Battledroids not as feeble as we thought?

Post by **Vympel** » 2005-05-15 10:48pm

I was watching the last bit of TPM last night (lightsabre fight) and it cut to the cringeworthy bit where Jar Jar is running around dragging a Battledroid torso with him (that is still firing). In the background, you can see more Gungans struggling in hand to hand with Battledroids. We know they're fragile enough that a blaster hit to practically anywhere will put them away, but I was wondering if anyone else had noticed this?

Panzer Grenadier · Post by **Panzer Grenadier** » 2005-05-15 11:05pm

I think Gungans are just real big pussies.

Civil War Man · Post by **Civil War Man** » 2005-05-15 11:14pm

Panzer Grenadier wrote:I think Gungans are just real big pussies.

Gungans, IIRC, possess superior physical strength when compared to the average human. Beyond that, they were a rather warlike species prior to the arrival of the Naboo (having lots of civil wars and such), and even afterwards maintained a pretty sizeable standing army.

I find it kind of annoying how it seems that everyone projects Jar Jar's stupidity on the entire Gungan species, conveniently forgetting that Jar Jar was banished for being an idiot. I've heard people say "Gungans must be stupid because they elected him as representative." His election as a Naboo representative, however, suggests one of two things. Option 1) He became more serious (and, granted his screen time was much shorter, but beyond his speech impediment he displayed little of the antics he did in TPM). Option 2) He's a war hero, having been a general in the Gungan Army when they fought the Trade Federation. Anyone care to name all the politicians in their nation's history that served in the military?

Darth Fanboy · Post by **Darth Fanboy** » 2005-05-15 11:22pm

Panzer Grenadier wrote:I think Gungans are just real big pussies.

And thanks for playing, though the title says youngling you'll always be a newbie to us.

Fighting hand to hand with a Gungan, particularly the actual soldiers in the Gungan Grand Army would be one helluva task for a human. If the B-1s are actually standing toe to toe then you gotta think how much punch are the blasters packing that take em down, and how strong are they with those slender frames?

Darth Fanboy · Post by **Darth Fanboy** » 2005-05-15 11:32pm

CivilWarMan wrote:I've heard people say "Gungans must be stupid because they elected him as representative."

Isn't Jar Jar's position not that of a full senator, but as sort of a "vice-senator" representing Naboo? Or is he infact a Senator, representing his race with a full vote. Do republic worlds like Naboo have to give every race/nation/faction on their planet a vote( even though there are a lot of things about that idea that do not make sense)?

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2005-05-15 11:34pm

I noted it. It shows a lot more flexibility then previously expected as well. The thing ducks under a swing and returns with an upper cut. Not something you'd expect from the stiff moving droids.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2005-05-15 11:44pm

Jedi disable them with kicks, but then maybe they enhance their strength with the Force in those blows...

Tasoth · Post by **Tasoth** » 2005-05-16 12:30am

Kinda figured they were tough, especially once you try and take down a SBD in republic commando. I'd rather fight vader.

Lancer · Post by **Lancer** » 2005-05-16 12:31am

Tasoth wrote:Kinda figured they were tough, especially once you try and take down a SBD in republic commando. I'd rather fight vader.

Get yourself a trandoshan concussion rifle. Then just run up and melee them with it repeatedly.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2005-05-16 12:34am

Matt Huang wrote:
Tasoth wrote:Kinda figured they were tough, especially once you try and take down a SBD in republic commando. I'd rather fight vader.
Get yourself a trandoshan concussion rifle. Then just run up and melee them with it repeatedly.

My one problem with Republic Commando, damn SSDs were too tough. Where it takes a few well placed blaster rounds in AOTC (or one from a DC-15) it takes a clip and a half and a bandolier of detonators in the game.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2005-05-16 12:46am

Panzer Grenadier wrote:I think Gungans are just real big pussies.

You can't judge a whole species just cause one of them is so freaking annoying.

Star-Blighter · Post by **Star-Blighter** » 2005-05-16 12:55am

Pure Sabacc wrote:
Matt Huang wrote:
Tasoth wrote:Kinda figured they were tough, especially once you try and take down a SBD in republic commando. I'd rather fight vader.
Get yourself a trandoshan concussion rifle. Then just run up and melee them with it repeatedly.
My one problem with Republic Commando, damn SSDs were too tough. Where it takes a few well placed blaster rounds in AOTC (or one from a DC-15) it takes a clip and a half and a bandolier of detonators in the game.

It seems the DC-17M sacrifices firepower in favor of specialized modules. Since I don't have Republic Commando, could you tell me what mode the DC-17M was in when used against SBDs?

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2005-05-16 01:03am

It seems the DC-17M sacrifices firepower in favor of specialized modules. Since I don't have Republic Commando, could you tell me what mode the DC-17M was in when used against SBDs?

It was in the regular combat mode. However, even in snipe mode (which is significantly more powerful, especially if targeted on a specific area) the amount of time and ammunition necissary was way over the top. The anti-armor atchment makes quick work of them however, but it should be overkill, not whats necissary.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2005-05-16 01:04am

Pure Sabacc wrote:
It seems the DC-17M sacrifices firepower in favor of specialized modules. Since I don't have Republic Commando, could you tell me what mode the DC-17M was in when used against SBDs?
It was in the regular combat mode. However, even in snipe mode (which is significantly more powerful, especially if targeted on a specific area) the amount of time and ammunition necissary was way over the top. The anti-armor atchment makes quick work of them however, but it should be overkill, not whats necissary.

