The ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid, known simply as super tactical droids, were an advanced model of tactical droid that was utilized as an enhanced version of the T-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid. In the second year of the Clone Wars, due to the inflexibile and predictable deficiencies of the T-series model, the ST-series super tactical droid was produced by Baktoid Combat Automata for the Confederacy of Independent Systems and its military branch as a solution. Programmed with higher strategical processing and intelligence, while also equipped with better tactical analysis and predicting a response to organic commanders, super tactical droids were utilized by the Separatists as masterful battlefield commanders, often filling the role of commander or general, including Commanders Aut-O and Kraken, as well as Generals Kalani and Linwodo, the former of which served directly under Separatist Head of State Count Dooku. Although they saw frequent deployment throughout the Separatist military, the T-series model still saw utilization by the Confederacy, commanding small fleet groups on non-essential missions, while prime objectives and operations were proceeded to super tactical droids.
Taller than their forebears by a single centimeter, the ST-series units were constructed with superior armor plating than that of the T-series, and were also equipped with additional systems, such as greater heat ventilation, , which allowed them to use organic equipment, and an additional third photoreceptor. Super tactical droids were also granted by their superior officers to a form of individuality within the Separatist military. Their given individuality thereby granted the droid model the ability to customize their entire bodies with color schemes in order to distinguish themselves. To an even greater extent, some units of the ST-series had also developed personalities of sorts, with several, such as Kalani, foregoing their identification numbers and creating names for themselves in refusal to respond to their numbers.
Super tactical droids were larger and more heavily armored.
In response to the T-series tactical droid's inflexibility, the secessionist Confederacy of Independent Systems commissioned the battle droid manufacturer, Baktoid Combat Automata, to produce the ST-series super tactical droid for use in its military forces during the galaxy-spanning conflict known as the Clone Wars between itself and the dominant Galactic Republic.
Differences aside, the super tactical droid, as with their counterpart in the Separatist Droid Army, was analytical and calculating. Created to digest a situation of battle and formulate the most effective solution with a time frame for its execution, they were dreaded by Republic soldiers and seen as very dangerous to veteran officers.
Super tactical droids could engage in hand-to-hand combat to defend themselves.
Serving as masterful commanders of the Droid Army, the super tactical droid was highly intelligent and strategic, bane to both the Jedi Order and the Republic Military.
Yet where given the independence to act, super tactical droids could direct Confederacy military operations without superior overseers. Programmed with Separatist beliefs, they conquered through fear and the lack of courage and hope in their opponents, fighting for what they presumed as "freedom from the tyranny of the Republic." Prioritizing Confederate success, the super tactical droid would not hesitate utilizing threats and torture as means of interrogation.
Although the droids were not designed for the purpose of direct involvement in combat, they were capable of self-defense, equipped with the standard Droid Army E-5 blaster rifle. They also weren't above engaging in hand-to-hand combat, even being willing to do so against Jedi on one occasion.
Although at least one super tactical droid was active during the early days of the Clone Wars, the model only grew to become more common as the conflict carried on because of the failings of the T-series. In 20 BBY, Separatist leader, Count Dooku dispatched one such droid, General Kalani, to assist King Sanjay Rash's forces in dealing with the rebels of Onderon. During this time, he worked alongside the Royal Militia's commander, General Akenathen Tandin, as they attempted to capture the rebels in Iziz, which included overseeing the brutal torture of one of the rebel leaders. However, Tandin and his forces then defected and assisted the rebels in freeing Ramsis Dendup during their escape to the highlands. When the rebels were able to defeat the droid gunships, Kalani was then ordered to retreat with his forces to Agamar, despite Rash's objections. Kalani then executed Rash.
Aut-O on the bridge of his flagship.
Another super tactical droid, Aut-O was stationed aboard a Providence-class Dreadnought. However, he was destroyed by R2-D2. Another one was given command of a commandeered Venator-class Star Destroyer with the mission to destroy the Republic strategy conference on Valor station in the Carida system. However, when the buzz droids failed in stopping D-Squad, the super tactical droid and it's crew were destroyed before they were able to complete their mission.
