| Battle Droid | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Model |
B1 series |
|
Class |
Droid infantry |
|
Manufacturer |
Baktoid Combat Automata |
|
Armaments |
E-5 Blaster rifle SE-14 Blaster pistol Thermal detonators |
|
Era |
Rise of the Empire |
|
Affiliation |
Geonosian Industries |
The Trade Federation B1 battle droids were a staple of the Clone Wars and the preceding invasion of Naboo in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Flimsy in design and very stupid, the battle droids' greatest strength lay in their numbers and sheer expendability, though they ceased to be used after Darth Sidious executed Order 66.
Battle droids were instrumental in the invasion and later battle for Naboo. While N-1 fighters battled to destroy the Trade Federation's control ships orbiting the planet, the vast majority of battle droids remained on the planet's surface to fight the Gungans. Ultimately every battle droid on the planet ceased to function after Anakin Skywalker and R2-D2 destroyed the control ship, cutting off their power supply. This weakness was duly noted by the Trade Federation, and the droids would later operate independently.
Ten years later, Viceroy Nute Gunray and his second, Rune Haako, had joined the Separatist army led by Count Dooku. Their battle droids were now being produced much more efficiently by the Techno Union in the caves of Geonosis, alongside their upgraded fellows, the B2 super battle droids. Too soon, the Clone Wars began, and clone, droid and Jedi alike clashed violently on the surface of Geonosis. The war soon spread across the Galaxy as more and more systems fell in line with Count Dooku. The vast majority of Separatist forces used the battle droids as the bulk of their army, but the simple droids were no match for the combined strength of the Jedi and the clone army.
Although most were deactivated under the orders of Darth Vader as the Galactic Empire rose to power, a few battle droids remained, scattered across the galaxy, often reprogrammed to act as security or bodyguards.