Star Wars Droid Idea (Part 2)
Background Info:
With the introduction of the Insecteroids in the Clone Wars, the clones troopers of the Galactic Republic faced an increasingly difficult army composed of ever-adapting swarms of Insecteroids. The sizes of the Insecteroids ranged from diminutive Minim class (about the size of Mouse Droids) to the dreaded Super-Major class (about the size of large battle tanks).
As the war carried on, their creator saw flaws in their design and made sure to provide various updates to not only their software but also schematics to allow them to build newer models of Insecteroids and Insecteroid parts. Even worse, their creator gave them the ability to scan, dismantle and study various weapons, vehicles and even other droids to create increasingly varied variants of the various droids that make up the swarms.
New Insecteroid Designs:
Hymenopteroids:
Newer modifications are as follows:
Some Hymenopteroids possess specialised legs designed to grip strongly onto various surfaces, including the feet of other Hymenopteroids with similar legs. This allows the Hymenopteroids to efficiently form bridges, scaffoldings and even temporary Insecteroid Bivouacs with their own bodies by linking their legs together. These structures can be quickly assembled and disassembled as needed. It is not uncommon to find such Hymenopteroids being involved in the construction of permanent Insecteroid Nests by using their own bodies as temporary scaffolding.
Some Hymenopteroids have heart-shaped abdomens which bend upwards instead of downwards thus giving them a unique advantage when using ranged weapons while on the ground since they do not need to get into a "standing firing position" to attack.
Some Hymenopteroid abdomens are each equipped a with flexible mechanical tentacle. The tentacle can extend from the abdomen to drill through armour to find circuitry to hack or destroy.
Some Hymenopteroid abdomens are each equipped a barbed detachable "stinger" which can act as a delayed or timed explosive. Alternatively, the detached "stringer" can act as a detached laser-cutter or taser which causes continuous damage until it ultimately runs out of power.
Coleopteroids:
Besides the original model, which are designed based on rove beetles, various newer models have been implemented based on other types of beetles. Some of the modifications are as follows:
Some Coleopteroids possess hollow but sturdy horns on their heads. The horns can be used to clear debris, knock down opponents and even block incoming attacks. Such Coleopteroids may also possess forward-facing spikes on their thoraxes as well. There are even cases in which Coleopteroids have their horns and spikes modified to act as tasers to electrocute their enemies or become super-heated to act as "hot cutters".
Some Coleopteroids possess elongated mandibles which have been modified to act as tasers to electrocute their enemies or become super-heated to act as "hot cutters".
Some Coleopteroids possess limbs suited for digging through soil and sand, thereby allowing them to dig tunnels or holes without having to constantly rely on Borer-Lepidopteroids. They also usually act as "ambush predators" when in combat.
Dipteroids:
Besides the original model which is based on flies, newer designs have been implemented:
Mosquito-Type Dipteroids which, as named, are designed based on mosquitoes. Their slimmer frames makes them easier to produce in large numbers. However, they are admittedly less durable and generally cannot use abdomen-specific armaments. Even so, there are a deadly nuisance especially towards infantry. They are also uniquely suited for aquatic environments due to being able to float on water due to both their lightweight frames and certain leg modifications.
Flea-Type Dipteroids which, honestly, resemble wingless flies or even ticks instead of fleas. That said, they generally possess strong legs for gripping onto objects or even leaping at long distances. They also tend to be armed with stabbing "mouth-parts", "mouth-parts" which act as tasers to electrocute enemies and fry electronics or "mouth-parts" which can shoot bolts of plasma not unlike blaster pistols. It has been observed that, unlike basic Hymenopteroids, they do not need to get into a "standing firing position" to fire their ranged weapons while on the ground since the weapons are "head-mounted" as opposed to "abdomen-mounted". They are sometimes used as sneaky assassins and have been known to ride on larger Insecteroids to protect them.
Lepidopteroids:
Besides the three original models which have been given various modifications and upgrades over the course of the Clone Wars, newer models have been implemented:
Assembler-Lepidopteroids are designed based on inch-worms. They possess six long "arms" which they can use to assemble various parts and repair damaged Insecteroid units while the tips of their flexible elongated abdomens have "cups" which they can use to grip onto various surfaces thereby allowing them to essentially work as mobile assembly arms. In terms of size, they are larger than Roller-Lepidopteroids but smaller than Borer-Lepidopteroids. Their inclusion allowed accelerated production of Super-Major class Insecteroid units and even additional Factorum-Lepidopteroids without the need of Insecteroid Nests as long as they have the parts needed to build them. They have been known to be re-purposed as ambush attack units as their long "arms" can be used to tear enemies apart. They have also been known to be present in "temporary nests" such as Insecteroid Bivouacs to not only repair damaged units but even quickly assemble larger units.
