AV-7 Antivehicle Cannon

"We cannot get past their cannons, sir."
"Cannons? This will never do. We must pull back and set up our deflector shields."

―A B1-Series battle droid and Whorm Loathsom — 20?cb=20250116042720

▶️ (file info)^[2]

The AV-7 Antivehicle Cannon, also known as the AV-7 Mobile Cannon, the Republic Artillery Gun, the heavy cannon, or the Clone Artillery Cannon, was a self-propelled artillery unit used by the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars.

Description

Artillery Guns in action at the . — Artillery Guns in action at the Battle of Christophsis.

The vehicle could be operated by one clone tank gunner in a seat on the side of the gun, and had a chamber for refilling plasma shells to the side of the lower chassis.

The vehicle would be moved with its built in repulsorlifts until it reached a suitable firing position and then entrench itself on the ground, using four metallic feet for support.

Its artillery shells created a fairly large blast radius, able to take out both vehicles and surrounding droids in a single shot.

History

"Give it everything you've got! Gunners—break out the AV-7!"

―Rex^[3]

A single clone tank gunner operated the gun.

Republic Artillery Guns were used during the Battle of Christophsis where they countered the Confederacy's AATs and titanic Tri-droids. The Separatists then erected a deflector shield which rendered the cannons ineffective. Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano eventually destroyed the deflector shield generator, disabling the shield and allowing four AV-7s to halt the enemy advance and help score the Republic victory.^[2]

These cannons were also used during the Second Battle of Geonosis when Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano were attempting to infiltrate a Separatist droid factory. Many of these cannons were destroyed by the Separatist experimental super tanks.^[4]

Behind the scenes

After its appearance in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated film, the AV-7 antivehicle cannon appeared in October 2011 as a miniature in the Clone Wars Tactics expansion of the Star Wars PocketModel TCG collection, which was later released on November 12, 2008.^[5]

In 2011, Hasbro produced a Clone Wars edition of the vehicle, the Republic AV-7 Mobile Cannon. The action vehicle was built to accommodate the company's 3-3/4" action figure line of Star Wars figures. The vehicle featured a caterpillar-like tread assembly on the underside, in contrast to the in-universe units demonstrating motion via repulsorlifts.^[6]

In LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, the AV-7 is the cannon option when playing on the Republic side in large battles, a counter to the CIS' proton cannon.