The octuptarra magna tri-droid, also simply known as the tri-droid, was an extremely sized-up version of the octuptarra combat tri-droid used by the Techno Union and the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.
A tri-droid, shown with a clone trooper for scale
The tri-droid was an up-scaled version of the smaller octuptarra combat tri-droid. The Techno Union developed the combat version first, re-using the design later for the much larger heavy artillery version of an infantry battle droid.
Chain-fed ordnance launchers replaced the laser cannons of its predecessors, with the reserves of ammunition stored within the hollows of its bulbous head, although some models did retain laser cannons as seen in the Battle of Christophsis. One rocket fired from a single behemoth was powerful enough to annihilate a UT-AT if aimed correctly, as seen in the Battle of Mygeeto. These three-legged artillery droids were formidable in battle, reducing infantry and tanks to rubble. Their rotating multi-jointed assemblies allowed them to change facing almost instantly and they could fire from extended ranges. It was almost impossible to approach such droids, as all sides conceivably faced the front. The droid was also capable of hanging onto vertical surfaces, as seen during the Battle of Christophsis.
A tri-droid used during the Battle of Christophsis.
On the planet Christophsis, many tri-droids saw action under the command of Whorm Loathsom alongside tank droids and AATs, covered in blue markings of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
Prior to the battle, Asajj Ventress used one of the droids to escape from Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. The droid was destroyed when it crashed to the ground from the building it was clung to, thanks to the two Jedi severing its limbs.
Near the end of the Clone Wars, during the Battle of Mygeeto, tri-droids were used against Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi's Galactic Marines, decimating front lines.
Following the execution of the Separatist Council by Darth Sidious's new apprentice, Darth Vader, these droids were de-activated.
The Databank gives the height of the tri-droid as 3.7 meters, which is incorrect, as all visual sources portray it as many times larger than a Human, and even the same Databank entry describes it as "gigantic" compared to the 3.6 meter octuptarra droid. The decoded episode of "The Hidden Enemy" was the first source that gave tri-droid's height as 50 feet tall.
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