Cruisemissile Troopers were the Galactic Empire's elite TIE pilots who piloted cruisemissile assault craft and were part of Galactic Empire forces.
Typically, cruisemissile troopers formed the initial assault wave of the Imperial Navy, the cutting edge of Imperial military strength. They were deployed in squadrons of twelve from the bombing bays of Imperial Star Destroyers in full-scale Imperial assaults on Rebel Alliance military outposts. Each cruisemissile craft was equipped with dual laser cannons and a pair of proton torpedo launchers attached to its engines, but lacked shielding. Unlike standard TIE pilots who operated independently from their fighters, cruisemissile troopers were physically connected to their cruisemissile assault craft from the waist down.
Their only appearance in Star Wars lore to date is as an action figure in The Power of the Force 2 toy line by Kenner. Leland Chee, Keeper of the Holocron, confirmed in Star Wars Insider 113 that Cruisemissile Troopers are considered part of canon.
- " Scouting the Galaxy: Let's See: Three Goes Into Two... " — Star Wars Insider 32
- Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
- Star Wars: The Power of the Force (Pack: Cruisemissile Trooper) (backup link)
- " Ask Lobot " — Star Wars Insider 113
- " A Long Time Ago, In a Toy Aisle Not So Far Away.... " — Star Wars Insider 120 (also reprinted in Special Edition 2017) (Picture only)