Blackbird

## Overview

Blackbird is a KINETIC kit made by Team Shreddit that has been modified to have a split D2 wedge as an alternate configuration. It did well at Norwalk Havoc Robot League September 2020 where it went 3-2 against mediocre to good opponents. In September 2020, it did considerably better, going 5-2 and only losing to the Norwalk elite. It went 3-2 again at February 2021 with a less convincing showing only to remind everyone as to why it's feared in March 2021 when it had a brutal first two matches before losing the next two to drive issues. It then put on a dominant performance at May 2021 before getting its face kicked in by beetlweight royalty, Lynx. It did decently in July 2021 and went 6-2. It then competed at the NHRL 2021 Finals where it went 2-2.

## Fight history

### Norwalk Havoc Robot League September 2020

#### Blackbird vs Jack Rabbit

The fight started with Jack Rabbit flipping Blackbird. After a few hits, Blackbird was upright and tried to attack Jack Rabbit. One of Blackbird's wedges was jammed on top and Blackbird got high centered on it next time it was flipped. Jack Rabbit decided to throw Blackbird across the arena instead of taking the easy KO. Jack Rabbit kept raining the pain until it lost its weapon. Blackbird the chased down Jack Rabbit for the rest of the match. The fight went to a judges decision where Jack Rabbit won.

#### Blackbird vs BX11B

The fight started with Blackbird landing shots on the back of BX11B and flipping it. Blackbird kept hitting BX11B's back which exposed the power wires. BX11B took so much punishment that it looked like it was about to split in two. Blackbird then took off one of BX11B's wheels after a long unintentional pin with assistance from Brett. The fight went to a judges decision where Blackbird won.

#### Blackbird vs Cybot

The fight started with Blackbird going on the offensive and attacking Cybot. Blackbird then hid by Brett to try and trick Cybot into attacking the house robot. The two robots then went weapon to weapon which caused Blackbird to get stuck on its side. Blackbird then jammed Cybot's weapon and kept attacking. Cybot then tapped out which gave the win to Blackbird.

#### Blackbird vs Malus

The fight started with both bots spinning up and trading shots. Malus then took it to Blackbird and flipped it twice. Blackbird then found a second wind and shot Malus into the ceiling. Malus lost its weapon and a drive side because of this. Malus was now at Blackbird's mercy, but Blackbird has no mercy. Blackbird flipped Malus enough times to make it do "the thing". (A/N: "the thing" is what us robot fans call a vertical or drum spinner getting stuck on its face) Malus then tapped out, giving the win to Blackbird.

#### Blackbird vs Booring

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird flipping Booring. Booring then took it to Blackbird and never let it go. Booring eventually lost its weapon and that allowed Blackbird to take it to Booring. Booring wouldn't go down easily and rammed Blackbird into the wall as the fight ended. The fight went to a judges decision which Booring won. Blackbird was now out.

### Norwalk Havoc Robot League November 2020

#### Blackbird vs Robutt

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird going to town on Robutt. Blackbird ended up hooking Robutt with its top forks and didn't let it spin up at all. Blackbird then landed quite a few good hits on Robutt which caused it to tap out.

#### Blackbird vs Ripto

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Ripto taking it to Blackbird. Blackbird then threw a powerful counter shot that threw Ripto into the wall. Ripto self righted and tore the wheel guard off of Blackbird. Ripto then pinned Blackbird into the corner and threw it. Blackbird countered with another shot that threw Ripto at Brett. The two then traded some weapon to weapon hits before Blackbird threw Ripto across the arena. Both bots then started to have drive problems and Ripto lost its weapon. Ripto recovered from the drive issues and continued to push Blackbird around the arena. The fight went to a controversial judges decision where Blackbird won.

#### Blackbird vs Silent X

Silent X configuration: Vertical

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Silent X throwing Blackbird across the arena. The two exchanged some glancing blows before Silent X shot Blackbird into the lexan. Blackbird had enough and tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Stormfly

The fight started with Blackbird spinning up and landing hits on Stormfly's forks. Blackbird then got under Stormfly and started grinding away at the bottom of the chassis. Sormfly started having drive issues which caused them to tap out.

#### Blackbird vs Black Adder

The fight started with both bots spinning up and trading weapon to weapon shots that broke Black Adder's blade. Blackbird had free reign over the rest of the fight. Blackbird landed a few decent shots that shattered Black Adder's wheel guards. Black Adder then tapped out and the win went to Blackbird.

