Bale Spear

Bale Spear
Participation Information
Reboot Seasons	World Championship III World Championship V
Other Events	BattleBots: Bounty Hunters
Team Information
Team	Forge & Farm Combat Robots
Team Members	Earl Pancoast III (Captain) Matt Bradway Kenny Blades (WC III) Joe Filigno (WC III) Kyle Singer (WC III) Alex Grant (WC III) Miro Matheson (WC V) Malcolm Matheson (WC V)
From	Salem, NJ
Associated Robots	Blacksmith (Kyle Singer, Earl Pancoast III) Red Devil (Earl Pancoast III)
Robot Statistics
Weight	227lbs (WC III)
Drive	2x Long Magmotors
Weapons	Pneumatic spear
Statistics correct as of its most recent appearance on the show, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Bale Spear is a heavyweight robot built by Forge & Farm Combat Robots, which competed in World Championship III and V, as well as BattleBots: Bounty Hunters.

It is an invertible, box-shaped robot armed with an adjustable pneumatic spear made from 4130 steel, similar to that of DooAll, and called a "poker" by the team. The robot's name derives from this weapon, as bale spears are used in farming to raise hay bales onto truck beds and transport them with ease. It was initially made from 6061 aluminium tube frame, which proved weak in its debut season. As such, Bale Spear lost its rumble and both Tag Team matches, finishing winless.

The team were initially not planning on competing in 2020, however delays to filming due to the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for more time to build a new version of the robot.

Bale Spear in the test box during the 2018 season.

"COVID prevented a lot of teams from participating and the extra time allowed my personal issues to be cleared up before filming so I had the time and money to build. Greg called me in June I thought about it and said yes and started building."

— Earl Pancoast III explaining his involvement in the 2020 season.

Bale Spear in the pits during World Championship III.

For World Championship V, Bale Spear boasted a more robust design, chunkier wheels with improved grip and side armor to protect them from side attacks. The spear weaponry remained, but was now mounted at an angle with the intention of attacking from above once Bale Spear had clambered on top of its opponent. Protecting the pneumatic system was a long shield, shaped and designed to look like a farm silo. Bale Spear also sported flat panels on either side of the spear, designed to resemble barn doors. Each "door" had the robot's name written above in white. Despite the total redesign, Bale Spear went 0-2 in the regular season with KO defeats to Tracer and an unaired loss to Deadlift.

Team captain Earl Pancoast III intended to join the Red Devil team ahead of their 2021 revival, though this did not go ahead due to Red Devil's sudden retirement. However, he would instead partner up with Al Kindle's Blacksmith alongside former teammate Kyle Singer.

"I do not plan on attending Season 6 as a captain with a new BS (Bale Spear) I plan on going with Team Red Devil..."

— Earl Pancoast III confirms his involvement with Red Devil in January, 2021

Bale Spear in 2022, still damaged from its final fight.

Bale Spear has made several appearances at Robot Ruckus in Orlando, Florida, both as a competing robot and static display. In 2019, it chalked up a win over non-BattleBots multibot Macaroni and Cheese, before losing in destructive fashion to Krusty Grab. However, it is now permanently retired and resides with Earl on his farm.

