All Terrain Scout Transport

"*Affirmative, AT-ST support is on the way.*"
―An Imperial technician (Star Wars Battlefront)
The **All Terrain Scout Transport** (**AT-ST**), also known as a **Scout Transport**, **Scout Walker**, or derisively as a **chicken walker**, was a lightweight, bipedal walker used by ground forces of the Galactic Empire. Later on, the First Order would use an upgraded variant of the AT-ST within their military.

## Characteristics

"*The AT-ST kept spitting lasers at us, and we kept sinking lower and lower into the snow. Each blast took another bite out of the lip of the trench.*"
―Chanda Bethari describes an AT-ST firing on Hoth. (Star Wars: On the Front Lines)
AT-STs were commonly used to screen the flanks of larger assault walkers for major ground operations. The Empire used them for swift reconnaissance and troop support. As such, they were essential for cleaning up minor resistance along the path of a pre-planned invasion route, and could quickly eliminate any small threats that managed to evade an AT-ATs barrage. The walker was commonly used on anti-personnel hunting missions, and was piloted by two AT-ST drivers with superior skills of balance and agility.

AT-STs were equipped with two chin-mounted MS-4 twin blaster cannons capable of firing at a range of two kilometers. It also featured one cheek-mounted 88i twin light blaster cannon and one cheek-mounted DW-3 concussion grenade launcher capable of doing massive damage to enemy vehicles and ground troops at close range. They were excellent at dealing with large amounts of infantry as well as mounted turrets that were too risky to be taken out with rocket launchers. Its clawed feet could slash apart wires and fences at ground level.

Reinforced armor plates enveloped the control cabin, protecting the two-person crew. Its two armored viewports were deliberately set to give any viewer the unsettling sensation of staring into the face of a soulless beast or oversized combat droid. Inside the control cabin, the command module featured a holographic 360-degree view of the combat zone. The "head" itself was capable of rotating 240 degrees side to side, greatly improving the gunners target acquisition abilities and capabilities for destruction. The walker's deceptively rickety gait belied a potent patrol vehicle. Gyros, flexible joints, footpad sensors, and shock absorbers formed a sophisticated system that controlled balance and stabilized the walker across a variety of terrains.

Despite its speed and agility, an AT-ST walker's offensive and defensive power were significantly compromised. Offensively, its weapons systems were only good against lightly-armored targets at close range. Defensively, its lighter armor could repel attacks from small arms fire, but not laser cannons, missiles, or other heavy ordinance. Its armor did not cover its entire frame, lest the walker lose its agility. Striking the walker's unprotected gyros underneath the command module could destabilize the walker and cause it to fall. Additionally, deep trenches or cable lines leveled at the height of the AT-ST's ankles and knees could cause it to trip and topple the vehicle.

The Ewoks of Endor discovered that the AT-ST were vulnerable to anti-Gorax traps. Ramming logs could smash through the walker's head, destroying the cockpit. One of its other weaknesses was its susceptibility to hijacking, despite the height of the vehicle seemingly making hijacking an impossibility. A sufficiently strong force could rip the entrance hatch off the top of the walker. If commandeered, the walker's cannons could easily penetrate other AT-STs armor.

## Variant models

### AT-ST Mark III

AT-ST Mark IIIs were equipped with experimental armor that provided more speed and durability than that of the standard AT-ST. Mounted with twin heavy laser cannons and piloted by veteran crews, they excelled against most targets.

### Enhanced AT-ST Walker

Enhanced AT-ST Walkers boasted enhanced power couplings and sub-systems, allowing their weapons to fire high powered blasts at a faster rate than average. They also had dark armor plates.

### First Order AT-ST

The First Order utilized an updated version of the AT-ST that featured upgraded armor and gyroscopic systems.

## History

"*The big AT-AT's mostly advanced up the middle, so out on the edge of the battlefield we'd been pinned down by a little scout walker. I guess it wanted to keep us from flanking it's big cousins.*"
―Chanda Bethari's account of fighting an AT-ST on Hoth. (Star Wars: On the Front Lines)
Part of the All-Terrain walker family, the AT-STs role in supporting Imperial ground operations earned it the moniker 'scout walker' owing to its ability in ferreting out enemy positions and inspecting locations in advance of larger walkers. It was better equipped than the Republic AT-RT.

The Imperial Military commonly used the AT-ST in a variety of environments. At least one AT-ST was deployed on Jedha in 0 BBY in a battle during the planet's insurgency. The walkers were also used in the Galactic Civil War, and between the Battle of Yavin and Battle of Hoth, the Alliance to Restore the Republic operated stolen AT-STs, and provided them to Saponza's Gang, who often fought against the walkers. Several fought alongside AT-ATs at the Battle of Hoth. They also notably participated in the Battle of Endor, where they were defeated by the Ewoks and their traps. The walkers were also used by the Empire in the final battle of the Galactic Civil War, the Battle of Jakku, which ended up being an overwhelming victory for the New Republic.

## Behind the scenes

The original model for the AT-ST was created by members of the Industrial Light & Magic team, and George Lucas thought it was "neat" and decided to include it in The Empire Strikes Back alongside the AT-AT, so the ILM model shop disassembled it and added a metal stop-motion armature.

The AT-ST model received some cosmetic changes for its extensive appearance in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi|Return of the Jedi, thus explaining the minor differences in the models used for the two films.

## Sources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Ultimate Star Wars
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Databank: AT-ST Walker
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Star Wars: Rogue One: Death Star Deluxe Book and 3D Wood Model
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Star Wars Battlefront
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Star Wars: Commander
8. ↑ Star Wars Battlefront II
9. ↑ Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
10. ↑ Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
11. ↑ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
12. ↑ Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
13. ↑ Databank:All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST)