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* The climax of ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheSpaceHeroes'' have the villain Hyde using a drill-tipped tunneling vehicle in an attempt to grind Doraemon, Suneo and Aron into shreds. Suneo, gaining GadgeteerGenius powers thanks to Doraemon's gadgets, managed to counter Hyde by grabbing a bunch of random junk and turning them into a rocket ship in ''seconds''.
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* The ''VideoGame/LEGOAdaptationGame'' series likes giving these to Bane from Batman.

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* The ''VideoGame/LEGOAdaptationGame'' series ''VideoGame/LegoBatman'' sub-series likes giving these to Bane from Batman.Bane.
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* Your excavation vehicle in ''VideoGame/{{Motherload}}'' is a rather non-standard design for a drill tank. The vehicle is dome-shaped and it pulls out its drill from inside the chassis, which it can point left or right or directly below.

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* [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] at least as early as 1941 in the militaristic short story ''Mirai no Chika Sensha-chō'' ("The Future Underground Tank Commander"), where a sixteen year old boy realizes his ludicrous dream of designing an underground tank after learning about basic engineering, mineralogy, physics and budget principles. After an early cutter head-equipped sketch and an unsuccessful cigar-like prototype, the final result is a contraption with three drills riddled with conveyor belts[[note]]While the final design supposedly solves problems such as torque loss, vehicle movement, or soil displacement, it still ommits some glaring design problems, like the [[GravityIsAHarshMistress lack of reinforced structures keeping the a tunnel from collapse]], the massive [[ConvectionSchmonvection heat generation which would be kept underground]], or [[FastTunnelling how slow]] such a vehicle would likely be... Ironically, it is also the least plausible design of the three, since the first and second designs have a slight resemblance to a tunnel-boring machine.[[/note]], which is conveniently dispatched just before a foreign invasion.



* Midori's ''King Moguras'' (pictured above) was released mere months after the ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' mole, and both of them were among the best-selling toys in Japan during the late sixties. The King Moguras was popular enough to be the first one in a short-lived model kit series, featuring the pocket-sized ''Baby Moguras'', the aircraft-carrying ''Big Moguras'', the drill and saw-equipped ''Junior Moguras'', and the UFO-carrying remote-controlled ''Ultra Moguras''.

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* Midori's ''King Moguras'' (pictured above) was released mere months after the ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' mole, Mole model kit[[note]]Best known as the ''Jet Mole'' in Japan[[/note]], and both of them were among the best-selling toys in Japan during the late sixties. The King Moguras was popular enough to be the first one in a short-lived model kit series, featuring the pocket-sized ''Baby Moguras'', the aircraft-carrying ''Big Moguras'', the drill and saw-equipped ''Junior Moguras'', and the UFO-carrying remote-controlled ''Ultra Moguras''.

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** ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'': Drill Gao / Drill Gao II, which can merge into GaoGaiGar / GaoFighGar's legs. The Genesic upgrade from ''Anime/GaoGaiGarFINAL'' reimagines them as robotic moles.

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** ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'': Drill Gao / Drill Gao II, which can merge into GaoGaiGar [=GaoGaiGar=] / GaoFighGar's [=GaoFighGar=]'s legs. The Genesic [=Genesic GaoGaiGar=] upgrade from ''Anime/GaoGaiGarFINAL'' reimagines them as robotic moles.



* The Gotengo / Atragon from ''Film/{{Atragon}}'' is a [[MilitaryMashupMachine submarine / battleship / aircraft / rocket]] which can also travel underground with its drill, fitting this trope. Noticeably, the ship from the original novel was "merely" a submarine-battleship hybrid with a spinning ram, so the Gotengo's association with tunneling in further appearances originates from this movie.



* [[Film/GodzillaVsSpaceGodzilla MOGUERA's]] upper half transforms into Land Moguera, which uses MOGUERA's drill nose and laser-firing arms to burrow.

