Blas Tech
Imperial Occupier-class tank levels a three-storey building on Jedha
updated
From SOLO: a Star Wars Story
docs.google.com/document/d/1rgMIf2Wa4ZFvS6NNHrdvugQcS9v9b1ovWNh0Q8QxDbM/edit#
The purpose of this experiment is to quantify the threat posed by the ubiquitous gunmen defeated by Din Jaren the Mandalorian during his engagements with them (ubiquitous gunmen refers to the countless un-named mooks & troopers who are killed by protagonists in TV & Film). This comparison focuses on elite troops and special forces.
Further explanation:
docs.google.com/document/d/1rgMIf2Wa4ZFvS6NNHrdvugQcS9v9b1ovWNh0Q8QxDbM/edit#
From
STAR WARS
The Mandalorian
Fair Use for review & commentary
docs.google.com/document/d/1rgMIf2Wa4ZFvS6NNHrdvugQcS9v9b1ovWNh0Q8QxDbM/edit#
The purpose of this experiment is to quantify the threat posed by the ubiquitous gunmen defeated by Din Jaren the Mandalorian during his engagements with them (ubiquitous gunmen refers to the countless un-named mooks & troopers who are killed by protagonists in TV & Film). This comparison focuses on Imperial stormtroopers.
Other Imperial forces, Dark Troopers, officers & Dark Troopers are excluded from this comparison. The example where Mandalorian forces his way through continuous fire is also omitted, along with every time he was shot in that case.
Further explanation:
docs.google.com/document/d/1rgMIf2Wa4ZFvS6NNHrdvugQcS9v9b1ovWNh0Q8QxDbM/edit#
From
STAR WARS
The Mandalorian
Fair Use for review & commentary
The purpose of this experiment is to quantify the threat posed by the ubiquitous gunmen defeated by Din Jaren the Mandalorian during his engagements with them (ubiquitous gunmen refers to the countless un-named mooks & troopers who are killed by protagonists in TV & Film).
Underworld Gunslingers include mercenaries, bounty hunters and combat droids.
Further explanation:
docs.google.com/document/d/1rgMIf2Wa4ZFvS6NNHrdvugQcS9v9b1ovWNh0Q8QxDbM/edit?usp=sharing
Star Wars
(Note slight footage re-arrangement for effect)
From
Mandalorian: Chapter 11
Link for GIF:
photos.app.goo.gl/gDrTRmVrbACVkmPe8
The recorded rates of AT-AT travel across the icy Hoth tundra (in TESB) while firing weapons continuously ranged from 5 km/h to 9.5 km/h. Based on the animation simulating various speeds of travel, I suppose the walker's potential top speed is n the range of 20 km/h to 30 km/h approx.
Speeds approaching 60 km/h begin to look aesthetically displeasing. However;
In the video game "Star Wars: Empire At War" [note game mechanics are non-canon] AT-AT walkers do appear to move at a considerably faster pace, making between 1 and 1.33 (~) strides forward each second. So assuming that each stride is up to 10 meters in length then this suggests a speed of travel in the range of 35 km/h to 48 km/h.
However, stride length in the game may be shorter than ten meters thus cutting the actual speed down by as much as half (scaling how long it takes an AT-AT to travel its own length should be fairly easy with access to the game). The previous estimates of 35 km/h to 48 km/h are therefore an upper limit.
Link for Empire at War AT-AT
youtu.be/m8b9gkwjzhU?t=935
(15:35)
Link for GIF:
photos.app.goo.gl/gDrTRmVrbACVkmPe8
Animation source: sketchfab.com/dark0verseer
(I did not create it, just sped it up to various speeds)
Inspired by EC Henry's video "AT-AT speed analyzed"
Note the AT-M6 is protected by an "ultra-dense matrixed composite armour". and the walker itself would mass thousands of tonnes. Despite this incredible mass, the recoil from the main heavy laser cannon is still considerable. Even the Imperial AT-AT could carry a mass of ~3,500 tonnes and the AT-ACT could carry many thousands of metric tonnes (several times greater than the AT-AT), including "ultra dense fuels" and "construction materials".
Although I classify both the AT-M6 and AT-AT heavy assault walkers under the same combat-role category of "Mechanised Infantry Tank", the former has a much greater emphasis on firepower and the latter on transport capacity. The AT-M6 is also much larger.
Specific combat roles of the AT-M6 heavy assault walker:
Mechanised Infantry Tank
- Breakthrough Tank
-- Defense / Breakthrough and (combined) Armoured Infantry Assault
- Self-Propelled-Artillery
-- direct-fire turbolaser
- Armoured Troop Transport
-- Crossing 'no mans land'
PHOTOS
photos.app.goo.gl/ysGnYWyGtPe2yZYXA
Classic Armament for the Imperator MK1 Star Destroyer
Six main heavy turbolaser turrets
2 batteries, 12 cannons
Two main ion cannon turrets
2 batteries, 2 cannons
Three axial defense-heavy turbolaser turrets
1 battery, 9 cannons
Two lateral-trench turbolaser turrets
2 batteries, 8 cannons
Two prow turbolaser turrets
1 battery, 6 cannons
Two hangar defense turbolaser turrets
2 batteries, 4 cannons
Total medium to heavy turrets: 17
Total medium to heavy cannons: 41
More than a hundred additional light turbolasers, point-defense cannons, and ion cannons.
