DSD1 dwarf spider droid

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

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"You've fought against it, you know its weaknesses, and more importantly, you know what a killer it can be. Men, meet the newest addition to the Stormtrooper Corps."

―Stormtrooper commander TK-342 prior to the Battle of Ghorman^[1]

The DSD1 Dwarf Spider Droid, also known as a Burrowing Spider Droid, was a battle droid manufactured by the Commerce Guild for the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Characteristics

The droid featured a blaster cannon mounted on its dome that was capable of firing either rapid anti-personnel rounds or slower high-intensity blasts that could destroy light vehicles. The droid's small frame and four all-terrain legs made it suitable for warfare in extreme environments or environments with lots of verticality such as mines. Its legs allowed the droid to navigate vertically on walls and narrow cliffsides, while their adjustability allowed it to attain better elevation for its central blaster cannon. However, because of the fixed laser cannon, it could not turn around to track enemies, thus making it susceptible to speedy targets. The spider droids had very fast reflexes, immediately firing against the Republic gunships flying towards the B'omarr Monastery on Teth. They were also very accurate, able to shoot at the gunships that were far away from them and flying fast. They also shot the clone pilot and the clone gunner of an AT-TE and hit the feet of the walkers, causing them to fall down the cliff during the Battle of Teth/Legends.^[5]

The droids during the Battle of Teth, using their laser cannons to hit the feet of the AT-TE walkers, causing the walkers to fall down the cliff. During the Second Battle of Felucia, a large number of these droids were utilized to protect the Separatist headquarters during the battle, ambushing potential Republic infiltrators.

Infrared photoreceptors and powerful scanners enabled the Dwarf Spider Droid to survey the terrain and relay target data back to the Homing spider droid. When these scanners identified a target, they sent a tracking message through a digital channel from the head-mounted aerial to the homing spider droid, which then moved toward the signal to deliver the killing blow. Dwarf Spider Droids also featured a self-destruct mechanism. If a clone unit moved in to destroy the Dwarf Spider Droid, it would usually self-destruct, destroying both itself and any enemies around it. The droid communicated in a beeping language similar to binary.

History

During the Clone Wars, dwarf spider droids were used on the front lines, in front of platoons of battle droids and other Separatist droids. The dwarf spider droid also worked in conjunction with the larger OG-9 homing spider droid and could operate as an armored scout exploring the battlefields.

A Dwarf Spider Droid during the First Battle of Geonosis

Several variants of the dwarf spider droid were used during the wars, including an amphibious model, designed for water-filled terrain such as marshes, swamps, or wetlands. This variant was equipped with a larger gun, but could not float. Two heavily armored variants—the heavy dwarf spider droid and the advanced dwarf spider droid were also utilized. Delta Squad encountered many advanced dwarf spider droids on their missions including two during the Battle of Geonosis, and several during the Battle of Kashyyyk, where they were used to counter the Republic's All Terrain Recon Transport units.

Spider droids fought in the Battle of Christophsis, being among the forces that surrounded Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi when he delayed General Whorm Loathsom from continuing the battle by discussing terms of surrender to provide time for Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano to destroy the deflector shield generator used by the Separatist forces. General Kenobi captured General Loathsom, who told the droids there, including the spider droids, not to shoot at the Jedi Master. Shortly afterwards, the droids would be taken prisoner by clone troopers as the Republic won the battle soon after the destruction of the shield generator.^[5]

The droids were deployed to Teth to guard the B'omarr Monastery where Rotta was being held prisoner. They fired at LAATs and fought against Republic forces scaling the cliff of the mountain atop which the monastery was located, destroying one AT-TE and killing the clone gunner operating the cannon of a second one. They were destroyed by Anakin Skywalker and, later on, when Separatist reinforcements arrived, other spider droids were deployed to the planet, killing the clone pilot driving the remaining AT-TE and hitting one of the legs of the walker, taking it out. Two more spider droids shot at the platform on which Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano and R2-D2 had gone to in order to get Rotta away from the building, hitting the nests of Can-cells. They destroyed the platform, but debris from it crushed them. Another spider droid was destroyed by Captain Rex with a thermal detonator. The Republic won the battle.^[5]

At least on spider droid was deployed to Maridun.^[6] Spider droids also participated in the First Battle of Felucia, during which, being far outnumbered by Separatist forces, the Republic forces had to retreat.^[7] Two were present on Cad Bane's Munificent-class star frigate and fought against clone troopers in the hangar of the ship, but were destroyed during the battle.^[8]

They were also deployed during the Battle of Malastare and most were deactivated by the proton bomb used by the Republic during the fight. At least one spider droid hadn't been deactivated by the bomb and was attacked by a Dug.^[9] DSD1s also guarded the Citadel along with other droids.^[10] They fought during the Second Battle of Felucia and some attacked Anakin Skywalker.^[11] They also participated in the Battle of Onderon^[12] and the Battle of Ringo Vinda.^[13]

Though most Separatist war vehicles were deactivated after the end of the Clone Wars, the dwarf spider droids were recommissioned through Imperial command and used by the Galactic Empire to enforce the submission of former Separatist worlds to fight against the remnants of the government that had once used them. The Stormtrooper Corps used the droids as their mechanical attack dogs, noting their potency in the preceding war.^[1] The droids were utilized throughout the Empire's reign, sometimes alongside stormtroopers at Imperial checkpoints.

Behind the scenes

The dwarf spider droid first appeared in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Early in production, the plan was for the various commerce guilds to employ the same type of battle droids used by the Trade Federation, only with different color schemes to differentiate allegiance. It was instead decided to provide a greater visual diversity by designing wholly unique droids for the Commerce Guild, Corporate Alliance, and InterGalactic Banking Clan.^[14]