Robot History

World Championship III
Bale Spear & Parallax vs. Double Dutch & Basilisk Double Dutch chews up Bale Spear's left-front tire. Bale Spear first fought with Parallax in a Tag Team match against Double Dutch and Basilisk. Before the match, Bale Spear encountered driving issues, but the team managed to get it ready for the fight. Bale Spear started poorly as it was shoved into the arena screws by its own teammate, then had one of its tires snagged on Double Dutch's upper blade. This hindered Bale Spear's mobility greatly, but it continued to try and fight. It was unable to play a big role in the fight after ths, and eventually lost drive on all but one of its wheels. Time ran out, and the judges awarded a unanimous 3-0 decision to Double Dutch and Basilisk.
Bale Spear vs. Predator vs. Valkyrie Valkyrie rips a wheel from Bale Spear. Bale Spear loses another wheel. Bale Spear's next match was a three-way rumble involving Valkyrie and Predator. The battle started relatively evenly but once Valkyrie quickly knocked out Predator, they turned their attention to Bale Spear. The farmyard bot fought bravely despite not having the design capable of causing damage against Valkyrie. Bale Spear soon lost the front right wheel, then the left, leaving it down to just its two rear wheels. Valkyrie continued to attack, and Bale Spear soon had one of its rear tires dislodged, quickly followed by the other. Picked apart systematically by its opponent, Bale Spear could no longer move, so it and Predator were both counted out, giving Valkyrie the win by KO.
Bale Spear & Double Dutch vs. Predator & Petunia Bale Spear clambers over Predator. Bale Spear participated in another Tag Team match with its new partner Double Dutch, facing off against Predator (again) and Petunia during the USA vs. The World special. Bale Spear was quick to get on the attack but wasn't able to cause any damage to either opponent. However, they did collide with teammate Double Dutch's spinning bars and lost their right rear tire as a result. This seriously hindered their mobility, and Bale Spear eventually stopped moving. Predator also died during the match, and both sat immobile for the rest of the rumble, leaving the others to duke it out. Time ran out and the judges awarded a unanimous 3-0 decision to Predator and Petunia, and one point to The World.
World Championship V
Bale Spear vs. Deadlift Bale Spear is roasted by Deadlift. Bale Spear's first fight of the 2020 season was against newcomer Deadlift. This fight was only shown in full as a Basement Tape and in Episode 10/14 of the ITV4 UK broadcast, the latter with interviews and commentary. The battle started with Bale Spear on the offensive, driving over Deadlift as the latter was late to use its lifting weapon. Bale Spear had activated its weapon, but struggled to retract it and was showing signs of drive issues. Deadlift itself was also struggling, with the two bots making glancing attacks at best during the first half of the fight. Deadlift then managed to hook its lifter under the protection for Bale Spear's right-front tire, setting it down and blasting its opponent with flames. Deadlift again got around to Bale Spear's side and made use of the flamethrower, before moving it to the screws and clamping its opponent against the wall momentarily. Bale Spear was now smoking and was inevitably counted out, leaving Deadlift to take the win by KO.
Bale Spear vs. Tracer One of Bale Spear's front attachment is torn off by Tracer. Bale Spear gets hit by Tracer. Bale Spear is slammed into the screws by Tracer. Bale Spear next fought another newcomer, Tracer. Bale Spear was not doing well as the first attack from Tracer sent them flying, only to land on top of Tracer's minibot of Needle, costing them a front attachment in the process. This left Bale Spear with little to do, but wait for the next hit, which sent them on top of their opponent, leaving them to get shoved across the arena floor into the screws. Bale Spear had very little movement left and was counted out, giving Tracer the win by KO and putting them to 0-2.
BattleBots: Bounty Hunters
Bale Spear vs. Chomp Bale Spear attacks as Chomp goes up in flames. Bale Spear also participated in Bronco's BattleBots: Bounty Hunters episode for a portion of the cash prize on offer. In this tournament, it was given a match with Zoe Stephenson and a greatly-updated Chomp. Bale Spear started off rather poorly as it took two hammer blows right off the start, but thankfully, neither seemed to cause any major damage as they were roughly near the gap in front of the back left wheel. Bale Spear then pushed Chomp into the corner where Chomp took multiple blows from the pulverizer. In this charge, Bale Spear had reached beneath Chomp's turret and knocked a fitting loose from its flamethrowers, causing fuel to spill into the machine. Bale Spear waited nearby while Chomp struggled to move and flames erupted from under its turret. Chomp couldn't move and was counted out, giving Bale Spear their first ever BattleBots victory, and a spot in the next round.
Bale Spear vs. MadCatter Bale Spear, upside-down, after being launched into the air. Bale Spear is destroyed by MadCatter. Fresh off their victory over the 500lb walker Chomp, Bale Spear met MadCatter in the second round. Immediately, Bale Spear were flipped over and unable to drive inverted. This led to them taking a barrage of hits from MadCatter and getting sent under the pulverizer. After one final hit that left them upside down once more, panels and batteries were strewn across the floor and Bale Spear was smoking. Earl Pancoast's machine was counted out, handing MadCatter the win by KO, eliminating Bale Spear from the bracket.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 6

Competition	Wins	Losses
World Championship III	None	Basilisk and Double Dutch (Untelevised Tag Team Rumble with Parallax) Valkyrie (Undercard Rumble) Petunia and Predator (Untelevised USA vs. The World Tag Team Rumble with Double Dutch)
World Championship V	None	Deadlift (Untelevised Undercard Match) Tracer (Undercard Match)
BattleBots: Bounty Hunters	Chomp	MadCatter

Faruq Tauheed Introductions

"Fresh off the farm, here to bust your chops like it's mowing down crops. Rise and shine! You're about to cock-a-doodle-die! It's BALE SPEAR!"

"Old McDonald had a bot, K-I-L-L-O! With a crush-crush here and a crush-crush there. There a smash, here a smash, everywhere a smash-smash... oh, I think you get the point, 'cause you're about to get exactly that! It's BALE SPEAR!"

"Get ready for an American farmhand fighter. It's... the Farmer in the Hell, the Farmer in the Hell, high-ho the scare-io the Farmer in the Hell. It's BALE SPEAR!"

"From Salem, New Jersey, the Garden State grave digger, BALE SPEAR!"

"From Salem, New Jersey, the Garden State, the only thing worse than the phrase would you like some more kale, dear, it's BALE SPEAR!"

Trivia

• The 2018 season iteration of Bale Spear was repurposed as a crop protection vehicle for the team's farm.
  • It also has a plastic wolf mounted on it, which Earl Pancoast III set up with GPS to patrol the perimeter of his farm, and scare away unwanted deer.
• Bale Spear was the first robot in BattleBots history to have never fought a 1v1 in its entire rookie season, followed by Daisy Cutter in World Championship IV.
• During Bale Spear's downtime, it was being used to help dig out dirt for Earl's basement.
• The fist added to Bale Spear for its rumble with Valkyrie and Predator still resides with Earl.
• Team member Alex Grant shares a name with the co-captain of World Championship VI champion Tantrum.
• Bale Spear is the first (and so far only) robot to use a retracting spear in the reboot.