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Lizzard was a heavyweight competitor robot which fought in both series of Dutch Robot Wars. It finished runner-up to Slicer in Dutch Series 1, having received a wildcard to the Grand Final after initially losing its Heat Final to Bamm Bamm. In Dutch Series 2, Lizzard won its heat outright to reach the Grand Final once again, but was eliminated in the first round there.

Lizzard had a recurring rivalry with Bamm Bamm, having faced it three times in the Dutch series and losing two of the battles in which they fought each other.

Versions of Lizzard[]

In both of its incarnations, Lizzard was a green, two-wheel drive robot with a low profile and a design resembling that of a lizard. Its signature weapon was a rear articulated 'swan tail', which was intended to hit and damage nearby opponents whenever it spun round on the spot. Lizzard also featured good pushing power, as well as a face on the front with eyes and painted-on teeth. The eyes often required replacement after getting destroyed or dislodged mid-battle.

Dutch Series 1[]

Lizzard tail DS1

Rear view of Lizzard, Dutch Series 1

Lizzard insides

Internals of the original Lizzard

The original Lizzard competed in Dutch Series 1, differing from the second version in featuring a separate bodyshell concealing the entire chassis. This, in turn, was decorated with six top spikes, along with interchangeable 'eyes' of various kinds at the front. The tail featured several 'agricultural steel' cutting blades on either side and on the tip, with each section being covered by angular metal panels.

Lizzard’s shell and tail panels in this series were made out of a thin material, and proved liable to getting damaged or removed during battles along with the front 'eyes'. Additionally, the robot itself lacked a self-righting mechanism.

Dutch Series 2[]

For Dutch Series 2, Lizzard underwent a complete redesign, with stronger armour and a new octagonal-shaped chassis enabling it to run inverted. The tail was now covered in fur and given a mace at the tip, while the robot itself gained a front-mounted grinding disc as extra armament.

Robot History[]

Dutch Series 1[]

Bridget Maasland: "I just heard that lizards eat silverfish."
Philippe Poppe: "Yeah. They might."
Bridget Maasland: "There's a big lizard coming."
Bridget Maasland introduces the Philipper team to Lizzard (Mech+ subtitles)

Lizzard made its Robot Wars debut in Heat A of Dutch Series 1. In its first-ever battle, it faced Belgian competitor Philipper.

LizzardWhipsPhilipper

Lizzard strikes Philipper with its tail

Philipper Lizzard 1

Lizzard is lifted against the wall by Philipper

Lizzard began the battle by driving towards and hitting Philipper with the tail. Lizzard dodged a charge from the silver machine before spinning around and whacking Philipper twice more. It momentarily drove up the lip of Philipper’s lifter, but backed away as it activated, resorting to hitting and pushing Philipper back with the tail. Lizzard drove forwards and continued swinging its tail at Philipper, before retreating to the centre of the arena. Again, it reversed into and pushed Philipper back, but this attack allowed Philipper to lift and push Lizzard against the wall, bending one of the panels for its tail in the process.

Lizzard vs Philliper

Lizzard loses its shell

PittingLizzardShell

The discarded shell is 'pitted' by Shunt

Philipper dragged Lizzard back, with Lizzard slipping off the Belgian robot’s lifter and retreating to activate the pit. Lizzard whacked Philipper twice more – the second time as the latter was being attacked by Sgt. Bash – only to be lifted and pushed by Philipper again. As before, it escaped, only to be rammed side-on by Philipper, whose rear lifter succeeded in removing Lizzard’s bodyshell. With its chassis and internals now completely exposed, Lizzard was slowly pushed around the arena by Philipper, before driving away without its bodyshell, to the delight of the audience. Shunt proceeded to push the discarded bodyshell into the pit, while Lizzard itself drove into and was pushed again by Philipper. Lizzard was pushed and pressed against an angle grinder by Philipper as time ran out, with the latter clamping down on its internals just before ‘cease’ was called. Both robots survived to a jury’s decision, which ruled Philipper as the victor.