Therefore, if the fire rate of each turbolaser turret ranges from ~120-350 RPM, then the medium to heavy turbolasers alone can discharge up to ~2,000-6,000 shots per minute. This does not include the additional ~120 light turbolasers and ion cannons that engage smaller enemy starships at close range.
Assuming the lightest guns also have a fire rate in the range of ~120-350 RPM, then their total firepower might be 14,000-42,000 RPM. If their fire rate is lower, say only 60 RPM, then their total firepower might be ~7,000 RPM.
Of course, not every weapon will have a viable target in range at all moments in time. The best place to attack a star destroyer is from the back and from below.
The six heavy turbolaser turrets each achieve a rate fire rate equivalent to over 370 shots per minute and therefore present combined firepower potentially approaching or even exceeding 2,000 shots per minute between all six guns.
Armament of the Imperator MK1 Star Destroyer
Six main heavy turbolaser turrets
2 batteries, 12 cannons
Two main ion cannon turrets
2 batteries, 2 cannons
Three axial defense-heavy turbolaser turrets
1 battery, 9 cannons
Two lateral-trench turbolaser turrets
2 batteries, 8 cannons
Two prow turbolaser turrets
1 battery, 6 cannons
Two hangar defense turbolaser turrets
2 batteries, 4 cannons
Total medium to heavy turrets: 17
Total medium to heavy cannons: 41
More than a hundred additional light turbolasers, point-defense cannons, and ion cannons.
LINK for usable Animate GIF image
photos.app.goo.gl/faguyw1vYtXcdMkq7
I used clips from the movie to re-create this encounter described in the novelization, when an Imperial probe droid eviscerated a Wampa ice beast with its blaster set to high yield.
This is one of the very few examples that explicitly depicted maximum power blaster fire on living organic targets not equipped with heavy body armour or power armour. Most recorded examples of high-yield blaster fire are involved in ad-hoc demolition and anti-materiel fire.
Energy for vaporization would be at least several hundred megajoules. More conservatively, energy to vapourize a fraction of the mass of the beast so that the rest of the Wampa is blasted apart in a steam explosion could be equal to just some tens of megajoules. After all, this is a blaster weapon, not a disruptor. A Wampa is comparable to a polar bear in size, and apparently, an average Wampa weighs ~200 kg (over 400 lb).
LINK for Related Video Playlist: Blaster FIrepower
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLmlyEhmCKMEpdYfDLFRQ5TXaMV1ILtPZ
QUOTE,
"The temperature on the surface of Hoth had dropped. But despite the frigid air, the Imperial Probe Droid continued its leisurely drift above the snow-swept fields and hills, its extended sensors still reaching in all directions for life signs. The robot's heat sensors suddenly reacted.
The mound shook again, with a roar that nearly destroyed the probe droid's auditory sensors. It zoomed back several meters, widening the space between it and the creature. The droid had never before encountered a Wampa Ice Creature, its computers advised that the beast best be dealt with expeditiously.
The droid made an internal adjustment to regulate the potency of its laser beam. Less than a moment later the beam was at its maximum intensity. The machine aimed the laser at the creature, enveloping it in a great flaming and smoking cloud. Seconds later the few remaining particles of the Wampa were swept away by the icy winds.
The smoke disappeared, leaving behind no physical evidence- save for a large depression in the snow- that an Ice Creature had ever been there.
But its existence had been properly recorded in the memory of the probe droid, which was already continued on its programmed mission."
Source: The Empire Strikes Back
Note that some sections of the blasted walls which formerly protected the bunker were up to half a meter thick (~), and the metal bridges were meters wide and around a meter deep. The laser cannons can evidently blast apart many cubic meters of metal (or blast through meters of steel).
PHOTO GALLERY
(includes animated gif)
photos.app.goo.gl/gUWkNxcXLfFQ3Gbp9
EXPLOSIVE EQUIV. POWER
How much TNT or high explosive to simulate the efficacy of AT-AT laser blasts against metal walled targets?
QUOTE:
In the case of iron structures, substantially more explosive power is required (compared to masonry) relative to the volume of material to be broken up. Not only is iron much stronger than masonry, but the use of bore-holes or cavities is usually impractical so you must simply attach the explosives to the side of an iron object to be destroyed. To destroy a cast-iron structural column, you would attach the charge to its base and tamp it as well as possible with dirt. The charge size would then be computed from the rule-of-thumb formula L=100d², where d is the diameter in feet and L is the charge of gelignite in pounds. Therefore, to destroy a six inch thick cast iron column, you would need to attach 25 pounds of gelignite: a very large and powerful explosive charge.
- Mike Wong, mechanical engineer
Using the formula L=100d² we can predict that a surface charge of 2,500 lb would be needed to destroy a five-foot thick iron column. This is equivalent to just over one metric tonne of high explosives to destroy 1.5 cubic meters of iron. The formula is invalid beyond a thickness of 1.5 m (5').
Detonation energy for gelignite is comparable to dynamite which is 6 megajoules per kilogram. Detonation energy for a 2,500 lb charge would therefore equal ~6.8 gigajoules.
Source
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Geordi La Forge says that a single type 1 phaser pistol has enough firepower to finish off a whole regiment of troops. Obviously, a single officier or even a whole away-team armed with phasers can still be overwhelmed by a regiment of troops armed with muskets. However, Geordi suggests the phaser has a capacity of around 1,000 shots. Muskets, in contrast, must be reloaded after every shot.
" Prior to World War I, an infantry regiment in the French, German, Russian, and other smaller armies would comprise four battalions, each with a full-strength on mobilization of about 1,000 men."
