Whipper was a featherweight robot built by Team Bodge-it which competed in the Featherweight Championship of Robot Wars: The Seventh Wars. It reached the Featherweight final in that series, losing to DTK on a judges' decision after both robots survived to the end of the battle.
Design
Whipper without its top armour or side plates
Whipper was an octagonal-shaped robot with two-wheel drive and a pneumatic flipping arm as its weapon. The robot itself was painted black, silver and grey with transparent panels and yellow and black hazard stripes. Pairs of green triangular plates were also attached to Whipper's sides, which were seen to prevent it from getting side-stranded by Rip at one point. Whipper's flipping arm proved highly effective throughout its appearances and was capable of acting as a srimech, although its narrow width made it difficult for the robot to get underneath opponents effectively at times.
Robot History
Series 7
Whipper misses a flip on Rampage 2
Whipper competed solely in the Featherweight Championship. In its qualifier battle, broadcast as the Special Event in Heat M, it fought previous Featherweight finalists Micro-Mute, as well as Gi-Ant-O and Rampage 2. Whipper immediately charged at Rampage 2 and missed its first flip, and was pushed back at the side in reply. After slipping off Rampage 2's rear wedge, Whipper pushed back at it with a reverse shove of its own, before backing away and charging at Rampage 2's front, but it simply deflected away.
- "The only action so far, Whipper and Rampage 2."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Whipper is carried backwards by Rampage 2
Whipper then attempted two more flips on Rampage 2, but missed again both times. Driving near the CPZ, Whipper came into contact with Micro-Mute, who appeared to be having trouble with its drive on one side. After another short clash with Rampage 2, Whipper lost mobility, and was lifted by Rampage 2 before having its removable link fall out completely.
- "Rampage 2 backing onto Whipper, is Whipper still mobile? It's being edged away."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Whipper sits motionless next to Rampage 2
Rampage 2 pushed Whipper across the arena before losing drive on its right side, but both robots survived as Refbot counted out the badly-damaged Micro-Mute and the also-immobile Gi-Ant-O, much to Jonathan Pearce's disbelief. Whipper qualified for the final as a result.
- "I'm surprised Whipper hasn't been counted out..."
- — Jonathan Pearce expresses surprise about Whipper's survival after Micro-Mute is counted out
Later on, in the post-battle interview, Terry Martin described Whipper's qualification as a 'fluke', explaining to Craig Charles that in addition to its link being removed, its flipping arm ran out of power in the early stages due to a faulty compressor.
Whipper lifts up Ripper
In the Featherweight Championship Final, shown in Heat P, Whipper and Rampage 2 faced Prince of Awe, Bernard, Rip and DTK. Whipper immediately flipped Prince of Awe over, and flicked at it again whilst its opponent self-righted. After just avoiding a flip from Prince of Awe, Whipper spun around and attacked Rampage 2, forcing it past DTK, who then flipped Whipper, but it rolled back onto its wheels. It then lifted Rip up slightly, before driving forwards in an attempt to tip it over, but Rip fell back onto its wheels.
Whipper worries DTK
Whipper then darted around nudged Prince of Awe, before flipping DTK over. DTK quickly self-righted, and Whipper lifted it again, but failing to turn it over this time.
- "Whipper gets rid of DTK - no it doesn't - DTK self-rights."
- — Jonathan Pearce
Whipper is flipped by Rip
Whipper later attempted to flip DTK from the side, but its opponent was flicked away by a flip from Prince of Awe. Spinning, Whipper turned out of the way of Prince of Awe, who then flipped Rip. Whipper and Bernard were both flipped simultaneously by Rip, but Whipper landed back on its wheels after momentarily balancing on its side plates.
Whipper flips Prince of Awe
After missing a flip and being lightly pushed by DTK, Whipper rammed into Prince of Awe. As Rip pitted itself, Whipper continued to clash with Prince of Awe, dodging its opponent's flip before replying with an attack of its own, which turned Prince of Awe over. Whipper kept up its assault on Prince of Awe, flipping it over once again; as Prince of Awe self-righted, Whipper attempted another flip, but it was intercepted by an attack from DTK, which thrust Prince of Awe away from Whipper's flipper.
Whipper is flipped over by DTK
DTK then flipped Whipper onto its back, but it self-righted quickly. Prince of Awe also lifted Whipper up slightly, but Whipper survived to a Judges' decision after DTK pushed Prince of Awe into the pit towards the end. The decision went against Whipper, with DTK being declared the Series 7 Featherweight Champion and Whipper the unofficial runner-up.
- Craig Charles: "I don't think that was fair. I would have gone for you, me. How do you feel?"
- David Martin: "Alright."
- Craig Charles: "You feel alright? Not too bothered really? Good laugh, wasn't it?"
- David Martin: "Yeah."
- Craig Charles: "I love the Featherweight ones. You came second; second is not a disgraceful place to come."
- — post-battle interview
Results
| WHIPPER - RESULTS | ||
| Series 7 | ||
| Special Events Featherweight Championship, Final | ||
| Round 1 | vs. Gi-Ant-O, Micro-Mute, Rampage 2 | Qualified |
| Final | vs. Bernard, DTK, Prince of Awe, Rampage 2, Rip | Lost |
Wins/Losses
- Wins: 1
- Losses: 1
Series Record
| Series | Whipper 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 | Failed to qualify with The Stag |
| The Sixth Wars | Entered with The Stag |
| The Seventh Wars | Featherweight Final Featherweight Championship with Staglet Entered with The Stag |
| Series 8 | Did not enter |
| Series 9 | Did not enter |
| Series 10 | Did not enter |
Outside Robot Wars
Between 2003 and 2004, Whipper also competed in several live events, sometimes alongside Team Bodge-it's other featherweight Staglet. Its most notable achievement came in the 2003 Wrexham Wrumble, where it won three six-way melees and a trophy.[1]
References
External Links
Whipper on the Team Bodge-it website
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||