#### Blackbird vs More

The fight started with both bots spinning up and More flipping Blackbird. Blackbird countered by hitting one of More's wheels which killed the motor for that side. Blackbird eventually landed two clean shots that caused More to tap out.

#### Blackbird vs Shreddit Bro

The fight started with both bots spinning up and immediately going at it. Shreddit Bro immediately gained the upper hand and threw Blackbird around. Blackbird tried to counter but the aggressive driving style of Shreddit Bro was too much. Shreddit Bro kept throwing Blackbird around the arena and into the lexan. Even Brett was scared at this point as the fight went over to one of the arena cameras and Shreddit Bro shot Blackbird into the camera and killed the camera. Blackbird got a lucky shot in that almost shot Shreddit Bro into the ceiling camera. After a few attempts, Shreddit Bro self righted off the wall and continued bringing the pain to Blackbird. Blackbird managed to get a few counter shots in but it was too little too late as the fight went to a judges decision where Shreddit Bro won.

### Norwalk Havoc Robot League February 2021

#### Blackbird vs Voxel

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Voxel shooting Blackbird into the corner. The two then went for another weapon to weapon hit that Shot Blackbird into the corner again. The entire fight was just Voxel completely owning Blackbird until Blackbird tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Fischer Slice

Fischer Slice never made it to the event.

#### Blackbird vs Horvoc

The fight started with Blackbird spinning up and going easy on Horvoc which wasn't moving. Horvoc then spun up and was flipped by Blackbird. A lot of the fight passed with neither robot doing anything significant before the two exchanged a weapon to weapon hit that sent Blackbird into the wall. The fight went to a judges decision where Blackbird won.

#### Blackbird vs Terrorpin

The fight started with Blackbird spinning up and Terrorpin pushing Blackbird into the wall next to Brett. The two then exchanged shots and flips before Blackbird tore off Terrorpin's wheel guard on one side. Blackbird smelled blood and tore the forks and a wheel off of Terrorpin. Terrorpin then tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Bison

The fight started with Blackbird spinning up and both bots jostling for position. The entire fight was Blackbird controlling Bision around the arena while trying to pop it in the air. The fight went to a judges decision where Bison won.

### Norwalk Havoc Robot League March 2021

#### Blackbird vs CAPS LOCK

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird punting CAPS LOCK. Blackbird then reminded us of why we should fear it in the arena by delivering a one-two punch that punted CAPS LOCK into the blue corner. Blackbird then flipped CAPS LOCK and started grinding away at it before grinding one of CAPS LOCK's wheels into nothing. All Bert could do was look on in disbelief as CAPS LOCK tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Luma's Weed Whacker 3

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird throwing Luma's Weed Whacker into Brett. Blackbird then got a series of hits on Luma's Weed Whacker that ended with Blackbird shooting Luma's Weed Whacker into the ceiling and Luma's Weed Whacker landing on the corner camera which broke it. The two kept going at each other and Blackbird got stuck on its side. Brett quickly fixed that and the two went at each other with a vengeance. Eventually, Blackbird got stuck on its weapon rails, but shook itself free. Luma's Weed Whacker's battery then gave out and its drive died from a lack of power. Brett slammed Luma's Weed Whacker into the wall in an attempt to get it moving again, but failed. Brett tried again and ejected its top onto Luma's Weed Whacker. Having seen enough, Luma's Weed Whacker tapped out and the win went to Blackbird.

#### Blackbird vs Mondo Bizarro

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Mondo Bizarro punting Blackbird across the arena several times which caused Blackbird to tap out.

#### Blackbird vs Red Hawk

The fight started with both bots spinning up and throwing each other back into their starting corners. It was at this point that Blackbird's drive issues made themselves known and caused Blackbird to tap out.

### Norwalk Havoc Robot League May 2021

#### Blackbird vs Brimstone

The fight started with both bots spinning up and jostling for position until Blackbird punted Brimstone behind Bert. Brimstone then tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Tothik

The fight started with Blackbird spinning up and Tothik controlling it around the arena. Tothik then pinned Blackbird to the wall and tried to bring down the hammersaw. Tothik then released Blackbird so it could reposition it. Blackbird took this chance and launched Tothik. Blackbird then randomly died, so it tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Division

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Division flipping Blackbird. Blackbird then flicked up Division's central forks and threw Division who then threw itselof around the arena in a defiance of physics. Division righted itself, but lost a wheel in the process. Division then threw itself around the arena again while Blackbird just sat back and watched the chaos happen. Division then threw itself on its back and initiated the self righting physics defiance and faceplanted. Blackbird used this opportunity to get a cheap shot in and take the other wheel off. Division was counted out and the win went to Blackbird.

