earn side money by modeling and appearing in advertisements. Bumpercars
This sport, popular in Nyon, is incredibly dangerous and generally regarded as an inferior form of entertainment. It is also incredibly illegal. Mechs of any size, shape and background can sign up to join in one of the skirmishes, after which they will all be dropped into a locked cage that will only open once there is only one car still capable of driving. Transforming to bot mode gets you disqualified, and most likely run over. Mecha bet on the outcome, and the winner of the competition will receive 40% of all the money that was bet on the match. Oftentimes, injuries are so severe in this form of combat that the winnings are spent on repairs, or given to the winner’s next of kin after their offlining. Bumpercars is seen by many as a way to make it big, and modding oneself to stand a higher chance at winning is frowned upon. It’s not unheard of that fighters will band together to ram a tank or truck to get them out of the competition, so that a street-rat speedster may win instead. Aerial Jousting
Of course the seeker’s of Vos would have the most ‘refined’ form of gladiatorial combat. Aerial jousting is a sport rife with rules. Two jets hover at a precise distance from one another, with a sharpened jouster-stick added to their frame. Mecha may choose where to attach the jouster, but oftentimes mecha pick one of three spots - Cockpit, outer left wing, or outer right wing. Depending on the version of the game played, each Jet will be outfitted with one or several ‘goal’ stickers, where the opponent must strike them to earn points. Again depending on which version of the game is played, they fly towards one another in a straight line, and must attempt to hit their opponent’s target without being hit themselves. Additional points are awarded for style, skill, and for which fighter moves last/first (depending on game version). As you know by now, there are several different ‘versions’ of the sport that can be played, all of which carry a different amount of risk, and are favourited by different castes within Vos.
Primus-May-Watch style, also known as PMW jousting; The most dangerous version, outlawed in Vos. Jousting sticks are made out of weapon-grade metal and sharpened. Goal-stickers are applied above the spark chamber, brain module, and T-cog. Extra points are awarded for slashing the opponent with the jousting stick during evasions. Popular outside of Vos, often thought to have been introduced by Professional Jousters that fled Vos after killing an opponent in the official circuit.
Professional jousting; The most regulated and official version. Jousting sticks are blunted and made with metal that crumples before it can pierce armour - before a match they are covered in a specialised colour dust that shows where strikes have landed . Goal stickers are not applied. Points are deducted for transforming, and hitting the helm, T-cog panel, or spark plating. Every mech that practises this version in an official manner must don a bright white or silver finish. While this sport is very popular in Vos, it is considered extremely snobbish and elitist by other countries Youngling jousting: The most laid back and risk-free of all the versions. Speed is limited to cruising-pace or lower, and instead of a foam pit underneath the combat area, opponents must wear a thick foam armour. The Jousting stick is made of a flexible plastic, and does not leave visible markers when it has struck someone. Goal stickers are often applied to random places to encourage fun and control over the jousting stick. Many young mecha wear them as decoration. The Jousting stick may be applied anywhere, and transforming/flying in bot mode is allowed for evasions.
Got any more ideas of Cybertronian Alt-mode bloodsports/sports? I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it!
