TIE/Walker |
| By Larry G. Johnson |
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The TIE/Interceptor was the latest and greatest TIE variant yet made and thus production was taxed and the platform was in high demand. So when the outer rim outpost of Renna received their allotment, the Interceptors lacked drive modules, which were promised later as they became available. Then the Battle of Endor broke out and Renna was forgotten by a government that no longer existed – Until the New Republic came with plans of liberation. The Moff of Renna thus ordered a hybrid of technology, the incomplete Interceptors and native Rennan industrial walkers. The TIE/Walker mounted an Imperial concussion missile system dorsally and four light repeating laser cannon in the solar panels. |
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Two Rennan grenade launchers were mounted to the outer solar panels and four Rennan heavy blaster cannon inside the solar panels. The primary weapon system, the blasters could be fired in sync, linked or individually. Two of the cannon were repeating as well at a lower output setting. The TIE/Walker went on to give the New Republic a hard time liberating Renna. The planet's freedom came at the high cost of sabotage from Rennan natives in positions as slaves working on the TIE/Walker. The Model The model is a hybrid of three kits – the legs, hips and torso are from a white metal and resin walker kit I picked up at a gaming shop in the early 80’s, the ball and cockpit are from the ERTL TIE Fighter twin pack, and the solar panels of course are from the ERTL Interceptor kit. The concussion missiles are leftover from a Hasegawa P-51D I built in interceptor mode. They were put in a Dremel and then I put a file to them to thin the middle sections to make the scifi’er. The launcher is two manifold from a car kit glued together with ship davit rails and radar turret base. The antennae are from an ERTL B-Wing laser cannon and a 20mm cannon from an 1/48th A-4 kit. The Grenade launchers are the front half of a 1/32nd ejector rack with a chrome car part tube-y thing for an aperture. The ammo rail is Evergreen channel and the grenades are life raft canisters from an Italeri 1/720 carrier kit (a GREAT kit for greeblies!) The main weapons are from a Gundam with a mechanical pencil end. The concept of two of the cannon being repeaters came when my last casting of the master was deformed, not fully filling the pencil end. So I snipped the requisite amount off another casting and sanded it smooth and, viola! versatile weapons! |
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Image: Rear view Image: Grenade throwers Image: Concussion missiles Image: Main battery Image: Driver Image: " Where I go, trouble follows ... " |
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