LR-57 combat/retail droid

The **LR-57 combat/retail droid**, also known as the **LR-57 combat droid**, **Retail Caucus droid**, or **retail droid**, was a model of battle droid used by the Retail Caucus and the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars, most prominently at the Battle of Christophsis. Primarily used as sentinels, these droids were bipedal and possessed two upper limbs terminating in two blaster cannons, four in all. They could be left dormant for long periods of time while their sensitive dorsal antennae searched for specific types of signals, activity, or other disturbances, enabling the droids to be used as autonomous mines.

## Characteristics

With its relatively low versatility, the LR-57 was used for very particular situations. It stood bipedal like its more common B1 and B2 battle droid counterparts, but was taller and wider in size. Its legs were attached to a small pelvic mount that held its large head. The front face of the head had between one and three photoreceptors. From the back of the cylindrical head protruded two arms equipped with double laser cannons. These primarily functioned as typical blasters at mid-range, however they could also be used for physical attacks for close-combat. They were capable of vocalizing in Galactic Basic Standard.

Located near the front of its head, the LR-57 had two sensory antennae on either side, that aided one of their specialties as ambush attackers. The droid was able to lay dormant in shallow ground in wait of enemies traversing above, using the exposed antennae to detect disturbances. When set in a dense arrangement, tripping a single dormant LR-57 would cause all others within a short proximity to also activate.

## History

One instance of the LR-57 model, Battle droid 513, ended up in a camp of the Mandalorian terrorist group, Death Watch, on Carlac. It, along with several other droids, was repeatedly used as target practice by the Mandalorians. They were often callously left in a state of disrepair before being rebuilt for continued use, but the soldiers would not bother wiping their memories. Its right leg had been replaced with that of an LM-432 crab droid and its right arm with that of a B1 battle droid.

When Lux Bonteri brought Ahsoka Tano to Death Watch's camp, R2-D2, who had accompanied her, was ordered to repair the broken droids. With Battle droid 513 begging him to repair it and the others, the astromech granted its request. The LR-57 expressed gratitude, offering its unconditional assistance as repayment. R2 asked for them to help rescue Tano from Death Watch, to which Battle droid 513 agreed, preparing the other droids for battle.

The group of droids engaged the Death Watch soldiers, allowing R2, Tano, and Bonteri to escape, but were quickly dispatched, and Battle droid 513 was destroyed by Bo-Katan Kryze.

Many years later, a group of Cold weather assault stormtroopers moved into the remains of the Death Watch camp, taking as it their own. They repaired the droids, Battle droid 513 included, using them for target practice. When the troopers captured Indiana Jones, his droid partner K-7R3 was ordered to repair the damaged droids. After reparing the droids, K-7R3 asked for them to help rescue Jones from the snowtroopers, to which Battle droid 513 agreed, preparing the other droids for battle.

The group of droids engaged the troopers, allowing K-7R3 and Jones to escape, but were quickly dispatched, and Battle droid 513 was destroyed by a snowtrooper armed with a rocket launcher.