TIE/br boarding shuttle

The TIE/br boarding shuttle was a variant of the TIE/sa bomber used for boarding and troop transportation.

Characteristics


The TIE/br boarding shuttle had an enlarged, hollow secondary pod with clamps and a hull-cutter.

It was used to deliver small stormtrooper boarding parties onto captured or disabled ships when larger vessels such as the Gamma-class assault shuttle were not appropriate for the task. Unlike most craft in the TIE series, the boarding craft was equipped with landing gear and was able to land on a hangar deck instead of in an overhead launch rack. Passengers could then disembark via a boarding ramp.

History
A TIE/br was used by Darth Vader in the capture of Princess Leia's CR90 corvette, Tantive IV, in 0 BBY. A TIE Boarding Craft was also involved in a kidnapping mission on Shiva IV.

Behind the scenes


This ship was designed for the very first Star Wars film, but the exterior model would not make it into any scenes. The design would be resurrected for The Empire Strikes Back as the TIE bomber and the TIE shuttle. Likewise, the TIE/sa bomber itself also featured a similar usage to the TIE boarding craft in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike, in the Raid at Bakura mission, as Wedge Antilles, if the player gets a Silver Medal or better, will have to hijack a TIE bomber in order to rescue Hobbie after he was shot down on Bakura.

Appearances

 * The Constancia Affair
 * Star Wars 53: The Last Gift From Alderaan!