So you think it is unrealistic to have to use an antiarmor round against a droid whose selling point is that it is heavily armored?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-05-16 01:07am

The Republic Commando gun is very small compared to the huge rifles the clonetroopers are packing at the Battle of Geonosis. Of course, its relative ineffectiveness against SBDs makes you wonder why they chose to issue it to the whole squad despite its flexibility. It would make more sense for at least one of the squad members to have a big rifle.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2005-05-16 01:09am

Darth Wong wrote:The Republic Commando gun is very small compared to the huge rifles the clonetroopers are packing at the Battle of Geonosis. Of course, its relative ineffectiveness against SBDs makes you wonder why they chose to issue it to the whole squad despite its flexibility. It would make more sense for at least one of the squad members to have a big rifle.

The low power level is undoubtedly a factor, but my problem is that if you can destroy a BD-1 with four or five shots to the torso, why does it take forty to destroy an SBD? It doesnt make sense, they're not that much more heavily armored.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2005-05-16 01:22am

Because man, their SUPER Battle Droids!

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2005-05-16 01:48am

Crossroads Inc. wrote:Because man, their SUPER Battle Droids!

Okay, Ill explain my beef this way. Regardless of how powerful (or not) the DC-17 is, it would be insane to give it less a quarter, or even a half of the strength of a typical BD-1 rifle. That being said, in AOTC, when Kit Fisto encounters C-3PO's head on a BD and knocks his down, the droid body fires a single pulse accidentally into the chest of a nearby SBD, which causes it to collapse and triggers Fisto's manic grin. If a single close range blast from a droid rifle could bring down an SBD, why would no less than 40 from a DC-17 be necissary to bring down the same droid, even at the same range? There in lies my problem.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2005-05-16 02:25am

Pure Sabacc wrote:-snip-

*Reads*
Ah, because at the time plot dictated that a SBD should be bumped off by one shot for comidic purposes while in another scene it takes 40shots for dramatic purposes?

Post by **Vympel** » 2005-05-16 03:24am

Regarding Super Battle Droid durability, their chassis at least seems to be effective at stopping blaster bolts from Battle Droid carbines. I posted a screenshot of the armor taking a hit with little effect a few weeks ago.

Cykeisme · Post by **Cykeisme** » 2005-05-16 03:52am

The disparity between AotC and Republic Commando in terms of the toughness between the SBDs and everything else is rather large.

True, the DC-17m with its autofire blaster attachment is a lot smaller than a DC-15, but I'd seriously question the decision to arm Clone Commandos (who often have to operate in situations without artillery or air support) with such an underpowered primary weapon.

I suppose the power of the other attachments mitigates that complaint somewhat.. the anti-armor attachment does a number on anything on two legs (or three, for Destroyer Droids), and the sniper attachment can often kill an SBD in two shots even on Hard difficulty (you have to blast off the armor plate on the face with one headshot, then fire another shot directly into the center of the unprotected head). You also have access to a suite of specialized grenades including thermal detonators.

Still, the DC-15 seems to have the per-shot destructive energy of the 17m's sniper attachment, except with fully automatic operation and a higher ammo capacity!
Like Mike said, I would kill to have just one guy in my squad to pack a standard-issue DC-15.

I suppose the weakest approach would be to go the literary path and say that SBDs are that tough in RC for gameplay reasons

Anyway, back to the original topic.. perhaps the B1 droids are actually pretty strong despite their spindly appearance, which isn't unfeasible at all considering they're Star Wars tech. That, of course, might contribute to "Jedi wank" since it means those Force powered kicks were pretty badass. Though that in turn leads to the question as to why Obi-Wan didn't deliver such a kick to Jango..

Comosicus · Post by **Comosicus** » 2005-05-16 06:30am

Cykeisme wrote: Anyway, back to the original topic.. perhaps the B1 droids are actually pretty strong despite their spindly appearance, which isn't unfeasible at all considering they're Star Wars tech. That, of course, might contribute to "Jedi wank" since it means those Force powered kicks were pretty badass. Though that in turn leads to the question as to why Obi-Wan didn't deliver such a kick to Jango..

Maybe he was afraid it could kill him. After all Obi-Wan was supposed to take Jango to Coruscant for interogation.

FTeik · Post by **FTeik** » 2005-05-16 07:23am

What about armour-improvements on the SBD? Or a lucky hit in AOTC?

Star-Blighter · Post by **Star-Blighter** » 2005-05-16 07:38am

FTeik wrote:What about armour-improvements on the SBD? Or a lucky hit in AOTC?

Both are possible, though difficult to prove. If the one-shoted SBD had prior damage, I could swallow RC's insane SBD durability more easily. Blasters pack a shitload of firepower and even stormie armor comes out mostly unscathed (unlike the unfortunate soul inside...).

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2005-05-16 10:53am

I guess it's probably comparable to why Stormtroopers go down in one blaster pistol shot in the movies, but in the Dark Forces series it usually takes 3-4 shots to kill them (even more on the higher difficulty levels in Jedi Outcast too).

Because one is more challenging for game players, and one is better suited to the story Lucas is trying to tell onscreen.

Obviously they slashed the budget, then got some new funding, then it got slashed again... etc.