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* [[Film/GodzillaVsSpaceGodzilla MOGUERA's]] The [[{{Robeast}} robot mole]] Moguera from ''Film/TheMysterians'' is an humanoid-shaped drill tank. It's more obvious in early materials, since its caterpillar tread-like torso had originally [[https://wikizilla.org/w/images/0/0b/Moguera01.JPG visible wheels on its sides]] and it was seemingly designed to roll [[https://wikizilla.org/w/images/4/46/Moguera_caterpillar_track_model.jpg according to an unused prop]].
** In ''Film/GodzillaVsSpaceGodzilla'', the redesigned MOGERA's
upper half transforms into Land Moguera, which uses MOGUERA's drill nose and laser-firing arms to burrow.


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** ''Series/TokusouRoboJanperson'' has the Drill Jaycar, one of the variable cockpits of the Dark Jaycar which can be indepentdently used as a small drill pod.


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* Midori's ''King Moguras'' (pictured above) was released mere months after the ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' mole, and both of them were among the best-selling toys in Japan during the late sixties. The King Moguras was popular enough to be the first one in a short-lived model kit series, featuring the pocket-sized ''Baby Moguras'', the aircraft-carrying ''Big Moguras'', the drill and saw-equipped ''Junior Moguras'', and the UFO-carrying remote-controlled ''Ultra Moguras''.

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* A ''Anime/BraveSeries'' tradition, since all have at least some sort of drill tank. Most of them (save Kaiser 2 and Drill Gao) can transform into a robot:
** ''Anime/BraveExkaiser'': Drill Max, which can merge into God Max's legs.
** ''Anime/TheBraveFighterOfSunFighbird'': Drill Baron, which can merge into the Thunder Jet's nose, and Thunder Baron's left arm.
** ''Anime/TheBraveFighterOfLegendDaGarn'': Drill Lander, which can merge into Land Bison's arms.
** ''Anime/TheBraveExpressMightGaine'' has two: The Kaiser 2, which can merge into Might Kaiser's arm and Great Might Gaine's forearm; and Drill Diver, which can merge into Guard Diver's right leg / part of Guard Diver's train form.
** ''Anime/BravePoliceJDecker'': [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball Soccer]] Detective Drill Boy, which transforms into a drill tank and a drill jet, and serves as the extra parts to transform Build Tiger into Super Build Tiger.
** ''Anime/TheBraveOfGoldGoldran'': Drill Silver, which can merge Silverion / God Silverion's legs.
** ''Anime/BraveCommandDagwon'': Dag Drill, which can change into a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_C62 Class C62]] train, a ''drill train'', and serves as the extra parts to transform Liner Dagwon into Super Liner Dagwon.
** ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'': Drill Gao / Drill Gao II, which can merge into GaoGaiGar / GaoFighGar's legs. The Genesic upgrade from ''Anime/GaoGaiGarFINAL'' reimagines them as robotic moles.



* [=DrillGao=] in ''Anime/GaoGaiGar''.
** [=StraightGao and SpiralGao=] are ''mole'' drill tanks.
** This is more or less a ''Anime/BraveSeries'' tradition, all the way back with ''Anime/BraveExkaiser'' and Drill Max.

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* [=DrillGao=] in ''Anime/GaoGaiGar''.
** [=StraightGao and SpiralGao=] are ''mole''
''Anime/DennouBoukenkiWebdiver'' has Ortorion, a robotic [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthrus Orthrus]] which transforms into a drill tanks.
** This is more or less
tank. Its twin brother [[{{Hellhound}} Kerberion]] can transform into a ''Anime/BraveSeries'' tradition, all saw tank, and both of them can join into the way back with ''Anime/BraveExkaiser'' and Drill Max.humanoid [[{{Golem}} Golemon]].
* ''Anime/DICE2005'' has the Monocrawler, a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoclonius Monoclonius]]-based vehicle usually used for heavy-duty rescues.



* Featured in ''[[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Robo Go]]'', where they're dropped from bombers and used to attack underground bases.

