Sandcrawler/Legends

"Who knows?, Maybe the Jawas will find a way to use 'em?"

- Czerka Corp. Employee

Sandcrawlers were large, slow, treaded vehicles used by Tatooine's Jawas.

Details
The best-known sandcrawlers were the Miner Digger Crawlers brought to the planet by Corellian and Czerka Corporation miners who hoped to find ore resources on the planet. When this plan backfired, they were abandoned along with the rest of the mining equipment. The sandcrawlers would come to be used by the native Jawas for the following millennia as scavenging and peddling vehicles. As a result, the sandcrawlers became an important component of Jawa society, providing a home and a transport for scouring the desert in search of the droids, wrecked starships, and scrap metal that their economy thrives on.

Sandcrawlers were powered by ancient steam-powered nuclear fission engines. Giant treads allowed them to cross difficult terrain. Sandcrawlers had to be extremely stable to prevent the vehicle from toppling over when caught in powerful sandstorms, and were thusly the best way for the Jawas to cross the harsh deserts of Tatooine while avoiding attacks from Tusken Raiders who tended to stay away from these massive vehicles.



About half of a sandcrawler's volume was devoted to cargo space&mdash;originally for ore, these areas were quickly retrofitted as storage areas to hold Jawa salvage. The rest of the vehicle contained workshops for tinkering with and repairing technology; any technology found among the dunes. Captured droids and equipment were pulled into the storage areas via an extendable magnetic suction tube formerly used for drawing ore. A retractable front-loading hatch also allowed the Jawas to claim larger materials. Any reclaimed scrap was added amid the maze of junk spread throughout the cluttered hold, or melted in the giant central smelting area. The vehicle's bridge, located on top of the sandcrawler, was surrounded by a series of tiny windows. The clan's chief could often be found in this command center, which provided an excellent view of the desert. Scouts also kept watch for glints of metal that might indicate hidden treasure, aided by scanners and metal detectors. Only a small amount of the sandcrawler was used for the crew, and Jawas often slept six in a cabin the size of an average humanoid's closet.

Traditionally, half of a given Jawa clan would remain in their village or desert fortress, while the other half would reside within a sandcrawler to support the rest. While the tank-like vehicle's thick armor plating provided significant protection, a sandcrawler could be disabled by several well-aimed blaster shots. Because of their age, the sandcrawlers required constant repair, although many moisture farmers noted that their Jawa owners seemed to be capable of maintaining them forever. Sandcrawlers were rarely seen together, though they convened annually at mysterious Jawa swap meets in the Dune Sea. At these clandestine gatherings, numerous clans would commune to exchange scraps, sell droids, buy technology, or even arrange inter-clan marriages.

Other models of the sandcrawler were created by Tagge Mining Company.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars: Episode I: Racer
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars 3-D
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
 * Stop That Jawa!
 * Star Wars: Demolition
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
 * Junior Jedi Knights: Promises
 * Star Wars: Racer Revenge