# A minor Star Wars nitpick **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016 "2008-11-30T03:41:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/61 "2008-12-01T01:28:54Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I would assume it isn’t intended for use on the ground, but rather in space. In the event that a pilot’s fighter is damaged in a manner that isn’t immediately fatal, it could let them perform repairs without the risk of drifting away, or board another ship large enough to have an airlock but too small to possess a tractor beam and hangar. I can buy that. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/62 "2008-12-01T01:38:45Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > The snowspeeders were adapted from civilian craft. Probably some futuristic snowmobile/tow truck of sorts, for humping cargo/equipment around. In ANH, there’s a shot of Luke and the other pilots riding out on to their fighters on an electric pallet jack (the sounds of the X-Wings moving seem to have come from the noise the pallet jack makes as it raises or lowers its forks). I bring this up, because the snowspeeders look like not too different than some of the forklifts I’ve seen. (The paint scheme, in particular [is pretty close](http://www.powerlineequipment.com/photos/items/enlargements/crown%20op,H10304.jpg). One would think they’d have gone for camoflauge.) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/63 "2008-12-01T05:39:34Z")
Oh yeah, it seems we’re all forgetting the [Robot Chicken explaination](http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a2505951d8bc25a011d9d95c3d0014b) as to why AT-ATs move so slow. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/64 "2008-12-01T06:13:42Z")
I also like [Inside the AT-AT](http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a25c392132b05a201132b076a5c0002) ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/65 "2008-12-01T06:33:18Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > God, I’d love to see the Thrawn trilogy filmed. For the love of all that is sacred and good, pray that Lucas doesn’t read the Dope. Pray! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/66 "2008-12-01T06:36:48Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > For the love of all that is sacred and good, pray that Lucas doesn’t read the Dope. > Pray! It _couldn’t_ be any worse than [this, apparently official, Lucasfilm product.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZE8bzxIJic) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/67 "2008-12-01T07:21:23Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > As for the TIE fighter vs X-Wing capabilities, the Rebels and Imperials clearly have different doctrines. The Imperials believe “bigger is better” and base everything around large capital ships. Star Destroyers, Super Star Destroyers, Death Stars. The capital ships dominate while the small, fast, cheap fighters serve mostly a role of scouting and local air defense for their carrier. > > The Rebels can’t compete ship for ship so they went the other route. Tough, survivable fighters with shields, hyperdrives and astromech droids (R2) that can jump into and out of a fight at will without having to rely on a carrier or mothership. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the company that built the X-Wings, Y-Wings, etc. was one of, if not _the_ leading small-ship manufacturers in the galaxy, and that the X-Wing was in development at the time the Emperor took over. The company leadership had the foresight to see trouble ahead, close up shop, and move their facilities to an “undisclosed location” while the Emperor was still busy consolidating his power. When the opportunity arose they threw in their lot with the rebels rather than allow the Empire to appropriate their operation. Thus, the rebels had the benefit of the superior fighter technology and the Empire had to make do with lesser manufacturers. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/68 "2008-12-01T10:21:22Z")
A bigger annoyance for me: every time I see the scene I find myself yelling to the rebels “They only have guns at the _front_ you idiots, what the %$#@ are you doing attacking them anywhere but from behind for? Dumbasses!” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/69 "2008-12-01T15:06:23Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Thus, the rebels had the benefit of the superior fighter technology and the Empire had to make do with lesser manufacturers. Or something like that. I’m sure the Empire uses the lowest bidder like every other government. [I always wondered what happened during that dinner on Cloud City.](http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a25c392132b05a201132b076a5c0002) ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/70 "2008-12-01T15:41:58Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > I can buy that. Except that snowspeeders aren’t space-going ships. They need ground under them in order to fly, like Luke’s landspeeder. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/71 "2008-12-01T15:49:31Z")
Why not use the X-Wings, and their torpedos, against the Imperial Walkers? I know an X-Wing is probably tougher to fly in atmosphere but my hey, they were just sitting around waiting for the pilots to abandon the snowspeeders. Of course, if you have the snowspeeders do the attacking, that makes for a new line of toys. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/72 "2008-12-01T16:35:11Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Why not use the X-Wings, and their torpedos, against the Imperial Walkers? I know an X-Wing is probably tougher to fly in atmosphere but my hey, they were just sitting around waiting for the pilots to abandon the snowspeeders. > > Of course, if you have the snowspeeders do the attacking, that makes for a new line of toys. The Battle of Hoth was actually a defeat for the Empire, in the sense that they failed in their objective of trapping and destroying the Rebels. The Rebel’s objective was not to successfully defend Hoth against an overwhelming Imperial force. It was to escape with as many weapons, spacecraft, equipment and soldiers they could. They probably could have destroyed a fair number of AT-ATs with their X-wings. They could have also damaged or lost a fair number of X-Wings in the process. ---
