NationStates Jolt Archive


The Incomplete Guide to Imperial Army Units

Thrashia
10-03-2006, 23:26
Herein lies a compendium off all known Imperial and Pre-Imperial troops and vehicles within the Star Wars universe, from books, the movies, and from the very mind of George Lucas. Hopefully this guide will help you with understanding and seeing the full might of the Imperial and pre-Imperial Army. This in turn compliments the "Incomplete Guide to Imperial Naval Vessels that I have done previously. This is a work in progress, so bear with me.
- Empire of Thrashia


Grand Army of the Republic

The Grand Army of the Republic, the successor of the pre-Ruusan Republic military was created by the cloners on Kamino, and comprised of two hundred thousand units and their war machines as of the start of the Clone Wars. After the initial engagements, a million more clone units were added to the ranks of the army. The earliest attempt to recreate the pre-Ruusan Republic military was the Katana fleet.

The creation of the army was ordered by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, though it was actually part of a plot concocted by Darth Sidious to craft an army for the Sith Lords. Though the clone troopers fought for the Galactic Republic under Jedi leadership during the Clone Wars, the army was turned against the loyalists and the Jedi when the Galactic Empire was formed at the war's end. Chancellor/Emperor Palpatine wielded executive control over the army, and transformed it into the Imperial Army, Stormtrooper Corps, and Navy of his Galactic Empire.

Ground Troops

Clone Trooper
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Star%20Wars/Clonetroopers.jpg
The clone troopers were created ten years prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars by the cloners on the planet Kamino at the behest of Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, according to the Kaminoans. There is some debate on this point, however, as Sifo-Dyas was killed more than ten years before the beginning of the War.

The genetic template of the clone troopers was Jango Fett, one of if not the most feared bounty hunter in the Galaxy at that time, as well as one of the last surviving Mandalorians, an ancient warrior culture. The clone troopers were outfitted with armor styled after Fett's Mandalorian battle armor and armed with weapons and vehicles produced in secret by Kuat Drive Yards.
Clone troopers were grown with accelerated speed, nearly double that of a normal human, and flash-trained in their specific tasks. Their genetic code was altered to make them more docile and subject to military discipline, though some clone units such as the Advanced Recon Clone (ARC) Troopers and Republic Commandos were allowed to retain more of Jango's original personality such that they could more-directly draw on his guile and years of combat experience. It is also noted that while some of the clones do possess a few human emotions including remorse and humor there is little that they can do if an order is given.

History:
By the time of the Battle of Geonosis, about 1.2 million clones were ready for duty. When the Republic took the ready batches from the complimentary Kaminoan clone stations of Baran Wu and Su Des, that army swelled to 3 million - still woefully inadequate to fight a galactic war against an industrial enemy with the ability to mass-produce large armies in very short amounts of time.

Clone efficiency was far superior to that of their average droid enemy, however; the average clone trooper managed 20 kills during his operational life. This superior performance, when combined with the highly-effective combat actions of the specialized clone units such as the Republic Commandos, ARC Troopers, and Clone Intelligence units, allowed the clone army to slowly but surely force the Confederacy of Independent Systems to retreat to the Outer Rim over the three year period of the Clone Wars.

However, this was partly due to influence by Darth Sidious, as the Droid Army numbered in the quadrillions, and half of the clone army ( before and during the war, Kamino produced some 30 billion clones) was dead by the end of the war. If it had not been for Sidious, the droid army would have overwhelmed the clones with ease.

