Originally posted by: corellian77
I don't get the confusion over the shield generator on Hoth. The AT-ATs didn't have to contend with it because the shield exists ABOVE the Rebel base only, not at ground level. The starwars.com databank entry is pretty clear about it:
Ground-based installations use immense projectors to generate a deflector shield, like the one that protected the Rebel base on Hoth from orbital bombardment. This shield worked in both directions, however, and had to be lowered momentarily to allow the launching of evacuation ships. During the Battle of Hoth, Imperial ground craft landed beyond the shield perimeter, and marched over land to destroy the generators powering the shield.
Given this, I think any addition of a field effect for the walkers to go through would be not only unecessary, but just plain a bad idea. THERE'S NO SHIELD AT GROUND LEVEL...
I don't get the confusion over the shield generator on Hoth. The AT-ATs didn't have to contend with it because the shield exists ABOVE the Rebel base only, not at ground level. The starwars.com databank entry is pretty clear about it:
Ground-based installations use immense projectors to generate a deflector shield, like the one that protected the Rebel base on Hoth from orbital bombardment. This shield worked in both directions, however, and had to be lowered momentarily to allow the launching of evacuation ships. During the Battle of Hoth, Imperial ground craft landed beyond the shield perimeter, and marched over land to destroy the generators powering the shield.
Given this, I think any addition of a field effect for the walkers to go through would be not only unecessary, but just plain a bad idea. THERE'S NO SHIELD AT GROUND LEVEL...
I'll start by saying that I agree with your point 100%. However, I must point out that the quote from the databank does not explicitly state that the shield doesn't go to the ground. The shield is most likely at its weakest at the extreme edges, meaning that vehicles and people can sneak in via the edge of the shield, thus explaining why it had to be shut down before Darth Vader could land near the rebel base.