ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid

As a direct response to the T-series tactical droid's lack of adaptability, the secessionist Confederacy of Independent Systems tasked Baktoid Combat Automata, a manufacturer of battle droids, with producing the ST-series super tactical droid for deployment within its military forces during the galaxy-wide conflict known as the Clone Wars against the dominant Galactic Republic. These improved tactical droids addressed the shortcomings of their forerunners and exhibited enhanced capabilities in predicting the responses of organic commanders. They also included a status indicator for their central processing hubs. Possessing a total of three photoreceptors, the super tactical droids enjoyed a broader spectrum of visual perception.

Reaching a height of 1.94 meters, or 6 feet and 4 inches, the ST-series units, despite being only one centimeter taller than their predecessors, projected a significantly larger presence, commanding attention with an arrogant confidence absent in the boxy T-series. The ST-series featured superior armor plating compared to the T-series, particularly on their limbs. Their improved hands incorporated magnatomic grip panels on the palms and inner surfaces, enabling them to securely handle and utilize most weapons, tools, and equipment designed for organic beings. In addition to tougher armor and neck joints, the ST-series also boasted enhanced heat ventilation compared to their predecessors. While retaining heat sinks in their abdomen, super tactical droids incorporated additional ventilation holes in their armor on the sides of their chest units, just below the shoulder joints, to manage the increased heat generated by their more complex computers.

The ST-series exhibited superior construction compared to the T-series, and their vocoders produced a more menacing robotic voice. Super tactical droids also developed individual personalities. Some, like General Kalani, adopted names instead of numbers. They frequently selected personalized color schemes and decorations for their armored bodies, with Kalani opting for ornate gold trims and Kraken choosing a swirling gold pattern on his green armor.

Programmed to function as generals and admirals within the Separatist war machine, super tactical droids displayed ruthless and calculating leadership, yet retained the arrogance and overconfidence characteristic of earlier tactical droid models. They were also prone to argumentation and operated without empathy or morality, implementing ruthless strategies.

The super tactical droids possessed more advanced processors than the T-series, enabling them to calculate tactics and countermoves capable of challenging their Republic adversaries more effectively. They also demonstrated faster reaction times to unexpected events. Overall, they presented a far more formidable threat than the T-series, rivaling the military acumen of even seasoned CIS generals.

Despite their differences, the super tactical droid, like its counterpart in the Separatist Droid Army, remained analytical and calculating. Designed to assess battlefield situations and devise the most effective solutions with a time frame for execution, they were feared by Republic soldiers and considered highly dangerous by veteran officers.

As masterful commanders of the Droid Army, the super tactical droid possessed high intelligence and strategic prowess, making them a formidable adversary for both the Jedi Order and the Republic Military.

When granted autonomy, super tactical droids could independently direct Confederacy military operations without direct overseers. Programmed with Separatist ideals, they sought to conquer through fear and by exploiting the lack of courage and hope in their enemies, fighting for what they perceived as "freedom from the tyranny of the Republic." Prioritizing Confederate success, super tactical droids readily employed threats and torture as interrogation methods. The droids themselves were resistant to interrogation. They also featured enhanced strategic programming compared to their predecessors, along with more fluid motion programming than the T-series.

While the T-series considered themselves superior to battle droids, super tactical droids possessed unwavering faith in their own abilities, even believing themselves superior to most organic beings they served. This stemmed partly from their experience commanding less intelligent battle droids. This confidence allowed them to make sacrifices to ensure victory, even at the cost of allied organic troops and commanders. However, it also led to argumentative behavior. The droids remained completely loyal to the CIS leadership and Separatist values. This loyalty, combined with their arrogance, often created unforeseen problems. While the T-series' processor limitations made them predictable, super tactical droids were so convinced of their own correctness that they often dismissed data and tactical options that contradicted their chosen course of action. Despite this flaw, they remained a significant threat to the Republic.

Although not designed for direct combat, super tactical droids were capable of self-defense and were equipped with the standard Droid Army E-5 blaster rifle or a melee weapon. They possessed advanced combat programming and were less prone to fleeing confrontations than the T-series. They were even willing to engage in hand-to-hand combat, even against Jedi on occasion.

