UT-AT

[Marcus Starkiller]

Height:
23.8 meters long
Manufacturer:
KDY / Mekuun
Type:
Armored repulsorlift transport
Weapon:
Heavy laser cannon, two medium laser cannons, four anti-infantry laser turrets
Affiliation:
Galactic Republic, clone troopers

Nicknamed the "Trident" for its three forward weapons, this light transport was developed by KDY and Mekuun following a disastrous incident in the Mirgoshir campaign of the Clone Wars. The constant pounding created by thundering footfalls of Republic walkers caused the natural bridges they were traversing on Agamar to collapse, resulting in a catastrophic loss of personnel and armor.
Thus, it was deemed an armored transport was needed that could cover such terrain without accelerating the effects of a potential collapse. In an uncharacteristic move, KDY opened up their development process to Mekuun, a corporation known for developing heavy repulsorlift vehicles. The coupling of both specialties resulted in the UT-AT, a combat transport that could no longer be called a walker due to its unique design.
The heavy armored vehicle is supported by eight pairs of low-power repulsorlift skis along the rear section that constantly readjust to encountered terrain, propelled by four repulsorlift plates mounted under the forward carriage. The undulating set of 16 skid plates evenly negate the weight of the vehicle. The specially designed skids could also reverse the repulsion to form gription fields, allowing it to cling to sheer surfaces or giving the UT-AT unparalleled stability during long-range fire.
The skis also provide additional advantages on snowy or powdered terrain, particularly during horizontal strafing maneuvers. The UT-AT lacks maneuverability, however -- though the weight of the craft is cancelled out by the powerful repulsorfield, the vehicle still handles with significant inertial mass. As such, careful operators limit its top speed to 45 kilometers per hour.
The bulk of the UT-AT's internal machinery is located in the front half of the craft which also has room for up to 20 clone troopers. The cockpit holds seats a driver and one gunner (who controls the side and dorsal-mounted heavy laser cannons).
The rear half, by comparison, is empty to allow for artillery transport. It contains the gunner stations for the four laser cannons mounted overhead, and the armor plating protecting them. Some variants bolstered the craft's standard armament with bomblet generators capable of launching a storm of electrostatic and ion-charged chaos on droid armies. Other models forwent the artillery storage space and instead carried an articulated bridgelayer assembly. Clone combat engineers would blaze a stable trail over unsteady terrain and construct a makeshift bridge that would accommodate the heavier walkers further down the battle line.
Although the UT-AT proved more effective than its armored cousins in icy or shifting battlegrounds, it suffered heavy losses in the Clone Wars due to its slow speed. Because of its raised deck, a well-placed hit underneath the vehicle could send it into a somersault. UT-ATs saw heavy use during the final stages of the Clone Wars, where they were used upon bridges during such campaigns as Mygeeto and Cato Neimoidia.