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* Featured Played in ''Manga/GetterRobo'''s Getter Jaguar component, which fits the "Land" part of the LandSeaSky trio, but is otherwise a standard jet. However, Getter 2, the combination where Jaguar takes the lead, has a [[ThisIsADrill prominent drill arm]] and can burrow underground; and it also serves as the tank-like lower half of the Getter 3.
** Also featured
in ''[[Manga/GetterRobo Getter Robo Go]]'', where they're dropped from bombers and used to attack underground bases.bases.
* The titular hero of ''Anime/HurricanePolymar'' can morph himself in various vehicles, and the Polymar Drill form certainly fits the description.



* One of ''Anime/ProjectBlueEarthSOS'''s retrofuturistic vehicles is the Super Mole, a fully armed drill tank. It was one of the many inventions that appeared in the original 1948 illustrated novel, making it a prime RaygunGothic example.



* ''Series/WarriorOfLoveRainbowman'': One of the Shine Shine Dan's weapons was the Mograt, which was used for creating artificial natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. It was also a convenient excuse to show the hero's [[DishingOutDirt Earth form]] more frequently.



** One of Anime/HurricanePolymar's supers in ''VideoGame/TatsunokoVsCapcom'' has him ''morphing'' into a ridiculously fast drill tank.


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** On a related note, during the WWII the British Royal Navy also developed the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultivator_No._6 Cultivator No. 6]] "Nellie", an enormous trench-digging machine which would theoretically create a tunnel to the enemy's front line. It was one of UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill's pet projects since [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarI WWI]], to the point that at least a prototype was finished long after the project was deemed unprofitable.
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* The ''ComicBook/FixUndFoxi'' spin-off ''Lupos tolle Touren'' has one in the second issue which [[TheMafia the Mofia]] wants to use to break into a big casino in UsefulNotes/Monaco. GadgeteerGenius Einstein modifies it so that it can run on the excavated material, but he also reprograms its course so that it resurfaces in England and basically hands the crooks right over to the authorities.
* ''ComicStrip/DieBakuninis'' have one for anarchist criminal purposes: It is designed to break into the vault of a bank. However, the underground structure which the Bakuninis expect to be the vault turns out to be a [[{{Squick}} waste water reservoir]].

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* G-Driller in ''Anime/{{Gravion}}''.

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* The G-Driller in ''Anime/{{Gravion}}''.''Anime/{{Gravion}}'' is a double-drill tank that forms the titular robot's forearms. They even come with a pair of turrets/{{Arm Cannon}}s for extra firepower. As Gravion is capable of using a RocketPunch, they soon figured out to combine the two.
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* ''ComicBook/Transformers2019'': Nosecone of the Technobots actually uses his drill as a weapon, fairly unusual for the franchise. When his teammate Afterburner was attacked by Bludgeon, Nosecone suddenly came up through the ground and impaled the rogue bot with his drill.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'', minor character Darcy is a roadheader, meaning she's based on a real-life instance of this trope.

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* In ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'', ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'', minor character Darcy is a roadheader, meaning she's based on a real-life instance of this trope.
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** Subverted, it bores (like a file), not drills (like a, well, drill).

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** Subverted, To be technical, however, these machines rasp their way through rock like a file rather than actually boring through it bores (like like a file), not drills (like a, well, drill).drill.
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* ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' has Labyrinth Tank, a red and blue tank with multiple drills on the front.

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* ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' has Labyrinth Tank, a red and blue tank with multiple drills on the front.front, and Infinitrack Tunneller, which has a spiked drill bit protruding from the front of it.
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* Late in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', Isaac and Ellie hijack a giant tunnel boring machine to punch their way into the Sprawl's government sector from below after all the other ways in are deemed a no-go. You even get to gib a flood of necromorphs on the spinning blades [[NoOSHACompliance during the ride on top]] through the clever use of knockback effects, [[RealityEnsues but you can also end up instagibbing Isaac instead if you're not careful about your movements]].