- Wikipedia
"A type-1 phaser was the smallest, most basic weapon carried by Starfleet and other Federation personnel. Type 1 phasers were typically carried when it would be inappropriate to carry a larger weapon, such as on diplomatic missions, or "undercover" work."
- Memory Alpha
In other words, the type 1 is effectively a holdout phaser, or pocket phaser.
Although less powerful than larger phasers, type 1 sidearms still possess multiple settings including stun, kill, and disintegrate. The weapons design and small shape make it difficult to aim at a longer range. The weapon also struggles against dense materials and silicon targets.
Source, TNG: series 1 episode 10 "Hide & Q"
RATES PER MINUTE (equiv.)
R-90C medium blasters ('temple guns')
sample = 314
MS-1 fire-linked heavy laser cannons ('chin guns'):
Mean Average = 183
all samples:
171
137
211
240
147
157
210
160
120
137
250
257
youtube.com/channel/UCMMMBM7hKk1MvLZgj-dPTaw/community?view_as=subscriber
A Turn Rate of 180°/second is recorded within a Turn Radius of half a dozen or so meters. The highest recorded Roll Rate is 720 °/second. Figures are approximate. Similar turn rates by A-wings and X-wings were observed at the battle of Endor when engaging the Death Star II.
From STAR WARS: "Hunted" CG Short.
For review
For comparison, the TIE Interceptor is post-modern compared to Jet fighters on Earth.
Su-27's family is the most maneuverable aircraft in the world?
-G-limits: 9G
-Roll Rate: 270°/s
-Turn Radius: 28°/second
The existence of power settings on blasters has always been demonstrated implicitly through the variable (by orders of magnitude) firepower depicted in the movies and TV-shows, by weapons including the E-11 blaster and Han Solo's DL-44, but this is the first time they have actually been directly mentioned onscreen.
The official novelization of The Empire Strikes Back references power settings, and so do numerous visual guides and expanded universe sources. Nonetheless, it is nice to see them finally acknowledged in some live-action dialogue.
The ITT is a 20.6-tonne repuslorlift powered armoured-personnel-carrier that is capable of a top speed of 150 km/h. The vehicle is protected with two forward laser guns and a single dorsal laser turret that can provide covering fire for troops. The entire vehicle is protected with blast-proof armour and the front of the vehicle is blast impervious. In addition to the main hatch, this variant of ITT has side doors that allow troops to exit from within the vehicle, allowing for rapid deployment.
There are six side doors and it appears that three troopers emerge from each one, while additional troops emerge from the rear hatch, so each of these ITTs most likely deploys more than 12 soldiers (it looks like there is a capacity for 15 standing troopers in each ITT).
Six of these troopers are partially-exposed behind the transports side-doors and may discharge their small-arms from the moving vehicle.
This model of ITT is different from the ones depicted in Star Wars Rebels operating in the Lothal system.
Footage is from
The Mandalorian
Footage owned by Disney
Photo gallery: photos.app.goo.gl/BauoThn3cJoywJ6u8
Footage from
The Mandalorian
Chapter 6 "The Prisoner"
Read more at the BlasTech.info Blog
blastech.info/blog
Related posts:
1.) Solo's DL-44 blaster vs. a real-world 50 calibre Bushmaster rifle:
Which one is more destructive?
blastech.info/post/han-solo-s-dl-44-blaster-vs-the-real-world-50-calibre-bushmaster-rifle-which-is-more-destructive
The existence of power settings has always been demonstrated implicitly through the variable (by orders of magnitude) firepower depicted in the movies & TV-shows, by weapons such as the E-11 blaster & Han Solo's DL-44, but this is the first time they have actually been mentioned directly onscreen. The official novelisation of The Empire Strikes Back references power settings, and so do numerous expanded universe sources, so it's nice to see them finally be acknowledged during on-screen dialogue.
Footage from
The Mandalorian
Chapter 4: Sanctuary
Photos: photos.app.goo.gl/aQxzCwqUj1AayvrK8
Uploaded for analysis & review. Footage from
The Mandalorian
In Star Wars Battlefront (2017) the Imperial DLT-19 and scoped RT-97C blaster rifles respectively achieve a sustainable fire-rate of 700 shots per minute and 600 shots per minute, consistent with this video example. The sustainable fire-rate of the E-11 blaster, for comparison, is 300 shots per minute.
Footage from
The Mandalorian
Chapter 8
"How powerful are starfighter cannons? "
the first asteroid was struck by a total of eight energy bolts (four salvos), then directly afterwards a starfighter is shot down with ~7 energy bolts from the same weapon, having survived the first six blasts because of the shields & armour. This demonstrates that the tensor-field enhanced hull & deflector shields offer protection that is orders of magnitude more resilient to directed-energy-weapons (blasters & lasers) than any mundane (un-enhanced) metal like iron, titanium or steel, otherwise the starfighter would have been totally obliterated with a single shot.
Image gallery: photos.app.goo.gl/NY8G3RwRyBSU2K7N7
Source: Star Wars Resistance
Example recommended by Raghuvar Vasudev
Photo gallery: photos.app.goo.gl/fWon3aii3EZCzwoX6
Related articles at BlasTech.info
blastech.info/blasterfirepower
BLASTERS: Anti-materiel Firepower
The blog: blastech.info/blog/categories/blaster-small-arms-light-weapons
Footage from The Mandalorian (live-action show)
Similar destruction (but not disruptor style disintegration) of a humanoid target by conventional blaster fire was described in the canon novelization of The Empire Strikes Back:
"The mound shook again, with a roar that nearly destroyed the probe droid's auditory sensors. It zoomed back several meters, widening the space between it and the creature. The droid had never before encountered a Wampa Ice Creature, its computers advised that the beast best be dealt with expeditiously.