The fate of the clone troopers following the Clone Wars is a subject purely open to speculation. While the connection between the clone troopers and the Imperial stormtroopers in service to the Galactic Empire suggests that some of the original Jango Fett clones survived well into the Galactic Civil War, it has also been suggested from Expanded Universe sources that the original Fett DNA was replaced by other sources in the Empire's continuing clone program which provided the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps.

http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/e/e5/Clone_Troopers_Phase_I.jpg

From left to Right: Commander, Lieutenant, Standard Trooper, Captain, Sergeant; all in Phase I armour

http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/5/57/Clone_Troopers_Phase_II.jpg

From Left to Right: Various kinds of clone troopers from different divisions, who are in Phase II armor (from left to right): a Galactic Marine from the 4th Sector Army, Parjai Squad trooper from the 2nd Airborne Company, a clone trooper Lieutenant of the 327th Star Corps, a clone scout trooper from the 41st Elite Corps, a common clone trooper, a shock trooper of the Homeworld Security Command, an AT-RT Driver, also of the 41st Elite Corps, a Trooper of the 212th Attack Battalion, and a trooper of the 501st Legion.


Specialised Units and Clones

Clone trooper captains
Clone Trooper captains were specialized Clone troopers bred in Kamino to act in special missions. They were recognised by the red markings on their helmets and torso armour. The Clone Trooper captains were also assigned to leading companies of 144 Clone troopers. Their weapons were the DC-15 blaster rifle and pulse grenades. They were also trained to handle the Aratech military speeder bikes. They first appeared during the Battle of Geonosis where they used their Aratech speeder bikes to round up and destroy the huge and clumsy Confederacy spider droids by throwing pulse grenades as they raced across the battlefield. Some captains also serve as sharpshooters and scouts for the Republic Army. These clones are armed with long ranged sniper rifles and are tasked with the disruption of enemy infantry.

Clone trooper commanders
Clone trooper commanders were clone troopers bred on Kamino for leadership roles in the Army of the Republic. They led regiments of 2,304 clone troopers into battle. At the start of the war they were distinguished by yellow-orange markings on their armor and helmets. They were given special training to fulfill their advanced roles and were also bred with extra capacity for critical thinking and tactical coordination and were allowed more independence. In combat, they were often assigned to any command centre that had been set up though sometimes they participated with their fellow clone troopers if badly needed.

Advanced Recon Commandos (ARC troopers)
Advanced Recon Commandos - more informally known as ARC troopers - are part of the elite special forces of clone troopers under the Grand Army of the Republic. There are several subdivisions of ARC troopers, including ARC commanders, ARC captains,shock troopers, null-ARC troopers, and BARC troopers.

Galactic Marines
Under the command of Commander Bacara and general Ki-Adi-Mundi, the Galactic Marines were some of the most feared troopers in the Star Wars. They specialized in space and ground battles (mainly in cold regions,) and wore maroon armor with a back-pack that pumped hot water into their suits. The marines were precursors to the Snowtroopers of Episode V.

The marines wore maroon kama , or "command skirts", similar to the type ARC Troopers wore. They were equipped with DC-17 blaster rifles and the higher ranking ones were equipped with heavy repeating rifles. These troops were among the first to field-test new equipment and combat gear. Their use of the prototype spacetrooper powersuit during the Battle of New Bornalex was well documented; when the weapons systems on the suits failed, the troopers used the mechanical musculature to engage the enemy super battle droids in hand-to-hand combat and tore into them with their enhanced manipulators.

Clone Shocktroopers
The Homeworld Security Clone Shocktroopers of the 65th Legion are specialized clone troopers of the Galactic Republic/Galactic Empire who serve under Palpatine and are led by Clone Commander Thire. Their armor is painted with distinctive red patterns, with various red stripes and rectangles covering the majority of their armor. The Shock Troopers, similar to the ARC-Trooper and 501st programs, consisted of a batch of randomly selected clones after birth and maturity. It is rumored that, also like the ARC-Troopers, their independence was tweaked to provide complex thought, but no "real" proof of this is known. The Shock Troopers and the 501st legion were both shipped to Coruscant quietly after the Battle of Geonosis, along with few a cloners, under the order of Palpatine. Both legions are unique, compared to other clone legions, in that neither one ever served under a Jedi(s) commander during the Clone Wars — the Shock Troopers were used to patrol Coruscant streets and landing platforms, checking identification and protecting key installations. They also acted as normal security guards, and commonly escorted Palpatine, while the 501st served independently and only after the Order 66 and the fall of the Old Republic served under Lord Vader. During the beginning of the Battle of Coruscant, when CIS forces landed on-planet and attacked, the Shock Troopers effectively defended the planet and destroyed hundreds of droids easily, but were still unable to prevent Palpatine's capture by General Grievous. Since Palpatine's capture was pre-meditated and planned, it was possible that Palpatine specifically prevented his own rescue, and the Shock Troopers probably played a role in it.

