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| BATTLE DROID |
| [Activate the droids] |
| 13 BE | Battle droid 01 |
| Type: B-1 battle droid Manufacturer: Baktoid Combat Automata Techno Union Affiliation: Trade Federation Techno Union Confederacy of Independant Systems Height: 1.91 meters Weapons: Blaster rifle |
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| Links: Battle droid bunker |
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| The design of the battle droid was inspired by African sculpture, though in-universe it was based on a Neimoidian's skeleton |
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| The soldiers of the Trade Federation were immune to the emotional effects of battle, they never shied away from duty and fought to the death. These were not elite shocktroopers but mindless droids, created purely for battle. Yet the battle droids employed to protect the Trade Federation had many flaws that sentient soldiers overcame. Being manufactured drones helped in many ways, but it was also the failing of the battle droids. They were produced in a way that ensured quantity over quality, so while the droids' strength lay in numbers, they were weak and possessed poor artificial intelligence. The droids were commanded by a Droid Control Ship in orbit, or a control device on the planet, and could thus be shut down or tampered with easily. Even in battle they were easy to destroy; weak armour and a poor aim meant the battle droids didn't survive very long in a warzone. Though it seemed as if the Trade Federation rushed the battle droids out on a cheap budget, it was not the case. The droids had top of the range sensor packs mounted on their backs, which carried the neccesary equipment for Neimoidian controllers to relay instructions to their troops. They were designed to be stored in compact, fetal positions when not in use, so a large number could fit aboard transports and drop ships. The battle droids were introduced when the Trade Federation called for extra defences against pirate attacks. Along with the Federation's other defences, the battle droids were soon used in offensives; they were deployed to invade Naboo during the Federation blockade of the planet, and later to attack the Gungan Army tasked with luring them from Theed City. However, the droids were shut down when the Control Ship in orbit was destroyed, and the Trade Federation was ousted from Naboo. The Republic prohibited the further use of batte droids, but later found the Federation - and other members of the newly-formed Confederacy of Independant Systems - was still creating them in secret. Advanced battle droids which had multiple control sources were deployed on Geonosis, but again their strength in numbers failed when the Army of the Republic attacked. The battle droids were unable to defend against such a powerful force, and were once again rendered useless. Though they fought in the Clone Wars, the battle droids became obsolete with the introduction of the Empire and its infamous stormtroopers. |
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