The droid made an internal adjustment to regulate the potency of its laser beam. Less than a moment later the beam was at its maximum intensity. The machine aimed the laser at the creature, enveloping it in a great flaming and smoking cloud. Seconds later the few remaining particles of the Wampa were swept away by the icy winds.
The smoke disappeared, leaving behind no physical evidence- save for a large depression in the snow- that an Ice Creature had ever been there.
But its existence had been properly recorded in the memory of the probe droid, which was already continued on its programmed mission."
My website: BlasTech.info
Footage from The Mandalorian (live-action)
It is not entirely clear in each example whether the walls were destroyed with blaster fire or through bludgeoning by the droid, though the pyrotechnics in the first example does make me think that one was done with a blaster, and the blaster probably better explains the rather explosive manner in which the walls were blasted through.
Images: photos.app.goo.gl/cu3Uz7LUja9usU219
Related articles at BlasTech.info
Han Solo's DL-44 blaster vs. a real-life .50 cal:
blastech.info/post/han-solo-s-dl-44-blaster-vs-the-real-world-50-calibre-bushmaster-rifle-which-is-more-destructive
BLASTERS: Anti-materiel Firepower
blastech.info/blasterfirepower
Footage from The Mandalorian chapter 3
Related articles at BlasTech.info
blastech.info/blasterfirepower
BLASTERS: anti-materiel firepower
Images: photos.app.goo.gl/tT8aZ7o1tgNeAj3M9
Link to the full original video with the Bushmaster by Larry Williamson:
youtu.be/r4roFRm_PyE
Related post at the blog: blastech.info/post/disruptors-disintergrations-in-star-wars
Related article at BlasTech.info
blastech.info/blasterfirepower
BLASTERS: Anti-materiel Firepower
Footage from
Star Wars: The Mandalorian chapter 2
Boba Fett's EE-3 blaster carbine is capable of similar disintegration when set to full power, as is a probe droids blaster (and presumably other, similar types of military blaster). Therefore, there may be some overlap between conventional military blasters & fully-fledged disruptors. The Mandalorian's rifle was known as an "Amban phase pulse blaster rifle" in Legends.
The Imperial Senate outlawed the use of disruptors due to the torturous way in which they would atomise a living target. Disruptors do this to organic victims even on their standard-setting, it's just what they do. A regular military blaster like the EE-3 carbine or the probe droids weapon only perform such violent acts on their highest power setting, and are not considered disruptors, and are therefore legal for military use. (It might still be illegal to use the blasters highest setting directly against living targets, however).
Despite their illegality disruptors are still occasionally used by Imperial forces and by special-forces of both the Galactic Empire & the Rebel Alliance, as well as underworld types.
Video of the disintegration of humanoid target by an EE-3 blaster rifle: youtube.com/watch?v=Cj7__R7ObBQ
Similar disintegration of a humanoid target, a Wampa, is described in the canon novelization of The Empire Strikes Back:
"The mound shook again, with a roar that nearly destroyed the probe droid's auditory sensors. It zoomed back several meters, widening the space between it and the creature. The droid had never before encountered a Wampa Ice Creature, its computers advised that the beast best be dealt with expeditiously.
The droid made an internal adjustment to regulate the potency of its laser beam. Less than a moment later the beam was at its maximum intensity. The machine aimed the laser at the creature, enveloping it in a great flaming and smoking cloud. Seconds later the few remaining particles of the Wampa were swept away by the icy winds.
The smoke disappeared, leaving behind no physical evidence- save for a large depression in the snow- that an Ice Creature had ever been there.
But its existence had been properly recorded in the memory of the probe droid, which was already continued on its programmed mission."
Photo gallery: photos.app.goo.gl/fWon3aii3EZCzwoX6
Related article at BlasTech.info
https://www.blastech.info/blasterfire...
BLASTERS: Anti-materiel Firepower
Footage from
Star Wars: The Mandalorian chapter 2
Boba Fett's EE-3 blaster carbine is capable of similar disintegration when set to full power, as is a probe droids blaster (and presumably other, similar types of military blaster). Therefore, there may be some overlap between conventional military blasters & fully-fledged disruptors. The Mandalorian's rifle was known as a "Amban phase pulse blaster rifle" in Legends.
The Imperial Senate banned the use of disruptors due to the torturous way in which they would atomise a living target. Disruptors do this to organic victims even on their standard-setting, it's what they do. A regular military blaster like the EE-3 carbine or the probe droids weapon only perform such violent acts on their highest power setting, and are therefore not considered disruptors, and are therefore legal for military use. (It might still be illegal to use the highest setting on regular blaster directly against living targets, however).
Despite their illegality, disruptors are occasionally used by Imperial forces and by special-forces of both the Galactic Empire & the Rebel Alliance, as well as underworld types.
Video of the disintegration of humanoid target by an EE-3 blaster rifle: youtube.com/watch?v=Cj7__R7ObBQ
Similar disintegration of a humanoid target, a Wampa, is described in the canon novelization of The Empire Strikes Back:
"The mound shook again, with a roar that nearly destroyed the probe droid's auditory sensors. It zoomed back several meters, widening the space between it and the creature. The droid had never before encountered a Wampa Ice Creature, its computers advised that the beast best be dealt with expeditiously.