It was well-known in the Empire's golden age that only the "best, brightest, and most-experienced" stormtroopers would be promoted to the Royal Guard, and the fact that many of them were originally clones from the Shock Troopers is not surprising.

They often accompanied Palpatine off world, both as Shock Troopers and the Royal Guard. Because of their beginnings on Coruscant and extreme loyalty to the Emperor, the Shock Troopers were probably the only clones that did not have any moral issues (or any issues) with Order 66. It is not surprising that 501st assaulted the Jedi Temple, while the Shock Troopers patrolled the streets and kept the fire-speeders grounded. Later during the Galactic Empire, Shocktroopers were trained to use rocket launchers to ground enemy vehicles.

Clone Assassins
Clone Assassins were one of the ever-expanding specializations that Advanced Recon Commandos evolved into during The Clone Wars. When the elusive threat of Count Dooku's compatriots composed of Dark Jedi became too much for even the Jedi Order, the Republic Army High Command deemed the creation of an elite unit to combat the growing menace was needed. Selected from second generation A.R.C.s, the Clone Assassin Corps was trained and disciplined for the sole purpose of taking down any form of Force-sensitives classified as enemies of The Republic. To effectively confront their would-be adversaries, any form of assistance was carefully researched. From agility enhancing stims to Advanced Jedi flow techniques and even black market far-ranging weapons technology. They were also taught the martial art known as Teras Kasi making them capable of avoiding most blows. In addition, they also carried shoulder-mounted gatling guns.

One of their most important and last actions, the elite members of the Corp were deployed to the Jedi Temple to ensure the potent execution of the said-to-be-traitorous Jedi Knights ordered by Emperor Palpatine. After purging the Jedi Temple, Darth Vader assigned them to protect the Jedi Communication Center that would lure the last of the Jedi in the Galaxy into the final moments of their Order. As a last ditch effort to save the remaining Jedi, former General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Yoda infiltrated the Jedi Temple to reprogram the ensnared message. Even with their incredible prowess and greater numbers, the majority of the Corps were overrun and died knowing that they perished in the hands of the two most powerful force sensitives in the galaxy. The Assassin Corps was never reestablished after their uneventful life and tragic death.

From their ashes rose the few who survived, they were rumored to have been reassigned serving as advanced training overseers for the Galactic Empire's rising new elite purge forces, namely the Inquisitorius, 501st "Vader's fist" Legion, Coruscant Guards and Storm Commandos. They shared these responsibilities with the Emperor's own, the Emperor's Royal Guards.

Clone commandos
The Clone commandos, also known as a Republic Commando, were elite Special forces soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic. Trained in sets of four from the day of their birth, they were placed under command of soldiers hired by Jango Fett. (Many of which were Ex-Mandalorian soldiers, much like Jango himself.) These sets of four- based on Kamino's native Aiwa predators- were encouraged to think for themselves in a similar way to the ARC troopers. As a result of being in such small groups, they developed a very strong sense of Camaraderie- a subject which both the video game and the two Republic Commando books (Namely Hard Contact and Triple Zero, By Karren Traviss.) delve into.

Jet Troopers
Clone Jet Troopers were an experimental concept designed to take advantage of the so-called 'genetic memory' of their predecessor, Jango Fett. To this end, they wore jetpacks to zip quickly around the battlefield and reach otherwise inaccessible vantage points, and carried advanced weaponry. Only clones who had reached Sergeant rank or higher were eligible to join this semi-elite group of specialists.

