The AT-AE (all-terrain advanced enforcer)
So now we are back on the ground, with something all here know, a staple of the clone army, the AT-TE, however, the end of the war and the exode of some of the republic troops into the unknown regions changed all of their perspective in warfare and as such, the way their primary IFV was designed and use. So let us first get into the many modifications between the AT-TE and the AT-AE.
The old AT-TE used by the Empire as its descendent, the AT-AE was being designed
First the infantry squad was downsized from 9 soldiers to 8, which meant removing 4 seats for the troops.
Then and it is an important part, a lesson learned in blood and tears was the opened position for the gunner was too dangerous (Teth and Geonosis are the best example of it) and as such, the need for an enclosed turret raised herself.
However, at the same time came operation Chariot, a westward expedition on Rocks, the second planet upon which the republic troops landed, aimed at a very precise goal, to catalogue the ruins and remains of the previous civilisation that went extinct a millennia prior to the exiled republic's landing. Among all the remains came some military equipment, not claimed by time or rust. One of them was object 1127, an old military vehicles using a fossile fuel engines on tracks. After the inspection by archaeologist, it was a tank of old and while they were busy at listing more details, some of the troopers attached to them for security purpose thought that this might be the missing key to the AT-AE project to make the turret more survivable.
It now was the continuation of the form of the basic AT-TE that ended with a turret that looked totally at home but that needed some teething
For this they said, to ease the industrial and logistical burden of the mass-driver that they would use the same weapon as the ARC-350 and the AT-AT, the 14 cm "marvel 14" mass-driver.
But the turret project was temporary left going its course as there was another major issue, the massive glass cockpit at the front of the AT-TE. What was done was to remove this massive glass cockpit with reinforced frontal armour with episcopes and cameras, allowing a safer view for the pilot and the commander sitting behind him.
What they kept was the old array of 6 laser canons but it would be changed over time, first in its input. It was deemed by crews and officers after a review that a 4 man crews for the laser was too intensive and needed to be trimmed away. For this, they called upon Waves computing solution, who built excellent droid brains already and other computers and electronics, to provide them a solution. To this end, they produced the TAD-350 (for Target Acquisition and Destruction) to assist and augment the gunner job, its brain power, far superior to the one found on droids allowed it to engage in semi-autonomous mode with request of the gunner to be in the loop for IFF issues to see if it's truly an ally and not a spy in friendly gear (happened a lot during work with rebel infantry).
But this was only the input, for the laser in itself they would do something interesting, they would divide the work in 2 different part, on one hand the laser and the mount.
For the laser it wasn't a big deal, just a swap from the MaaD-21 to the locally built Al-12 by Angel's Mountain but the mount, it was a major swap.
The team decided in a rather unorthodox way to go an work with a separatist starfighter, the Nantex-class territorial starfighter and its friction less balls.
the Nantex territorial defence starfighter, the rather unusual donor for the AT-AE IFV laser system
This job was done by Habon Bis Droid Design and Manufacture as they had a few of these starfighter in their arsenal to defend P-31456, the large asteroid that serves as their base of operation in the Oort cloud of the Rocks system (the first system claimed by the Republic-in-exile). They went to retro engineer it to put into its magnetic system the energy delivery system for the laser. This system allowed the laser to swing in an instant to mow down any opponent it encounters. This ability, combined to the TAD-350 ability to engage target in a shorter amount of time than any organic gunner allowed it to protect itself from missiles.
The sole weakness of this system is alas the saturation, and as such, the AT-MP is now the deadliest opponent of the AT-AE and as such, a priority target for both the mass-driver gunner and the dismounted infantry that will use any and all weapons in their arsenal to destroy them.
the AT-MP, bane of the AT-AE as it active defence system cannot keep with the missile barrage
The turret project was going as smoothly as possible when the test got back, there was extra room available for the sole gunner inside the turret. As such, it was decided to give the gunner the capabilities to use a small mortar, using the same ammunition as the infantry mortar, but breech-loaded instead of the traditional mussel loading process. It would be located at the left of the gunner who sits behind the autoloader of the massive 14 cm mass-driver, allowing the IFV to pack quite the punch in indirect fire, another lesson learned from the Clone Wars, where indirect fire was always needed to level the field between the republican troops that were always outnumbered by the droids. Another add-on, to allow to perform better in the role of IFV was the addition of 14, in two hexagonal pods with a central one, smoke grenade launchers, all calibrated to disperse a massive smokescreen in a semicircle to allow troopers to disembark with some protection.
Above the turret, for the commander whose periscope had been removed was installed a small blaster canon, useful to engage infantry and some light vehicles
However the massive 14 cm mass-driver meant that a gun crutch was installed on the rear module for tactical movement, especially when it comes to landing them from LAAT/c as to not having sagging around, eventually damage the transport, meaning the gun cannot fire immediately, a crewmen, generally one of the infantrymen inside has to go topside and unbolt it to allow the turret to move freely. This is the greatest weakness of this IFV, but considered acceptable, as AT-AE IFV are generally dropped with Close Air Support to allow them to perform this highly dangerous task.