With this, Lizzard was relegated to the Losers’ Melee, where it fought Rat and Lethal Swan for a chance to progress to the second round.

"Looks like a zoo in here!"
— Eric Corton (BNN broadcast, translated from Dutch)
Lethal Swan Rat Lizzard 1

Lizzard duels with Rat and Lethal Swan

HeatALosersMelee

Lizzard and Rat work together to overturn Lethal Swan

Fitted with a pair of yellow eyes and with the bodyshell reattached, it began the melee by bumping into Lethal Swan as the three competitors converged. While it was being ‘pecked’ by Lethal Swan, Lizzard spun round and hit the latter twice, before driving around in circles and lingering near the left-hand wall. It dodged a ram from Rat, before retreating to the centre of the arena, only to drive itself into an angle grinder again. Once more, Lizzard whacked Lethal Swan, only to be pushed back by the latter; however, it broke free after Rat drove into its left-hand side, and pushed Lethal Swan into Rat, allowing the latter to flip Lethan Swan over. Lizzard lost both of its eyes in the process; as Rat also became immobilised prior to this combined attack, it emerged victorious, and was reinstated.

Bridget Maasland: "You didn't think you'd get this far."
Rene Blaauw: "Whoa, whoa. We did say we were going to win."
Bridget Maasland: "Yeah, but you all say that, but I looked you in the eyes and thought you don't believe it."
Rene Blaauw: "No, there is some truth to that. But we were quite lucky. We had everything going for us. The Rat burst fairly quickly broken up. The swan caught on fire, so... [h]ere we are."
— Interview with Lizzard's Rene Blaauw, prior to its Heat Semi-Final (Mech+ subtitles)
Lizzard Arena Killer 1

Lizzard loses parts of its tail to Matilda's flywheel

In the second round, Lizzard faced Arena Killer, with another new pair of eyes fixed on the front to replace the ones lost in the Losers’ Melee. It was slow to start, with Arena Killer immediately slamming head-on into Lizzard and Lizzard attempting to push Arena Killer in response. Lizzard spun round on the spot and bumped into an angle grinder while its tail hit Arena Killer’s side; as it drove away, it swung its tail into Matilda's CPZ, the House Robot promptly ripping two sections of its tail off with her flywheel. Nevertheless, Lizzard was still mobile, and whacked the pit release button off its mount before driving around and into Arena Killer. However, it drove straight into another CPZ, where Shunt rammed, pushed and axed it. Lizzard escaped, pushing Arena Killer towards – and away from - Matilda’s CPZ, before pursuing its opponent across the arena.

Lizzard Arena Killer 2

Lizzard perseveres by whacking and lifting Arena Killer with the damaged tail

Despite almost backing into the pit, Lizzard drove into the side of Arena Killer and hit it several times with its damaged tail; both competitors eventually ended up in Shunt’s CPZ, where the House Robot axed, lifted and turned Arena Killer over. Lizzard pushed the inverted Arena Killer off the Floor Flipper and back into the CPZ, allowing Shunt to cause more damage to its opponent. It lost its eyes again as it rammed the re-righted Arena Killer, and pushed the latter around in circles again despite driving too close to Matilda’s CPZ at one point.

MatildaflipsLizzard

Matilda flips Lizzard over

ShuntLizzardFlipper

Shunt pushes Lizzard onto the Floor Flipper

The two competitors stopped outside the CPZ; as Lizzard backed and spun round, it was pushed and flipped into Refbot by Matilda, leaving it stranded up-side down. Despite not being counted out, Lizzard was pushed onto the Floor Flipper by Shunt and Matilda, before being thrown across the arena; seconds after ‘cease’ was called, Shunt rammed it into the pit.