Another super tactical droid, Kraken, served as second-in-command to Admiral Trench. Kraken then attempted to take a captured clone trooper CT-5385 to Count Dooku. However, he was stopped by General Skywalker and two of his 501st Legion troopers. He was then destroyed by Skywalker when he refused to answer his questions. However, he was then rebuilt and commanded the Separatist forces during the invasion of Scipio alongside Dooku. Kraken continued to serve under Dooku aboard his command ship, even when his master, Lord Sidious, demanded his presence.
A super tactical droid then accompanied General Grievous to Utapau aboard a Separatist supply ship to secure the shipment of a enormous kyber crystal. However, it was destroyed when the Jedi's top members intervened.
Another super tactical droid served Admiral Trench during the Battle of Anaxes. He was stationed on the bridge of Trench's dreadnought, where he and the Admiral oversaw the attack on Anaxes's Assembly Complex. He was destroyed when Anakin Skywalker stormed the bridge of the ship to get the last sequence from Admiral Trench for a bomb hidden in the plant's fusion reactor.
During the Outer Rim Sieges in the final days of the Clone Wars, a Super Tactical Droid commanded a legion of battle droids on the planet of Yerbana. He stayed hidden during the battle as to avoid being captured or destroyed by the Republic troops. When his forces began to pin down Obi-Wan Kenobi and Commander Cody and the 212th Battalion, Anakin Skywalker emerged and committed a War Crime by faking a surrender to the Separatist forces. The battle droid commander had the Tactical Droid notified of the surrender, causing him to come out of hiding. He quickly realized that the Jedi was tricking his forces, and ordered them to fire on Skywalker. However, he was quickly pulled to Skywalker using the Force, who swiftly activated his lightsaber and decapitated the droid.
After the Clone Wars ended, the Galactic Republic transformed into the Galactic Empire and the Separatist Council was assassinated by Darth Vader, who then used the Council's equipment to send a shutdown signal to the droid army. However, Kalani, who was stationed on Agamar aboard a Separatist supply ship at the time with a battle droid garrison, assumed the shutdown command was nothing more than a Republic trick so he ignored it and did not relay to the droids under his command.
Kalani holding Rex's helmet
Years later, Captain Rex, Lasat Garazeb Orrelios, Jedi Kanan Jarrus, and his Padawan Ezra Bridger arrived on Agamar, looking to find weapons and explosives for the rebellion. Kalani had his forces captured them and brought them to him so that he could play a little "war game," saying that he could finally "end" the Clone Wars his way. Kalani held Zeb hostage while Rex, Kanan, and Ezra fought through his troops. After defeating waves of battle droids and making their way to the command center, Rex, Kanan, and Ezra ordered Kalani to surrender. Kalani refused, but Ezra convinced him that neither the Republic nor the Separatists won the war and the Republic became the Empire. When the Empire arrived on Agamar, Kalani agreed to help the rebels escape. While the droids and Zeb attacked the stormtroopers and AT-DP's, Kalani had five droids fired at Ezra and Kanan, who redirected their shots at proton bombs underneath the AT-AT's, destroying one of them in the process. The droids and the rebels made their escape in three Sheathipede-class transport shuttles, one being destroyed in the process. Kalani bid farewell to the rebels but refused to join them, believing that they had less than a 1% chance of successfully overthrowing the Empire.
R0-GR, the B1 battle droid who wrote the droidography, recounted his service under and opinion of super tactical droids in the text.
During the New Republic Era, R0-GR, a B1-series battle droid who had been part of the Separatist Army and was currently serving in the Resistance, wrote a book entitled droidography, which compiled facts about various droid models. He hoped that it would educate people on droids, and two of the droid models R0-GR covered were the T-series and super tactical droids. After listing grievances he had about the T-series, the B1 noted that the super tactical droids were introduced because of their predecessor's lack of adaptability. He mentioned that, while these upgraded commanders believed themselves to be superior, they failed to win the Clone Wars. R0-GR also wrote that he had heard that some super tactical droids did not admit defeat and ran battle scenarios for years, making him think they were "sore losers."