Battle of Hoth Question

Knight Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 434

Were the two AT-AT walkers that Wedge and Luke destroyed the only ones that were actually seen destroyed in the film?

Knight Joined: 07 Feb 2012 Posts: 358 Location: USA

They are the only ones I saw.
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The novel referenced a third being destroyed. One of the pilots (I think it was Janson) supposedly flew his Snowspeeder into the cockpit of Veers's walker, destroying both. That line was rendered non-canon though, as subsequent EU sources referenced both Janson and Veers.
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Padawan Joined: 29 Jan 2012 Posts: 24

I've always found this an interesting detail since in the Rogue Squadron games you can bring them down like crazy. I get that its a game so it has to be fun but now that I think of it it is interesting that the famous Rogue Squadron didn't bring down more than two.
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Knight Joined: 18 Nov 2011 Posts: 442

Just two that I remember on screen. To be honest the Rogues didnt cover themselves in glory that day. Rogue Squadron came into its own more after the films.
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Knight Joined: 03 Apr 2012 Posts: 103 Location: UK

The snowspeeder were underpowered - their weapons simply weren't string enough to do much damage to the heavily armoured AT-ATs. It would have been more sensible to use X-wings to fight the AT-ATs. Rogue Squadron use X-wings against AT-ATs in 'Isard's Revenge' and take them out without a problem. The most plausible reason for not using X-wings on Hoth is that they didn't carry enough fuel to fight the AT-AT's, escape from the planet and then travel to the rendezvous.

Knight Joined: 07 Feb 2012 Posts: 358 Location: USA

Knight Joined: 03 Apr 2012 Posts: 103 Location: UK

Rogue Squadron didn't fly escort until after battling the walkers to try and stop them reaching the shield generators. Their X-wings were sat waiting for them, doing nothing, during the ground assault.

I think if the snow speeders were a big threat, the at-ats would have had air cover. They just didn't have the firepower. In a sense, Hoth was an Armored division against troops without effective artillery and obsolete air cover. Armored wins...

By the novels, it was an armored batallion (smaller unit) against a foe with absolute air superiority with tank buster air cover.