All Terrain Tactical Enforcer/Legends

"These weapons of war would be awe-inspiring, if they were not so terrifying."

- Supreme Chancellor Palpatine

The All Terrain Tactical Enforcer (AT-TE) was an all terrain assault walker developed for the Grand Army of the Republic. It was also the first precursor of the AT-AT walker.

Description
The AT-TE was a multi-purpose assault vehicle capable of tasks that ranged from transporting platoons of clone troopers around a battlefield to full-scale attacks upon enemy installations. The vehicle performed most admirably in support roles that involved providing cover fire for battalions of soldiers at once. AT-TEs were often deployed in large numbers to overwhelm the enemy with sheer volume of fire.

An AT-TE was also impervious to ion damage due to built in electromagnetic shielding. Its average speed was 60 kilometres per hour, fast enough to flank or outmaneuver a surprised foe. This plodding pace allowed it to penetrate energy shields, a feat that was impossible for repulsorlift craft. It also contained enough fuel to stride at full speed for over 500 kilometers, and possessed enough scrubbed air and military rations to last its crew for three weeks out in the harsh conditions of the battlefield.



Seven specially trained crew members were needed for this monstrosity to achieve its full potential. The pilot worked the six legs of the walker, while a spotter utilized several sensor stations to ascertain the locations of unfriendly units and primary objectives. The spotter then had to relay this info to the four gunners that were nestled at gun stations within the heavily armored hull of the walker. A final crew member had to sit behind the controls of the rail gun atop the AT-TE, totally exposed to enemy fire. Twenty clone trooper passengers could also be held in an armored rear compartment of the walker. In addition, an IM-6 medical droid was located in the back of the AT-TE for emergency medical treatment.

Rarely has there ever been seen an attack craft with as much sheer firepower as that of the AT-TE. The most noticeable weapon was the enormous rail gun mounted on the top of the craft. This cannon could be loaded with an array of loadouts, depending on the specifications of the mission. The payloads of the gun could range from burrowing bunker busters to heat-seeking missiles to sonic charges.

Six smaller laser cannons were strategically placed along the vehicle. Four were located in a square pattern around the cockpit, while two were placed in the rear to cover the flanks and help secure dropoff points for the platoons contained within. These troopers were essential for the survival of the AT-TE when the walker came under fire from enemy infantry units that were too small to be accurately targeted by the main cannons.

However, the AT-TE was not invulnerable. A single, well-placed rocket from a Hailfire droid was enough to destroy it, and it was also highly vulnerable to air attacks.

Special sockets for the AT-TE were created onboard the Acclamator transport ships. While any Republic spacecraft could ferry these walkers through space, a variant of the LAAT/i gunship, the LAAT/c, had to be used to ferry these vehicles down to battlefields.

History


Following the success of the AT-TE at the Battle of Geonosis and other conflicts in the Clone Wars, Rothana created the AT-HE, the AT-AT, and the AT-AP. They also began tweaking the AT-TE design itself, like replacing their standard legs with longer ones, presumably to increase their gunners' line-of-sight and more easily avoid obstacles.

Additionally, other companies who were inspired by the walker-design, would go on to create similar-looking vehicles like the UT-AT and the AT-OT.

After the end of the Clone Wars, the newly self-declared Emperor Palpatine favored and authorized the use of newer&mdash;and more destructive&mdash;war vehicles.

Imperial use


During the Galactic Civil War, surviving AT-TEs were still used by the Empire (most likely being reinstated due to the war). The walkers no longer had a primary status in military campaigns, but were sometimes used for additional fire-support alongside larger assault vehicles, like AT-AT walkers and Juggernaut tanks.

Some were deployed to backwater worlds like Maridun and Jabiim, where they weren't used as front-line combat vehicles, only for logistical purposes. Many were adapted to fit new mission roles and planetary environments. Some walkers had parts of their rear side-armor removed, enabling embarked troops to shoot at enemies on the sides. This added to the vehicle's lateral defenses but also increased their vulnerability to grenades and other short-range weaponry.

Other walkers had most of their top armor and offensive armament removed (such as the projectile cannon), so they could be used to transport large amounts of cargo.

Appearances



 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars
 * Chapter 1
 * Chapter 4
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars
 * Star Wars: Republic
 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns
 * Star Wars: Battlefront
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars: Republic Commando
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (comics) (Stock version and long-legged variant)
 * Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
 * Star Wars Empire: To the Last Man (cargo transport)
 * Star Wars Empire: In the Shadows of Their Fathers (standard and cargo transport) ''
 * Star Wars Empire: The Wrong Side of the War (cargo transport)
 * Star Wars Rebellion: My Brother, My Enemy