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* Late in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', Isaac and Ellie hijack a giant tunnel boring machine to punch their way into the Sprawl's government sector from below after all the other ways in are deemed a no-go. You even get to gib a flood of necromorphs on the spinning blades [[NoOSHACompliance during the ride on top]] through the clever use of knockback effects, [[RealityEnsues [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome but you can also end up instagibbing Isaac instead if you're not careful about your movements]].

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video games: Lighthouse, Gadget, Net-Zone


* At the end of ''VideoGame/GadgetPastAsFuture'', the compact spaceship known as the Ark starts out as this to tunnel out of the factory it was in, before detaching the drill component and [[TransformingVehicle morphing]] into a flying craft to navigate a series of underground tunnels.
* In ''VideoGame/MagicalDoropie'', the MiniBoss at the end of Round 2-2 is one of these.



* In ''VideoGame/MagicalDoropie'', the MiniBoss at the end of Round 2-2 is one of these.


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* ''VideoGame/LighthouseTheDarkBeing'' has a SteamPunk train in the endgame area, with a drill at the front that the player can use to break down a wall to reach the [[BigBad Dark Being's]] inner sanctum.


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* The ''Grommet'' in ''VideoGame/NetZone'' is a {{Cyberspace}} variant, as a rocket with a drill that transports Newton Winters to Cycorp's Testing Facility. The drill only comes into play when Newton reprograms the ''Grommet'' to reach a hidden room.
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* A SteamPunk version shows up in ''Literature/{{Stormslayer}}'', with Brokk the dwarf offering the hero a ride in his drilling vehicle called the "Mole" to explore an underground cavern.
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* Late in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', Isaac and Ellie hijack a giant tunnel boring machine to punch their way into the Sprawl's government sector from below after all the other ways in are deemed a no-go. You even get to gib a flood of necromorphs on the rotating blades [[NoOSHACompliance during the ride on top]] through the clever use of knockback effects, [[RealityEnsues but you can also end up instagibbing Isaac instead if you're not careful about your movements]].

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* Late in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', Isaac and Ellie hijack a giant tunnel boring machine to punch their way into the Sprawl's government sector from below after all the other ways in are deemed a no-go. You even get to gib a flood of necromorphs on the rotating spinning blades [[NoOSHACompliance during the ride on top]] through the clever use of knockback effects, [[RealityEnsues but you can also end up instagibbing Isaac instead if you're not careful about your movements]].
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* Late in ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', Isaac and Ellie hijack a giant tunnel boring machine to punch their way into the Sprawl's government sector from below after all the other ways in are deemed a no-go. You even get to gib a flood of necromorphs on the rotating blades [[NoOSHACompliance during the ride on top]] through the clever use of knockback effects, [[RealityEnsues but you can also end up instagibbing Isaac instead if you're not careful about your movements]].
* Similar to the above, the Star [[MultipleEndings ending]] of ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'' involves the repurposing of a huge tunnel borer into an assault vehicle to gain access to Arasaka Tower through its basement.
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* ''VideoGame/DeepRockGalactic'' features an [[EscortMission Escort Mission]] where you are tasked with defending one of these from hordes of alien bugs as it drills a tunnel through various cave systems towards a valuable crystal known as an Ommoran Heartstone that's buried deep in the planet. The drill stops and needs to be refueled from oil deposits periodically, and the end of the mission has it drilling into the Heartstone's outer shell to extract it, while the players must protect it from the attacks that the Heartsone summons to fight back.