The chassis underwent through a few revisions, starting with the legs. They got themselves reworked with a muscular fibre base instead of the more traditional piston-driven system. It allows for a far more nimble tank, more than often, imperial troopers manning their positions where found bewildered by Outer Heaven infantry capturing their positions as no IFV were spotted anywhere close to them.
Then came the underneath of the hull, where two V-shaped hull were installed at the front and rear section, with a distinct plate designed to allow troop to disembark using the internal ladder, to deflect the blast from anti-tank mines but this still left the middle "accordion" section vulnerable to blast, which was extremely rare to happen.
The bottom of the armoured plate was outfitted with folding fabric, to allow troops in long campaign to establish a tent around to sleep on the ground, with the rule of thumb that a squad was to sleep on the ground and one in the IFV, switching places each night.
Another addition would be engineering tools, shovel, pick, axe, hammers, added just in case they would needed.
One of the thing kept around from the Clone Wars is the customised painting of the IFV, with many a nose art, but more than often it would be a small motto written upon the 14 cm mass driver casing
Variants :
A hull with as much potential as the AT-AE got at least 2 variants :
The commandant version also known as the 2C variant, its rear module has been emptied for command and control equipment to allow the command squad to have a comprehensive reading of the battlefield and communicate with the rest of the high command and air support and some charging port for the droids assisting the command squad
The engineering version. Although the AT-AE is disliked by the engineer corps, they still use it for its modularity, first, modifying the front section by adding a mine flail and swapping the bottom laser canons for flamethrower that are not supported the TAD droid brain and the rear section is emptied of its seat for a MRLS with mine-clearing rockets installed. This model is often called the AT-MCE, standing for All Terrain Mine Clearing Enforcer, capable of piercing with ease the thickest minefields and fortress system for the elite sappers to come in and finish the job.
A quick summary before the operational history
| Class | All-Terrain Advanced Enforcer |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Hulking plains machine manufacture plant |
| Cost | 120 000 credits |
| length | 22 meters long |
| width | 6 meters |
| Height | 10 meters |
| maximum speed | 110 km/h |
| role | IFV, Assault gun, Tank destroyer |
| Armament | 7 Al-12 blaster, 6 in LF-360 balls and 1 in turret for the commander, 1 14 cm "14 marvel" mass-driver, 1 breech-loaded mortar, 14 smoke grenade launcher |
| other system | IM-6 droid, driving horn, tractor fields generators |
| crew | 1 Pilot, 1 gunner, 1 gunner augmented TAD-350, 1 commander |
| Passenger | 16 troopers or 8 in different configurations |
| Cargo | 60 tons |
| year introduced | 18 BBY (prototypes and field testing), 15 BBY (first combat) |
| Affiliation | Republic in exile, Outer Heaven |
Operational history.
The first few prototypes came to late for the second Heaven war, however they would find themselves perfect for testing during the operation :"Lightning at the gates". As the winter is drawing near, the Outer Heaven armies needed to do a move regarding the Iron Mountains kingdom and its vast industrial potential, and as such, marched upon it. The AT-AE (these prototypes lacked the gun crutch, the mortar, the smoked dispensers and the commander laser canon) would be part of the Republican convoy to bring back order and secure the massive industries hidden amongst the snow and the forest of it( 4 of them took part in the operation). They would perform with utmost brilliance, dispensing a great number of highway man who plundered the precious convoys of the Iron Mountains during many skirmishes.
Commander Cody, the first user of the then prototype AT-AE
But in mountains, terrain dictate the battle and their greatest trial would come at the outskirt of Izumo, the Iron Mountains capital. The enemy had built a massive defence network of barbed wire, mines and heavy guns and even a sabotage mechanism that would prevent any entry into the capital by collapsing the mountains into it, the sole pass into the capital and as such, any attempt to break it would be a disaster, but Cody, in charge of the army would feint his opponent, choosing not to engage him. He would instead climb the mountains surrounding the capital and bypass his foe. His path would go through a mountain called the molar due to its more undulating summit than your traditional peak. The AT-AE would perform once again at a far superior pace than their older brother, convincing everyone of the need to change from the AT-TE to the AT-AE (especially since AT-TE could be shipped back to places like Bracca for scrapping for every new AT-AE produced), especially since the troops would keep more energy in the days of walking across the molar. They would emerge a few days after into the capital to the sound of their horn, announcing them that the Republic was here.
