All Terrain Defense Pod The All Terrain Defense Pod ( AT - DP ) was a bipedal Imperial walker manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards prior to and during the Galactic Civil War . Description . The AT - DP walker , a successor to the AT - RT used by the Empire ' s predecessor state , the Galactic Republic , served as the mainstay of backwater garrisons and support for larger war machines , including the AT - AT . Unlike the AT - ST , a shorter bipedal walker boasting a host of armaments , the AT - DP was armed only with a single Maad - 38 heavy laser cannon . The weapon was powerful enough to destroy another walker of the same type . The cockpit had seating for a driver and a gunner , with the gunner situated behind the driver , though both crewmen could move the walker , fire the cannon and had access to the gyroscopic controls used to keep the walker stable . Each of these walkers had a hatch at the top to access the cockpit , a main view port at the front with bulbs on the side with slits to improve visibility , and holographic projectors . To protect the crewmembers and equipment , each walker possessed armor strong enough to protect from blaster fire . This armor could not protect against missile launchers , however , and in one instance , an AT - DP was disabled when shot with a T - 7 Ion disruptor rifle . In other instances , thermal detonators exploded near the legs and feet of a walker and they would remain functional ; however , results varied based on conflict and circumstance . Although the walkers were sturdy , their heads were prone to exploding under sustained duress , as shown when an AT - AT collapsed on one . < nowiki > < / nowiki > AT - DPs were used throughout the Empire to keep the populations of occupied worlds in line and to combat insurgent forces . Many of these walkers were used in Imperial facilities such as Imperial Academies for both defensive purposes and training cadet s . In situations where an Imperial presence needed to be established quickly and powerfully , two walkers could be attached to the underside docking clamps of a " Gozanti " - class cruiser for landing in almost any suitable environment . History . Early into the Empire ’ s reign , AT - DP ’ s were deployed to Mon Cala and fought in the Battle of Dac City under Darth Vader . The Imperial 291st Legion used the newly released AT - DP walkers to clear out a nest of Thalassian slavers on Galpos II . Some time later , while on a mission to steal unknown Imperial weapons , the Spectres located T - 7 Ion disruptor rifles and used them to disable attacking AT - DPs . Many of these walkers saw action against the rebel cell located on Lothal . These walkers were also prominent in many Empire Day festivals , serving in a similar capacity to stormtrooper s and Star Destroyers as omnipresent symbols of the Empire ' s strength . Around 1 year before the Battle of Yavin , Imperial Governor Tiber Saxon deployed two AT - DP ' s to defend a Mandalorian prison during a mission to Mandalore , and used a special variant of the AT - DP to carry the Arc Pulse Generator nicknamed the " Duchess " . The weapon and the walker were both destroyed , along with Tiber Saxon , when his Star Destroyer was destroyed . The AT - DP was originally intended to be used to protect Imperial assets on occupied worlds , including military installations and distribution centers on backwater planets . The Alliance to Restore the Republic stole a number of these walkers and provided them to Saponza ' s Gang after the Battle of Yavin . Behind the scenes . The design of the All Terrain Defense Pod was developed from an early illustration by concept artist Joe Johnston in 1979 . The AT - DP is similar in appearance to the All Terrain Advance Raider , as both were developed from the same concept art . Pablo Hidalgo mentioned the Al Williamson comic version when he introduced the walker at the New York Comic - Con 2013 " Star Wars Rebels " presentation . The " " , which was developed prior to the reclassification of the Expanded Universe as " Star Wars " Legends and is based almost entirely in that material , includes a mention of the AT - DP .