[MOD] AT-AC: story of an epic fail (+free instructions)

[Veynom]

Not all ideas are good ideas and even the powerful and experimented Kuat Drive Yards (KDY) engineers can fail utterly. The AT-AC or All Terrain Armored Crawler is a perfect example of one of these false good ideas. While the supremacy of the AT-AT on the field was not to be demonstrated anymore, particularly after the crushing imperial victory on Hoth, the Imperial Army still complained about the AT-AT expensive cost per unit and its highly demanding maintenance. KDY engineered went back to their plans and after a few months, they proposed the AT-AC. The concept was quite simple, starting from the successful AT-AT, they replaced the costly maintenance-intensive articulated legs by continuous track systems.

AT-AC by Veynom, on Flickr

When presenting the AT-AC to the Imperial Army, KDY was proud to claim that it was significantly less expensive than the original AT-AT, that it required only one third of the AT-AT maintenance time, while still retaining the same firepower and robust protection.

Unfortunately, the first field deployments quickly demonstrated all weaknesses of the AT-AC. Because of its great armor and protection, it was heavy and because it was heavy, it was really slow when crawling, its speed approaching ridiculous levels when the landscape was not ideal. The second issue comes from the change of height. While crawling on the ground, the AT-AC was no more inspiring fear but also found itself very limited in its fire coverage ability.

AT-AC by Veynom, on Flickr

As consequence, the limited number of assembled prototypes have been assigned to 3^rd class garrisons on planets with limited local technological civilizations. Surprisingly, the troopers reported only positive feedback about their AT-AC. These were offering comfortable, reliable and well protected transportation and the lack of agility was not a real issue when battling primitive tribes and species. It is even rumored that some COMPNOR officers would have confessed that with AT-AC on Endor instead of AT-ST, the rebellion (not to mention the despised Ewoks) would never had won.

AT-AC by Veynom, on Flickr

One last remark about the AT-AC. According to several concurring sources, it would have been nicknamed Crawling Armored Transport (C.A.T.) among the troops. COMPNOR supposes that it may related to some kind of resemblance to an animal on one of the remote planets where the AT-AC operates.

AT-AC by Veynom, on Flickr

Disclaimer: the above is 100% fiction.

This MOD is based on set 75288 (the 2020 AT-AT) with the track system design from the Sandcrawler 75220 (from 2018), some detailing here and there, and a bit of color swap. 

Free instructions are available on Rebrickable. Just click here.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Veynom
Adding free instructions

[caiman0637]

Haha! Nice!

[Mandalorianknight]

I love the MOC, a crawling AT-AT is a ridiculous idea that you somehow managed to make semi-imposing.

[Jerac]

I can't stop laughing at this, in a good way!

I mean, I am so used to seeing AT-AT on long skinny legs, somewhat like a cat on snow, and now that's a cat lying on the ground with its legs tucked under the body :D

At the same time, this vehicle simply makes sense and is genuinely nice!

[TeddytheSpoon]

Well, that's one way of getting around tow cables!

Great concept, very well executed. I'm immediately drawn to thinking of more track-ified vehicles... All-Terrain Scout Crawler perhaps?

[Rooney]

Well created, all terrain !

[Retro]

That is so cute, and provided with a comprehensive and believable story of nonsense behind it. 

[Veynom]

Thank you all for the nice comments. Free instructions are now available in the original post.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Veynom
typo

[danger_cabbage]

Ha, cool, nice take on it