All Terrain Ion Cannon

Imperial AT-IC - All Terrain Ion Cannon
Craft: Kuat Drive Yards' All Terrain Ion Cannon
Type: Assault walker
Scale: Walker
Length: 15.7 meters long, 13.5 meters tall
Skill: Walker operation: AT-IC
Crew: 3, gunners: 1, skeleton: 2/+10
Crew Skill: Vehicle blasters 5D, walker operation 5D
Passengers: None
Cargo Capacity: 100 kilograms
Cover: Full (crew), 3/4 (gunner)
Cost: Not available for sale
Maneuverability: 0D
Move: 21; 60 kmh
Body Strength: 5D
Weapons:

• 2 Heavy Laser Cannons (fire-linked)

Fire Arc: Front (see note)
Crew: 1 (co-pilot or commander)
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 2D
Range: 50-500/1.5/3 km
Damage: 6D

• 2 Medium Blasters (fire-linked)

Fire Arc: Front (see note)
Crew: 1 (co-pilot or commander)
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 2D
Range: 50-200/500/1 km
Damage: 3D

• Heavy Ion Cannon

Fire Arc: Back
Crew: 1 (gunner)
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 3D
Range: 50-500/2.5/5 km
Damage: 6D

Note: The AT-IC's head is mounted on a pivoting neck, which can turn to face the left, front and right fire arcs. An AT-IC may move its head one fire arc per turn (from left to front, right to front, front to right, or front to left).

Description: The All Terrain Ion Cannon, or AT-IC as it was known, was a short-lived variant of the common All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT), featuring a massive heavy ion cannon mounted in the rear section.

In order to accommodate such a massive weapon, the storage space and passenger areas had to be sacrificed in order to fit in the weapon itself along with the obligatory cooling systems and power generators. This turned the once formidable surface troop transport into a powerful piece of mobile artillery, to supplement the heavy assaults on outposts and garrisons.

The original designs for the AT-IC called for it to be the same size as the AT-AT, off which it was based. However, seeing an opportunity to cut the high production cost, Kuat opted to slightly scale down the AT-IC's size in order to save on durasteel costs.

The command "head" of the walker is identical to that seen on the earlier AT-AT, giving the AT-IC, with its smaller size, a rather awkward appearance. However, the decision to use the AT-AT command module would later be praised by the Imperial Army, who could rely on their already trained AT-AT pilots to operate the AT-IC with no additional training.

During a combat operation, the AT-IC would back into a firing position, often times kneeling down in the same fashion that an AT-AT would to release its troops. Once in firing position, the gunner would be able to lay down heavy fire upon the target - which could even be a medium sized vehicle given the superb fire control systems incorporated into the ion cannon.

Most AT-ICs which were pressed into service were painted a tan-brown, for no reason other than quick recognition of the vehicle class by an Imperial commander observing a conflict from a distance. Battle worn AT-ICs often lost their coat of paint or featured dull grey patches of exposed durasteel.

The AT-IC never saw production in mass numbers, but orders did remain steady for several years, up to when the New Republic showed interest in a more modern design variant with interchangeable artillery mounts - such a variant was never produced.

Source: http://www.RPGGamer.com