Bernard

Bernard
Participation Information
UK Series	7, Extreme 2
Team Information
Team	Tenbury Scouts
Team Members	Tim Jones Arron Deakin Daniel Holtom
From	Worcestershire
Robot Statistics
Weight	12kg
Weapons	Wedge and Circular Saw
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

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

Bernard in Extreme 2

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

Bernard pushes Neoteric

In its first fight, Bernard faced AM CVn, Argh!, Gi-Ant-O, Katnip and 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.

Bernard clashes with Argh! and Katnip in the closing stages of the battle

"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.

Bernard is attacked by Argh! in the final

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

Bernard attacks Gladiator

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.

Bernard sits over 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 rams into Mammoth

Bernard returned for Series 7, where it fought Cutlet again, as well as Alienator, DTK, 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.

Bernard clashes with Cutlet and Alienator

"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 nudges the rear of Sir Killalot

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

Bernard almost pits itself

Alongside DTK, Bernard fought Prince of Awe, Rampage 2, Rip 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 rams into Prince of Awe

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 and Whipper are flipped over by Rip

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

Bernard is thrown back onto its wheels by Rip

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 is slid into the Pit by DTK

"Bernard being edged towards the pit by DTK - three remain..."

— Jonathasn 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

The internals of Bernard in Series 7

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

Outside Robot Wars

Bernie, Bernard's spiritual successor at Roaming Robots Northampton in 2004

After Robot Wars was finished, Bernard was retired and evolved into it's spiritual successor Bernie. Bernie was a small, two-wheel drive box shaped robot with two spinning discs 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.