AT-AT Pilots

AT-AT Pilots were responsible for driving the immense AT-AT walkers which formed the elite group of mechanised units in the Imperial Army. To enter their ranks recruits had to have at least five years of service in any Stormtrooper division, and then had to endure cruel imperial field training, sometimes including live fire exercises, but the end result was a highly skilled team of warriors capable of any kind of situation in and out of an AT-AT cockpit.

Driving an AT-AT took tremendous strength as the controls were directly linked to the legs of the walkers, only using computers in the targeting systems and climate controls. This lack of AI in the drive system gave the drivers complete control; this allowed for more complex maneuvers that computer assisted controls limited.

AT-AT pilots were mentally conditioned to believe themselves invincible - a trait that made them insufferably arrogant to the standard Stormtroopers who they accompanied. This mentality probably gave them more will to fight and not retreat, and this was reinforced by the apparent immunity to any kind of assault that the AT-ATs possesed. They were also given a more independent attitude that helped in tough operations - they often helped the troops they transported in frontline combat. The Imperial Mark V 'Evaporator' Shotgun was standard issue to the pilots, who used them against the enemy with brutal ferocity, often using the butt of the weapon to knock their victims to the floor before shooting at his or hers helpless form.

Because of their intense training casualties were rare, and they developed an infamous reputation in the Rebel Alliance. Many good soldiers fell to the ruthlessness of the AT-AT pilots - sometimes, officers were actually challenged to duels by the over confident Imperials who claimed before the fight 'I did not come to see entire armies slaughtered - lets just decide this between two men'. However, this proved to be an absolute lie as once they won the duel (which was often the case) the rest of the army opened fire on the shocked rebels, who fell like flies to this dishonourable onslaught. However, soon the Rebels learned not to accept these challenges. When a Rebel sergeant was offered a duel during the liberation of Mos Eisley, he just grabbed his rifle and shot dead the challenger. Unfortunately, this act of revenge was soon avenged by the dead Imperials co-pilot, who took up his fallen friends shot gun and made a show of blasting the sergeant into the ground. He then went on to live through the empires defeat there, and use the skills he had learned in the 52nd Evac. Devision to pilot the surviving Troopers away to the safety of a nearby Star Destroyer.

After the defeat of the Emperor in the Battle of Endor, AT-AT pilots became even more valuable. With their independent minds they developed clever tactics to help the struggling Imperials, who had switched positions of superiority with the Rebellion after the debacle over Endor. The Empire had split up into seperate groups, one of which the AT-AT walker divisions had been drafted into. Their groups leaders quickly learned to appreciate talent and many pilots found themselves in positions of power. Many helped conduct operations throughout the Thrawn Campaign and the reincarnated Emperors similar efforts. Although the Empires Last , as they were named, went on to train and fight with the best the Empire could offer, the other Imperial spin offs were slowly defeated and the Empires Last were soon the only remaining 'descendent' of the Empire. The New Republic were beat back several times before they broke through the fleet surrounding the determined Imperials base world Monarke, and even then the task force was destroyed by the combined forces of the natives and the army, whos tactics were governed by commanders who led the defence from the cockpits of their AT-ATs.