Bernard was a robot that was entered into Featherweight Championships of Extreme 2 and Series 7. Bernard was one of the most successful featherweights, as it performed well in both series it competed in, reaching the final each time.
Design[]
It was a wedge shaped robot with a small circular saw on it, but almost never used its weapon, preferring to ram or attack by 'spinning madly', as Jonathan Pearce put it. Bernard was invertible, and its name was written on the side of the machine in Extreme 2, but used more protected sides in Series 7. Its aerial was highly exposed in both series, although Bernard did not break down in any of its four fights.
Robot History[]
Extreme 2[]
In its first fight, Bernard faced AM CVn, Argh!, Gi-Ant-O, Katnip and walkerbot Neoteric. At the start of the fight, Bernard was attacked by Katnip, but it slipped away and activated the pit, which almost led to the pittings of Eddy Evolution and Argh!. Bernard then went after Neoteric, but was hit by the walker's large vertical blade from the side, spinning it away and up in the air slightly. Bernard showed good speed as it rammed into Katnip and Argh! in succession, before later ramming into Neoteric's side, the latter having already knocked out AM CVn and Gi-Ant-O by this stage.
- "Argh! and Katnip pressurised Neoteric, causing damage. It was to be essential, as Bernard came in to finish them off."
- — Jonathan Pearce
This attack from Bernard was one of several factors leading to Neoteric's severely impaired mobility later on in the fight; Bernard then continued to clash with Katnip and Argh! in the centre of the arena, managing to get round the former's side and shoving it in a circle before cease was called. Bernard qualified for the final, alongside Argh! and Katnip, since Eddy Evolution had pitted itself earlier on in the battle.
In the final, Bernard fought Argh! and Katnip again, as well as Cutlet, Gladiator and Micro Mute. Bernard stayed out of the action in the early stages, spinning on the spot until Argh! bashed into it with its vertical disc. It began to spin up again though, deflecting Cutlet away, before Argh! drove up Bernard's wedge and cut into it slightly with the bottom of its disc.
- "Bernard spinning madly in the centre of the arena!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
After retreating away from Argh!, Bernard resumed its spinning once more, deflecting Gladiator away this time, while Micro Mute spun on the spot next to it and knocked a wheel off Katnip. Bernard then nudged into Micro Mute near the Floor Spinner, but Micro Mute sped away from it before Bernard could do anything else. After attempting to push Gladiator from the side, Bernard chased after Argh!, but its opponent spun away after driving over the Floor Spinner. Shortly after this, Bernard was itself attacked by Argh!, who used its rear wedge to breach Bernard's front ground clearance and shove it onto the edge of the pit.
- "Who will win this featherweight rampage? Don't think it'll be Bernard! Ooh, right on the edge! What can they do here?"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Bernard remained there until the end of the battle, beached as a result of its wheels being above the pit. The fight went to a judges' decision since Bernard, alongside the immobile Gladiator, Cutlet and Micro Mute, had not been counted out; Argh! was unanimously awarded the victory, and the Featherweight Championship, by the Judges.
Series 7[]
Bernard returned for Series 7, where it fought Cutlet again, as well as Alienator, DTK, walkerbot Mammoth, Staglet and Typhoon Cadet. DTK flipped Bernard over straight away, before the Tenbury machine received a hit to the front. Bernard then challenged Typhoon Cadet, but it was spun away by a hit from the full-body spinner. After clashing briefly with Staglet, Bernard rammed head-on into Mammoth and just avoided a flip from DTK. It attacked Mammoth again, this time charging into its side and causing no damage, before ramming into Alienator as it clashed with Cutlet. Bernard then shoved Cutlet away from Alienator, who proceeded to charge straight into the pit release button, temporarily immobilising itself.
- "Good push by Bernard."
- — Jonathan Pearce after its attack on Alienator and Cutlet
Darting away, Bernard began to spin on the spot on the far side of the arena, but when no one approached it, Bernard returned to the action, nudging into DTK's side as its opponent attacked Staglet. Bernard became beached on Staglet in the centre of the arena, but the two were separated when DTK came in for an attack. DTK then flipped Mammoth over by the Drop Zone, and Bernard began to spin wildly next to the overturned walker, although it stopped shortly afterwards again. While Alienator came back to life after almost being counted out, Bernard slid up DTK's front, but slipped off again just before DTK could flip it.
- "I tell you what, impressive so far has been Bernard, on a very quiet scale."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Bernard almost drove into the back of Refbot while it counted out Typhoon Cadet, and then dodged an attack from Alienator. Mammoth was later counted out too, and Bernard was flipped over by DTK just as a cooker was dropped on the walker. Mammoth was later pitted by Sir Killalot, and when the House Robot moved to pit Typhoon Cadet shortly afterwards, Bernard attacked it from behind in an attempt to pit it.
