Lando’s Mole Miner

My Lightyear Zurg Mothership came with a drop pod and a giant figure.

Like any good Star Wars fan, I recognized them for what they really were: Lando’s plasma-jet mole miner and bonus Imperial Dark Trooper!

Before and after

Plasma-Jet Mole Miner

Type: Mining drill

Affiliation: Lando Calrissian / Empire of the Hand

Manufacturer: Slayn & Korpil

Armament: Plasma jet drill

Crew: 1 pilot (civilian version) / 1 pilot, 2 stormstrooper squad passengers (modified Imperial version)

A modified mole miner and Dark Trooper next to an Imperial corvette.

The mole miners were used by Lando’s mining operation in Nkllon to drill for valuable minerals. The vessels were stolen in a daring raid by Grand Imperial Thrawn, who used them in the Battle of Sluis Van.

The modified mole miners were able to penetrate the hulls of New Republic capital ships and deliver stormtrooper boarding parties. The modifications done include the addition of bolt-on armor to the front, and increasing the boring laser’s power to cut through Mon Calamari hulls. Imperial techs also repainted the miners deep black and shielded the engine thrusters, to make them harder to spot in deep space.

Imperial techs modifying Lando’s miners under Grand Admiral Thrawn’s watchful eyes.

A Mk3 Dark Trooper compared to regular stormtroopers.

Apart from mole miners, the Sluis Van assault was spearheaded by Dark Troopers. These war droids were the end result of the top secret Dark Trooper program, which was supposedly ended by Emperor Palpatine.

Despite the official end of the project, Thrawn was able to acquire a few surviving examples from the Emperor’s storehouse on Mt. Tantiss. The Dark Troopers were a devastating success for boarding New Republic ships — they acted as small walkers that could fit in ship passageways to clear the way for assault teams.

“Thanks to big fella over there, we no longer have a roof and I’m baking in my armor.”

“Shut up Gary.”

Where to Buy

The drop pod and Zurg figure come with the Lightyear Zurg Mothership, which is about $25 on Amazon.

However, it’s on sale now for under $13, so get your own ship before they run out! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, so please do support this site!

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