"Cowabunga!"
Eric Corton as Lizzard is thrown by the Floor Flipper (BNN broadcast)

Nevertheless, the House Robots’ intervention resulted in the battle going to a Jury’s decision, with Lizzard being declared the winner.

In the Heat Final, Lizzard faced Bamm Bamm, now sporting a pair of scowling orange eyes.

Bamm Bamm vs Lizzard

Lizzard has one of its eyes knocked off as it pushes Bamm Bamm into an angle grinder

Immediately, it drove towards Bamm Bamm, but without bumping into it, before turning round and dodging a hammer blow from the latter. Lizzard spun in the centre of the arena, again dodging an attack from Bamm Bamm, but had one of its eyes knocked off by Bamm Bamm as it pushed the latter into an angle grinder. It pushed Bamm Bamm away, before hitting it with the tail and dodging yet another hammer blow. Lizzard hesitated as it attempted to get a run on Bamm Bamm, before bumping into an entry gate and pushing Bamm Bamm around in circles. It succeeded in pushing and pinning Bamm Bamm into an empty CPZ, sustaining damage to its shell before letting Bamm Bamm free.

LizzardCountedOut

Lizzard is counted out

Lizzard drove around the arena to lure Bamm Bamm, hitting its opponent with the tail several more times. However, it suddenly stopped moving by the time Bamm Bamm pressed the pit release button and was counted out. With this, Lizzard was eliminated from the competition for the second time.

"If he... if he had been thinking... but that's difficult for a lizard. He should have shoved you in the pit."
Rob Kamphues to the Bamm Bamm team, concerning possible victory tactics for Lizzard (Mech+ subtitles)
Lizzard Twisted Metal

Lizzard hits Twisted Metal with the tail, shortly after the latter damages it

Lizzard would gain a third reprieve, however, when it was given a wildcard by the producers for a place in the Grand Final – the originally planned recipient, Pullverizer, was too heavily damaged to receive it. In the Grand Final itself, it faced Twisted Metal and Slicer in the first round, which it began by spinning around and avoiding Slicer’s drum. Lizzard spun round in an attempt to hit Twisted Metal with its tail, but had one of its tail panels torn off by the latter’s disc; the impact immobilised Twisted Metal almost immediately. After attempting to hit and momentarily being lifted off the floor by Slicer, Lizzard nudged the rear of Twisted Metal, before whacking it twice. It was pinned against the latter by Slicer, before driving away and spinning around on the spot.

Lizzard Slicer Round 1

Lizzard pushes Slicer around...

Lizzard Slicer Sir Killalot

...only for Slicer to push it into Sir Killalot

The two remaining competitors continued to attack each other, with Lizzard continuously pushing Slicer around while sustaining damage from the latter’s drum. Twisted Metal regained mobility in the meantime, with Lizzard pushing it towards Sir Killalot despite Refbot’s attempt to separate the two competitors. Lizzard’s tail was momentarily clipped by a charging Slicer, with Lizzard itself attempting to push Twisted Metal again as Slicer repeatedly tried to damage its bodyshell. It turned round before being rammed and lifted by Slicer again, with Sir Killalot leaving his CPZ to grab Lizzard by the tail just as Twisted Metal was being counted out. Nevertheless, Lizzard progressed to the next round along with Slicer.