**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/73 "2008-12-01T16:43:06Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Why not use the X-Wings, and their torpedos, against the Imperial Walkers? I know an X-Wing is probably tougher to fly in atmosphere but my hey, they were just sitting around waiting for the pilots to abandon the snowspeeders. > > Of course, if you have the snowspeeders do the attacking, that makes for a new line of toys. Aside from the toys, there was a quick line in ESB about having trouble “adapting them to the cold.” By cold, I’d assume they meant atmospheric conditions. Aside from no one being able to hear you scream there, space is also cold. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/74 "2008-12-01T16:59:53Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > The Battle of Hoth was actually a defeat for the Empire, in the sense that they failed in their objective of trapping and destroying the Rebels. The Rebel’s objective was not to successfully defend Hoth against an overwhelming Imperial force. It was to escape with as many weapons, spacecraft, equipment and soldiers they could. They probably could have destroyed a fair number of AT-ATs with their X-wings. They could have also damaged or lost a fair number of X-Wings in the process. Besides, they needed the X-Wings for escort duty on the transports. The planetary ion cannon worked well against the Star Destroyers, but if they had launched fighters the transports would have been easy pickings by themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/75 "2008-12-01T17:00:23Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > Except that snowspeeders aren’t space-going ships. They need ground under them in order to fly, like Luke’s landspeeder. Yes, they are speeders, by definition they cannot operate in space. However, it’s not to hard to imagine that the pilots would just have one bag of kit that they would put in whatever they were flying that day. Its more convenient than adding and removing items from their inventory everytime they changed craft. Luke: “You know, this magnetic cable shooter thingamajig is only useful in space, I should just leave it in my locker and pick it up when I get ready to jump in the X-Wing.” Wedge: “Save yourself the hassle, leave it in the bag with everything else.” R2: “Beep boop beep” ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/76 "2008-12-01T17:09:40Z")
> [@Furious\_Marmot](#): > > Yes, they are speeders, by definition they cannot operate in space. > > However, it’s not to hard to imagine that the pilots would just have one bag of kit that they would put in whatever they were flying that day. Its more convenient than adding and removing items from their inventory everytime they changed craft. > > Luke: “You know, this magnetic cable shooter thingamajig is only useful in space, I should just leave it in my locker and pick it up when I get ready to jump in the X-Wing.” > > Wedge: “Save yourself the hassle, leave it in the bag with everything else.” > > R2: “Beep boop beep” A real life variation of this appears in the movie _Black Hawk Down_, wherein the soldiers are picking the gear to take on their ill-fated mission. One of them goes to pack night vision goggles, the other one says, “Don’t bother, we’ll be back long before dark.” As it turns out, they _weren’t_. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/77 "2008-12-01T17:10:37Z")
> [@AndyPolley](#): > > Aside from the toys, there was a quick line in ESB about having trouble “adapting them to the cold.” By cold, I’d assume they meant atmospheric conditions. Aside from no one being able to hear you scream there, space is also cold. I’m pretty sure that line is about the speeders. They want to search for Luke but all they can use are the Ton-Tons. The “Snow”-Speeders needed to be adapted for the cold. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/78 "2008-12-01T17:16:53Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > I’m pretty sure that line is about the speeders. They want to search for Luke but all they can use are the Ton-Tons. The “Snow”-Speeders needed to be adapted for the cold. Correct. Han could have waited for the mechanics to throw antifreeze in the speeders the next day, but Luke would have died. And it’s spelled tauntaun. How’s that for a minor nitpick? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/79 "2008-12-01T17:22:22Z")
> [@AndyPolley](#): > > Aside from the toys, there was a quick line in ESB about having trouble “adapting them to the cold.” By cold, I’d assume they meant atmospheric conditions. Aside from no one being able to hear you scream there, space is also cold. Yah - no snow in space to ice up the works 😛 ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016/80 "2008-12-01T17:49:07Z")
As for Luke’s trip to Dagobah, there’s no indication given (or even implied) as to how far of a trip it is from Hoth. Just that he’s going there and will meet up with them later. Dagobah could be Shelbyville to Hoth’s Springfield for all we know. As for the AT-ATs and their impracticality, there’s a sense, esp. now that the prequels are out, that the Empire was not particularly interested in economically flourishing, regional resource development, etc. Plus the Emperor seems to have redirected significant efforts to the Death Star creation (ps while still keeping it a secret somehow?) and it was a pretty loose confederation beforehand — so it’s understandable that the Empire doesn’t have good snow vehicles AND desert vehicles AND jungle vehicles AND cave vehicles… It’s not impractical to think of a government trying to fight a war with ridiculously mismatched equipment, history’s littered with examples of that. Hell, didn’t we go into the first Gulf War wearing jungle camouflage? 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-minor-star-wars-nitpick/475016.md?page=5)