AT-ST during the early Civil War era
The All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST), also known as the chicken walker for its two-legged design, was a bipedal walker used by the Galactic Republic during the late Viau Clone Wars and, later and more extensively, by the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War and the First Multiverse War when they joined the Axis of Empires.
AT-STs were commonly used to screen the flanks of larger assault walkers for major ground operations. The Empire used them for swift reconnaissance and troop support. As such, they were essential for cleaning up minor resistance along the path of a planned invasion route, and could quickly eliminate any small threats that evaded an AT-AT's barrage. The walker was commonly used on anti-personnel hunting missions, and was piloted by two AT-ST drivers with superior skills of balance and agility.
It was a successor of the AT-XT. Later, the Empire used an updated variant of the AT-ST within their military.
Characteristics[]
Previous design[]
Colloquially known as a "chicken walker" because of its shape and walking motion, the AT-ST was a light, heavily-armed, ground combat vehicle, and able to trek various environments. The stock model was equipped with a chin-mounted, double blaster cannon, a light E-Web twin blaster cannon on the port side, a concussion grenade launcher on the starboard side of its head, two clawed feet, and was encased with 9095-T8511 grade durasteel.
The AT-ST was designed to be a recon, hit-and-run vehicle. It was lighter than its bigger brother, the AT-AT, and could withstand standard blaster fire, but was vulnerable to heavy laser fire and missiles, as well as physical attacks to the legs and the side of the head. The latter weakness was discovered in the Battle of Beta Cuy'ti Earth, when the Allied soldiers destroyed an AT-ST by using logs to ram the sides of the walker's head in a forest or set up pits to lose its balance. The AT-ST could also be infiltrated by species with great physical strength. The Wookiee, Chewbacca, forced his way through the top hatch and took control of the walker in this manner.
The AT-ST's chin blasters had an effective range of two kilometers and were used for anti-vehicle attacks, while the armor-shielded blaster cannon and grenade launcher provided close-range protection against infantry and light emplacements. Like the AT-AT, the AT-ST utilized a holographic targeting system, allowing a 360-degree view of its position. The armor was not sufficient to withstand blasts from starship cannons, but was impervious to small-arms fire. In addition, according to Leia Organa Solo, the area behind the angled viewport visors was weak enough to be susceptible to missile fire, although Han Solo wondered with surprise how she knew that.
Reinforced armor plates enveloped the control cabin, protecting the two-person crew. Its two armored viewports were deliberately set to give any viewer the unsettling sensation of staring into the face of a soulless beast or oversized combat droid without actually being needed due to their impressive sensor package. Inside the control cabin, the command module featured a holographic 360-degree view of the combat zone. The "head" itself was capable of rotating 240 degrees side to side, greatly benefiting the gunner's target-acquisition abilities and capabilities for destruction. The walker's deceptively rickety gait belied a potent patrol vehicle. Gyros, flexible joints, footpad sensors, and shock absorbers formed a sophisticated system that controlled balance and stabilized the walker across a variety of terrains.
Despite its speed and agility, an AT-ST walker's offensive and defensive power were significantly compromised. Offensively, its weapons systems were only good against lightly armored targets at close range. Defensively, its lighter armor could repel attacks from small-arms fire, but not laser cannons, missiles, or other heavy ordnance.Its armor did not cover its entire frame, lest the walker lose its agility. Striking the walker's unprotected gyros underneath the command module could destabilize the walker and cause it to fall. Additionally, deep trenches or cable lines leveled at the height of the AT-ST's ankles and knees could cause it to trip and topple the vehicle. AT-STs are also known to require constant maintenance, having perhaps the highest maintenance-per-hour record in the entire Imperial Army.
The 8.6-meter-tall walkers were piloted by a crew of two Imperial Army pilots and carried 200 kilograms of cargo, which had to be loaded and unloaded via the single hatch located atop the superstructure accessible using a series of handholds placed on the sides of the walker. However, for practicality, the preferred method of entry inside military bases was to use a loading platform.
The bipedal propulsion system was one of the primary weaknesses of the AT-ST. On even terrain, the walker could achieve over 90 kilometers per hour, but on uneven or shifting terrain, a walker could quickly become unbalanced enough to fall over. In rare cases, AT-STs are even capable of leaping when in combat with an enemy. One leg weighted a quarter of a metric ton.
An advanced gyro system, located beneath the command module, provided the balance needed, but could be easily damaged. Following the Battle of Hoth, Rebel tacticians learned to ambush and immobilize AT-ST's; once trapped, a well-placed rifle shot could destroy the walker's gyro system.
Modular Attachments[]
An AT-ST with various modifications of weapons
The AT-ST was a highly modular walker design, being able to switch weapons slots and additional tools to fulfill a variety of roles on the battlefield.
Known modifications included a top-mounted, shielded gun turret for soldiers standing on lookout, mortars bolted to the upper side of the turret, side-mounted six-slot rocket launchers instead of laser cannons, and grenade launcher mounts on the walker's lower cheeks.
Other modifications included communications antennae, using additional armor plates to cover the battery packs and having a winch system underneath the chin gun. During the War in the Beta Quadrant, the AT-ST had many components updated to withstand Phaser-type weapons, several AT-STs had their chin guns replaced with metal clamps and were used to tear down trees and make clearings for future construction.
Variant Models[]
History[]
Gallery[]