Lizzard Bamm Bamm Semi Final

Lizzard survives a flip from Bamm Bamm

In the Semi-Finals, Lizzard faced Bamm Bamm, the very machine which eliminated it in its heat. It avoided an approaching Bamm Bamm in the opening seconds, driving around the arena before turning round and hitting the latter’s flipping arm with the tail. After a few light taps, Lizzard whacked Bamm Bamm’s side twice, surviving a lift from the latter in the process. It was lifted by Bamm Bamm twice more as it attempted to push it back, but was not overturned, and pushed Bamm Bamm into an angle grinder in response. Despite losing one of its tail sections again, Lizzard hit Bamm Bamm once more as the two robots met outside Shunt’s CPZ, pushing it into the pit release button and retreating to the centre of the arena. The two competitors rammed head-on into each other, with Lizzard twice pushing Bamm Bamm over the flame jet and into the left-hand wall. After bumping into an angle grinder, Lizzard hesitated, but with Bamm Bamm momentarily standing still, it pushed the latter around the arena into the angle grinders and an empty CPZ. It escaped the CPZ as Sir Killalot came to attack Bamm Bamm, and spun round in victory once Bamm Bamm had been completely immobilised. The Lizzard team celebrated as Bamm Bamm was counted out, thrown by the Floor Flipper and dumped out of the arena by Sir Killalot, with Lizzard itself emerging victorious.

Lizzard Slicer Final 1

Lizzard starts strongly against Slicer

Slicer Lizzard Matilda

Lizzard comes under attack after getting launched by Matilda

In the Grand Final, Lizzard faced Slicer for the second time. It immediately dodged Slicer’s initial charge before turning round, spinning and charging head-on into the latter’s drum. Lizzard proceeded to push Slicer across the arena, forcing its opponent into the walls and CPZs. The two competitors met head-on again outside the CPZ, Lizzard jostling violently as its front end was repeatedly being hit by Slicer’s drum. Undeterred, it drove alongside Slicer and spun round, hitting its drum and left-hand side with the tail before pushing it behind Dead Metal. Lizzard was again buffeted by Slicer, but escaped as Dead Metal pinned Slicer against the entry gate. However, it drove too close to Matilda’s CPZ as Slicer pursued it, resulting in Lizzard being launched off the floor by the House Robot’s flywheel as Slicer attempted to attack its tail.

Dead Metal Lizzard Grand Final

Dead Metal captures and slices into the front of Lizzard

Lizzard Slicer Final 2

Lizzard is lifted by Slicer

Lizzard Slicer angle grinder

Lizzard valiantly pins Slicer against an angle grinder as the end draws nearer

With one of its eyes destroyed, Lizzard spun round on the spot again, only to be rammed, lifted and pushed into Matilda’s CPZ by Slicer. Lizzard drove away, its bodyshell battered, but drove into Slicer again and hit it twice with the tail. Despite having the tail caught by Dead Metal, it pushed Slicer back again, shards of its bodyshell flying off upon making contact with its opponent’s drum. Both competitors fought in the CPZ until Slicer escaped and Dead Metal sliced into Lizzard’s front end after catching it. With its other eye dislodged and its bodyshell almost completely detached, Lizzard drove away, and was lifted by Slicer once more. It was dragged back by Slicer after getting caught on the top of its drum, with Refbot separating the two competitors. Lizzard pressed Slicer against an angle grinder seconds later, with the two robots avoiding each other for the remainder of the battle. The final went to a jury’s decision; despite its aggressive display, the decision went 2-1 against Lizzard, resulting in it becoming the first runner-up of Dutch Robot Wars.

Dutch Series 2[]

With Slicer not returning for Dutch Series 2, a heavily-revised Lizzard returned as the highest-performing machine from the previous series. Competing in Heat A once again, it faced fellow Dutch Series 1 returnee Project Two: Hex'em in its first-round battle.

Lizzard Project Two Hexum

Lizzard tries to slide Project Two: Hex'em over the Flame Pit

Lizzard vs Project Two

Lizzard whacks Project Two: Hex'em with its swan tail

Lizzard started tentatively, bumping into Project Two: Hex'em as the latter struggled to drive over the Flame Pit. It reversed, before pushing Project Two: Hex'em around in circles and into Shunt. Project Two: Hex'em struggled for mobility at this point, allowing Lizzard to nudge it once again, albeit not without losing one of its eyes. After hitting the pit release button, Lizzard pushed Project Two: Hex'em towards the wall, sparks flying as its grinding disc hit Project Two: Hex'em’s wheel. Leaving the House Robots to attack Project Two: Hex'em, Lizzard eventually set its tail on fire over and whacked Project Two: Hex'em several times with it. It momentarily stopped over the Flame Pit in order to set its tail alight again, but did not attack Project Two: Hex'em again straight away – instead, Lizzard bumped into the side of Project Two: Hex'em a few more times as it was being counted out. As a result, Lizzard emerged victorious, while Project Two: Hex'em had a cooker dropped onto it before being pitted.

