Bar Spinners are a variation of both horizontal spinners and vertical spinners which utilize long, rotating beams as the spinning mass in their kinetic weapons. Like discs, can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Design and History[]
Icewave's orange bar spinner.
Some variations of spinning weaponry can also be considered bar spinners. For example, undercutters are a type of horizontal spinner where a spinning disc or bar is placed low to the floor to hit, while overhead spinners tend to be bars placed on top of the robot.
Symmetric Bar Spinners[]
Symmetrical bar spinners are designed in such a way that a line of symmetry can be drawn across their face. They can often feature weight-saving holes which make them lighter without compromising their structural integrity.
Asymmetric Bar Spinners[]
Asymmetric bar spinners are designed in such a way that lack symmetry.
These will often feature a single-bladed end, which spins upwards of 360 degrees before making contact with an opponent.
Historically, a number of overhead spinners have also consisted of horizontal bar spinners positioned high up on the robot. Similarly, undercutters have also included bar-shaped weaponry.
Advantages & Disadvantages[]
Advantages[]
- Bars have bigger radiuses than discs, and therefore, have more reach.
- In addition, they have less surface-areas, reducing the chances of the weapon being damaged by the opponent's.
- They can certainly be destructive, as proven by Tombstone, Hazard, and many other bar-users (including those that haven't competed in BattleBots, such as Fluffy and Carbide of Robot Wars).
- Due to their flatness, they're easy to make invertible, which is commonly seen in horizontally-placed bars, though vertically-placed bars can be invertible too (as seen with Monsoon).
- A horizontal bar can keep the user upright while airborne, as seen with all horizontal spinners.
- A vertical bar can mimic a Self-righting mechanism (as shown by Bite Force).
Disadvantages[]
- Bars suffer from wind resistance and therefore, drain more power than discs.
- Also, the high power usage can work against them if rammed into (Tombstone was susceptible to this).
- They're usually a lone weapon, so the owner has little else to use without it (Tombstone often has trouble dominating without its bar).
- Bars can be stopped easily whenever there's obstruction in the way (as Skorpios proved on Icewave).
- Like all vertical spinners, a vertical bar can lift the owner upward slightly while turning (as shown by Deep Six).
- They can be heavy and require weight loss to be allowed participation.
- If the weapon-belt is exposed, then it can be a weak-spot.
- Like all horizontal spinners, a symmetrical horizontal bar that breaks will cause the owner to flop and shake while active.
Notable Competitors[]
| Robot | Seasons | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Bite Force | World Championship I World Championship II |
 |
| Brutality | BattleBots IQ 2006
Pro Championship 2009 |
 |
| Code:BLACK | Season 5.0 |  |
| Deep Six | World Championship IV World Championship VI |
 |
| Green Wave | BattleBots IQ 2002 Season 5.0 R3: Rochester Robot Rampage BattleBots JavaOne 2007 |
 |
| Hazard | Season 1.0 Season 3.0 Season 4.0 Season 5.0 |
 |
| HUGE | World Championship III - Present BattleBots: Bounty Hunters BattleBots: Champions I |
 |
| Icewave | 2004 NPC Charity Open BattleBots at JavaOne World Championship I World Championship II World Championship III re:MARS all:STARS BattleBots Challenge (2019) BattleBots: Bounty Hunters World Championship VI BattleBots: Champions I |
 |
| M.O.E. | Season 4.0 Season 5.0 |
 |
| ROTATOR | World Championship II - Present |  |
| Tombstone | 2004 NPC Charity Open Pro Championship 2009 World Championship I World Championship II World Championship III re:MARS all:STARS 2019 World Championship IV World Championship V BattleBots: Bounty Hunters World Championship VI BattleBots: Champions I re:MARS all:STARS 2022 |
 |
| Uppercut | World Championship IV World Championship V World Championship VI BattleBots: Champions I |
 |
| Valkyrie | World Championship III - Present |  |
| More... | ||
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