The battle would be fierce, with a lot of CQC battles and sniper battles, the massive foundries and their towering furnaces offered the perfect nest for snipers alongside the massive apartment blocks for the workers where the AT-AE would find himself right at home, where the 14 cm mass driver would hit their target. These battles showed that a mean to cover the men exiting the walker and indirect fire were dearly needed for this IFV. The victory told them that, despite anything their copy wasn't perfect and needed to be redone
After this battle where the IFV would be reworked once again to include the mortar and the smoke dispenser, it would be called once again, but this time on Ilum. The deployment on Ilum where approximately 21 % of the total IFV compliment of the invasion forces were AT-AE was rough, especially during tactical movement with LAAT/c, in some rather adverse weather conditions where the transport was still capable to fly, the heavy 14 cm turret would move dangerously, sometime damaging and crashing the transport and the IFV. To solve such issue, a gun crutch was installed on the rear module.
This version that came in 14 BBY is often considered as the final version of the AT-AE that would then later on serve during the galactic civil war in its entire length.
It would even be used to kick Yuuzhan Vong in the mouth, where the capacity of the mass-driver to fire a shell so fast and heavy it would devastate the ranks of the Vong like its counterpart, the AT-AT before the Vong could even see their opponent, hence the dislike of fighting it, the prideful warriors calling it : "a weapon for a shameful foe", to which the Outer Heaven troops answer : "maybe, but you're still ground extra-galactical meat".
Doctrinal use.
Its use is bound to the infantry squad of 8 men (it's not in the scope of this post to talk of the infantry tactics themselves) that it carries twice (or as it called, an infantry section) in each section, that it carries to battle, to keep their stamina high. When contact is known, it disembark the troops in fire teams of 4 from each sides to come at the contact of the enemy positions under the cover of smokescreens if the enemy is firing at them.
The 14 cm mass-driver is used to deal with enemy armour at a range further than the one they can engage (with the exception of the AT-AP where it becomes a game of hide n' seek and the battle is decided by who spots who).
the AT-AP, deadly sniper to fight for the AT-AE as it is far more common than the AT-MP
Once the enemy armour has been dealt with, the infantry supported by the IFV storm the position under the cover of the rolling barrage of the mortar and the mass driver and win before the opponent could mount a defence strong enough to repel the element.
More than often, despite being able to serve alone, they serve to support the AT-AT (all-terrain arachnoid tank) in the movement, occupying the terrain gained by the tank and the air support by walking beside them.
For the AT-AE, the smallest movement segment is the platoon, composed of 3 AT-AE with one of them a 2C variant that can easily coordinate its 2 brothers, earning its nickname of Trident for its triangle-based formation, allowing flanking manoeuvres and defensive operations (it is always harder to take a position if you need to split your forces in half to attack) and their 3 infantry squad, 1 command squad and 1 special weapon squad, itself split into 3 weapon team. But the best element for this IFV to work is the company, where they would dot a element needed to be held, be it a town, a river or a plain and it can access all of the forms of the special weapon squad (the entirety of the company is of 176 combat and recon troop with an extra 10 medics and 2 LAAT/m medvac speeder to ferry wounded to the battalion MASH units and also 4 AT-OT cargo hauler with spare parts, fuel and food containers).
Known walkers :
To make it clear, when a special walker is mentioned, the motto on his mass-driver is the name given to it :
Dragonslayer : one of the first prototype deployed during the battle of Izumo, it is said that it fired all of its rounds upon the massive three-headed dragon standing above the capital
Crystal pondered : an AT-AE deployed during the battle of Ilum, it would host the young Jedi Cal Kestis to his quest to find a crystal for his lightsaber. It would hold itself and his platoon near the bowels of the icy planets as an imperial armoured company fell upon them.
Lothal or Bust : an AT-AE used by ground forces during the liberation of Lothal, it would find itself carrying members of the Phenix cell to the capital, facing the exact same AT-AT that brought the death of Caleb Dume and blowing them into oblivion (with the assistance of the AT-AT-13250 who drew the massive walkers away) and exposing their necks.
Stormtrooper divorce file : an AT-AE used by 335th company of 3rd army during their Outer Rim campaign in a great flanking manoeuvre that made it one of the best known use of the mortar to shell Imperial transport troop that killed a lot of stormtroopers in the battle of Muunlinst
Too early outta jar : an AT-AE used during the late galactic civil war, performing exceptionally during the battle of Arakyd in the deep core, well known for destroying a TX-225 GAw with its mass-driver, launching it straight through the air, hurling it into an inbound IF-120 and destroying the landing craft in a massive explosion.
Of course this is but a small selection of all the many AT-AE that would serve with pride during the galactic civil war, some destroyed, some would survive across all of it, serving once again in the Yuuzhan Vong war.
Conclusion :
Here's my interpretation on how could the AT-TE could be improved and transformed in a new vehicle with a far better defined role in the battleline, the turret was heavily inspired by the Merkava 4 turret that I kinda fell in love with after too many hours in Arma 3.
