The Heavy Imperial-class Repulsortank is the standard for the Imperial-class repulsortank and is the most widely produced. The late arrival of the Imperial-class repulsortank is a result of the uneven practice of the Imperial doctrine of modularity and standardization. Nonetheless, it is among the best repulsortanks in the Galaxy and suffers no major design flaws. High Colonel Zel "Rancor" Johans, commander of the elite Hell's Hammers Regiment was a driving force behind the Imperial-class Repulsortank. Operation of the 1-H requires a crew of four: driver, two gunners, and the sergeant in command of the repulsortank, which is considered a squad-level unit in itself.

    High Colonel Johans was consulted extensively and most of his suggestions were incorporated into the final design. Ubrikkian Transports was awarded the chassis design contract. Only his request for battle-shields went unfulfilled for physical-science technical problems. Mounting an impressive long range heavy laser cannon as its main weapon, it is one of the most powerful and highly accurate tank guns of its class on the modern battlefield. Merr-Sonn Weapons was subcontracted to produce the heavy laser cannon which was to be equal to High Colonel Johans' specifications. The secondary cannon is intended for short range usage and as a field backup.

    The first Imperial-class Repulsortanks rolled off the production lines on time and on budget. Out of the first 1,500 repulsortanks of the production run 1,420 were immediately assigned to the first Death Star with the remaining lot being assigned to the Hell's Hammers. Since the destruction of the Death Star, steady production of these vehicles has continued, although at a reduced pace. They are slowing filling in gaps in Imperial armoured units as they occur due to combat or regular operations. Ubrikkian Transports' production scheme is highly de-centralized. Sector Armies that have embraced the repulsortank subcontract to a local sector manufacturer who builds the craft under Ubrikkian supervision.

    Since there is little political pressure, many local commands have not embraced the Imperial-class Repulsortank in this way, and thus they are being unevenly distributed throughout the Empire. However, some subsector headquarters have acquired them via unit transfers and orders sent to central production. Ubrikkian Transports continues to manufacture the Imperial-class Repulsortanks to order. Ubrikkian central production facilities are manufacturing as much as a five percent surplus of these combat craft. Mysteriously, there is no records of supply transfers and transportation, or warehouse storage listings for the vanishing surplus of repulsortanks.

    As the Hell's Hammers were engaged in reorganization and retraining, they missed their chance to participate in the Battle of Hoth. If the Hell's Hammers had been at that battle, the faster Imperial-class Repulsortanks would have been largely immune to the Rebels' firepower, unaffected by the tactics used against the AT-ATs, able to destroy the shield generators in roughly one-third the time General Veers took, and most important of all irrevocably shatter the Rebel Alliance. That opinion by High Colonel Zel Johans of the Hell's Hammers is supported by both Imperial and Rebel analysis of the battle.