AT-AT: All Terrain Armored Transport (ESB)

Holy mother pussbucket! It’s the AT-AT! Well, that’s what you would have said if you had gotten this Christmas morning (or whatever holiday you enjoy). The AT-AT – the biggest (arguably, versus the Death Star Playset) and most expensive toy in the vintage Star Wars arsenal.

What features did yon toy possess?

1. Movable head, with a handle on the inside, and a “trigger” to move the chin guns.

2. Adjustable “ear” guns.

3. opening cockpit for two figures (presumably for an AT-AT Driver and Commander.

4. Room and standing pegs inside for troops.

5. A hatch where Luke can throw in a thermal detonator (never made).

6. Adjustable legs – these puppies didn’t move on their own.

7. The chin guns light up and make sounds. Sounds!

8. Later releases of the AT-AT came with the accessory set with rifles ,grappling hooks, backpacks – never mind that most of the accessories were actually Rebel stuff.

This thing is big – I’ve got one still sitting out in the basement and my two-year old was frightened of it. Now she wants to play with it – but that’s not the point. Despite having the weight advantage, she was still scared of it.

Why should you get this toy? Five reasons:

1. It's the mother f---ing AT-AT! Do you not get goosebumps when you first saw that thing on screen?

2. It's HUGE! You can actually fly a Snowspeeder under the legs!

3. "Mom. Dad. You got me the AT-AT Commander and Driver. I have to have an AT-AT."

4. Vehicle and a playset.

5. Good substitute for that dog you always wanted.

Backstory:

The AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport) was developed by Kuat Drive Yards, and evolved from vehicles around since the Clone Wars. It stood 22.5 meters tall, could walk up to 60 km/h, and could hold up to a ton of cargo, 40 troops or more (or a combination of light vehicles and personnel). The command head housed the crew (usually a driver, gunner, and commander) and had chin-mounted heavy laser cannons, and repeating blasters on the side of the head for faster targets. While their armor was strong, there were weak points at the neck joint and the underbelly. To protect the underbelly, AT-STs were usually stationed around it. AT-ATs were delivered to a planet via dropships from a Star Destroyer or other Imperial carrier.