I started programming in late 2001, it was November IIRC. My
first attepmts were not worth mentioning even on such modest
webpage - I've made a simple paper, named Rustle, which was based
on paper01 by Beppe; after that I've shamelessy taken Gunnell's
Hazy Lazy and spoiled it - the original was (in the time I started
the game) in the top three while Deep Freeze X flowed on the bottom
of hill for most of time, only once it reached 10th place. It
perished being 199 of age.
My first really succesful warrior was Vanquisher - a stun bomber
with double d-clear. I don't know whether double d-clear was really
innovative attempt but I was quite proud of it.
Vanquisher main strength was hidden in forementioned d-clears and implemented airbag. D-clears gave the edge against stone/imps. Airbag was supposed to help it survive hit with single dat bomb. I've never checked whether it really worked but Vanquisher was pretty succesful and have conquered the hill being the KotH for some time.
Very succesful combo: stone and paper. A simple, 8-process paper, with a agressive stone, based on Spooky Wench by Metcalf. Though it hasn't survived for long it was pretty good warrior. Now I think it is not that competetive I expected it to be. Still, this is very elegant piece of code (not very modest, no? :-).
My very first stone/imp. For some time it was the combo I hated the most (the time I started the game Janeczek's Quicksilver was on the top and it beated every "warrior" I made that times) but somehow I put so much heart into programming this particular warrior I still think this one of best things I've ever made. Stone is one of the best one can see - it kills all scanner I know. It was combined with very heavy imps - it resulted in quite good stone/imp: not so susceptible to paper and still very effective against scanners.
Stone/paper. Candy-like stone with different constants and
simple 8-process paper. Together with John Metcalf I tried to
program the best stone/paper ever. Unmodestly I think that we
achieved the goal, at least partially. First of all: it is first
warrior I've ever (co)-made that reached four digit age (I always
strive for longevity). Secondly: hardly anything can beat it.
Recently few papers that win battles against it were submited to
hills. But scanners (and even oneshots) hardly ever hurt it.
Thirdly: it is ATM (17th of Aug) KotH of infinite Birk's hill.
What can I say? I love Reepicheep. It will be sad day when it
perishes (I hope this day will never come :-).
Sidenote: it perished, sad, but unavoidable and meets sooner or
later any warrior.
Return of Vanquisher was heavily based on Janeczek's Behemot.
Namely: this looks like Behemot with double clear. It was written
from scratch, after I've finished it I realised that it looks more
or less as Behemot. Basically, it is stunning vampire with two
independent d-clears and implemented airbag. Very nice combination,
not as deadly as I expected it to be but ATM (17th of Aug) it is
620 of age and still is clinged to first 5 places. Nice, ain't
it?
Sidenote: Return of Vanquisher was accidentaly killed with
unfortunate ;kill line :-( I submitted improved version called
Preserver but it didn't last that long.