StarDestroyer.Net BBS

In TESB, right after Luke says "Hang on Dack!" the AT-AT firing on them is a bit odd. The blaster bolts come from a few metres above the head, but there aren't any blasters mounted there! Perhaps some enthusiastic snowtroopers were firing out of air vents? Has this been noticed before?

I'm inclined to say "SFX gaffe!" just reading your description of the scene. Sort of like the "detaching/re-attaching" arrow on the Scouttrooper in ROTJ. But I do like your explanation!

No such vents exist on the front side of the AT-AT. The closest things are two air intake vents on the very top front of the large portion of the mid-section, and according to the OT ICS, those are above the interior ceiling.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:No such vents exist on the front side of the AT-AT. The closest things are two air intake vents on the very top front of the large portion of the mid-section, and according to the OT ICS, those are above the interior ceiling.

Well for what it's worth, "The underside of the foot can even sink into the main body of the foot pad, as seen during the crushing of Luke Skywalker's snowspeeder. This feature is not shown in the STAR WARS Incredible Cross Sections diagrams."
http://www.theforce.net/swtc/walkers.html#atat-motion

Um, what the hell does that have to do with anything?

I mean, really...

If you look closely the side guns are angled upward the first time they fire. You can then see the guns track downward for the second shot. So what you are seeing is the guns fireing from positions.

I was pointing out Saxton's "This feature is not shown in the STAR WARS Incredible Cross Sections diagrams."

To something COMPLETELY UNRELATED, you putz.

A nitpick for myself: they're actually "atmosphere intake" vents.

Even considering that the AT-AT in the OT ICS is somewhat too small compared to the actual size, there's at least a metre-thick of enclosed machinery above the second level's ceiling. It'd be impossible.

Macross wrote:If you look closely the side guns are angled upward the first time they fire. You can then see the guns track downward for the second shot. So what you are seeing is the guns fireing from positions.

I haven't got the DVD, but it looks to me like the blasts come from about halfway between the top of the head and the very top of the walker, too far away to be coming from even the side guns. I'd greatly appreciate someone posting DVD screencaps.

Yeah, the OT ICS made a horrible mistake with the AT-AT, it clearly seems to be going by the erroneous EU size. For shame.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:To something COMPLETELY UNRELATED, you putz.

A nitpick for myself: they're actually "atmosphere intake" vents.

Even considering that the AT-AT in the OT ICS is somewhat too small compared to the actual size, there's at least a metre-thick of enclosed machinery above the second level's ceiling. It'd be impossible.

I did only say 'well, for what it's worth', just to point out that the ICS isn't perfect. There's also about a metre of machinery blocking the foot pad from retracting.

Again, so what? Seriously. You're basically saying "one thing here is wrong, so another thing over there might be wrong, too!"

Stop before you further embarass yourself by going after trivial, unrelated matters. The fact is that they'd have to rip out the AT-AT's atmosphere system, along with whatever else is up there, just to take a few pot shots.

Macross has also clarified what's really happening, so it's moot now.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Again, so what? Seriously.

Stop before you further embarass yourself by going after trivial, unrelated matters. The fact is that they'd have to rip out the AT-AT's atmosphere system, along with whatever else is up there, just to take a few pot shots.

God, the whole 'enthusiastic snowtrooper' thing was just an off the cuff comment, i didn't expect anyone to go ballistic on me.

I'm not going ballistic (I haven't called you a stupid cunt yet, for one ), I just didn't think it would be possible, so I checked for evidence whether or not it was, off the cuff or not.

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:I'm not going ballistic (I haven't called you a stupid cunt yet, for one ), I just didn't think it would be possible, so I checked for evidence whether or not it was, off the cuff or not.

Fair enough.

Yeah, part of it's my fault as well: I'm not at all a fan of the "throw out guesses" approach to analysis and speculation.

Hey! I've got an idea! Maybe... *looks at Spanky's last post* ...nevermind.

linky
There are actually two such shots, one on each side of the head. This is the second and is much easier to see. (Note, I cropped the image)

Seems to have cleared things up. Though in the event that it did not, we could've always claim it was an AT-ST covering the AT-AT's rear (or whatever.)

Darth Garden Gnome wrote:we could've always claim it was an AT-ST covering the AT-AT's rear

By shooting through it? Brilliant tactic!

Must be some kind of field testing for a new selective opacity neutrino cannon.

Even more than the head, that looks like it's coming from the body of the walker... but that too is just armor, right?

Yes.

Two words: Cloaked. Walker.

Having not seen it in motion, this may not be a plausible explanation, but could it be a bad shot that originated from the side cannon and is traveling over the snowspeeder, creating an angle where the shot appears to be above the walker, but actually originated at the head? That's what it looks to possibly be from the still.