Meshuggah vs Lizzard

Meshuggah and Lizzard ram each other

Lizzard Meshuggah

Lizzard pushes Meshuggah towards the CPZ

In the second round, Lizzard faced the vertical spinner, Meshuggah. As in the previous battle, it was hesitant to approach Meshuggah in the opening seconds; instead, it spun round and hit Meshuggah with its tail as soon as the latter came into range. Lizzard kept spinning as Meshuggah drove away; its tail clipped Meshuggah’s disc, causing a large portion of its fur to be torn off the weapon assembly. Undeterred, it kept spinning on the spot, before bumping and attempting to push Meshuggah around from the front; in the process, Lizzard lost one of its eyes once again. Both robots rammed each other head-on again; with Meshuggah’s disc disabled following the collision, Lizzard hit it once more with the tail, before causing some light damage to it with its own grinding disc. Lizzard repeatedly bumped and manoeuvred Meshuggah across the arena – losing its other eye in the process - before pushing it into Sir Killalot’s CPZ. Despite being momentarily grabbed, lifted and pushed by Sir Killalot, it continued pushing and pursuing Meshuggah, hitting the latter and Refbot with its tail once again. Again, Lizzard pushed Meshuggah back a few times, grazing its opponent with the grinding disc. As time ran out, it continued hitting Meshuggah with the tail before pushing it back one last time. Both robots survived to a Jury’s decision, which ruled in Lizzard’s favour.

In the Heat Final, Lizzard faced fellow Dutch Series 1 returnee, Neater, sporting new striped fur on its tail to replace the fur which had been damaged in the previous battle.

Neater vs Lizzard

Lizzard's tyre sustains an axe blow from Neater

Lizzard Neater

Lizzard presses Neater against the arena wall

It drove straight towards Neater as the battle began, pushing the latter sideways across the arena before losing one of its eyes once again. Dodging an axe blow from Neater, Lizzard spun and whacked Neater numerous times, bending its front scoop, before pushing it towards the angle grinders. The two robots separated, with Lizzard hitting Neater again before sustaining an axe blow from the latter; it dragged Neater around in circles, before being released. Lizzard continued slamming into and hitting Neater with the tail; however, it was attacked again by Neater, whose axe pierced through its right tyre.

"Oh, bullseye!"
— Eric Corton as Lizzard’s tyre is hit by Neater’s axe

Lizzard drove forwards and rammed into Neater as the latter retracted its axe, its mobility seemingly unaffected by the attack. After dodging a few more axe blows, it drove head-on into Neater once again, whose axe hit Lizzard’s top panel and knocked its other eye off. Nevertheless, Lizzard pushed Neater back again and hit it once more with the tail; it continued to push and drag Neater around even as its opponent’s axe became embedded in its left-hand wheelguard. Lizzard and Neater continued exchanging attacks until the former pressed the pit release button; again, they met head-on, with Lizzard pushing Neater into an angle grinder immediately after getting axed. However, as it attempted to push Neater into the nearby CPZ, Lizzard accidentally drove itself in, momentarily getting caught by Sir Killalot. It swiftly reversed away to ram and push Neater around once more; Neater’s axe again hitting the space between its right wheel and the surrounding wheelguard. Lizzard continued to push and bump Neater around the arena until ‘cease’ was called; once again, the battle went to the jury. To the team’s surprise, Lizzard was declared the winner, progressing to its second-consecutive Grand Final.

In the first round of the Grand Final, Lizzard faced Bamm Bamm, in the pair’s third battle against each other.

