Droids vs. Clones

[Panzer Grenadier]

I have been wondering for a while exactly why the Republic decided to build a clone army as opposed to a droid army. With the growth stimulants and such, I assume it takes 8 years to train and raise a single clone to combat age. The battle droids however can roll off the assembly line perpetually, as long as you have the resources and energy to keep the factory going. Now I admit that these droids are probably less intelligent or combat efficient than one of the Republic’s clones, but their sheer numbers and the firepower of the super battle droids and droidekas offset this. Maybe the Republic planned to rely on their naval superiority to move the clones around the galaxy and deploy them on planets were they can engage the confederacy with superior numbers, or maybe just try to find and bomb all the droid factories (very difficult considering the number of systems). The fact remains is that the Republic essentially has to wait half a decade or so to reinforce their army, while the Confederacy builds a massive army of doom.

[Trogdor]

The clones are supposed to be better warriors. Plus, a clone army might've been the only kind Palpy could raise secretly.

[Mange]

The clone soldiers are better in combat, and since it's easy to make them less independent (as explained in AOTC), it's easier to control them.

[Vympel]

Palpatine needed a Grand Army of the Republic on call the moment he formally "created" it- if he had waited until after his announcement, it would take far too long to recruit men and train them up for the purpose, and he couldn't do that before, because he had no pretext. The clone army allowed for an immediate, ready made army the moment he called for creation.

There's another issue as well- Spoiler

It's pretty much confirmed that the Clonetroopers turn on their Jedi generals in ROTS. Clonetroopers, unlike recruits, are 100% loyal to executive authority without fail. Citizens of the Republic aren't exactly guaranteed to turn on Jedi Knights- without a 100% obedient army, no possibility of disobedience, there could've been a Civil War on hand

We also don't know for how long the droid army was in production. Count Dooku probably fixed it so the Separatists wouldn't have a chance of victory against the Clonetrooper combat debut at Geonosis. Not to mention that the Seperatist treaty wasn't even signed until a day before the war began.

[Darksider]

As has been said, Palpy needed to create the army in secret, and have it be better equipped and trained than the droids.

Plus, with his apprentice leading the opposition, he had to be pretty confident of victory