Backflip

Description
Backflip is a 2WD flipper robot, originally using a dual set of pneumatic rams to lift the opponent clean over it. Armoured in steel and polycarbonate, it is noticeable for its unique design and size. It has enjoyed a fair bit of success in the 2018 season, coming third in the 2018 FRA Middleweight Championships at EXR Chatham 2018.

EXR Chatham 2018
Backflip first met Sentinel, Smash and Gaston in the first qualifying melee. It took a lot of damage to its front flipper and ultimately lost this match.

It then met Kaizen, Voodoo Chilie and Gaston again in the second qualifying melee. After being pushed by Voodoo for a bit, Backflip kept Gaston on its front flipper arms before pitting Gaston. This led to Backflip winning the melee match overall.

As it has come 3rd and 1st in the qualifying melees, it was able to progress on to the semi-finals against Smash. The pair got involved in a pushing match with each other before Backflip was turned upside down by the arena floor flipper. Backflip was able to self right but ultimately lost the match.

Now in the playoffs for 3rd place, Backflip faced Gaston again. After a tussle between the two, Backflip was able to throw Gaston in the pit to secure 3rd place.

EXR Cheltenham 2018
In the qualifying melee for the Middleweight event of the event, Backflip faced Kaizen and Gaston. After taking a bit of damage from Gaston, Kaizen got beached on the front flipper of Backflip but in trying to pit Kaizen, overbalanced and was immobilised by the edge of the pit, allowing Gaston to push it in.

Backflip then participated in a 2v2 with Beast against Two Headed Death Flamingo and Kaizen, ultimately losing this fight after being pressurised by Two Headed Death Flamingo and eventually flipped up by the floor flipper, unable to self-right.

Backflip then faced Audacious and Iron Strike (and was supposed to have faced Kaizen as well but had pulled out by that stage) in the redemption melee. Backflip pitted Iron Strike fairly early on and then pressurised the disabled Audacious to win the melee.

In the Middleweight final of the event, it faced Gaston and Voodoo Chile. After managing to get Voodoo onto its front flipper, in its attempt to pit Voodoo ended up pitting itself, ultimately to come 2nd in this event.

RL Burgess Hill 2019
For this event, Backflip was upgraded to use brushless motors for the drive and a new ram for the flipping arms along with a slight redesign of the flipping arm structure. Due to only Backflip and Jibril representing the Middleweight class, the pair were entered into the Featherweight melees. The pair entered both melee matches although no winner was declared for the Middleweights in either melee.

In the first melee, after Jibril was flipped up and over, Backflip spent the fight scooping up Featherweights to dump in the pit. Notably, it also had to self right at one stage due to being flipped itself.

In the second fight, Backflip spent a bit of the melee fighting Jibril, attempting to flip it over in the process before fighting with the Featherweights, eventually lurching forwards at one stage and becoming beached on the follow Middleweight competitor in the pit.

EXR Portsmouth 2019
Backflip was given a new frame and shell for this event, first taking on You Little Ripper. Although able to lift You Little Ripper almost vertically, Backflip was unable to pit it's opponent. Eventually, Backflip was flipped into the pit by You Little Ripper, losing the match.Backflip then faced Gaston again but this time, Gaston wasn't functioning properly with a speed controller failure on one drive wheel. The spinner did cause some minor damage to Backflip but after pressuring Gaston, Backflip drove Gaston into the pit, taking itself with it by hanging over the edge to win the fight.

Record Table

 * Wins: 8
 * Draws: 0
 * Losses: 19

Awards

 * Extreme Robots 2018: Most Entertaining Middleweight - 1st
 * Extreme Robots 2018: Most Innovative Robot - 1st
 * Extreme Robots 2018: Best Team Newcomer - 3rd
 * FRA 2018: Middleweight - Best Newcomer
 * FRA 2018: Middleweight - Best Design