New Essential Guide to Droids

Weegee! YES!!

 

Senator_Cilghal is right on the money with most of the source guesses.

Dan

 

Juggernaut war droids are from two original sources, actually. I just had an email conversation with Abel about them a week ago.

They were first from the "Battle for Mandalore" article of Challenge 58, an unlicensed RPG game from 1992. In there, they were battle droids used by the Mandalorians in the Clone Wars.

They were first mentioned in a canonical source by Abel in his "Emperor's Pawns" articles, and were also mentioned in his "Droids, Technology, and the Force" article. But according to Abel, the Juggernaut droids in his articles are different from the original ones described in Challenge.

 

In other words, they're what Arden Lyn's arm comes from, and some Iron Knights have used them as their droid bodies.

 

Woo-hoo! I got it (thanks, walmart.com). Anyway, I've just started going through it, but so far, it's great! Happy to answer any questions (assuming such is permitted a week pre-release).

 

Is there any detail, or images, of specific astromech droids - e.g, R2-D2, R4-P17, R4-G9, R5-D4 etc - or is the astromech section just an overview of the different models? Do we get images of all ten?

 

I wonder if they could've sneaked in a Dalek

 

I know! Zim's war robot! I'M GONNA SING THE DOOM SONG!!!

[image=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/10/Gir_sit.jpg/180px-Gir_sit.jpg]

Oh, no, wait, you mean Xim the Despot. Shucks....

 

What does the G2 droid entry say?

TC

 

And Vuffi Raa?

 

Hey guys. So I'm at work right now (book's at home), and I've only had time to skim through it, but I'll do my best.

As to the R-series, it's a general write-up of the entire line (maybe 2-3 pages). The 3PO series gets a similar write-up. There ARE pictures of each of the R1 through R9s, so you can see what they all look like. I believe Artoo gets his own separate entry, however.

Can't recall anything about the G2. Sorry.

As for Vuffi Ra, I haven't read the entry, so I don't know what good bits might be in there.

All in all, this thing is great. I'm only about a Level 5 continuity hound myself, so I'm sure there's lots and lots of references that I don't fully appreciate. I really like the overall history of droids in the galaxy section. Also, my absolute favorite entry thus far is the Monster Droid. Oh man, that just made my night when I read that one (and really, when I saw the picture and realized what it was).

 

As a reminder, we will not be allowing full text reprints for the specific entries (copyright and all and that seems "technically legal," if dodge-y, use of fair use so best to avoid altogether) but descriptions of the entries are fine.

 

Thanks, dp4m. It's good to know the boundaries of what's kosher (although I have to confess, I can't ever see myself taking the time to actually re-type an entire entry...)

Anyway, someone asked about the G2, which I think is the same as the "goose droid," no? If so, then I only skimmed that one briefly, although it is cool that Star Tours is in canon now (or maybe it was before; I don't ever remember seeing it in print before). All I recall is something about Star Tours "closing its business shortly after the Battle of Endor" or something like that.

 

OK, for those who asked, here are some tidbits, with spoiler space




















Vuffi Raa:

- May be an agent of the Silentium, a droid species thought to have originated in another galaxy

- Silentium battled the Abominor, a droid society of "asymmetry and bedlam"

- Post- Lando trilogy, he returned to visit Lando on "a few" occasions



G2 "Goose Droid" a/k/a SoroSuub G2 Repair Droid

- Prone to excess chattiness

- A number achieved independent thought, developed wanderlust, and set up their own community in the Chrellis system

- G2-4T oversaw the labor pool, ticketing, and travel visas for Star Tours, although his cynical sense of humor often got him in trouble

- G2-9T was formerly owned by a Troig diplomat; he got in trouble with Star Tours, and he and G2-4T wound up working for Talon Karrde


Seriously, this is one of my favorite NEGs yet. SO much new info (or at least info I can't recall seeing). Good, good stuff.

 

Well, THIS is more than I was expecting.

 

That would make an awesome children's show.

 

The reference to Vuffi-Ra visiting Lando after the trilogy was over is a reference to the Dark Forces - Soldier for the Empire radio drama!

 

Here's another cool bit (that I hadn't heard before):


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Recent evidence suggests that HK-47 survived into the Rebellion Era by transferring his consciousness into various systems. He emerged in a new body around the Battle of Yavin, and assembled an army of murderous droids on Mustafar. Coooooool.

 

Eh?

 

That's from Galaxies, actually. Although I believe the fact that he transferred himself and it isn't his original chassis is new.

 

>- G2-4T oversaw the labor pool, ticketing, and travel visas for Star Tours, although his cynical sense of humor often got him in trouble<

Yes, he basically just called out "Hey! Do you folks have all your visas, passports, and tickets? Great!"

Awesome, awesome stuff. I can't wait to get the guide.

Hey, any references to the Lost City of the Jedi droids?

TC

 

Any idea on names? Otherwise, I can flip through and check...

 

OK, so what's this about Vuffi being in some audio version of Soldier for the Empire?

 

Here's another cool little fact:














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Re the Manta Droid Subfighter (from the CW cartoon): A number of them stayed behind on Mon Cal and formed their own community. They formed a loose alliance with the Quarren and hunted ocean predators in exchange for repairs and ammo.

 

In the Dark Forces radio drama, Lando (after meeting Kyle aboard the Star of Empire) says "come along, Vuffi." Which, up until now, was odd as the storyline takes place within a year before the Battle of Yavin.