- "HE'S PUSHING SIR KILLALOT! Bernard was trying to push Sir Killalot into the pit! That's like an ant pushing an elephant!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
Bernard survived to a Judges' Decision alongside Alienator and DTK, and the Judges decided that Bernard had done enough to qualify for the final again, with DTK also being sent through.
- Jayne Middlemiss: "What does Bernard do?"
- Tim Jones: "Bernard's a saw."
- Jayne Middlemiss: "Bernard is a saw, is he going to get sore in that arena?"
- Tim Jones: "No, I figure with four flippers and a lifter in the arena with us, we won't be upside down long before they turn us back over!"
- — Interview in the pits before the final
In the final, Bernard fought DTK, Prince of Awe, Rampage 2, Rip (successor of Neoteric) and Whipper. Bernard immediately sped towards the pit release button, before nearly driving straight into the pit under no pressure.
- "Bernard has pressed the pit release - hehehehe - and thought about it!"
- — Jonathan Pearce as Bernard drives near the pit
Bernard reversed away and returned to the battle scene, where it slammed into Prince of Awe from the side. It then attacked Rampage 2, darting round to the side, but it was unable to push its opponent across the arena floor.
- "Bernard is nagging there at Rampage 2."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Bernard was then flipped over by DTK, before it charged onto the flipper of Rip. Both Bernard and Whipper were flipped by Rip at the same time, and it was chased across the arena by Rip. Eventually, Rip caught up to Bernard and flipped it up against the arena wall, where Bernard could not move. Luckily, Rip flipped Bernard again, putting it back on its wheels. Bernard immediately went after Rip again, but it drove up its opponent's wide flipper and was almost shoved into the pit.
- "Bernard in trouble and against the arena side wall, and there will be no way back from there for Bernard, unless it is given a helping hand, and it was by Rip! Why?!"
- — Jonathan Pearce
After being flipped by Rip again in the CPZ, Bernard was pressured into driving into the arena wall, before Rip left it alone and attacked Prince of Awe. Bernard remained near the pit for a while, near where Sir Killalot was lurking, before returning to the action, where it attacked Rampage 2. DTK then flipped Rampage 2 over Bernard, who proceeded to chase after DTK before being flipped over by Prince of Awe. Bernard slid up DTK's side with its wedge, but then reversed and spun around on the spot for a brief moment, just as Rip pitted itself. It was then chased by DTK across the arena floor, but as it turned to face its opponent, Bernard ended up beaching itself on the front of DTK, who then clamped down on Bernard with its flipper, carried it over to the pit and dropped it in, eliminating it from the competition.
- "Bernard being edged towards the pit by DTK - three remain..."
- — Jonathan Pearce as Bernard is pitted
Bernard and Rip were later joined by Prince of Awe in the pit, while Rampage 2 was flung out of the arena by the Floor Flipper, leaving DTK and Whipper to survive to a Judges' Decision. Cease was called and the Judges decided that DTK was the new Featherweight champion.
Results[]
BERNARD - RESULTS | ||
Extreme 2 | ||
Robot Rampage Featherweight Championship, Final | ||
Round 1 | vs. AM CVn, Argh!, Eddy Evolution, Gi-Ant-O, Katnip, Neoteric | Qualified |
Final | vs. Argh!, Cutlet, Gladiator, Katnip, Micro Mute | Lost |
Series 7 | ||
Special Events Featherweight Championship, Final | ||
Round 1 | vs. Alienator, Cutlet, DTK, Mammoth, Staglet, Typhoon Cadet | Qualified |
Final | vs. DTK, Prince of Awe, Rampage 2, Rip, Whipper | Lost |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 2
- Losses: 2
Series Record[]
Main Series | Bernard Series Record |
---|---|
The First Wars | Did not enter |
The Second Wars | Did not enter |
The Third Wars | Did not enter |
The Fourth Wars | Did not enter |
The Fifth Wars | Did not enter |
The Sixth Wars | Did not enter |
The Seventh Wars | Featherweight Final |
Series 8 | Did not enter |
Series 9 | Did not enter |
Series 10 | Did not enter |
Robot Wars Extreme | Appearances |
Series 1 | Did not enter |
Series 2 | Featherweight Final |
Gallery[]
Outside Robot Wars[]
After Robot Wars was finished, Bernard would fight sporadically at live events in 2003 before being retired and evolved into its spiritual successor Bernie. Still a featherweight, Bernie was a small, two-wheel driven box shaped robot with two horizontal spinning bars on either side of the body.
Trivia[]
- Bernard fought both Featherweight walkers that appeared on the show in its heats, Neoteric in Extreme 2 and Mammoth in Series 7.
- Bernard is the only robot to reach multiple Featherweight Finals.
- Bernard also fought in more battles than any other Featherweight robot.
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