The droid made an internal adjustment to regulate the potency of its laser beam. Less than a moment later the beam was at its maximum intensity. The machine aimed the laser at the creature, enveloping it in a great flaming and smoking cloud. Seconds later the few remaining particles of the Wampa were swept away by the icy winds.
The smoke disappeared, leaving behind no physical evidence- save for a large depression in the snow- that an Ice Creature had ever been there.
But its existence had been properly recorded in the memory of the probe droid, which was already continued on its programmed mission."
Photo gallery: photos.app.goo.gl/fWon3aii3EZCzwoX6
4 seconds | first shot
2 seconds | second shot
3 seconds | third shot
Read more at the BlasTech.info blog: blastech.info/post/disruptors-disintergrations-in-star-wars
Related article at BlasTech.info
blastech.info/blasterfirepower
BLASTERS: Anti-materiel Firepower
Footage from
Star Wars: The Mandalorian chapter 2
Similar disintegration of a humanoid target by blaster fire is described in the canon novelization of The Empire Strikes Back:
"The mound shook again, with a roar that nearly destroyed the probe droid's auditory sensors. It zoomed back several meters, widening the space between it and the creature. The droid had never before encountered a Wampa Ice Creature, its computers advised that the beast best be dealt with expeditiously.
The droid made an internal adjustment to regulate the potency of its laser beam. Less than a moment later the beam was at its maximum intensity. The machine aimed the laser at the creature, enveloping it in a great flaming and smoking cloud. Seconds later the few remaining particles of the Wampa were swept away by the icy winds.
The smoke disappeared, leaving behind no physical evidence- save for a large depression in the snow- that an Ice Creature had ever been there.
But its existence had been properly recorded in the memory of the probe droid, which was already continued on its programmed mission."
Disintegration of a humanoid target was also achieved with an EE-3 blaster carbine in one of the Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures (shorts): youtube.com/watch?v=Cj7__R7ObBQ
Blaster Artillery Weaponry | Magnitude: pyrotechnical yield.
blastech.info/asteroid-destruction
Blaster Artillery Weaponry | Magnitude: asteroid destruction
For scale reference
Slave 1 height = 21.5 meters
Slave 1 wingspan = 21.3 meters
DELTA-7 JEDI STARFIGHTER length = 8 meters
Video source | Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV show)
Note ad revenue goes to copyright holders where applicable, not myself.
Blaster Artillery Weaponry | Magnitude: Pyrotechnical Yield.
Video source: Star Wars The Force Awakens
Note ad revenue goes to copyright holders where applicable, not myself.
blastech.info/pyrotechnics
Note the fireball is scaled against the Hardcell Techno Union Transport. The AT-TE gun could not pierce the transports main armour, so the blast & fireball was produced entirely by the weapon itself. Even the much more powerful mass-drivers on a LAAT could not pierce the Hardcell's, main armour, and had to strike a relative-weak-spot "just above the fuel cells" to have an effect.
QUOTE: "Aim right above the fuel cells" - Anakin Skywalker directing LAAT crew on mass driver missile placement for effect against a Hardcell transport.
Note the anti-personnel blasts at 0:49, likely produced by anti-personnel laser cannons mounted in ball turrets on the Republic's LAAT gunships or AT-TE tanks, or possibly by small-arms blaster rifles set to full power.
The footage was taken from the 1st battle of Geonosis
Source: Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones
Note the AT-TE's blast-proof armour absorbs at least five anti-tank blasts from the Baktoid laser cannons before a sixth finally destroys one of the walker's legs, crippling its mobility. The legs are protected by much less armour than the main body and the transparisteel viewport is the least protected part of the entire vehicle. On the other hand, the AT-TE's own primary weapon could destroy a Baktoid OG-9 war-droid or an armoured-assault-tank with a single shot.
AT-TE combat-walkers are self-propelled-artillery & armoured-troop-transports (SPA-AT).
AT-TE combat-walkers are not technically battle tanks so referring to them as tanks is actually a misnomer and using them as tanks is a mistake. A tank is always most armoured at the front to allow the vehicle to perform frontal assaults and to break through enemy lines of defence. Sabre-class fighter tanks, AT-AP & AT-DP combat walkers, AT-AT's and Juggernauts are all better suited to the role of the battle tank by comparison. More specifically, Saber-class fighter tanks are fast Main-Battle-Tanks (MBT), AT-AP & AT-DP walkers are slow Infantry Tanks and AT-ATs are superheavy Mechanised-Infantry-Tanks (MIT).
This video presents footage from a battle on Ryloth as it shows troops disembarking from AT-TE walkers.
Sources for troop transport capacity: Ultimate Star Wars
20 troops
AT-TE cross sections (HQ)
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/d0/a6/54d0a62ffae0d871ba9c307d4c4f8fe1.jpg
20 troops (without AT-RT walkers)
Quotes:
Skywalker: "Activate those walkers, Admiral."
Yularen: "You are not thinking of using those to transport the clones to that frigate."
Tano: "Well, they are pressurized…"
Rex: "And they're equipped with magnetic feet. Mm. Good call."
―Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Wulff Yularen, and Captain Rex debate the use of AT-TE walkers aboard the Resolute
Related article: Blaster Firepower | blastech.info/blasterfirepower
Footage from
Star Wars The Force Awakens
Disintegration of a humanoid target was also achieved with an Amban phase pulse blaster rifle in The Mandalorian chapter 2.
youtube.com/watch?v=KSfsE9FiCto
Similar disintegration of a humanoid by blaster fire is described in the canon novelization of Empire Strikes Back:
"The mound shook again, with a roar that nearly destroyed the probe droid's auditory sensors. It zoomed back several meters, widening the space between it and the creature. The droid had never before encountered a Wampa Ice Creature, its computers advised that the beast best be dealt with expeditiously.
The droid made an internal adjustment to regulate the potency of its laser beam. Less than a moment later the beam was at its maximum intensity. The machine aimed the laser at the creature, enveloping it in a great flaming and smoking cloud. Seconds later the few remaining particles of the Wampa were swept away by the icy winds.
The smoke disappeared, leaving behind no physical evidence- save for a large depression in the snow- that an Ice Creature had ever been there.
But its existence had been properly recorded in the memory of the probe droid, which was already continued on its programmed mission."
Related blog post: blastech.info/post/disruptors-disintergrations-in-star-wars
Related article: Blaster Firepower, blastech.info/blasterfirepower
Footage from
Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures (shorts)
Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back
Fair Use
Shoutout to "A Normal Metal Sheevite" for alerting me to this example!
For scale note:
DELTA-7 JEDI STARFIGHTER is 8 meters long
SLAVE 1
Length
21.5 meters
Wingspan
21.3 meters
Footage is from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Fair use, for review & analysis
This video shows an NN-14 blaster pistol used at high power to blast a half meter wide hole through a half meter thick stone wall, pulverising perhaps a quarter metric tonne in masonry.
These sequences in canon order (accurate to the movie):
00:00 Trade Federation tanks begin bombardment of Gungan shield
00:09 Naboo security personnel lead by captain Quarsh Panaka, queen Amidala, Qui Gon Jinn & Obi Wan Kenobi engage battledroids in the palace hangar
00:28 The N1 Starfighters take off at subsonic speeds
00:48 The N1 Starfighters are in space seconds later
00:56 N1 Starfighters engage Trade Federation Vulture droids at combat speeds (1100kph and less)
01:04 Trade Federation tanks cease fire and multi troop transports (MTT's) deploy troops
01:10 Naboo security personnel have cleared the hangar and are ready to move on
Original uncut sequence from 01:37 to 02:10
N1 Starfighters covered at least 500 to 2000 kilometers before the firefight in the palace hangar was concluded. The AAT bombardment of Gungan shields went on for even longer.
Therefore it's implied that N1 Starfighters could cover such a distance to reach high orbit in a timeframe not exceeding 'a few minutes', achieving a peak velocity measured in tens of thousands of km/h between leaving the palace and reaching the Droid Control Ship. This is consistent with the 'thousand g' accelerations mentioned in many secondary sources, and exceeds the 1100kph atmospheric upper limit given by another EU source.
Footage from
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
MTT's typically carry and deploy 112 B1 battledroids, but could be configured to transport other types of war droid including B2 super battledroids. They could achieve offroad speeds of 37 km/h (23 mi/h) cruising through Nabooian swamp forests [seen at 00:25 to 00:28 and 00:37 to 00:41 (35.94 meters in ~3.5 seconds)], and have a max. sustainable speed of 35 kph according to Baktoid.
MTT's are armed with a quartet of antipersonnel blaster cannons that are situated at the tanks prow & twin mounted in ball turrets. At maximum power these weapons could unleash a multi gigajoule barrage that would obliterate hundreds of tonnes of solid material and produce an explosion tens of meters wide. The tanks armour is impervious to small arms fire and could reduce damage inflicted from blaster artillery and explosives.
"A terrifying display of Trade Federation efficiency, the mammoth MTT (Multi Troop Transport) is an armored giant capable of disgorging over a hundred battle droid soldiers into the thick of combat. The vehicle's bulbous armored front end opens to reveal an articulated deployment rack, upon which rest dozens of compressed battle droids. The rack extends forward and deposits the droids into neatly organized rows."
StarWars.com
Length: 35.94 meters Height: 10.54 meters Mass: likely thousands of tonnes
Armament: 4 blaster cannons in twin mount ball turrets
Official maximum speed: 35 kph
A Lucrehulk class Droid Control Ship transports 550 MTT's and 50 C-9979 landing craft; each landing craft independently supports 11 MTT's.
Footage from
Star Wars episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Battlefront II (2017 official video)
"[ lot of people ask us to say like 'why don't you have full scale destruction why is that not there, ya know I've seen that in Battlefield why is it not in Star Wars?' and it's like that's not part of the Star Wars universe right, ya know when I fire blasters at things you get scorch marks you don't actually destroy a whole bunch of things."
This video is simply a compilation of examples showing why his statement was absurd and why he should have simply & honestly justified the decision through gameplay & game-design/balance, mission design & layout, etc ! :P
Source: youtu.be/5LHB-n9AMR4?t=1051 at 17:31
He said "[...]a lot of people ask us to say like 'why don't you have full scale destruction why is that not there, ya know I've seen that in Battlefield why is it not in Star Wars?' and it's like that's not part of the Star Wars universe right, ya know when I fire blasters at things you get scorch marks you don't actually destroy a whole bunch of things."
*
This video is simply a compilation of examples showing why his statement was absurd. He should have openly & honestly discussing decisions in context to gameplay, game-design/balance, mission design & map layout.
