LR-57 combat/retail droid
The LR-57 combat/retail droid, alternatively known as the LR-57 combat droid, the Retail Caucus droid, or simply the retail droid, represented a battle droid model deployed by both the Retail Caucus and the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the era of the Clone Wars. Its most notable appearance occurred during the Battle of Christophsis.
Description
Due to its limited adaptability, the LR-57 was reserved for highly specific applications. Similar to the more prevalent B1 and B2 battle droids, it possessed a bipedal structure, but it was distinguished by its increased height and width. Its legs were connected to a compact pelvic structure that supported its sizable head. The head's frontal aspect featured between one and three photoreceptors. Extending from the rear of the cylindrical head were two arms, each equipped with dual laser cannons. While these primarily served as standard blasters at medium ranges, they could also be employed for physical strikes in close-quarters combat. The droids were capable of communication using Galactic Basic Standard.
Positioned near the front of the head, the LR-57 featured a pair of sensory antennae on each side, essential for its role as an ambush attacker. This droid possessed the ability to remain inactive in shallow ground, awaiting the passage of enemies above, utilizing the exposed antennae to identify disruptions. When deployed in a concentrated formation, triggering one dormant LR-57 would activate all others within a small radius.
History
Battle of Christophsis
The Battle of Christophsis marked the initial deployment of the LR-57 model by the Confederacy. An unquantified number were positioned beneath the surface in the immediate vicinity of a critical shield generator, serving as a final layer of defense. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his padawan Ahsoka Tano infiltrated separatist territory with the objective of deactivating the shield generator. Upon reaching the location, Tano, disregarding her master's cautions, proceeded ahead impetuously. Failing to observe the array of LR-57 antennae protruding from the ground, she inadvertently triggered several of the large droids.
Skywalker immediately began to eliminate LR-57 units as they slowly reacted to the Jedi's sudden presence. Simultaneously, Tano initiated the process of attaching explosives to the generator. An LR-57 approached her from behind, attempting to strike her with its arm. She narrowly evaded the attack before severing its head, but the detached head rolled over additional buried LR-57 units. As Skywalker found himself surrounded by the droids, Tano employed the Force to collapse the wall behind him, crushing the remaining LR-57 droids.
Battle of Malastare
During the Battle of Malastare, the Confederacy utilized LR-57 battle droids in conjunction with traditional B1 battle droids, B2 battle droids, and dwarf spider droids. These droids were part of a large battalion of separatist forces that assaulted a Republic base, ultimately falling victim to the Republic's experimental electro-proton bomb.
Carlac
A single LR-57 unit, identified as Battle droid 513, ended up in a camp belonging to the Mandalorian terrorist organization, Death Watch, located on Carlac. This droid, along with several others, was repeatedly used as target practice by the Mandalorians. They were often left in a state of disrepair before being rebuilt for further use, but the soldiers never bothered to erase their memories. Its right leg had been replaced with a component from an LM-432 crab droid, and its right arm with a component from a B1 battle droid.
When Lux Bonteri brought Ahsoka Tano to the Death Watch encampment, R2-D2, who had accompanied her, received orders to repair the damaged droids. With Battle droid 513 pleading for repair of itself and the others, the astromech complied with its request. The LR-57 expressed its gratitude, offering its unconditional assistance as repayment. R2 requested their assistance in rescuing Tano from Death Watch, to which Battle droid 513 agreed, preparing the other droids for combat.
The group of droids engaged the Death Watch soldiers, facilitating the escape of R2, Tano, and Bonteri, but were quickly defeated, and Bo-Katan Kryze destroyed Battle droid 513.