Their jetpacks expanded on the ones used by Jango with increased fuel loads allowing for longer flight times. They were also far more controllable as they used miniaturised repulsorlift technology to dodge round corners rather than using just rockets to gain a quick boost of speed. Jet Troopers were equipped with an experimental EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) generator that fired a torpedo of roiling EMP energy towards a target. If that target was unfortunate enough to be a droid, the pulse would completely overload all of their systems and blow the droid to pieces. If used against living targets, the effect was less devastating, but it would still severely shock anything caught in the blast. Unhappily, though, the generator was bulky and could only carry enough ammo for 12 shots and was also slow to reload. For this reason, Jet Troopers were also equipped with one of the more dangerous blaster pistols ever to see widespread front-line service, the DC-17p.

Jet Troopers proved so effective in the early stages of the conflict that they continued to form a specialist legion until the end of The Clone Wars. The late-war Jet Troopers were equipped with more advanced armour but carried much the same weaponry. Their new armour was not coloured based on their specialist status but rather to indicate legion affiliation like normal Clone Trooper armour. Late-war Jet Troopers saw service in many legions thanks to their huge versatility in battle and their ability to cover large amounts of ground very quickly.

Clone pilots
Clone trooper pilots were Clone troopers bred in Kamino for the purpose of piloting the air vehicles of the Republic Army. They could fly anything from a LAAT/i gunship to a Venator-class Star Destroyer. Their uniforms featured yellow markings and specialized helmets.They first appeared during the Battle of Geonosis where they flew the LAAT/i gunships, LAAT/c cargo gunships, and AT-TEs.
Thrashia
12-03-2006, 00:26
Clone Army Vehicles

LAAT (Low Altitude Assault Transport)
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Star%20Wars/normal_LowAltitudeAssaultTransport-.jpg

Size: 17.4 meters long
Manufacturer: Rothana Heavy Engineering
Type: Repulsorshift gunship
Weapons: 3 anti-personnel laser turrets, 4 composite-beam laser turrets, 8 light air-to-air rockets, 2 mass-driver missile launchers

The LAAT is a specialized airspeeder deployed at high altitudes by Republic assault ships, the LAAT's would use their light weaponry to clear areas where they could deposit their cargos. The LAAT serves the purpose of helicopter gunships and cargo carriers in the real world. It first appeared in the Battle of Geonosis where they rescued the surviving Jedi from the execution arena, disabled and destroyed many of the fleeing Confederacy capital ships and destroyed many of the hailfire droids. The gunship continued service with the Galactic Empire, as well as the Rebel Alliance. The LAAT series were produced by Rothana Heavy Engineering for the Galactic Republic.

The LAAT/i mounts numerous weapons emplacements, including three blasters, two single and two twin composite-beam lasers, eight anti-aircraft rockets and two mass drivers for launching larger missile weapons. It also stored up to two 74-Z speederbikes.

AT-TE (All Terrain Tactical Enforcer)
Image (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/AT-TE.jpg)
The squat AT-TE (All Terrain Tactical Enforcer) walker was created by Rothana Heavy Engineering, a subsidiary of Kuat Drive Yards. Its main armament was a heavy projectile cannon, supplemented by four forward-mounted ball-turret laser cannons and two rear-facing laser turrets. The heavy projectile cannon could fire anything from heavily-intensified laser blasts to various warheads, missiles, or torpedoes. Five gunners were required to operate the various weapons systems, joining a pilot and a spotter as the walker's clone trooper crew. A further twenty clone troopers could be carried in the AT-TE's two passenger compartments.
Manufactuer: Rothana Heavy Engineering
Specification: All Terrain Tactical Enforcer
Type: Multipurpose amored assault walker
Length: 12.4 meters
Weapons: 1 Heavy Projectile cannon, 6 laser cannon turrets (4 forward-mounted, 2 rear-
facing)
Shield: Electromagnetic Shielding
Hull: Heavy armour plating
Crew: 1 pilot, 1 spotter, 5 gunners
Top Speed: 60 km/h or 40 mph
Passengers: up to 20 clone troopers


