A step up from the standard B1-Series battle droid, E4 baron droids were battle droids used by the Trade Federation. Baktoid Combat Automata developed the experimental baron droid as an all-purpose security unit.
The E4 baron droid were hulking droids, capable of impressive feats of strength. Their plating was made of a heavy metal known as Arcetron. It could track an opponent with motion, heat, energy, and sonic detectors. Visual stimuli were processed through the droid's single photoreceptor, which could also produce a blinding spotlight to identify and track its targets. They were equipped with two dual repeating blaster cannons mounted on their arms. They could also function for extended periods without a direct connection to a Central Control Computer.
Though more formidable than their predecessors, they were not without flaws. The baron droid lacked personal energy shields, allowing them to be quickly disabled with multiple hits from a blaster rifle, or a well-aimed lightsaber slash. In addition, their movement was heavy and slow.
Obi-Wan Kenobi encountered such droids during his investigation of the Black Heth criminal gang on Coruscant. The local Naboo fighters had been fighting them in swamps and they learnt to avoid them by watching for their signature spotlights.
Nute Gunray planned to use a pair of these droids as his personal assassin corps, but they were called up for use in the Battle of Naboo instead. E4s patrolled the city of Theed during the invasion. Although the Trade Federation Droid Army was defeated, the success of the baron droid led to a refinement of the design and the production of the B2 super battle droids as a heavy infantry unit for the Separatist Droid Army.
Many of the droids remained on Naboo, where they were eventually hunted down by soldiers of the Royal Naboo Security Forces. Eventually, a squad of baron droids took over the planet of Arzid, where they ruled by "the law of the blaster" in 16 ABY.
There was another type of baron battle droid that was known only by that designation; it too was used by the Trade Federation. It was quite different in appearance, but may have been of the E-line.
The baron droids encountered in the 2001 video game Star Wars: Obi-Wan are noticeably different from the illustration in The New Essential Guide to Droids, most notably the appearance of the outer plating, as well as the one from the game being bulkier.
The E4 baron droid were hulking droids, capable of impressive feats of strength. Their plating was made of a heavy metal known as Arcetron. It could track an opponent with motion, heat, energy, and sonic detectors. Visual stimuli were processed through the droid's single photoreceptor, which could also produce a blinding spotlight to identify and track its targets. They were equipped with two dual repeating blaster cannons mounted on their arms. They could also function for extended periods without a direct connection to a Central Control Computer.
Though more formidable than their predecessors, they were not without flaws. The baron droid lacked personal energy shields, allowing them to be quickly disabled with multiple hits from a blaster rifle, or a well-aimed lightsaber slash. In addition, their movement was heavy and slow.
Obi-Wan Kenobi encountered such droids during his investigation of the Black Heth criminal gang on Coruscant. The local Naboo fighters had been fighting them in swamps and they learnt to avoid them by watching for their signature spotlights.
Nute Gunray planned to use a pair of these droids as his personal assassin corps, but they were called up for use in the Battle of Naboo instead. E4s patrolled the city of Theed during the invasion. Although the Trade Federation Droid Army was defeated, the success of the baron droid led to a refinement of the design and the production of the B2 super battle droids as a heavy infantry unit for the Separatist Droid Army.
Many of the droids remained on Naboo, where they were eventually hunted down by soldiers of the Royal Naboo Security Forces. Eventually, a squad of baron droids took over the planet of Arzid, where they ruled by "the law of the blaster" in 16 ABY.
There was another type of baron battle droid that was known only by that designation; it too was used by the Trade Federation. It was quite different in appearance, but may have been of the E-line.
The Star Wars: Obi-Wan depiction of an E4 baron droid
The baron droids encountered in the 2001 video game Star Wars: Obi-Wan are noticeably different from the illustration in The New Essential Guide to Droids, most notably the appearance of the outer plating, as well as the one from the game being bulkier.
- The Art of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
- "Gamescape" — Star Wars Insider 57
- Star Wars: Obi-Wan: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
- "State of the Arts" — Star Wars Gamer 8
- The New Essential Guide to Droids
- Galactic Gallery: Baron Droid on Hyperspace
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Essential Guide to Warfare