The Essential Guide to Force Exile/JRF fire support droid

Description
The JRF fire support droid was an indigenous Kraechar Arms combat droid designed to provide fire support to Yanibar Guard infantry. The droids were based off of three Separatist battle droid designs: the repeater super battle droid, mortar super battle droid, and anti-air super battle droid. Since the Yanibar Guard had salvaged hundreds of super battle droids, including some of these specialized designs, creation of the JRF was fairly straightforward.

While some of the super battle droid designs had built-in weapons, Kraechar Arms decided to use the droid's fully-articulated limbs to carry crew-served weapons, as the weapons could also be used by Yanibar Guard infantry in stationary emplacements. The same weapons that were used on the droids were also options for the Harasser combat speeder, increasing commonality. JRF droids had three weapon options: a plasma mortar, a tri-fire missile pod useful against vehicles or aircraft, or a repeating blaster primarily for use against infantry and light structures or vehicles. A single blaster was also mounted on the droids in case their heavy weapons were destroyed or re-assigned.

Heavy armor protected the JRF against hand-held blasters, while several blaster rifle hits were needed to bring them down. The droids could run at a pace of 5 kilometers per hour while carrying their weapon, but were slowed to 3 kilometers per hour while firing. Up to fifty kilos of cargo could also be loaded on their back; when using missiles or the mortar, this was often filled with ammunition. Their programming allowed them to distinguish between friends, foes, and civilians using identification algorithms and codes loaded into each droid. The droids could switch weapons interchangeably, as

History
The original designation of "JRF" came from their designer, an Iktotchi named Jiol Recusa Ffiir. One of the younger designers in Kraechar Arms, his first task was to adapt the salvaged Separatist specialist battle droids into a single multi-use design. The first droid was designed in 10 BBY and entered service in 9 BBY, equipped primarily with the repeating blaster at first while targeting algorithms were devised for the other weapons. Hundreds were in service by 6 BBY, though initially commanders found them unwieldy and slow. By 1 BBY, the droids were cleared to use the missile pods and mortars as well, though they were in somewhat short supply, leaving JRFs to often fill the role of cargo carriers.

An update in 1 ABY saw the droids updated to the JRF-2 model, with improved leg actuators, but problems with balance and increased power consumption led to another upgrade being phased in around 2 ABY, with the droids updated to the JRF-3 model. The JRF-3 model was also capable of carrying a snub-nosed beamlaser.

The droids saw use against the Zann Consortium when the criminal organization invaded Yanibar in 4 ABY. Their fire support was critical in defending the upper slopes of the Daizon Valley from a Zannist advance. The JRF-3 continued in service for many years after the battle, having acquitted itself well. Support weapons continued to be in relatively low supply, with 80 JRFs allocated to support battalions that had only 58 weapons they could carry, and 29 support weapons for regiments with 90 JRF droids. The droids were less reliable and more maintenance-intensive than the weapons they used, so this was considered acceptable. Furthermore, the droids could be used for carrying heavy loads, or even individual casualty evacuation.

JRF-3 droids saw combat on Rishi during the Yuuzhan Vong War. They were particularly useful in defending a civilian evacuation convoy from the town of Junro. The droids augmented a group of commandos defending one of the approaches to Junro, helping Cresh Squad secure one of the streets by fortifying a building. Their heavy weapons were particularly effective in the constricted corridors on Rishi that Yuuzhan Vong infantry were forced to use. At Fire Station 1-2, a dozen droids were deployed with plasma mortars on a high ridge overlooking Junro. The position was eventually overrun, but not before inflicting heavy casualties. Near the rear exit of Junro, 30 JRF-3s were used to serve as a rearguard for the evacuation convoy and cost the Yuuzhan Vong 300 warriors when they attacked without properly evaluating the Yanibar Guard's strength.

Farther along the road from Junro, Fire Station 4-4 was reinforced by JRF-3 droids after constant skirmishes, though fighting continued there until armored reinforcements arrived. The droids were more successful at Fire Station 7-3, where 8 JRF-3 droids augmenting New Republic volunteers were able to cut down several waves of Yuuzhan Vong infantry. Thirty JRF droids were deployed to provide cover for a Yanibar Guard counter-attack against a Yuuzhan Vong column encroaching the convoy. The Yanibar Guard armor was able to destroy two Yuuzhan Vong firebreather vehicles, while the JRFs with their repeating blasters mowed down Yuuzhan Vong infantry. The droids were also used to repel subterranean attacks on the convoy and saw extensive use throughout the evacuation. The Yanibar Guard lost over 100 of the droids during their defense of the convoy from Junro.

Four JRF-3 droids were also used by Zeyn and Ryion Kraen in a boarding action on the Yuuzhan Vong flagship. The initial attack cost them one droid, but the other three, though damaged, continued fighting. Another droid was lost when two warriors jumped on it, cramming thud bug weapons into its joints. They left the droids behind to cover their escape, then fought their way through to rescue a number of prisoners that the Yuuzhan Vong had seized. The droids secured the boarding shuttle until the two Elite Guardians were able to rescue the prisoners and escape.

On the surface of Rishi, the droids fought fiercely to repel Yuuzhan Vong attacks on the Yanibar Guard encampment, though Yuuzhan Vong superiority on the ground meant the defense was starting to falter when the battle was concluded by Ryion Kraen forcing a truce thanks to Yuuzhan Vong defeats in space.

The droids continued to see use after the battle, but were not a priority for further upgrades due the need to evacuate Yanibar because of Yuuzhan Vong sabotage. Hundreds remained in service after the Yuuzhan Vong War, and four of them were used to board the frigate belonging to Dark Jedi Ariada Cerulaen. The droids accompanied two squads of Yanibar Guard commandos in a mission to disable her engines. Other droids were used in an assault on Ariada's research facility on Tython, helping defeat the defensive emplacements.

Behind the scenes
The JRF fire support droid was designed by Atarumaster88 to provide heavy fire support to the Yanibar Guard. Its weaponry was somewhat influenced by choices for heavy weapons in Halo 3 as well as specialized battle droids from Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns. While Atarumaster88 likely intended the name to be an acronym of some kind when he first devised it, he later changed the origin for the name to reflect the name of its creator.

Appearances

 * Force Exile IV: Guardian
 * Force Exile V: Warrior
 * Force Exile VI: Prodigal
 * Yanibar Guard Sourcebook