What did a successful design look like?
Take hover tanks, for example—the TX-130 Saber tank commonly used during the Galactic Republic era. It was fast, highly maneuverable, and later versions even came equipped with basic Deflector Shields. Armed with a light laser cannon powerful enough to deal with most ground units, it could rapidly penetrate the battlefield and strike at weak points in enemy lines.
Its design was simple and reliable, its maintenance costs low, and it could adapt to a variety of terrain. It performed outstandingly during the Clone Wars. Therefore, it was a successful design.
Take heavy armored units, for another example—the AT-TE walker, also from the Galactic Republic era. This six-legged walker was renowned for its heavy armor and formidable firepower. Equipped with a heavy Particle Grenade Launcher and multiple Anti-Infantry Laser Turrets, it could charge directly into enemy lines and provide powerful support for infantry.
Its structure was stable and its off-road capability strong. Although it was not fast, it could advance reliably through complex terrain, becoming a dependable mobile fortress on the battlefield. Its design goal was clear, its function specialized, and its battlefield role well-defined. It rendered tremendous service to the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars, so this too was a successful design.
And so, let them look at the 1-H superheavy hover tank.
It attempted to possess the TX-130's mobility and speed while combining the AT-TE's powerful firepower and protection. As a hover unit, it could also conveniently mount Deflector Shields. It sounded wonderful beyond compare—surely this was supposed to be the perfect armored unit?
But in reality, in order to meet its protection requirements, the 1-H hover tank had been wrapped in alloy armor averaging 200 millimeters thick. This brought enormous weight. Then there was the firepower of one heavy laser