Boarding pods represent a modified version of escape pods, repurposed as boarding craft. These specialized pods were utilized by the CR90 corvette Thunderstrike, which acted as both the central command and a troop carrier for the Rebel Alliance's 61st Mobile Infantry. To facilitate their new role, the pods were fitted with magnetic grapples and laserdrills, sacrificing their original maneuverability for increased launch capabilities and enhanced armor. The 61st employed these pods to deploy personnel onto other starships, most notably in a raid targeting an Imperial freighter.
The concept of boarding pods was introduced in the 2015 novel Battlefront: Twilight Company, authored by Alexander Freed.