Electromagnetic pulse grenade
The electromagnetic pulse grenade, also known as an EMP grenade, haywire grenade,[2] Electrostatic Charge Detonator,[1] ECD,[1] and often referred to by Republic clone troopers as droid poppers,[4] was an anti-droid weapon often used by the Grand Army of the Republic—specifically by the Army's elite soldiers, the clone commandos—during the Clone Wars against battle droid opponents.
Description
EMP grenades released a 3-meter blast of disruptive electrical energy that damaged and disabled electronic systems. They were especially useful for disabling droids. These electromagnetic pulses were not quite as effective against organics, but were still capable of electrocuting or stunning lifeforms that had cybernetic enhancements.[5][3] Detonations also temporarily disrupted the sensors and visual displays of a clone trooper's helmet systems for a few seconds, somewhat similar to the effects of the reverse-polarity pulse grenade. Since the clone commandos had a more electronic helmet, the effect on them would last closer to an hour than just a few seconds.
When rolled at just the right speed, EMP grenades could bypass the shield of a droideka and disable it, making them more effective than blasters.
Other anti-droid weapons that produced similar effects were the ion grenade and the electromagnetic pulse launcher.
History
EMP grenades were standard-issue weapons for clone troopers[4] and were used to disable battle droids of the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.[6] They were also carried by clone jet troopers who fired them from grenade launchers.[3] Various models were developed and employed by the clone troopers, such as the V-6 haywire grenade[2] and the reverse-polarity pulse grenade.[7]
Appearances
- Star Wars: Battlefront
- Star Wars: Republic Commando
- Republic Commando: Hard Contact
- Path of the Jedi
- Republic Commando: Triple Zero
- Republic Commando: True Colors
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Duel of the Droids"- The Clone Wars: Headgames (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Innocents of Ryloth"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Landing at Point Rain"
- LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (Non-canonical appearance)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "A War on Two Fronts"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Front Runners"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Soft War"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Unknown"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes
- Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
- The Courtship of Princess Leia (First appearance)
Sources
- Star Wars Battlefront: Prima Official Game Guide (First identified as haywire grenade)
Star Wars Republic Commando on LucasArts.com (content now obsolete; backup link) (First mentioned) (First identified as Electrostatic charge detonator)- Star Wars: Republic Commando: Prima Official Game Guide
"Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic" – Star Wars Insider 84- The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (As "EMP grenade")
- The Essential Guide to Warfare
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Star Wars: Republic Commando: Prima Official Game Guide
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars Battlefront: Prima Official Game Guide
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Essential Guide to Warfare
- ↑ Star Wars: Battlefront
- ↑ The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- ↑ Republic 50