Lizzard vs Bamm Bamm

Lizzard is axed by Bamm Bamm

Bamm Bamm Lizzard Shunt

Shunt attacks Lizzard in the CPZ

Shunt pits Lizzard vs

Lizzard's Series 2 campaign comes to an end for good

Lizzard immediately drove head-on into Bamm Bamm as ‘activate’ was called, before spinning and whacking its opponent numerous times with the tail. Lizzard dodged an axe blog from Bamm Bamm before slamming into it, again dodging an axe blow and driving close to the Flame Pit. However, Bamm Bamm proceeded to push and axe Lizzard, with Lizzard eventually being pushed into Shunt’s CPZ and having its top panel caved in by the House Robot’s axe blows. Dead Metal left his own CPZ to slice through Lizzard’s front, with Lizzard being left immobilised despite Shunt and Bamm Bamm repeatedly bumping and pushing it. Lizzard was counted out by Refbot while Bamm Bamm pushed it into Dead Metal, who sliced into its top armour several times before placing it onto the Floor Flipper. It was thrown across the arena by the floor flipper, landing upside-down, before having two barrels dropped on it after Dead Metal put it on the Drop Zone. Lizzard was finally pitted by Shunt, and eliminated from Dutch Series 2.

Results[]

LIZZARD - RESULTS
Series 1
Dutch Championship
Runner-up
Heat A, Round 1 vs. Philipper Lost
Heat A, Losers Melee vs. Rat, The Lethal Swan Won
Heat A, Semi-Final vs. Arena Killer Won
Heat A, Final vs. Bamm Bamm Lost
NOTE: After this loss, Lizzard was given the wildcard place in the Grand Final.
Grand Final, Round 1 vs. Slicer, Twisted Metal Qualified
Grand Final, Semi-Final vs. Bamm Bamm Won
Grand Final vs. Slicer Lost
Series 2
Dutch Championship
Grand Final, Round 1
Heat A, Round 1 vs. Project Two: Hex'em Won
Heat A, Semi-Final vs. Meshuggah Won
Heat A, Final vs. Neater Won
Grand Final, Round 1 vs. Bamm Bamm Lost

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 7
  • Losses: 4

Series Record[]

Dutch Series Lizzard Series Record
Series 1 Runner-up
Series 2 Grand Final, Round 1

Outside Robot Wars[]

Between Dutch Series 1 and 2, Lizzard competed at the Dutch Robot Games in 2001. Although it lost to The Lethal Swan in the first round of the Dutch bracket, Lizzard managed to beat Stinger on a Judges' decision in the International bracket[1], taking third place after being eliminated by the eventual winner Bigger Brother. In non-competition fights, Lizzard lost to Scraptosaur but defeated Philipper, avenging a televised loss.

DRG Lizzard

Lizzard at the Dutch Robot Games in 2003

DRG Team Lizzard

Lizzard with a team members at the Dutch Robot Games

After its final televised appearance, Lizzard competed at the Dutch Robot Games in 2003 with some success. Lizzard won its opening melee over Snake Bite and Reaper NP2, before being eliminated by Edge Hog in the next round after being axed and pitted[2]. It also competed in a non-competition three-way rumble won by Mute[3].

Trivia[]

  • Prior to Series 8, Lizzard was one of only two robots to lose a battle to an opponent and then defeat them later in the same tournament, the other being Firestorm 3 in Series 5.
  • Due to the nature of the international series they competed in, Lizzard and Tsunami were the only domestic championship runners-up prior to Series 8 to have fought the eventual Grand Champion earlier in the same competition.
  • In both of its appearances, Lizzard fought in Heat A.
  • Lizzard never fought in a battle that featured Mr. Psycho or Growler.
  • Lizzard is one of only two robots in the Dutch series to reach the grand final in both series, the other being Bamm Bamm.

Honours[]


References[]

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