How did the AT-AT's get on Hoth?

Its been a while since i have seen the Empire Strikes Back but im curious......How did the AT-AT's arrive on the planet Hoth?

As far as i can tell from reading the books ( i just finished the bundled trilogy) the AT-AT's were already on the planet.

There is no mention about how these walking menaces got on the planet. I would awesume from some loader shuttle, but i have never seen a loader shuttle that can carry an AT-AT.

Im just curious

 

Landing Barges. Basically big boxes with engines.

 

Ahhhhh..thank you

I take it this was in the movie. I dont remember reading about the landing barges in any of the novels.

thanks again

 

this is not in the movie..it's just assumed similar to how the trade federation dropped all there armies down on naboo

 

I think I saw it in the movie-they sort of thud on the ground, and then get up and start going medieval on the rebellion's ass.

 

It wasn't in the movies, but it is in the EU somewhere. And one of the Rogue Squadron games has AT-STs arriving in big boxes with rockets attached. I assume the AT-ATs just use doublewides

 

Well, in AOTC you see the precursors to AT-AT's being dropped by drop ships. I would assume it's the same type of thing on a larger scale.

 

If you'll take a close look at the AT-AT model, there are three shallow grooves on the AT-AT's side, between its legs. That is where the landing barge clamps fit in to carry them down to the surface.

 

The AT-AT Barges were depicted fully in the Lucas Arts PC game, "Force Commander".

 

Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike has some big transports that I think were used to transport AT-ATs.

The level "Defenders of Ralltir" supports that theory.

 

We see this in Star Wars: Force Commander. A game that I've never played, but I've seen the trailer on lucasarts.com. They look like big blue boxes kindov. the "knees" on the walker's leg's bend forward, so It'll fit, the the barge comes up, knees unfold, and the AT-AT is ready to go.