Carrier-Lepidopteroids, which are the size of Factorum-Lepidopteroids, act as armoured ground transport. They generally contain smaller types of Insecteroids inside of them but they may be used to carry other types of objects such as materials needed to build an Insecteroid Hive. They tend to possess powerful defector shields and powerful "mouth parts" so that they can act as battering rams before unleashing their cargo of Insecteroid swarms. They may also be used as "mobile housing" with Assembler-Lepidopteroids inside of them. Although a form of ground transport, they can be carried around by Lepidopteroid wing attachments. Much like the Factorum-Lepidopteroids, they act as hubs of communication for the Insecteroid swarms.
Chrysalis-Lepidopteroids are designed based on butterfly and moth chrysalises. They generally act as vessels to contain various Insecteroids, other than the massive Factorum-Lepidopteroids, Carrier-Lepidopteroids and various Super-Major class Insecteroids. These vessels are durable to protect their cargo and can open or close at will to release their contents as needed. However, they are immobile and thus need Lepidopteroid wing attachments to move anywhere. They are also often used as "temporary housing" with Assembler-Lepidopteroids inside of them until a permanent Insecteroid Nest has been built. They have also been known to be used for transporting other types of objects such as materials needed to build an Insecteroid Hive. There are even cases of Chrysalis-Lepidopteroids being literally dropped onto enemy bases before unloading swarms of Insecteroids.
Lepidopteroid wing attachments have experienced various upgrades due to their increasing use for transporting non-flying Insecteroids including the massive Factorum-Lepidopteroids, Carrier-Lepidopteroids, Chrysalis-Lepidopteroids and various Super-Major class Insecteroids which cannot fly. As such, they have been upgraded to be more versatile flying transporters and even possess limited forms of protection including the ability to generate deflector shields and the ability to scan the area for possible threats. Smaller ones have been known to aid in maintaining steady lines of communication between the various Insecteroid swarms and even act as scouts.
Neuropteroids:
Designed based on lacewings, they are divided into two categories which are Imago-Neuropteroids and Larval-Neuropteroids. Unlike the other Insecteroids, they were designed after the start of the Clone Wars to act as anti-infantry units.
Imago-Neuropteroids are flyers which may be armed with bladed scythe-like front legs for slashing or restraining enemies, strong mandibles for chewing through even tough infantry armour and abdomens that are armed with net-guns to restrain enemies with nets of "solidified glue". The glue can also be used to block entrances or create "ropes" for the other Insecteroids to use.
Larval-Neuropteroids are small but aggressive six-legged droids which resemble the larvae of various types of lacewings. Their mandibles are designed to pierce through infantry armour to deliver electrical shocks that stun or kill enemy infantry. Alternatively, their mandibles may be super-heated instead to act more effectively as stabbing weapons. They tend to bury themselves or cover themselves with a "shell" of debris to hide from their enemies before attacking. They are usually equipped with "glue guns" to help them assemble their "shells". Smaller Lepidopteroids that are armed with "glue guns" have been known to copy their behaviour of creating "shells" of debris for camouflage.
Insecteroid Strategy:
With the inclusion of newer designs and models, especially the Assembler-Lepidopteroids, the Insecteroid swarms have become even more adaptable, mobile and resilient. Although Jedis are able to quickly dispatch entire swarms of Insecteroids due to their skills with their lightsabers and their ability to use the force, even they have difficulties due to the sheer numbers of Insecteroids which can be rapidly replenished and modified "on-site".
One particularly infamous example of Insecteroid adaptability is the inclusion of Fly-Dipteroids that carry globes of acidic "liquid batteries" instead of the normal batteries in their abdomens. The unfortunate Jedi who slashed the acid-filled Dipteroids into halves was unable to survive the battle without suffering grievous injuries. (Kudos to Axterra2004 from Archive or Our Own for the acid idea.)
Assembler-Lepidopteroids have been known for creating "mechanical abominations" from the still-usable parts of destroyed Insecteroids, other types of droids, vehicles, weapons and even clone trooper armour. The resulting "abominable mechanical amalgamations" tend to demoralise clone troopers and have even unnerved less experienced Jedi such as Ahsoka Tano, who was Anakin Skywalker's padawan at the time. It is not uncommon for smaller independent Insecteroids to "infest" such mechanical amalgamations and leave their "hosts" to attack nearby enemies.
Conclusion:
Even Count Dooku and General Grievous were forced to admit that the Insecteroids were effective as battle droids but also feared the possibility of the said droids growing beyond their original programming. Considering their more recent ability to scan, dismantle and study various weapons, vehicles and even other droids to create increasingly varied variants of the various droids that make up the swarms, their fears were far from unfounded.