Science fiction AFVs

Certain science fiction books and movies feature armored fighting vehicles of one sort or another, from the All Terrain Armored Transports of the Star Wars films to the supertanks of author David Drake's "Hammer's Slammers" book series. I'd like us all to discuss our favorites and those we don't like, as well as the whys and wherefores of how we feel about them.

 

http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/index.html

My personal faverite as an AFV is the AT-ST. There is also an AT-PT, but it is absent from that page. When it comes to Starwars, I have more interest in the Empires Navy and Infantry than I do its armored vehicles.

 

You like the Chicken Walker? Oh, my goodness...

They do serve a useful function, I suppose, but they appear to be a tad too vulnerable for my tastes.

BTW, I love Star Destroyers! Including the command ships.

 

Too vulnerable? You mean the legs? Those legs allow the AT-ST to traverse terrain that wheeled vehicles and repulsorlifts cannot. It also wouldn't seem near as vulnerable if the movies that it was featured in showed its full armament.

The AT-ST, while being classified as a scout vehicle, is used by the empire for a much broader purpose. The AT-ST is used to support larger combat vehicles (Like AT-ATs) as well as serve in an anti-tank roll. Its armament of two 'chin' mounted light Turbo laser cannons, one 'ear' mounted light repeating blaster, and the 'ear' mounted anti-infantry grenade launcher allow it to engage a variety of targets. The primary weapon of the AT-ST, the 'chin' mounted twin light turbo laser cannons, have a maximum range of two kilometers before the bolts dissipate. The 'feet' of the AT-ST also sport a pair of cutting razors that allow it to sheer through wire, suggesting use as an infantry support vehicle.

The armor of the AT-ST, although being relatively light, is also worth mentioning. Boulders failed to penetrate the armor plates of the AT-ST even after repeated hits. It also takes it several rounds from its own cannons to penetrate its own armor in the back, where there is little to no armor plating. This suggests that the AT-STs armor is made of the same material that is used to protect the massive AT-ATs (Which were able to withstand extended bombardment from Rebel artillery and even crashing down to the ground under their own immense weight without so much as a buckle in the amour.)

The AT-STs targeting systems are much like those found on the AT-AT, projecting a 3D holographic view of the battlefield with the AT-ST at the center of the display for the Pilot and the Gunner. This information can be relayed to supporting troops, making it also able to serve as an entirely capable command vehicle.

So, is the AT-ST particularly vulnerable? No, I don't think so. I believe the failure at Endor can be attributed to the sheer arrogance and tactical idiocy of Emporer Palpatine. When he told Luke that it was a legion of his best men on Endor, he meant a legion of his best Navy personnel. You'll notice that the Storm troopers all carried the E11 carbine, which is ideal for combat inside Starships. However, they lacked weapons like the T21 support rifle (seen in a new hope) and the powerful E-Web repeater (Seen in the empire strikes back) which are typical of Imperial ground forces. It is obvious that the AT-ST crews were green on Endor, as can be seen by their sad, pitiful performance. Commanders failing to button up when the ambush started and the lack of accuracy by the gunners. Not to mention their total disregard for their other weapons than their primary turbo laser cannons, which are not designed to fight infantry.

 

You're really into Star Wars, aren't you?

Christian

 

Yes.

 

Short. Concise. That's a good answer for you

Christian

 

Did you play Sid Meyer's Alpha Centauri? There are some interesting features of mobile warfare in the future of the mankind in the space.

 

I only played Civilization III which led up to Alpha Centauri...

These futuristic AFVs are really cool as well as really useless. What advantage does a vehicle like an AT-ST give over an ordinary tank? In return it provides the enemy with a huge and very high silhouette to aim for, and many vulnerable wires and high-tech mechanisms to make the legs function.

Imagine a field of tanks made from the same materiel with the same armament. This would be a much more formidable enemy to the Rebels.

 

True on Hoth, the ice world, but less so in the jungles.

The AT-ST is more of an All-Terrain vehicle than a tank would be, given that the Empire reaches thousands of worlds...

It also presents a more frightening aspect - a great towering, menacing figure that appears to be looking at you...

 

The APC used in on of the Alien films was pretty cool -
long, low, nice sloped front (square sides, but hey).
And a turret that folded down for storage!

It did look a little low-slung to be any good at cross-country work, though. Especially with the length of it, and as it had only 4 wheels.

 

M557 APC was equipped with hydraulics to help it in such a situation. The USCM keeps the vehicle as low as it can be during storage and while navigating over flat terrain. That’s why we never see it use them in the film. The large track on the top of the vehicle can be fitted with a variety of weapons. The one used in the movie was a Twin Republic Electric RE700 20mm Gatling cannon, supplied with 1700 round multi-feed ammo bin. Available round profiles are: High Explosive, High Explosive Armor Piercing, and Swarm type Anti-Personnel flechette rounds.

It is safe to assume that if the USCM did see the Xenomorph as an actual threat, they could have easily dispatched the Xenomorph hive on LV-421. There is speculation that the one USCM squad in the movies took down at least half the adult population of the hive during the engagements in the Nursery chambers and the Medical lab.

 

The Imperial Walkers are more of an intimidation weapon than anything. There are severe design flaws that any novice engineer can point out with Walker technology. But the very sight of a large (All technical literature says 15 meters, but watching the movie this just doesn't add up) AT-AT has on several occasions caused enemies of the empire to flee without offering the least amount of resistance.

To quote the site that I posted earlier:

 

DUM GOOD GUYS

While we're on the subject of AT-AT's if your attacking something that can clearly only fire into the forward arc and ain't all that nimble and your in something far quicker like say, a snowspeeder, why the heck would you attack from the front? What is it with good guys doing things the hard way?

 

Just to pick up on a few little points...

and similarly:

The ability to withstand the firepower was surely more to do with the vehicle's shields than the armour plating?

Yeah! Like on Hoth, when you saw a load of dinky AT-STs moving along with the AT-ATs. Good call...

Oh, and what is an AT-PT???

 

Answered my own question...

http://galactic-voyage.com/Dark%20Side- ... nsport.htm

 

Yeah, I first saw it in the computer game "Star Wars: Force Commander" (although the game itself ranks among the ten worst creations in the history of mankind).

 

My favorite would have to be the Scorpion tanks from Halo. Those are just awsome, and you can flip it over with your bare hands!

 

The AT-AT does not feature shielding. The armor is a superconductive mesh that disperses the energy from most calibres of energy weaponry.

The Snowspeeders on Hoth did attack from the sides.

Sorry for the late response. I was in Vegas for the past few days.

 

After a frontal dash...

Hey, cool! Did you enjoy it?