LM - 432 crab droid / Legends The LM - 432 crab droid , also simply referred to as a crab droid , was a battle droid used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars . Its name was derived from its six - legged scuttling movement and organic appearance . These droids were also nicknamed " muckrackers " because of their extensive use in marshy terrain . Description . Ranging from three to twenty feet tall , the crab droid could use its legs to attack infantry in its way . As well as their powerful pincer legs , LM - 432 crab droids were armed with twin blasters located on the bottom of the droid ' s body . These blasters were capable of rapid fire and a powerful double blast . They were also equipped with a vacuum pump system integrated into their forward pincers , which could suck up and then spit out mud to either clear space for Separatist forces or obscure the visual sensors of enemy forces . This earned them the nickname of " muckracker " . Crab droids also used their front two pincers to whack opponents out of the way or to crush them with their ends . The crab droid was also equipped with three glowing photoreceptor eyes and communication / sensor antennae — making it seem like it was a living creature rather than a machine — a feature many of the Separatists ' droids included . LM - 432 units were protected by armorplast - shielding that could deflect blaster shots . The largest legs of an LM - 432 unit were tipped with heavy duranium stabilizers that could secure perches on even bedrock . Smaller LM - 432s were unable to rid themselves of opponents who got on top of them — veteran clones knew to avoid their blaster cannons by leaping on top of them . When in pursuit of an enemy , it could move very fast in short bursts to overtake it , and in this way run over their target . History . Crab droids were first deployed in conflicts on marshy worlds , but their ability to cross difficult terrain and even scale jagged surfaces led to their usage elsewhere , such as at the Battle of Utapau . Other variants of the LM - 432 crab droid included tiny models for espionage and giant versions that served as mobile armor , which were capable of taking on Jedi . One rare variant was equipped with Gungan bubble wort projector s that could imprison their targets in force fields . At least one crab droid was seen fighting on Rodia during the Mission to Rodia . Also , a large number of them were used in the Battle of Malastare , but nearly all were destroyed by the electro - proton bomb . They were also heavily used as security in the Separatist prison , Citadel . Many were used because of the rough terrain , to capture the Jedi who attempted escape . Following the execution of the Separatist Council by Darth Sidious ' s new apprentice , Darth Vader , these units were deactivated . A number of them were used by the Zabrak bounty hunter Vril Vrakth during the Battle of Nizon in 19 BBY . During the Battle of Tar Morden , many crab droids were stolen from a factory and would be utilized in the Academy of Carida for live fire training sessions , and would be among the inspirations for the Imperial MT - AT walker . Decades later , crab droids left from the Clone Wars were still utilized by the Empire during the Galactic Civil War , being used as scouts and sentries .