I also made the same video but with small blasters here:
youtube.com/watch?v=TCQDbkdrFPE&ab_channel=BlasTech
Full interview link youtube.com/watch?v=TCQDbkdrFPE
Fair Use for review
According to Mike Wong (mechanical engineer) mining manuals indicate general "rules of thumb" regarding controlled rock blasting. He wrote "you can generally fragment somewhere between 4 and 6 tons of rock for each pound of high explosive used, and 3 to 4 tons of rock per pound of gunpowder [2]. But it should be noted that this ratio is based upon a highly optimized blasting pattern, with multiple shot holes drilled in various locations to distribute the shockwaves evenly throughout the rock face." ~ referencing R. McAdam and R. Westwater, Mining Explosives, Oliver and Boyd
A haphazardly placed external explosive would be much less efficient than a controlled demolition, nonetheless these figures suggest that a handful of Star Wars explosive is equivalent to more than 9 pounds (4 kg) of real life high explosive, or ~13.5 pounds (6 kg) of gunpowder. The actual yield may be several times greater than this lower limit.
Curtis Saxton (astrophysicist) shared formulae for approximating the heat energy contents of fireballs in Earth like atmosphere:
E = (4π/3)r³p/(γ-1)
where E is fireball energy in Joules, r is fireball radius in meters, p is pressure of gas and Y - 1.4 (for the principally diatomic mix of Earth's atmosphere). The heat content of a 10 meter fireball is therefore ~133 megajoules, equivalent to the energy released by 33 kilograms of explosive TNT.
Note that fireball energy does not account for any other properties of an explosion, such as sound and shockwaves, emitted light and non gaseous debris. Fireball energy therefore represents only a fraction of the total explosive yield, and fireball energy does not account for the large scale destruction of material (as this is achieved through concussive force and shockwaves).
These estimates imply each thermal detonator could be equivalent to more than 10 Kg of real life high explosive in terms of yield. It should also be noted that explosives in SW seem to be "dial a yield" and capable of producing a variety of explosive effects from the same type of device. It's reasonable to infer that the blast setting seen in this video represents the upper limits of what thermal detonators may be capable of.
Similar explosives youtube.com/watch?v=Zh6PmvWDIGc
From Star Wars Rebels: Imperial Supercommandos
A sentry droid at 00:07 arises after having been shot 7 times, once in the head.
A blaster set to maximum power is likely to achieve single shot lethality against these droids, despite what we saw here. For example, Droidekas with their shields lowered could also endure several standard power blaster shots due to their metal frame & armour, however single maximal powered shots could blast them in half and into pieces.
Imperial sentry droids are equipped with a modified E 11 blaster. To see their firepower capabilities (at full power) refer to this video
youtube.com/watch?v=_zjZKwBE57w
Purge Troopers (depicted in Star Wars Uprising) are elite stormtroopers who wear bulky armour similar (proportionally) to the sentry droids. Purge troopers first served in the Anoat sector; their favoured armament is a rotary blaster cannon.
References
Star Wars Rebels: "The Wynkahthu Job"
Star Wars Rebels "Through Imperial Eyes"
Star Wars "Uprising"
Behind the scenes (concept art, E-11 reference) http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwarsrebels/images/b/b6/The_Wynkahthu_Job_concept_2.jpeg/revision/latest?cb=20161128220653
Fan schematic http://pre07.deviantart.net/e24e/th/pre/i/2017/064/f/d/imperial_sentry_droid_schematics_01_by_ravendeviant-db1a1t1.jpg
The door was blasted apart in a quartet of explosions that had enough force to scatter its mass. This demolition was performed so that the sentry droids could quickly pursue fleeing rebels past the closed door.
The blasters were clearly used on a higher power setting to achieve this level of destruction. At all other times, the battledroids continued to discharge standard power shots with blasters set to kill. Note the difference in magnitude between regular powered shots which merely scorch thick metal surfaces and maximum power shots that can actually blast through through the bulkhead.
Considering what a maximum powered shot can evidently do to an unarmoured metal surface, vehicular armour that can shrug off blaster fire with minimal or non-existent visible damage must be orders of magnitude more resistant compared to structural metals like titanium & steel (in terms of intercepting directed energy weapons).
Photo gallery (high res images)
goo.gl/photos/RkdAGe3LpoaDcjbf6
Rebels Recon on this scene youtube.com/watch?v=UqxnQZDRF4g&feature=youtu.be&t=141
{Behind the scenes] the droids originally would have blasted the door away without the oval hole already cut into it by Ezra.
From Star Wars Rebels "The Wynkahthu Job" (season 3 episode 9).
Considering the Imperator's turbolasers sheer size they must each weigh more than ten thousands metric tons. Because they are both an order of magnitude larger and several orders of magnitude more advanced than Iowa's cannons, they must also be many* orders of magnitude more effective within their optimum range (i.e capable of megaton+ yields).
Footage is from
Rogue One: a Star Wars Story
World of Warships
Note the Iowa's guns could blast an area of thousands of square meters with a single explosive shell. The guns could also fire special low yield nuclear devices known as "Katie shells" with a yield of ~20 kilotons (several orders of magnitude more energetic than the standard shells which had a sub kiloton yield).
The high res image of the ISD I was made by FractalSponge, see more of his work at http://fractalsponge.net
The ISD turret is similarly voluminous overall to the Iowa battleship.
Fair Use
How big are turbolasers?
