The MLC-3 light tank was a type of self-propelled artillery mounted on a motorized, tracked chassis. During the reign of Emperor Palpatine, the outdated and relatively low-tech tanks were used by the rebellion and its successor movement, the Alliance to Restore the Republic, in their fight against the Galactic Empire.
A trio of MLC-3 tanks
The MLC-3 light tank was relatively low-tech—a fact demonstrated by its tracked chassis in place of repulsorlifts. The tank was armed with twin forward-facing blaster cannons, while the pilot was defended by a dome-shaped windshield and a thick coat of armor. When fired at maximum, the cannons tended to overload and short out the vehicle.
Outdated as of the Age of the Empire, MLC-3s were used by the rebellion, a loose network of rebel cells that opposed the Galactic Empire. Commander Ryden's cell, which was headquartered on Imvur, possessed four such tanks. When the Imperial commander Viggen attacked their base with two AT-AT walkers, the rebels set off in their MLC-3s to try and keep the invaders distracted until an evac ship arrived. Some time later, the rebellion was replaced by the more organized Alliance to Restore the Republic, which also used MLC-3s during their war with the Empire. Despite their obsolescence, the tanks proved themselves time and time again in numerous battles against Imperial forces.
The Kenner MLC-3 Mini-Rig
The MLC-3 first appeared in the 78th issue of the Legends Star Wars comic and was modeled after the Kenner Products Mini-Rig toy. The vehicle was canonized by Star Wars: Galactic Defense in 2014, in which it appears at the Battle of Hoth. However, the gameplay is non-canon, so the tank's presence is non-canon as well.
MLC-3s later appeared in "Vulnerable Areas," a comic strip written by Martin Fisher and illustrated by Bob Molesworth that was published in the seventeenth issue of the Star Wars Rebels Magazine. By setting up MLC-3s against AT-ATs, Fisher recreated a battle he once imagined while playing with Mini-Rigs as a child.