The AT-AT was originally designed to be a troop transport, allowing for up to forty Stormtroopers, nine crew members and two speeder-bikes to be carried. It can also transport two partially dismantled All Terrain Scout Transports. Unfortunately, troops and vehicles are extremely difficult to offload in the field of battle and a landing platform or some similar object is needed. Lacking a platform, vehicles and troops can only disembark when the transport is in the kneeling position with the ramp extended; this leaves it vulnerable to attack.
The AT-AT's main armament includes two chin-mounted heavy lasers and two temple-mounted blaster canons. Thick, blaster-resistant armor plating covers the majority of the walker's body. The legs are made for the most rugged environments imaginable; this has the added benefit of allowing the walker to walk over and crush most light vehicles and equipment.
The AT-AT is not without weaknesses, however. Since there are no rear or top mounted weapons, the vehicle is left with a multitude of blind spots. Additionally, the underside of the walker is insufficiently armored which is a weakness that has often been exploited because the main fuel cells are also located at the bottom of the walker. Another major design flaw is that the 'neck' of the AT-AT has almost no armor and is another spot often targeted to disable the transports.