Imperial gunner



Imperial gunners were members of the Imperial Starfighter Corps who manned the various weapons of the Empire's capital ships, military bases, and, most famously, the Death Stars.

History


Imperial gunners were recruits from the Imperial Starfighter Corps that were either still in training or washed out. They were tasked to use their skills with weapons to handle the powerful turbolasers and ion cannons of Imperial vessels, such as Star Destroyers and World Devastators. On both Death Stars, the gunners, often called Death Star gunners, had the additional job of maintaining a careful balance of energy in the battle station's superlaser.

The most distinguishing part of the gunners was their large black helmets with a slit-like visor, designed to protect their eyes from the bright flashes of light from turbolaser and superlaser fire.

Behind the scenes

 * In land battles in Star Wars: Battlefront II, Imperial gunners are called "Imperial engineers".


 * Industrial Light & Magic modelmakers Grant McCune and Joe Johnston played Imperial gunners in A New Hope.

Appearances



 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars: X-wing
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Dark Empire
 * Dark Empire II
 * Crimson Empire
 * Children of the Jedi