Pistoeka sabotage droid/Legends

"They're shutting down all the controls!"

- Obi-Wan Kenobi, during the Battle of Coruscant

Pistoeka sabotage droids, better known simply as buzz droids, were a type of insect-like automatons that were deployed in swarms during battlefleet actions by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They could wreak havoc upon squadrons of starfighters that happened to fly through a formation of such deployed droids. Approximately one-quarter of a meter in diameter and well armed for their role, they were typically delivered by discord missiles from droid tri-fighters and Vulture droid starfighters.

Design and function


Buzz droids were intended to disable instead of destroy their targets. Since they were so effective when being deployed by tri-fighters, the CIS retrofitted a number of Vulture droids to carry them as well. The buzz droids also had simple maneuvering jets that helped them to move while still encased within their spheres. Once they came into contact with an enemy starship, they would use a magnetic pad to gain a foothold. The outer shell was coated with a heat dissipating alloy that allowed it to penetrate enemy shields; it was also constructed of shock-absorbing materials.

They apparently communicated through chattering, as shown when a group of buzz droids cut off the dome head of R4-P17, Obi-Wan Kenobi's astromech droid, during the Battle of Coruscant.

History
"I'm Hit! Anakin?" "I see them. Buzz droids."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker

During the Battle of Coruscant, Obi-Wan's Jedi interceptor was covered in a swarm of buzz droids, which destroyed his astromech, R4-P17. His former Padawan, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, tried to save him by blasting the buzz droids off, which only resulted in the loss of most of Obi-Wan's left wing. Anakin then tried to scrape the droids off, which destroyed most of the buzz droids still active at the expense of several more systems on both Obi-Wan and Anakin's respective craft. However, a lone droid scrabbled over to Anakin's interceptor. His astromech, R2-D2, destroyed the buzz droid by hitting it in its central eye with his built-in fusion-welder. The buzz droid bounced over Anakin's fighter and was sent jetting away when it fell behind the exhaust of his engines.

Anakin and Obi-Wan later encountered buzz droids on foot as they explored the Invisible Hand as they searched for Chancellor Palpatine. The droids were effective against infantry, swarming their opponents and latching onto them. They were no match, however, for a lightsaber, as used by the two Jedi.

Buzz droids became a very deadly weapon once Darth Sidious gave the plans of the Galactic Republic's starfighters to the CIS, and proved effective at destroying these craft in battle. Following the execution of the Separatist Council by Sidious's new apprentice, Darth Vader, these units were deactivated.

However, the billions of buzz droids left behind at the end of the Clone Wars were later utilized to great effect in junk yards, while others were taken to droid gladiator rings. The next time they would be seen in combat was within the hands of the Zann Consortium, which utilized large quantities of these droids during the Galactic Civil War to bring havoc to enemy ship systems during combat. These droids would be deployed from StarViper starfighters.

Weapon systems
"R2, hit the buzz droid's center eye."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi to R2-D2

Although individual tools might vary for each mission, the little buzz droids that were used in the Second Battle of Coruscant carried the following weapons: drill heads, plasma cutting torches, circular saws, prying hooks, and picket and pincer arms. The buzz droids' three sensor eyes included multiple filters and X-ray sensors. Darth Sidious provided the manufacturers of the buzz droid with design schematics of Republic starfighters then in-use for maximum efficiency.

Behind the scenes
According to StarWars.com, the origin of the buzz droid was in the World War II legends of gremlins, which originated from British RAF pilots who claimed these strange creatures caused damage to their Spitfire planes. These fiendish sprites were often described as tearing aircraft apart in flight. Grutchins were also based on gremlins.

There were plans to introduce a buzz droid generator in the Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith video game. It was to be a mobile machine that would constantly produce buzz droids. Although this was not included in the final game, concept art for the generator was available on the game's official website and on the video game itself.

In Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, buzz droids are featured as an extra playable character, only accessible with Extra toggle and in Episode III levels. Its only ability is to smack with a circular saw device.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance
 * Star Wars: Obsession
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith comic
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith game
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith junior novel
 * The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web
 * The Last of the Jedi: Against the Empire
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Millennium Falcon

Non-canon appearances

 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick