View source for Century tank

{{Top|canon=TIE crawler}}
{{Ground vehicle
|image=[[File:TIE_Crawler.jpg]]
|name=Century tank
|manufacturer=[[Sienar Army Systems]]<ref name="FF">Non-Canon Ref</ref>
|line=
|model=Century tank<ref name="RECG">''[[Rebellion Era Campaign Guide]]''</ref>
|class=Compact assault vehicle<ref name="DB">{{DB|vehicle|tiecrawler|TIE crawler|archivedate=20100203100317}}</ref>
|cost=Not available for sale<ref name="RECG" />
|modifier=
|sysmods=
|length=6.7 [[Imperial standard meter|meters]]<ref name="FF" />
|width=
|height=
|mass=
|max accel=
|speed=90 km/h<ref name="FF" />
|velocity=
|engine=[[Santhe/Sienar Technologies|Santhe]] [[SSct power generator]]s (2)<ref name="FF" />
|poweroutput=
|power=
|shield gen=None
|hull=
|sensor=
|target=
|navigation=
|maincomp=
|countermeasures=
|armament=*Light [[Turbolaser/Legends|turbolaser]] cannon (1)<ref name="FF" />
*Medium [[Blaster/Legends|blaster]] cannons (2)<ref name="FF" />
|complement=
|bays=
|escapepods=
|crew=[[Pilot/Legends|Pilot]]/[[Gunner/Legends|gunner]] (1)<ref name="FF" />
|skeleton=
|passengers=None<ref name="RECG" />
|capacity=65 kg<ref name="RECG" />
|cargohandling=
|consumables=5 days<ref name="FF" />
|lifesupport=
|communications=
|othersystems=
|availability=Military<ref name="RECG" />
|role=Heavy cavalry
|firstuse=
|retired=
|affiliation=*[[Galactic Empire/Legends|Galactic Empire]]<ref name="DB" />
*[[Imperial Remnant]]
**[[Imperial Army/Legends|Imperial Army]]<ref name="DB" />
***[[71st Elite Mechanized Assault Group]]
***[[88th Mechanized Assault Group]]
***[[98th Elite Mechanized Assault Group]]
***[[221st Mechanized Assault Group]]
*[[Five Worlds]]<ref name="Exile">''[[Legacy of the Force: Exile]]''</ref>
|modules=}}
The '''century tank''', also known as the '''TIE crawler''' or '''TIE tank''', was an [[Galactic Empire/Legends|Imperial]] light armored vehicle. It was an unlikely fusion of two vastly different vehicle types.

==Description==
[[File:TIEcrawler_schem.jpg|thumb|left|180px|[[TIE Series|TIE]] crawler [[:Category:Technical drawing images|schematics]].]]

The century tank resembled a [[TIE Series|TIE]] [[Starfighter/Legends|starfighter]] cockpit suspended between two massive tank treads. It could hold only a single person, who acted as [[Pilot/Legends|pilot]] and [[Gunner/Legends|gunner]].

Driving the tank treads at speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour<ref name="Handbook">''[[Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide]]''</ref> were twin [[Santhe/Sienar Technologies|Santhe]] [[SSct power generator]]s. The pilot used foot controls to adjust the angle of steering and speed, while the hand controls were tied into the fire control systems.

The tank had a pair of medium blaster cannons in the familiar "chin" mounts found on most TIE cockpits. Suspended below the cockpit ball was a retractable light turbolaser which provided the tank with considerable firepower.<ref name="Handbook" />

==History==
The plans for the century tank were made as early as [[0 BBY/Legends|0 BBY]], with the Imperial Army boasting that its capabilities were superior to that of the TIE/LN Starfighter. One unit notable for their use of century tanks was the [[71st Elite Mechanized Assault Group]].<ref name="Handbook" />

Although the century tank became famous after [[Battle of Endor/Legends|Battle of Endor]], an early version of the vehicle&mdash;the [[TIE ap-1]], or TIE Mauler&mdash;saw some action during the first years of the [[Galactic Civil War/Legends|Galactic Civil War]], where it fought against the [[Alliance to Restore the Republic/Legends|Alliance to Restore the Republic]].