AT-XT (All Terrain Experimental Transport)
Image (http://www.lucasarts.com/products/starwarstheclonewars/images/craft/6.jpg)
A predecessor of the Imperial AT-ST. The AT-XT is equipped with twin laser cannons and a long range mortar. Also, as a defensive measure, it is equipped with a shield capable of absorbing enemy fire for a short period of time. Despite its slow speed, it is capable of demolishing enemy columns and AATs. The AT-XT can re-generate mortars and the head moves independently of the legs.

AT-PT (All Terrain Personal Transport)
Image ( http://www.britannia.org/lw3d/objects/at-pt.jpg)
Manufactuer: Rothana Heavy Engineering
Specification: All Terrain Personal Transport
Type: Mechanized Infantry/Walker
Height: 3 meters
Depth: 3 meters
Weapons: Dual pivotal blaster cannon, concussion grenade launcher
Hull: Heavy armour plating
Crew: 1 pilot/gunner
Top Speed: 60 km/

The AT-PT (All Terrain Personal Transport) is a single seat light anti-infantry walker developed and used during the latter years of the Old Republic era. It was developed and produced by Rothana Heavy Engineering for use during the Clone Wars, though it saw little actual service during the conflicts. It is lightly armoured and has twin blaster cannons and a concussion grenade launcher, both of which are highly effective against infantry; this is in keeping with its design goals, which were to accompany a platoon of soldiers as mechanized support, enhancing their effectiveness. Nonetheless, its superior agility compensates for its light armor, as exemplified by its ability to cross most terrain, such as: shallow water, mountain regions, jungles, and cities, climb inclines of up to 45 degrees, as well as to cross obstacles which repulsorlift and treaded vehicles would be hindered by.

AT-AP (All Terrain Assault Pod)
Image (http://www.wizards.com/starwars/images/ship_AT-AP.jpg)
The All Terrain Attack Pod is a three-legged evolution of the AT-PT walker. Its two primary legs were used for walking, while the third leg hung underneath the fuselage and would be extended during combat to help stabilize the walker when it took aim and fired its main cannon or when the walker was crossing uneven terrain. The AT-AP is operated by 3 clone troopers at a time, two in the cabin and a third operating a top-mounted swivel blaster. In addition, it is armed with a large laser cannon fixed in the front of the craft and an anti-personnel blaster cannon at the bottom of the main fuselage. Beneath the top turret, there is a supply cage with tools to repair the vehicle.

AT-RT (All Terrain Reconnaissance Transport)
Image (http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/Upum/Star%20Wars/movie_bg.jpg)

The AT-RT (for All-Terrain Reconnaissance Transport) was a fast, lightly armed and armoured scout walker used to reconnoitre the battlefield and provide vital tactical information as well as mobile anti-infantry support. Exuding speed, power and menace, the AT-RT was widely used by Republic forces throughout much of the Clone Wars.
Standing on 2 wiry legs, the spry AT-RT was a crucial part of the recon arm of the Grand Army. Capable of very high speeds, highly agile and able to unleash powerful anti-infantry laserfire from its main cannon the AT-RT excelled in its chosen role. While the open cockpit left the pilot highly exposed, improved body armour and the walker’s speed proved more than adequate defences on most occasions. While the laser cannon was deadly to any infantry units that crossed its path, it was underpowered when dealing with more significant threats. Anything above the size and power of a Dwarf Spider Droid was unable to be dealt with by this small craft, but it often scouted out targets and brought devastating air, artillery or ground strikes to bear on them before they could react. It was able to do this with its advanced scanner suite, mounted on the nose, and directly coupled to it its powerful rear-mounted communications gear.

