Big Nipper

Big Nipper was a competitor robot in Series 5 and 7 of Robot Wars. It was a flat, grey box robot with a unique lifting arm as its primary weapon. Mounted on the lifting arm was a pair of crushing claws, making it resemble a stag beetle. "Our weapon system is not so simple to explain but it is basically a very large lifter with a crusher mounted on it."

- Mark Lumb

The lifter is a unique weapon, capable of lifting 200kg. Due to the weight distribution, Big Nipper usually lifted its own back end up as well, but this had the added advantage of placing all the weight on the front wheels which gave it a huge amount of grip to push the opponent where the team directed it. Interchangeable motors meant that the crusher and lifter could be used only one at a time. Although never tested, it is estimated that the crusher had 1.5 tonnes of pressure.

Big Nipper lost in the first round to Razer in Series 5, but made the Heat Final of Series 7, losing to The Grim Reaper on a judges' decision.

Although keeping the same shape as Series 7, Big Nipper underwent a series of internal changes to the wheels, motor and armour. It utilised the same motors as Razer, and during a change to the magmotor, the team replaced the top armour with thicker titanium to protect from machines like Terrorhurtz and Tiberius.

With these changes, Big Nipper managed to win several smaller competitions, but notably it managed to defeat Terrorhurtz in the final of the Fighting Robots Association UK Championships hosted by Roaming Robots in 2007. It also finished 3rd in the 2004, 2006 & 2008 UK Championships. The team also compete with 3 featherweight robots today, known as Little Hitter armed with an axe (which was formly known as Blue) that won the 2004 UK Championships, Little Spinner armed with a full-body spinner and Little Flipper which won the recent UK Championships

Big Nipper received an Honourable Mention in The Combat Robot Hall of Fame in 2007.

This robot was not related to antweight Little Nipper.

Series 5
Big Nipper was given a very unlucky draw in Series 5, coming up against the 4th seeds Razer in the first round of the heat. However, Big Nipper started better, driving up Razer's scoop and breaking one of the self-righting wings. Unfortunately, Big Nipper couldn't evade Razer for long and Razer quickly got it's beak through the top of Big Nipper. Big Nipper escaped, but was quickly caught again and lifted into the air. Razer dropped Big Nipper over the flame pit, and bending one of Big Nipper's claws out of place. Razer pushed Big Nipper into Shunt's CPZ, where the house robot axed the top of Big Nipper, immobilising it completely. The Refbot then counted Big Nipper out, eliminating it from the competition.

Series 7
Big Nipper returned for Series 7 with a thicker body. In its first melee, it was against The Grim Reaper, Kan Opener and Barbaric Response. Barbaric Response began by rushing in and tossing Big Nipper across the arena slightly. The Grim Reaper then came in also flipped Big Nipper, but the invertible machine ran back into the action. Big Nipper raised The Grim Reaper onto an angle grinder, before assailing Barbaric Response unsuccessfully. The Grim Reaper and Big Nipper continued their duel until cease was called, with all four robots still mobile. The judges then decided to put Big Nipper through to the second round of the heat along with The Grim Reaper. Big Nipper shunted the powerful flail robot Jackson Wallop in the next round, advantaged by its low height, allowing it to dodge the flail. Big Nipper destroyed a tire on Jackson Wallop and pushed it into Dead Metal's CPZ, who pitted it, putting Big Nipper through to the next round. In the heat final, Big Nipper met The Grim Reaper once more, with each robot flipping the other with its weapon, and another judges decision resulted for the two machines. Big Nipper was judged to have performed worse than The Grim Reaper, and it was eliminated from the competition.

Results

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Wins/Losses

 * Wins: 2
 * Losses: 2

Series Record

 * Series 1-4: Did not enter
 * Series 5: Heat, Round 1
 * Series 6: Did not enter
 * Series 7: Heat Final