#### Blackbird vs BX11B

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird flipping BX11B. Blackbird then delivered a one-two punch to BX11B and started grinding away at the bottom plate. Blackbird then pressed the attack and shot BX11B high into the air. The rest of the fight was Blackbird doing what it did best. The fight went to a judges decision where Blackbird won.

#### Blackbirde vs Starchild

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird landing some decent shots on Starchild and throwing it across the arena. Blackbird kept up the pressure and Starchild couldn't recover. At some point, Starchild's weapon went down during that onslaught. With Starchild's disc down, Blackbird did whatever it wanted to Starchild for the rest of the fight. The fight went to a judges decision where Blackbird won.

#### Blackbird vs Lynx

The fight started with both bots spinning up and exchanging weapon to weapon shots before Lynx punted Blackbird to the ceiling. Blackbird landed upright and retaliated by throwing Lynx across the arena. Lynx was not having it and landed several more roof shots on Blackbird and tore a wheel off through the guard. Blackbird then tapped out to save itself.

### Norwalk Havoc Robot League July 2021

#### Blackbird vs Wormhole

The fight started with both bots spinning up and jostling for position before Blackbird flipped Wormhole and tore off its weapon. That was enough for Wormhole to tap out.

#### Blackbird vs Frogmint

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird manhandling Frogmint for the whole fight. Frogmint then tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Head of Lettuce

The fight started with both bots spinning up and jostling for position before Blackbird too control of the fight and tore the weapon off of Head of Lettuce. Head of Lettuce lasted 1:30 before tapping out.

#### Blackbird vs SawMurai

The fight started with Blackbird spinning up and smacking away the minibot before carefully driving to throw SawMurai into the corner and rip off a wheel. Blackbird then lost its weapon and it became a cripple fight. The fight went to a judges decision where SawMurai won.

#### Blackbird vs Red Hawk

The fight started with both bots spinning up and weapon to weapon shots that threw both bots into the wall. Red Hawk then lost its weapon and Blackbird was on it for the rest of the fight. Red Hawk then tapped out.

#### Blackbird vs Silk

The fight started with both bots spinning up and exchanging weapon to weapon shots. Silk then started grinding Blackbird's wheels into dust. Blackbird then flipped Silk and tore off a wheel. Silk then managed to kill Blackbird's weapon. The fight went to a judges decision where Blackbird won.

#### Blackbird vs Jack Rabbit

The fight started with both bots spinning up and jostling for position before Blackbird threw Jack Rabbit. The two soon got stuck together. After the unstick, Blackbird's weapon was dead and Jack Rabbit took full advantage, throwing Blackbird around the arena. The fight went to a judges decision where Jack Rabbit won.

### NHRL 2021 Finals

#### Blackbird vs Jack Rabbit

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Blackbird throwing Jack Rabbit around the arena. Jack Rabbit tapped out and the win went to Blackbird.

#### Blackbird vs Shreddit Bro

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Shreddit Bro punting Blackbird on top of Brett. Shreddit Bro then started throwing Blackbird around the arena. Shreddit Bro then lost a drive side and Blackbird capitalized on this, throwing Shreddit Bro around the arena. Shreddit Bro then basically lost drive completely, but the ref was asleep, so there was no countout which meant the fight went to the judges where Blackbird won.

#### Blackbird vs Polywog

The fight started with both bots spinning up and Polywog punting Blackbird at Brett. Polywog then threw Blackbird around the arena for the entire fight which went to the judges where Polywog won.

#### Blackbird vs Silent X

Silent X configuration: Undercutter

The fight started with both bots spinning up and going weapon to weapon, throwing sparks everywhere and Silent X ripped a small chunk out of Blackbird's wheel. Silent X ended up on its side due to gyro forces and Blackbird capitalized on this and landed several shots on Silent X. Silent X recovered and kept ripping small chunks off of Blackbird which eventually led to its demise since it couldn't move that well. Fortunately for Blackbird, the ref was on vacation and the fight went to the judges where Silent X won.