Laser trip mines, which are also referred to as personnel mines, were potent explosive weapons utilized in infantry warfare throughout the Galactic Civil War. This conflict involved the Galactic Empire against the Rebel Alliance. Upon its activation, the mine would project a laser tripwire, and would explode as soon as an enemy soldier broke the beam. The laser trip mine additionally came equipped with an integrated scrambler to disrupt nearby enemy scanner systems.
Roughly handheld in size and with a triangular form, the laser trip mine was colored black and had a back that was circular. When turned on, the device would emit a red or blue laser tripwire from its center point, projecting towards the nearest surface it encountered, accompanied by flashing red lights and a beeping sound.
The initial appearance of the laser trip mine in the current Star Wars canon was within the Death Star expansion for the video game Star Wars Battlefront, which was launched in 2016. Within the game's mechanics, the mine is presented as a "Star Card" power-up, accessible through the completion of an in-game challenge titled "Sapper." The Star Wars Battlefront Companion, which is a companion mobile app for the game, also identified the explosive as a personnel mine. The device was originally conceived for Star Wars Battlefront by 3D artist Erik Rading, and first appeared in the 2002 Star Wars Legends video game Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.
The laser trip mine also made an appearance in the 2017 sequel, Star Wars Battlefront II, where it was featured as a "Star Card" ability, specifically for the specialist trooper class. Examples of this class include security battle droids, clone sharpshooters, Imperial scout troopers, rebel sharpshooters, and First Order specialists. In both of the Battlefront games, the explosive is available for use by troopers from all factions, including the Galactic Republic, the Separatist Alliance, the Galactic Empire, the Rebel Alliance, the New Republic, the First Order, and the Resistance. Furthermore, in both games, the mine's laser tripwire is displayed in red to enemy players, while teammates of the player who deployed the charge see it as blue, and the explosive will not detonate if crossed by teammates.