Armored Assault Tank Mk I

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"The pilot in the front hatch controls the tank, the shells, and the short range blasters. The commander in the top hatch controls the turret and the main cannon. You have to take out both chambers, otherwise the tank will remain operational."

―Ahsoka Tano, on how to combat an AAT^[14]

The Armored Assault Tank Mk I, also known as the AAT battle tank, the AAT-1 Hover Tank, or the Trade Federation battle tank, was a tank vehicle used by the Trade Federation, Confederacy of Independent Systems, and Rebel Alliance.

Characteristics[]

Design and crew[]

The Armored Assault Tank Mk I, otherwise known as the AAT-1 and manufactured by Baktoid Armor Workshop, was the Confederacy of Independent Systems' primary infantry support vehicle used during the Clone Wars against the Galactic Republic. It was a relatively small and compact tank clocking in at 9.19 meter in length, and consisted of a heavily armored, spade-shaped lower hull topped with a lighter, secondary hull and rotating turret. A crew of four controlled drove the vehicle:^[2] two gunners who controlled the side weapons, one commander who would fire the main cannon^[4] as well as give orders and provide visual confirmation of the sensor readings to the crew,^[2] and a pilot.^[4]

The crew of four would be made up of B1-series battle droids; such a crew might be four OOM pilot battle droids^[2] or a mixing of different B1 models. Roles included regular B1s for the gunners, an OOM pilot^[4] or the specifically programmed AAT Driver Battle Droid in the role of pilot,^[22] and an OOM command battle droid,^[4] OOM Pilot,^[23] AAT Driver Battle Droid,^[4] or even a standard B1^[16] as the tank commander.^[4] Furthermore, the role of tank commander could also be held by a BX-series droid commando,^[24] a tactical droid,^[25] or even an organic.^[26] The tank could carry up to six additional droids via handholds and footholds on the hull, as well as ten metric tons of cargo. The cost of the AAT-1 was 75,000 credits.^[2]

Armament and propulsion[]

"Adjust the stabilizers, we're going over!"

―An AAT Driver Battle Droid^[27]

The AAT-1 was an extremely versatile vehicle designed to handle nearly any opposition encountered on the battlefield. Its primary weapon was a heavy laser cannon mounted in the top turret that provided the tank with 360 degrees of long-range firepower^[2] powerful enough to destroy an All Terrain Tactical Enforcer of the Grand Army of the Republic.^[28] Two medium laser cannons, mounted on the tank's port and starboard sides^[2] and combined with a twin rangefinder assembly^[4] provided excellent anti-vehicle firepower, while a pair of coaxial^[2] short-range^[4] heavy blasters were mounted with the lasers for anti-personnel use. The AAT-1 was also armed with six-barreled multi-ordnance projectile launchers that were mounted in the lower hull.^[2] The launchers were automatically refilled with three different types of ammunition: bunker-buster heavy explosive, larger armor-piercing, or general purpose high-energy shells, which were cocooned by a plasma field before launch to reduce friction and achieve higher speeds.^[4] This combination of different types of specialized ammunition gave the AAT-1 anti-armor and even siege capabilities.^[2]

The AAT-1 was powered by a compact, four-chambered multi-reactor power plant which was housed on the tank's rear for maximum protection from enemy fire.^[4] Two powerful repulsorlift stabilizers mounted on the vehicle's rear would provide stable traverse while the vehicle moved on uneven or rough terrain,^[27] while a combination of auxiliary repulsor coils and discs kept the heavy vehicle hovering just off the ground, propelling it forward.^[4] Despite its capable machinery, the AAT-1 was neither quick nor agile on the battlefield, boasting a maximum speed of 55 kilometers per hour.^[2]

AATBattleTank-SWL2024update — An AAT firing it's main cannon on Felucia

While formidable in theory, in practice, the AAT-1 was less than the sum of its parts. Its biggest weakness was the crew, the quartet of B1-series battle droids, and while competent, the droid crew possessed neither the initiative nor the ability to improvise that of a crew of sentients would have. This made them predictable and easily countered by opponents who had tangled with the tank before. In addition, their computer and electrical systems left much to be desired, and a platoon of AAT-1s could easily be taken out by a handful of electromagnetic pulse grenades.^[2] Another weakness of the tank's design was the main cannon's barrel build. It was possible for a skilled sniper to make a shot straight into the barrel's opening, which would ignite the laser cannon's firing mechanism and destroy the entire tank; this was however very rarely attempted as it was hard for even veteran snipers to make the shot.^[18] Despite such shortcomings, the tanks did pose a considerable threat to clone trooper infantry and armored forces.^[2]

History[]

SepAAT-TCWIV — An AAT painted with the colors of the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars.

The AAT was designed for and used in the Trade Federation's Invasion of Naboo.^[29] It was later donated to the Confederacy of Independent Systems,^[6] where it served as one of its backbone infantry support vehicles during the Clone Wars. Many of the AATs used by the Confederacy were painted in Confederate colors such as blue and white,^[9] though some tanks used by the CIS were still painted in the tan previously used by the Trade Federation.^[30] During the Battle of Horain, the Galactic Republic stole one AAT to enter the base and fight off the base's battle droids.^[11] The tanks were also donated to the Death Watch during their alliance with the Confederacy.^[15]

One of the most famous variants of the vehicle was constructed by Confederate General Lok Durd. He modified one of these into the Defoliator Deployment Tank which he attempted to test on Maridun and the Lurmen locals, but had his prototype destroyed by Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and his forces.^[26] This variant of the tank was later used by the Supreme Commander of the Droid Army, General Grievous to wipe out the Nightsisters on Dathomir.^[16]

Desix battle droids — Desix governor Tawni Ames' forces possessed an AAT

After the Clone Wars, dozens of AATs fell into the hands of the Alliance to Restore the Republic where they were modified extensively in order to better accommodate organic crews.^[21] On the other side of the Galactic Civil War, the Galactic Empire's Imperial Assault Tank bore a great resemblance to^[31] the Armored Assault Tank.^[3] Separatist holdouts such as the one under governor Tawni Ames on the planet Desix kept their AATs as part of their defense forces, with Ames' ones being used against the Galactic Empire in her attempt to secure the planet's independence.^[18] The Empire also supplied a heavier version of the vehicle to the Trandoshans they allied with. The variant was armed with a flamethrower turret controlled by an additional gunner. The heavily camouflaged tank was used by Trandoshan hunters on Kashyyyk to burn down the remaining Wookiee villages.^[19] The Rebel Alliance used one AAT during the skirmish on the Ghost Moon against the SCAR troopers of Task Force 99.^[32]