The century tank was the first new design to roll out of the newly liberated Santhe/Sienar Technologies in the uncertain times after the Battle of [[Endor/Legends|Endor]]. The independent-minded Santhe family, owners of [[Sienar Fleet Systems/Legends|Sienar Fleet Systems]], had long bristled under the restrictive contracts of the Empire, and saw the opportunity of independence following the Empire's defeat.

[[File:Tiecrawler-recg.jpg|thumb|left|150px|A Century tank on patrol]]

Santhe tried to remain neutral in the drawn out fighting between the shrinking [[Imperial Remnant]] and the growing [[New Republic/Legends|New Republic]]. They still produced TIE fighters for Imperial [[Warlord/Legends|warlords]], but did so on their terms.

In an attempt to break into new markets, the century tank was conceived as a relatively inexpensive to produce and purchase compact assault vehicle (CAV). Its use of recycled components and designs helped cut costs and training time.

The tank was cheap and mass-produced and saw some action in the [[Imperial Civil War]] on [[Coruscant/Legends|Coruscant]], as squabbling warlords sought to take control of the former Imperial capital prior to the reborn [[Galactic Emperor/Legends|Emperor]] [[Palpatine/Legends|Palpatine's]] reappearance.

At least one century tank was in service with the [[Corellian Security Force]] during the [[Second Galactic Civil War]].<ref name="Exile" />

==Behind the scenes==
[[File:TIEcrawler.jpg|thumb|180px|A TIE crawler on Coruscant in [[10 ABY/Legends|10 ABY]]]]

The ''[[Dark Empire Sourcebook]]'' capitalizes the first letter, spelling it "Century tank," whereas the [[Databank (original)|Databank]] uses all lower-case letters to spell the name.

In 2007, LEGO released a set based on the tank. Called a "TIE Crawler," the set comes with two [[shadow stormtrooper]] figures. LEGO's TIE crawler also was equipped with two dual laser cannons that extended from the outside of the port and starboard tread hulls, giving this variant increased firepower over the standard tank. The century tank was the second only fully-[[Star Wars Legends|Expanded Universe]] [[LEGO]] set to be released, the first being the [[TIE/D automated starfighter]], although the TIE/D was included in a set with two other in-universe TIE fighters and [[Anakin Skywalker/Legends|Darth Vader]]{{'s}} [[TIE/Advanced starfighter]].

==Appearances==
*''[[Pax Empirica—The Wookiee Annihilation]]''
*[[Dark Empire 1|''Dark Empire'' 1]] {{1st}}
*[[Crimson Empire 3|''Crimson Empire'' 3]]
*''[[Legacy of the Force: Exile]]''

==Sources==
[[File:Tiecrawlerbw.jpg|thumb|180px|Diagram of a TIE crawler]]
*''[[Dark Empire Sourcebook]]'' {{1stID}}
*''[[The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels]]''
*{{GalaxyCite|6|Operator's Manual}}
*''[[Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''
*{{FFCite|7|TIE2, ''TIE Fighter''}}
*{{FFCite|69|TIE9-10, ''TIE Crawler''}}
*''[[The New Essential Guide to Characters]]''
*''[[Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''
*[[The Force Unleashed (Star Wars Miniatures)|''Star Wars Miniatures: The Force Unleashed'']]
*[[Ground Assault (PocketModels)|''Star Wars PocketModel TCG: Ground Assault'']]
*''[[Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 3]]''
*''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''
*''[[Rebellion Era Campaign Guide]]''
*''[[LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary]]''
*{{DB|vehicle|tiecrawler|TIE crawler|archivedate=20100203100317}}
*''[[Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide]]''
*{{InsiderCite|157|Of Rebel Dreams and Dark Empires: The Making of a Star Wars Legend}} {{Po}}

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

{{TIE}}

{{Interlang
|de=Century-Panzer
|es=Tanque Centuria
|nl=TIE Crawler
|pl=Czołg Century
|ru=Танк «Центурия»
}}

[[Category:Crawlers]]
[[Category:Galactic Empire vehicles]]
[[Category:Tanks]]
[[Category:TIE Series]]