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VehiclesTIE Crawler(TIE Tank, Century Tank)
The century tank is a cheap
mass-produced ground combat vehicle that became popular during the
Imperial resurgence after the death of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the
campaign to recapture the Imperial capital of Coruscant. While the proper
name of the vehicle is the “century tank,” Imperial soldiers took to
calling the vehicle the TIE tank (or TIE crawler) because of the familiar
command pod taken from the TIE fighter. The vehicle is a simple
combat machine with modular components and simple controls. It is
the perfect light assault vehicle, with a light drive system and
respectable weapons. It requires only a single crewman, who handles
both piloting and gunnery. The TIE tank has the same
central pod used in the standard TIE fighter. It is manufactured by
Santhe/Sienar Technologies, a sister corporation to Sienar Fleet Systems,
manufacturers of the TIE fighter. The use of this pod, while awkward
for old-line Imperial soldiers, cut the cost of the tank by thousands of
credits per unit. The twin Santhe SSct power
generators are attached to each side of the pod and drive the tread
wheels. The TIE tank has a top speed of only ninety kilometers per
hour, but drive components are common and cheap. The drive system is
simple enough that many pilots can fix the tank themselves if it is
damaged in the field, and it is not unusual to see damaged TIE tanks
scavenged for parts. The TIE tank can navigate
most terrain and is substantially cheaper than comparable repulsorlift
craft. The weapons are powered by a single power generator mounted
in the rear of the command pod, and they include two medium blaster
cannons that are forward-firing, while a retractable light turbolaser is
mounted in the bottom of the command pod and can fire in any direction.
The TIE tank has light armor plating on all surfaces, but the drive system
and tread wheels are easily damaged by enemy fire.
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