S3E18: Building Texas Robot Combat with Peter Garnache

<p>This week on <strong>The Havoc Rundown</strong>, we sit down with <strong>Peter Garnache</strong> to talk about the resurgence and rapid growth of <strong>Texas Robot Combat</strong>, how TRC has developed into a major regional hub for builders, and what goes into creating events that can serve everyone from first-time competitors to experienced builders chasing bigger stages.</p><p>We get into TRC’s return after the pandemic, its relationship with REV Robotics, the growth from smaller one-pound events into larger competitions featuring beetleweights, Test &amp; Tune events, and the organization’s expanding connection to national competition through partnerships like the <strong>NHRL XP program</strong>.</p><p>From there, we dig into Peter’s own path through combat robotics. He talks about building and competing, helping revive the Texas scene, competing at NHRL and internationally, and the different builder cultures and robot archetypes he has seen from region to region. Peter’s experience stretches across just about every side of the sport, including organizing events, engineering, BattleBots, and championship-level competition.</p><p>We also spend time on <strong>Repeat Robotics</strong>, the company Peter founded to turn lessons learned in the pits into motors, electronics, kits, and other components for builders. We talk about product development, the new Open PLANT platform, where Repeat could go next, and the challenge of making products that are both useful to experienced competitors and approachable for people building their first robot. </p><p>And, of course, we wrap things up with listener questions covering TRC’s future, Repeat Robotics products, bigger robot components, regional combat robotics culture, and some wonderfully important questions about Peter’s height.</p><p><strong>Learn more about Texas Robot Combat:</strong><br><a href="https://texasrobotcombat.com/">https://texasrobotcombat.com/</a></p><p><strong>Check out Repeat Robotics:</strong><br><a href="https://repeat-robotics.com/">https://repeat-robotics.com/</a></p><p><strong>The Havoc Rundown:</strong><br><a href="https://havocrundown.com">https://havocrundown.com</a></p><p>Follow the show, join our Discord, and keep up with future interviews and everything happening around the combat robotics community.</p><p></p>