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* ''VideoGame/DeepRockGalactic'' features an [[EscortMission Escort Mission]] where you are tasked with defending one of these (referred to as the Drilldozer by management, and [[ICallItVera Doretta]] by the miners) from hordes of alien bugs as it drills a tunnel through various cave systems towards a valuable crystal known as an Ommoran Heartstone that's buried deep in the planet. The drill stops and needs to be refueled from oil deposits periodically, and the end of the mission has it drilling into the Heartstone's outer shell to extract it, while the players must protect it from the attacks that the Heartsone summons to fight back. The tank itself is unfortunately unarmed, but that's what the dwarves are for.
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* ''VideoGame/DeepRockGalactic'' features an [[EscortMission Escort Mission]] where you are tasked with defending one of these from hordes of alien bugs as it drills a tunnel through various cave systems towards a valuable crystal known as an Ommoran Heartstone that's buried deep in the planet. The drill stops and needs to be refueled from oil deposits periodically, and the end of the mission has it drilling into the Heartstone's outer shell to extract it, while the players must protect it from the attacks that the Heartsone summons to fight back.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'', minor character Darcy is a roadheader, meaning she's based on a real-life instance of this trope.
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* ''Breakfast at Twilight'' by Creator/PhilipKDick makes mention of "the snake", a long personnel carrier with caterpillar tracks and a "boring snout" that enables it to burrow through the [[WorldWarThree ruins of a nuclear-devastated United States]].
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* In the "WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants" episode "Chum Caverns", Plankton uses one to burrow inter the Krusty Krab in attempt to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula. However, he becomes lost inside a cave and accidentally creates a new restaurant called Chum Caverns.

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* In the "WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants" episode "Chum Caverns", Plankton uses one to burrow inter under the Krusty Krab in attempt to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula. However, he becomes lost inside a cave and accidentally creates a new restaurant called Chum Caverns.

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* In the "WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants" episode "Chum Caverns", Plankton uses one to burrow inter the Krusty Krab in attempt to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula. However, he becomes lost inside a cave and accidentally creates a new restaurant called Chum Caverns.



* In the "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone" episode "Waste Mountain", Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing garbage bags filled with cheeseburger smoothies.

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* In the "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone" episode "Waste Mountain", Rudy uses draws one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing garbage bags filled with stale cheeseburger smoothies.
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* In the "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone" episode "Waste Mountain", Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing bags of cheeseburger smoothies.

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* In the "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone" episode "Waste Mountain", Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing garbage bags of filled with cheeseburger smoothies.
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* "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone": Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing bags of cheeseburger smoothies.

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* "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone": In the "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone" episode "Waste Mountain", Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing bags of cheeseburger smoothies.
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* "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone": Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing bags of cheeseburger smoothies he dropped into ChalkZone.

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* "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone": Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing bags of cheeseburger smoothies he dropped into ChalkZone.smoothies.
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* "WesternAnimation/ChalkZone": Rudy uses one to drill into the Magic Chalk Mine in an attempt to save all the magic chalk from being destroyed by the oozing bags of cheeseburger smoothies he dropped into ChalkZone.
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* ''ComicBook/{{Terra}}'': Richard Faulkner is developing a large drill to sell to the government for military and scientific use. After his transfomation he uses it to crash through the ceiling of the UndergroundCity Strata and nearly destroy it.

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* ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'': This ''Anime/MazingerZ'' sequel provides the Drill Spazer, a vehicle with ''two'' drills bolted on the front. When it [[CombiningMecha combines]] with Grendizer, the titular [[HumongousMecha giant robot]] is able to move and fight underground.

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* ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'': This ''Anime/MazingerZ'' sequel provides the Drill Spazer, a vehicle with ''two'' drills bolted on the front. When it [[CombiningMecha combines]] {{combin|ingMecha}}es with Grendizer, the titular eponymous [[HumongousMecha giant robot]] is able to move and fight underground.



* The Burrower in VideoGame/{{WarWind}}. Unfortunately, the vehicle has a limited range, slow travelling speed, and can transport only two units at a time.

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* The Burrower in VideoGame/{{WarWind}}.''VideoGame/WarWind''. Unfortunately, the vehicle has a limited range, slow travelling speed, and can transport only two units at a time.


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* The Grineer from ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' make use of tanks with drilling equipment attached on the nose for mining. The goal of the Sabotage missions set in [[AsteroidMining asteroid bases]] is to destroy them to keep Grineer from [[ArchaeologicalArmsRace unearthing any Orokin tech that would give them an upper hand]].
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Dewicking, since it's an inaccessible roleplay filed under Unpublished Works now.


* The villainous Subterranean from the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'' uses a DrillTank to break into museums, bank vaults, and other secure locations from underneath.

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