4 Talk

Tusken Cycler rifle

Redirected from Tusken Cycler Rifle

Tusken Cycler

Production information
Manufacturer	unknown, possibly Czerka
Model	Tusken Cycler
Type	Slugthrower
Cost	unknown, around 910
Physical and technical specifications
Weight	4 to 6 kilograms^[1]
Capacity	12 to 15 rounds^[1]
Range	20-100 meters (optimal)^[1]
Usage and history
Era(s)	Rise of the Empire era New Republic era
Affiliation	Tusken Raiders

[Source]

"We always know when the Tusken Raiders are on a killing spree. We can hear their rifles cracking across the desert like lightning strikes."

―Huff Darklighter^[src]

The Tusken Cycler was the standard projectile weapon used by the Tusken Raiders of Tatooine for ranged combat. The cycler was an older design of rifle and fitted into the Slugthrower class, firing solid shots enveloped in energy, not blaster bolts. The weapon had a unique sound when fired, rather like a cross between a blaster and a musket making it very distinctive.

1 Characteristics
2 Behind the scenes
3 Appearances
- 3.1 Non-canon appearances
4 Sources
5 Notes and references

CharacteristicsEdit

The Tusken Raiders generally modified their rifles as the basic variant lacks the targeting tools to enable it to be an effective sniping weapon. The weapons were modified normally with improved firing chambers for larger and more powerful slugs or the addition of scopes for better sniping. The rifles were similar to the Czerka produced 6-2Aug2 hunting rifle so it is possible that the raiders stole shipments of these weapons and modified them for their own use. The raiders liked nothing better than camping out near the Boonta Eve Classic Podrace track during a race and taking pot shots at the pods as they zoomed past. The number of racers lost in this way is a statement to Tusken accuracy.

Due to the length of the barrel, the Cycler had better accuracy than more contemporary blaster designs, with the very best models being able to hit human-sized targets from distances exceeding 100 meters; possibly even 200 meters. The rate of fire was fairly slow, as many of the rifles used a bolt action mechanism. As such, Tusken Cyclers were not used at short ranges where a fast rate of fire was necessary. Rather, it was used in the sniping role to pick off enemies at long range, and was an effective weapon for its purpose. The Raiders retained the gaffi stick for dealing with enemies in close combat.

Behind the scenesEdit

Star Wars 1 refers to these weapons as "laser rifles", but this seems to be contradicted by later literature as Tusken Cyclers are depicted as slugthrowers in The Phantom Menace.

In Star Wars: Battlefront series, this weapon fires green bolts, not slugs, although this may depict energy enveloped projectiles in the same vein as the bowcaster. This weapon also makes a different noise, much more like a blaster, as opposed to the characteristic sound it makes in the films. However, this may just be because the designers did not want to add unnecessary complication to the game.