Turbolaser size
This short video reveals the approximate scale of bombardment by superimposing the blasts onto the Earth (a few pixels out on the right, apologies). The superhot fireball at the epicentre of each blast was many miles wide with estimated radii of ~20km, which is broadly consistent with weapons discharges in the multi gigaton range. These fireballs apparently persist for some time after turbolaser impact, or detonation of ordnance.
Have a go at scaling these explosions yourself using NukeMap :)
http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/classic
The real life "Tsar Bomba" was the most powerful man made nuclear weapon of all time; it produced a fireball 8 km (5 mi) wide and a yield equivalent to ~57 megatons of TNT.
Note at 00:52 Rebel Alliance crew report
"Commander, we've lost hyperdrive control"
And I emphasize, hyperdrive CONTROL, because the ship herself continued to fly at faster than light velocity for a further ten seconds after the fact before being forced to sublight. So clearly the interdictive field has some method of dictating a captured ships course while still at FTL, and asserting the destination at which the target vessel would be forced to emerge at sublight.
Sublight speed is enforced at 01:02
~10 seconds after hyperdrive control is lost
SCALE: Space is big. Really big!
One Astronomical Unit (AU) is a length roughly equal to the distance from Earth to the Sun, almost 150 million Km. The Kuiper belt which surrounds Terra's solar system is about 30 times more distant from the Sun.
But such distances are trivial compared to those covered in a mere instant by a ship travelling at hyperspeed. The speed of light itself is 299,792 kilometres per second (over a billion kilometers per hour), and it would take light one hundred thousand years to travel from one side of the (Milky Way) galaxy to the other.
HYPERSPEED: Hyperdrive is fast. Really fast!
A starfighter or ship equipped with hyperdrive can fly from one side of the galaxy to the other in just minutes or at most hours. A ship moving at hyperspeed is travelling between a hundred million & couple of billion times faster than the speed of light, and is thereby able to make trips last only minutes or hours which would otherwise take many thousands of years at lightspeed.
If you'd like examples, then remember when the rebel fleet flew from Yavin IV to Scarif in time to assist Rogue One on the ground (all within daytime hours)? Well galactic maps show that Scarif is located deep in the galactic south, while Yavin IV is located far north, so these two planets were separated by the breath of the galaxy! The rebel fleet probably covered this distance within an hour at most. http://i.imgur.com/DiQRKEJ.png
Or that time Obi Wan Kenobi flew a small one man starfighter from Coruscant located near the galactic centre to Kamino located beyond the edge of the main galaxy. Or back to Rogue One when X wings flew from Yavin IV to Eadu in mere minutes. Just a couple of examples...you get the idea! ;)
SENSOR and INTERDICTION RANGE of Gravity Well Generators
Footage reveals commander Sato's CR90 Corellian corvette had lost all control over FTL navigation a full ten seconds prior to sublight speeds being enforced... A ship moving at 'just' a hundred million times the speed of light, which could cross the galaxy in half a day, would cover about 300 TRILLION kilometres in those 10 seconds. This is a lower limit estimate for the interdictive range of a gravity well projector.
Three hundred trillion kilometres is equal to more than two million astronomical units or 32 light years. Alpha Centauri, the nearest neighboring star to Earth's Sun is located 4.37 light years away. However considering there are “millions” of inhabited planets in the Star Wars galaxy, and probably a few hundred billion stars, the odds of multiple significant star systems being in range of a single Interdictor cruiser would be thousands to one.
But yes in theory, gravity well projectors are equipped to interdict ships within a range encompassing multiple local star systems. The estimates above (100 million C hyperdrive speed & 32 lightyear range of Interdiction) are very conservative, dependent on velocities sufficient to cross the 100,00 LY diameter of the Milky Way galaxy in 9 hours, which is smaller than the Star Wars galaxy according to both canon & legends; on top of that there's good evidence to suggest a starship can cross the Star Wars galaxy in much less than half a day, perhaps less than half an hour.
Reasonable upper limits
Hyperdrive speed: 2 billion C
Effective range of Interdiction: 634 lightyears, 40 million AU, 6 quadrillion Km
Source: Star Wars Rebels: Stealth Strike
Season 2 Episode 9
Rogue One: a Star Wars story
Star Wars Episode III: Attack of the Clones
Galactic maps
"EMPIRE HAS ORDERED A SYSTEMWIDE BLOCKADE TO SEIZE REBEL SPIES. INTERDICTOR CRUISERS EN ROUTE. ALL SHIPS THAT DEPART PRIOR TO IMPERIAL INSPECTION WILL BE NOTED."
―Message from R2-D2 in Heir to the Jedi
Seven Space Marines are ambushed by upwards of ten Eldar including at least seven Banshees. At 0:54 it's possible that three Banshees were incapacitated rather than just the 1 counted; this would bring Eldar casualties up to 10. The Eldar incapacitated 5 Space Marines onscreen.
KILLS accounted for onscreen by:
Assault Marines: 2 (possibly 4)
Space Marine Captain: 3
Devastator Marine: 1
Dreadnought: 2
Eldar Farseer: 2
Eldar Sniper: 1
Eldar Banshee: 1
Eldar War Spider: 1
TOTAL PARTICIPANTS
ELDAR: at least 10 (up to ~17)
1 Farseer
7 Screaming Banshees AT LEAST (perhaps twice as many)
1 Ranger
1 Warp Spider
SPACE MARINES: 8
1 Captain
2 Tactical Marines
1 Devastator Marine
3 Assault Marines
1 Dreadnought
(+1 killed at the start of the video)


