Tri-Pod Laser Cannon Toy (ESB 1980-82)

The Tri-Pod Laser Cannon was kind of one of the first "mini-rigs" that came out, beginning in the Empire Strikes Back wave. I say "kind of" because this, the Vehicle Maintenance Energizer, and the Radar Laser Cannon are usually not considered mini-rigs. Mini-rigs are 'technically' only considered to be small, one-figure vehicles that never actually appeared in the movies. Well, that, and the fact that their boxes said "mini-rig" on them. The Tri-Pod Laser did show up in the movies.

This was released on an ESB box and later an ROTJ box. The box accurately depicted both how the accessory was used, and how it was used in the movie, unlike many other accessories/vehicles. The power unit attached to the cannon actually opened up and you could put weapons or small accessories inside. This was a departure from the movie, but hell, it's a toy.

Why should you own it? Five reasons:

1. BFG. It's a Big F***ING Gun.

2. You get a helmeted Snowtrooper - already looking cool - behind this thing, and you have something ultra-cool, like a Jerry Bruckheimer explosion-filled movie.

3. In a pinch you can use this with your G.I. Joe figures too. Or give it to the Cobras - surprise me.

4. If your parents were against gun violence, this was the last toy they would get you. Which, of course, made it the first one you wanted to get.

5. Goes great with your Millennium Falcon play scene. Did I say play scene? I meant historical diorama.

Backstory:

Barely anything is written on the Tri-Pod, but if you watch The Empire Strikes Back, right before the Falcon takes off from Hoth, there are Snowtroopers setting one of these up to hit the Falcon. Now, I would think that in the time it took them to set it up a few of them could have rushed the Falcon and done some damage. Of course, I haven't trained at an Imperial academy, so what do I know. If I believed everything I saw, I would think that to be a good Cobra soldier you have to run while firing and screaming "Cobraaaaaaaaa" the whole way.

Want more? Its Wookieepedia article (it's really called an E-Web Heavy repeating Blaster)

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