Although at least one super tactical droid was active in the Clone Wars' initial stages, the model's deployment became more prevalent as the conflict progressed, due to the T-series' shortcomings. By the war's second year, the T-series tactical droids were gradually replaced by their superior successors. The T-series continued to be used, primarily for commanding small fleets and other less important missions. Conversely, super tactical droids assumed control of the most critical missions requiring a tactical droid.

In 20 BBY, Separatist leader Count Dooku dispatched General Kalani to support King Sanjay Rash's forces in dealing with the rebels of Onderon. Kalani collaborated with General Akenathen Tandin, commander of the Royal Militia's, in their efforts to capture the rebels in Iziz, including overseeing the brutal torture of one of the rebel leaders. However, Tandin and his forces later defected, assisting the rebels in freeing Ramsis Dendup during their escape to the highlands. After the rebels defeated the droid gunships, Kalani was ordered to retreat with his forces to Agamar, despite Rash's objections. Kalani subsequently executed Rash.

Another super tactical droid, Aut-O, was stationed aboard a Providence-class Dreadnought. However, R2-D2 destroyed him. Another one was assigned command of a commandeered Venator-class Star Destroyer with the objective of destroying the Republic strategy conference on Valor station in the Carida system. However, when the buzz droids failed to stop D-Squad, the super tactical droid and its crew were destroyed before completing their mission.

Kraken, another super tactical droid, served as Admiral Trench's second-in-command. Kraken attempted to deliver a captured clone trooper, CT-5385, to Count Dooku. However, General Skywalker and two members of his 501st Legion, Clone Captain Rex and ARC trooper Fives, intervened. The trio quickly eliminated Kraken's droid guard. After Kraken informed Skywalker that he was programmed to resist intimidation, the Jedi decapitated him for refusing to answer his questions. However, Kraken was later rebuilt and commanded 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 accompanied General Grievous to Utapau aboard a Separatist supply ship to secure the shipment of a large kyber crystal. However, it was destroyed when top Jedi members intervened.

Another super tactical droid served Admiral Trench during the Battle of Anaxes. The droid was stationed on the bridge of Trench's dreadnought, where they and the Admiral oversaw the attack on Anaxes's Assembly Complex. The droid 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.

Following the Clone Wars, the Galactic Republic transitioned into the Galactic Empire, and Darth Vader assassinated the Separatist Council. Vader then used the Council's equipment to transmit a shutdown signal to the droid army. However, Kalani, stationed on Agamar aboard a Separatist supply ship with a battle droid garrison, dismissed the shutdown command as a Republic ruse and did not relay it to the droids under his command.

Years later, Captain Rex, Lasat Garazeb Orrelios, Jedi Kanan Jarrus, and his Padawan Ezra Bridger arrived on Agamar, seeking weapons and explosives for the rebellion. Kalani's forces captured them and brought them before him, where he proposed a "war game" to "end" the Clone Wars on his terms. Kalani held Zeb hostage while Rex, Kanan, and Ezra fought through his troops. After overcoming waves of battle droids and reaching the command center, Rex, Kanan, and Ezra demanded Kalani's surrender. Kalani refused, but Ezra convinced him that neither the Republic nor the Separatists had won the war, as the Republic had become the Empire. When the Empire arrived on Agamar, Kalani agreed to assist the rebels in escaping. While the droids and Zeb engaged the stormtroopers and AT-DP's, Kalani ordered five droids to fire upon Ezra and Kanan, who redirected the shots at proton bombs beneath the AT-AT's, destroying one in the process. The droids and rebels escaped in three Sheathipede-class transport shuttles, one of which was destroyed. Kalani bid farewell to the rebels but declined to join them, believing their chances of overthrowing the Empire were less than 1%.

During the New Republic Era, R0-GR, a B1-series battle droid who had served in the Separatist Army and was now part of the Resistance, authored a book titled droidography, compiling information about various droid models. His aim was to educate people about droids, and he included both the T-series and super tactical droids in his work. After detailing his grievances with the T-series, R0-GR noted that the super tactical droids were introduced to address their predecessor's lack of adaptability. He mentioned that, despite their belief in their own superiority, these upgraded commanders failed to secure victory in the Clone Wars. R0-GR also wrote that he had heard some super tactical droids refused to accept defeat and continued running battle scenarios for years, leading him to consider them "sore losers."