AQ-series battle droid

This article is about the aqua droid of the Separatist Droid Army. You may be looking for the aquatic battle droid seen on Glee Anselm.

"Send out the aqua droids to assemble the assault craft."

―Asajj Ventress^[src]

AQ-series battle droids, more commonly known as Aqua droids, were an amphibious model of battle droid manufactured by Haor Chall Engineering. They were excellent swimmers and had a retractable laser cannon on their right wrist, and were used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems to lay siege to aquatic planets such as Kamino and Mon Cala during the Clone Wars.^[2]

Description

"Hey, it looks like it's not programmed to avoid hitting bystanders!"

―Rose Tico, on Arkay-Nine^[src]

Standing at 2.83 meters tall,^[3] the AQ-series battle droid manufactured by Haor Chall Engineering^[1] had a bulkier physic when compared to the standard B1 model boasting a massive chest with ridged shoulders, elongated legs, a polygon shaped head which could be retracted into the droid's body to reduce drag while swimming, and a set of feet that could switch between a standard walking stance on land or fold into propellers underwater. The droids were also given a blue color scheme to match the waters they were designed to operate in.^[4]

Despite being incredibly mobile underwater, the droids marched in a slow lumbering pattern similar to super battle droids while operating on land, which made them targets for enemy snipers. To defend itself, the aqua droid was equipped with a single retractable laser cannon positioned on their right wrist and could also use their bulky arms to execute sufficient damage against enemy vehicles, such as Kamino submarines, underwater.^[4]

History

Battle of Kamino

"Aqua droids! It looks as though they're assembling assault craft."

―Obi-Wan Kenobi, upon discovering a contingent of aqua droids on Kamino.^[src]

BattleOfKamino-ARCT — Aqua droids lay siege to Kamino.

The earliest known deployment of aqua droids by the Confederacy of Independent Systems' droid army was seen during their attempted invasion of the oceanic world of Kamino in 21 BBY, where several units were secretly deployed to the planet under the command of Supreme Commander Asajj Ventress. When a Confederate Fleet led by General Grievous arrived in orbit and began engaging the Republic's defense fleet, debris from the Separatist support ships fell from orbit and crashed into the ocean. While the Republic thought little of the debris, in secret they were carrying assault ships which Ventress' aqua droids began assembling. During this process, the droid's progress was discovered by Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi who had grown suspicious of Grievous' willingness to sacrifice his support ships and traveled underwater in a submarine to investigate. Upon discovering Ventress' aqua droids, the Jedi's craft was swarmed as the aqua droids launched themselves onto the sub and began disabling its engine systems. Out of desperation, Kenobi abandoned his craft and escaped.^[4]

Almost immediately after being discovered, the aqua droids launched their assault on the Kaminoan cloning facilities, deploying assault crafts that drilled into the hull of the cloning facilities and dropping several more aqua droids and B1s into the facility. Although the droids managed to spread across the facility, they were soon pushed back by local clone forces led by their Jedi Generals. The droid's main assault was intended to act as a diversion to allow Ventress to capture the genetic template of Jango Fett in order to halt the Republic's production of new clones, but this was ultimately thwarted by the Republic, forcing Ventress and the rest of the Separatist forces to retreat.^[4]