Imperial AT-AT

Created as a ground-assault vehicle and troop transport, the Imperial AT-AT, or walker, is a formidable weapon of war. Over 15 meters tall, a walker moves quickly on its four massive legs. A pilot, gunner and combat coordinator (commander) operate the vehicle. AT-ATs are heavily armored quadrupedal armored vehicles with articulated control cabins at the anterior. To beings from worlds with quadrupedal native life, the AT-ATs often appear to be giant beasts of war: their control cabins like lolling heads; their chin-mounted lasers suggest fanged monsters of legend. These associations are intentional, an attempt by the AT-AT designers to inspire fear in their opponents.

Many companies contribute components to the construction of AT-ATs, but the entire vehicle is assembled at the Kuat Drive Yards under strict Imperial supervision. Kuat designers and developers worked from the original Imperial design concepts to create the all-terrain weapon that the Empire uses today.

Walkers can operate in many different terrain types. Varying gravitational fields, climates, and land types do little to hamper its performance. It makes an effective urban assault vehicle since its height gives its crew a good line of sight over small buildings and low-lying structures. Anything it can't see over, a walker can knock down or crash through without much trouble. Its thick armor can absorb heavy blaster fire with little or no damage, and it's virtually impervious to harm from close-quarter fighting. Rugged hills and mountainous terrain, including cliffs and sheer slopes up to 8 meters in height, are easily navigated by the giant AT-ATs. Uneven ground such as that found in marshes or jungles slow them somewhat, but they are still more effective than other ground transports over similar terrain.

The "head" houses the command crew in a compact, crowded cockpit. The walker's weapon emplacements are also located in this section, presenting the crew with a wide field of vision through a viewport of armored transparisteel. The head can elevate and depress up to 30 degrees and turn as much as 90 degrees. Two forward firing heavy laser cannons - mounted under the chin - and two medium blasters - one to each side of the head - constitute the walker's personal arsenal. Electro-rangefinders, targeting computers, sensor arrays, and holographic projectors give the crew a 360 degree computer-painted line of sight whenever necessary. The head is connected to the passenger compartment by a semi-flexible and less armored "neck/tunnel". Attacks on a walker usually concentrate on this weak point, making it necessary to regularly overhaul or replace these sections.

A walker's body section can carry 40 fully-armed and battle-ready stormtroopers. To load and disembark tropps, the AT-AT kneels by bending its tri-jointed legs and lowering its body to within three meters of the ground. A loading ramp drops from the rear of the vehicle to deploy passengers. In addition, hatches on the flanks are used when docked at Imperial boarding platforms.

AT-ATs are dropped into a combat zone from huge, specially-designed shuttle barges which transport walkers from Star Destroyers or nearby garrisons for deployments to a battle area.

Walkers are designed for blatant "shock" attacks: they are visible from great distances as they methodically plod toward the enemy, and the ground actually trembles as these monsters approach. Anything in their way is casually crushed beneath massive metal hooves.

Their approach, however, is deceptively fast; they only appear to be plodding forward. Actually a great distance is covered by each stride, and Rebels who have faced them report that they are "on you before you know it."

Walkers are front-line assault vehicles without equal. Only carefully prepared defenses, a direct attack to knowck out the gun emplacements, or concentrated fire on the neck have even the slightest chance of success.

Imperial AT-ST

Imperial AT-STs, or scout walkers, were designed for reconnaissance and support for front line forces. Slightly more than six meters tall, these two-legged scouts can travel fast across open terrain. They are faster and more maneuverable than AT-ATs, but less heavily armed and armored.

In combat, they are used primarily to provide covering fire when escorting Imperial stormtroopers on foot. When accompanying AT-ATs, they cover the flanks and mop up foot soldiers who evade the larger walker's weapons or attempt to attack from underneath. They are often dropped from shuttle barges, sent directly from Imperial garrisons, or carried within AT-ATs for deployment once a battle commences.

Because of their speed and maneuverability, on open ground, scouts can be deadly in combat against infantry. Twin swivel-mounted blaster cannons protrude from the AT-ST's chin section. Twin light blasters are swivel-mounted on its port side sensor pod, and a concussion grenade launcher juts from its starboard pod. In addition, each metal foot is equipped with steel claws that can cut through trip wires or slice ground troops that close to engage. Only heavy blaster cannon or laser cannon fire can pierce a scout's thick hide, but even then many direct hits are required to cause substantial damage.

However, the lighter scout walkers are susceptible to fixed defenses such as trip wires, deadfalls, pits and explosive charges. Balance is a serious problem for these bipedal vehicles. After several unsuccessful actions in which unsupported AT-STs were easily foiled, Imperial tacticians dictated that scout actions were to be preceeded by infantry to detect, clear, or mark such traps; in addition, the crew now uses sensors to locate defensive traps in an area, and advanced targeting scopes give them firepower superiority against most ground targets. The fact remains that in open, relatively level terrain, scout walkers can be very potent light-assault vehicles.