How Effective Were The BX-Series Droid Commandos In Combat?

The BX-series droid commandos were among the most advanced battle droids the Separatists ever deployed during the Clone Wars. While the Confederacy’s war effort mostly relied on huge swarms of cheap B1 battle droids and tougher B2 super battle droids, the BX droids were different. They weren’t made to fight in massed formations or hold battle lines. They were built for stealth, infiltration, and surgical strikes – tasks that required intelligence, agility, and firepower.

Let’s take a closer look at just how effective these lethal machines really were.

They Were Serious Trouble for Clones Early On

If you go back and watch Ep 5 Rookies – the first time BX droids showed up – you can see how much of a menace they were. They wiped out an entire outpost of clones on Rishi Moon, and these weren’t just random B1 battle droids with bad aim. The BX droids killed the outer scouts, took their armor, and even mimicked their voices to infiltrate the base. That’s way beyond what most droids could pull off.

And it wasn’t just rookies they could take on. Later in Ep 10 The Deserter, a Commando droid sniper nearly killed Captain Rex with one well-placed shot. That’s one of the rare times we see Rex seriously injured. I think that alone says a lot about how dangerous they were.

Versatility Was What Made Them Shine

What really set BX droids apart was how versatile they were. They weren’t just strong or fast – they could do almost anything. Need to sneak into a base? They could disguise themselves and use voice mimicry. Need to fight in close quarters? They carried vibroswords and were highly trained in melee combat. Want to take down Jedi? They might not win, but they could force Jedi to focus on them or risk losing their clones.

I remember in Ep 9 Grievous Intrigue, Anakin and Adi Gallia took several minutes to fight off a group of BX droids while trying to rescue Eeth Koth. These droids weren’t just cannon fodder. They could leap, dodge blaster fire, and press the fight aggressively.

Their armor was another big plus. It was reinforced titanium steel, which could take multiple blaster hits. Of course, a headshot would still do the trick, but you had to land that shot under pressure.

So Why Didn’t the Separatists Build More?

You might be wondering, if they were that good, why didn’t the Separatists just flood the galaxy with them? Dave Filoni explained this perfectly:

“[BX-series droid commandos are] obviously more intelligent. They’re substantially faster. It raises the question, why don’t the Separatists just use hundreds and thousands of these guys? They would win the war rather easily. And, obviously, a more sophisticated droid is more expensive to make. Its harder to manufacture. But, in the episode, if you watch, they’re not invulnerable either. They lose the base, and then, actually, a large squad of regular battle droids actually takes the base back over, so it shows you that, while dim-witted, the original battle droids are still a threat.”

In short: BX droids were expensive and complex, and Legends sources back this up. One BX-series droid cost about 17,900 credits, compared to around 1,800 for a B1 and 3,300 for a B2. That made them far too expensive to field in large numbers. Instead, they were saved for elite missions where normal droids simply wouldn’t get the job done.

Great for Certain Missions, Not for Frontline Combat

BX droids weren’t meant to win large-scale battles. They were specialists. In urban fights or shipboard assaults, they were terrifying. During the Onderon rebellion, they helped clear out the rebels in close-quarters combat. On Dathomir, they went up against Nightsisters in a brutal fight and were able to breach fortified positions.

But when heavy artillery or massed clone firepower came into play, they didn’t last long. In The Clone Wars, we saw this during the Ryloth arc and the Scipio battle. Veteran clones who knew their weaknesses – especially targeting the head – could take them down with well-placed shots.

Clones Learned How to Deal With Them

One thing I like about the progression in The Clone Wars is how you see clones adapting. Early in the war, BX droids completely outclassed rookie clones. But as the war dragged on, experienced units like the 212th and Coruscant Guard figured out how to fight them.

For example, Commander Thorn’s men took out several BX droids during the defense of Scipio, though they paid for it with heavy losses. And later in the war, even regular clone units were shown holding off BX squads with smart tactics and teamwork.