Atlatl/Legends

The atlatl was a short throwing stick produced by the Otoh Gunga Defense League and employed by the Gungan Grand Army on Naboo.

Characteristics
The atlatl was a short weapon hand-carved from native woods, and thusly no two atlatls were truly identical. The weapon was designed with a cradle at one end of the handle, into which a single booma could fit. Gungan warriors could hurl energy balls from the atlatl, achieving a range of around thirty meters. The atlatl is extremely accurate at close range. As a one-handed weapon, the atlatl allowed the warrior to wield a secondary weapon or energy shield in the other hand. They were also known to have been used as crude bludgeons on occasion. Atlatls could be attached to a backpack or belt when not in use.



Atlatls were commonly used by the militiagungs of the Gungan Grand Army. General Tobler Ceel set up a training ground near Lake Paonga known as the Scrumma Jawbone, which served as a "shooting range" for atlatl, cesta and arbalest users. The cesta was a larger variant of the atlatl, providing greater range, though at the cost of accuracy.

Behind the scenes

 * In reality an atlatl is a tool used for throwing spears farther. This tool has been in existence for over 25,000 years. The weapons shown in The Phantom Menace were made of bamboo and were not designed for the heavy wear inflicted on them during filming.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (novel)