What was it Really Like to be Part of an AT-TE Crew? 1

The All Terrain Tactical Enforcer (AT-TE), nicknamed «six legs» by the Separatist Droid Army, was a multipurpose military ground walker and tank used by the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. It had six legs, six laser cannon turrets along the body and a heavy projectile mass-driver cannon on the top of the walker. It was one of the main ground vehicles for the Grand Army of the Republic throughout the Clone Wars.

The All Terrain Tactical Enforcer was a low-built vehicle that featured six articulated legs for propulsion. Its body consisted of two armored halves that were connected by a flexible concertina section (also housing the walker’s power generators), which increased the walker’s mobility on the field; it was essentially a mechanical version of the arctic horny whelmer, a hardy animal native to Rothana. Because its legs were low to the ground, the walker had a relatively low top speed, but it also enjoyed greater stability. As its name suggested, the AT-TE was suitable for traversing all types of planetary surfaces, as it’s footpads were equipped with terrain sensors and tractor-field generators. Not only was it able to climb sheer surfaces, it could also scale certain metal surfaces thanks to its ability to magnetize its feet. Furthermore, the walker was capable of surviving in the vacuum of realspace as it was able to be pressurized.

The AT-TE’s most powerful weapon was a single mass-driver cannon located on the vehicle’s dorsal surface, which gave the walker the purpose as a mobile artillery vehicle as well as a tank. In addition to bombarding fixed positions, the mass driver could be used to shoot down slow-moving aircraft as well as intercept incoming rocket fire. Four smaller ball-turret laser cannons were mounted at the front, and two others at the rear, to defend the AT-TE from infantry. The hexapod’s armor could easily deflect small arms fire, and it’s conductive material spread the heat from weapons fire to minimize penetration. The AT-TE was also well-shielded against electromagnetic pulse and ion weaponry. However the armor could be pierced by tanksmasher rockets, which could result in the destruction of the vehicle’s complex propulsion mechanisms.

The walker’s crew consisting of a pilot and a spotter seated in a forward compartment; four gunners/support crew, two each seated in the forward and rear hull sections; and a turret gunner who sat exposed atop the walker to operate the mass-driver cannon. The spotter used a rangefinder periscope to select targets and coordinate the fire of the gunners, who operated their weapons via targeting controls. The standard version of the AT-TE could seat two squads or 20 clone troopers split between the forward and rear sections. Inertial compensators beneath their seats helped keep the troopers in place with seat restraints as backup in case of system failure. Some variants also carried smaller All Terrain Reconnaissance Transports in their rear hold. The crew and passengers were assisted by an onboard IM-6 medic droid, who attended to any injured troopers.

Por Diego