44 replies to this topic

[Alois Hammer]

Dirk Diggler, on 30 September 2012 - 01:10 PM, said:

There's a few things people aren't taking into consideration here:

1. AT-AT are armored transports for one... can the BT mechs also take out the support one of those things is carrying inside of it? There's got to be at least a company's worth of support in there.

Company of soldiers trained at Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy = a company's worth of ineffectual cannon fodder. Bet they wear red shirts under that armor.

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2. Remember that lasers didn't work against AT-AT's in the first place, hence the tow cables. Could BT weaponry even penetrate their armor.

The underside armor a hand-held laser sword cut right through so Lukey could lob in the grenade? Not seeing a problem. Not for the Battlemechs, anyway.

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3. Someone mentioned an AT-AT only have 2 medium lasers and 2 pulse lasers...uhh, didn't two of those lasers blow up a huge installation with only a couple of shots? The weaponry of the AT-AT is being waaay underestimated.

But its complete lack of ability to fire sideways or backward isn't. Sure, maybe those are uber-PPCs on the chin, and they're great at blowing up huge stationary installations. Maybe they're full-on artillery weapons that could level a mountain. The big secret: Don't stand still in front of them, and you're golden.

[Zakatak]

Alymbic, on 30 September 2012 - 01:43 PM, said:

You want to see an AT-AT to be effective? Give it 2 AT-ST's for support, and a pair of combat speeders to spot. Better yet, give it Grand Admiral Thrawn to command it. That man/alien could take down a lance of battlemechs with a piece of string, 2 sticks, a clown and a handful of confetti

I'm pretty sure Thrawn has pulse lasers in his eyes.

Anyway, AT-ST wouldn't really accomplish a thing against any mech beyond an ultralight. It has, what, 2 micro pulse lasers and 2 small lasers for weaponry? Those legs are so thin that an LL could probably double leg it in one discharge. An Atlas could probably use one as a bat, or a crowbar to pry off the AT-AT's armor. You'd need like 10 of them for every Jenner deployed.
Also, how heavy is an AT-AT? Because I'm looking at this picture, and it looks like your average JJ-equipped heavy mech could just run into the thing and push it over.

Edited by Zakatak, 30 September 2012 - 02:36 PM.

[Krondor]

The primary lasers on the AT-AT's are equivalent to light starship turbolasers. They would blow apart a light mech without too much trouble.... if they could hit it.

AT-AT's were deliberately designed to resemble ancient war beasts. Many of the war machines the Emperor had built were designed to defeat through fear rather actual material effect -look at the Executor and Sovereign-class SSD's. Their equivalent cost in Imperator-Class Star Destroyers and Strike Cruisers would create a far more effective and versatile fleet, but it wouldn't have the same shock-and-awe factor.

AT-AT's are also transports, not "tanks" per se. They're designed to get troops and equipment (heavy repeater troops, LAV's and a variety of other Imperial equipment not seen in the movies). Their armour is designed to stand up to all small arms and most light artillery. The T-47's had very light armament with no hope of blasting through that armour. I suspect a warhead assault from Starfighters wouldn't have an issue, but that's why AT-AT attacks are suppose to be supported by TIE Bombers and TIE Fighters/Interceptors, and AT-STs and other ground vehicles.

The attack on the Rebels at Hoth was actually very rapidly planned and executed. It's sole purpose was to destroy the shield generators, and the rebels really only managed to kill a single AT-AT (I'll chock the one Luke killed up to the "Hero Effect"). You also have to remember that the Empire really does not consider material or personnel losses of lesser equipment to be a problem so long as military objectives are achieved (hence the cheap cost and lack of shields on most Imperial fighters).

The kind of firepower that could repel a dedicated AT-AT attack is actually very rare in the Star Wars universe outside of the Empire and maybe a small handful of other powers like the Hapans. Also, you have to remember in Star Wars cannon, rebel pilots are very good; outside of them Imperial starfighter pilots are considered the best in the Galaxy (again, aside from certain specific exceptions).

In the movies we only ever see the Empire fighting the rebels, but they make up a very small number of the forces the Imperial was machine is designed to fight, and the very vast majority of those other forces are inferior to them.

[A 143]

If your throwing star wars walkers at Battle tech mechs you may as well be throwing wooden tanks at them. Coming at it design wise a centurion would dwarf a AT-ST which at most would be more or less equal in size to a spider or a Jenner, and go the same speed if not slower than an atlas. Not to mention its flimsy poorly armored legs a single swipe with a large laser could easily render it disabled, And if a pair of logs can trash them god forbid it gets hit by an ac/10 or 20. The AT- AT would fare no better, it has underwhelming firepower for a machine its size that requires it to face the target and has poor turning speed. In addition to having the easiest to hit legs in history. Lets not forget it moves slower than the AT-ST. A stock centurion D can easily out maneuver and out gun both of them As well as boast more armor. From a logical stand point the centurion's armor is superior as it is designed to withstand impacts from every thing from medium lasers to ac/20s many of which are significantly more damaging weapons than any that a star wars walker can bring to the fight (or at least that ive observed). Put bluntly Star wars does not bring any thing impressive to this fight and would loose without a shadow of a doubt.

Edited by A 143, 13 August 2013 - 11:01 AM.

[charliedelta76]