Octuptarra tri-droid

"Rex, we've got to take out these walkers. I'll take one, you take the other.''" "''Don't worry, General. The boys and I can handle it. Hunter, Wrecker, you're with me."

- Anakin Skywalker and CT-7567

The octuptarra tri-droid, also known simply as the octuptarra droid or tri-droid and nicknamed the "virus droid" due to the biological plagues it sometimes carried, was a model of three-legged battle droid manufactured by the Techno Union. Produced in a number of different sizes, including agile octuptarra combat tri-droids and gigantic octuptarra magna tri-droids, they were used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.

Characteristics
The larger and more dangerous counterpart of the DSD1 dwarf spider droid, the octuptarra tri-droid, also known simply as the octuptarra droid or tri-droid, was a model of fourth class battle droid. Their large heads contained their cognitive modules and sensor suite. Three red photoreceptors allowed them to look in every direction at once, leaving them with virtually no blind spots and making them almost impossible for enemy troopers to attack by surprise from behind. They had an omnidirectional field of fire, with typical octuptarra tri-droids being armed with three rotating laser cannons placed equidistant below its photoreceptors and around its central stalk, which could spin around and lock onto targets from any side in an instant. They had three triple-jointed, hydraulic limbs that allowed them to scale steep surfaces. However, its three-legged design was its primary weakness, as if one was damaged, the entire droid would topple over. In addition, they were also slow-moving and vulnerable to tripping.

Octuptarra tri-droids were produced in a number of different sizes during the Clone Wars. Agile, battle droid-sized versions, known as octuptarra combat tri-droids, stood 3.6 meters in height and featured a highly-mobile chassis. Primarily used as anti-personnel platforms, certain variants stored airborne biological plagues in their bulbous heads, allowing them to wreak havoc on the enemy long after the unit is destroyed, causing them to be nicknamed "virus droids". The largest models, known as octuptarra magna tri-droids, stood at 14.59 meters in height and were used as combat artillery. Large enough to take on heavily armored All Terrain Tactical Enforcers, their laser cannons could be replaced with chain-fed missile launchers. A variant of the octuptarra magna tri-droid used on the planet Skako Minor was equipped with an engine at its waist, creating enough thrust to allow it to hover many meters above the ground.

The octuptarra tri-droid was named for the octuptarra, an eight-eyed, gasbag-headed vine walker found on Skako.

History
"Still showing off, eh, General?''" "''You know me, Echo."

- Anakin Skywalker and CT-1409, as the former prepares to take on an octuptarra magna tri-droids single-handedly

The octuptarra tri-droid was primarily manufactured by the Techno Union division of the Separatist Droid Army, who often fielded them in battle during the Clone Wars. In the year 22 BBY, octuptarra magna tri-droids were deployed during the Battle of Christophsis, with several being destroyed due to the intervention of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and the 501st Legion. Later in the battle, several were stationed outside of the Separatist deflector shield. In 19 BBY, octuptarra magna tri-droids were used to guard the city of Purkell, headquarters of the Techno Union, on Skako Minor. During the Outer Rim Sieges, octuptarra combat tri-droids were used to protect General Grievous' Pau City headquarters during the Battle of Utapau. Concurrently, both variants were used by the Separatist in a battle on Mygeeto. After the Galactic Republic was replaced by the Galactic Empire, most octuptarra tri-droids were deactivated.

Behind the scenes
The octuptarra tri-droid was originally created for the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. It was first identified in Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, a reference book written by Adam Bray, Kerrie Dougherty, Cole Horton, and Michael Kogge and released on September 4, 2015. Several variants of the octuptarra tri-droid were visible in Revenge of the Sith; The octuptarra combat tri-droid found on Utapau had its digital model scaled up and modified to become the octuptarra magna tri-droid seen on Mygeeto, with slight cosmetic alterations between the two such as the former's laser cannons being replaced with chain-fed guns on the latter. The octuptarra tri-droid could be found in early sketches of Utapau by Ryan Church.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Galactic Defense
 * Jedi of the Republic&mdash;Mace Windu, Part I
 * Jedi of the Republic&mdash;Mace Windu, Part II
 * Jedi of the Republic&mdash;Mace Windu, Part III
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith