#fighter tank

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star Wars: Battlefront II - TX-130 Saber-class fighter tank

[dd-wyd]

New headcanon: Pawns with 'Provocation' equipped run across the battlefield shouting bad insults at the enemies because profanity is not typically part of their vocabulary.

"Come here, you... you dunderhead!"

Goblin: ???

"It works, Arisen! I got their attention!"

[corelliansendoff]

The TX-130 fighter tank was an impressive piece of technology made by Rothana Heavy Engineering that could have languished as a piece of Clone Wars and Jedi trivia. However, the same things that made the tank a favorite of the Jedi, combined with the success of the hot rodding, starfighter-first doctrine of many cells the Rebel Alliance, mean that the craft is finding its way back into the scopes of savvy Rebels and military technology enthusiasts.

A product of Rothana Heavy Engineering alongside the more famous AT-TE, LAAT/i and SPHA-T, the TX-130 was often referred to as the Jedi starfighter of the ground, and for good reason. The craft’s powerful repulsorlifts and shield generators lent it to agile, hit-and-run tactics similar to Delta-7 and Eta-2 starfighters, and the craft was also often operated by Jedi with an astromech droid for support, the two doing the job of three clone troopers in its standard deployment. The craft’s speed allowed a Jedi to cross battlefields to flashpoints quickly, and the sturdy shields and armor provided for many occasions where a tank could drop in as both weapons support and cover in infantry battles, allowing clone troopers to advance.

Like many Clone Wars era weapons, the TX-130 was a victim of its success. Once the Clone Wars ended, the Jedi Order was abolished, and the New Order was declared, the Empire no longer needed anti-armor craft designed for elite drivers with impossible reflexes; it needed durable craft for less specialized soldiers that could hold ground, rather than take it. Furthermore, the Empire’s new enemies exercised more guerrilla tactics, including improvised explosives and land mines that were capable of knocking repulsorcraft out of commission easily and cheaply. Instead, walkers with more durable, easy-to-repair systems like the AT-DP, AT-ST, and AT-AT came to the forefront of Imperial military doctrine.

Rebel Alliance tactics, however, more closely resemble the heroics of the Jedi than the swarm tactics of the Empire. TX-130s can still be found in junkyards, abandoned battlefields, and occasionally underfunded Imperial garrisons on the Outer Rim, and some Rebel commanders have put them to good use. The agility, durability, and astromech compatibility of the TX-130 mean that it has become a favorite of some Rebel starfighter pilots when they are called upon to provide ground vehicle support. While the missile launchers on the TX-130 are downright primitive compared to more modern military tech, at least one Rebel group has had success replacing them with modern starfighter concussion missile launchers. This heavy ordinance, combined with the tank’s maneuverability, have effectively made these modified TX-130s into shock cavalry, capable of flanking heavier, slower Imperial walkers and inflicting incredible damage, then retreating swiftly, or circling back for another salvo.

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Video Games) - TX-130 Saber Class Fighter Tank Cutaway

[alphamecha-mkii]

Star Wars: Legion - A squad of Phase I clone troopers beside a TX-130 Saber-class fighter tank by Sergey Glushakov