For protection and more concentrated firepower, AT-RTs often travelled in squads of 3-6. This produced a frighteningly efficient anti-infantry killing machine that was highly mobile and coordinated due to the advanced communications equipment. AT-RTs were also often deployed as police units in captured territory. Their menacing presence made any resistance fighter think twice before mounting campaigns against Republic bases, equipment, personnel or vehicles. Certain AT-RT units were upgraded for front-line battlefield combat by the addition of heavier armour and a twin mortar cannon mounted above the engines. While still poor in combat with proper vehicles or larger combat droids, these advanced units could clear out spaces of infantry very quickly and made the task of advancing the front lines much easier for the hard-pressed Clone Troopers.

SPHA-T (Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolaser)
Image (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Spha-t.jpg)

Manufactuer: Rothana Heavy Engineering
Specification: Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolaser
Type: Self-propelled artillery
Length: 30 meters
Weapons: Heavy turbolaser cannon, ion cannon, or concussion missile launchers (depending on variant)12 antipersonnel blaster cannons (some variants)
Hull: Heavy armour plating
Crew: 15 clone troopers, 25 on models with blaster cannons
Top Speed: unknown
Passengers: crew only

the SPHA-T (Self Propelled Heavy Artillery- Turbolaser) walker, commonly known as the Big Gun, was a machine deployed in the Mandalorian War, then later in the Army of the Republic.
Its main weapon was a heavy turbolaser cannon mounted on its top capable of causing terrible damage to its foes. It also had 12 antipersonnel blasters. Its crew consisted of 15 command crew and 10 gunners. It moved on 12 legs and it was 30 metres long. The SPHA-T first appeared in the Battle of Geonosis where it was instrumental in shooting down several Trade Federation and Techno Union transport ships.
Some creative captains bolstered their ship's firepower by opening the hanger doors and having the SPHA-Ts fire out upon the Separatist's vessels, as seen during the Battle of Coruscant in ROTS. An armored juggernaut with incredible firepower, the SPHA-T is a self-propelled laser artillery piece. Rather than having a rotating turret, the entire vehicle can reposition itself by means of twelve articulated legs. Considerably larger than the AT-TE walker, the SPHA-T provides long-range surface-to-surface and surface-to-air fire, coordinated by a crack team of clone troopers. A battery of SPHA-Ts were responsible for shooting down the immense Trade Federation core ships that attempted to escape the first battle of the Clone Wars.Developed by the engineers of Rothana, technological partners of the Kaminoans, the SPHA-T stands for "self propelled heavy artillery -- turbolaser." The vehicle's central cannon is modular, allowing different artillery units to be fitted with different weapon types, such as ion cannons, anti-vehicle laser cannons or concussion missile launchers. The turbolaser assembly was designed first, and it being the most power-intensive, dictated the design specifications of the walker carriage assembly. The prolonged blast stream of this turbolaser design necessitated a gargantuan reactor core. The cannon's power and support equipment requirements are so robust that it prevented its use aboard large starships. The articulated leg design offers traction and stability over a wide variety of environment types, and cannot be defeated through anti-repulsorlift electromagnetic attacks the way speeders can. The SPHA-T requires a crew of fifteen clone troopers to operate. Some models are equipped with 12 retractable antipersonnel blasters which necessitate a gunnery crew of ten.


More to come...
Franberry
12-03-2006, 00:34
(OOC: why dont you just say: "Stuff from Star Wars" and get it done quickly)
Thrashia
12-03-2006, 12:12
(OOC: why dont you just say: "Stuff from Star Wars" and get it done quickly)

ooc: me being a true hard-core fan of the Imperial Armed Forces...I feel that I should slap you. But seeing as your online *smack* this will have to do. ;) Its cuz its just no fun to say "stuff from SW". No imagination or dedication.
Praetonia
12-03-2006, 12:24
But all the stuff is just lifted from SW anyway... how does that require imagination...
Thrashia
12-03-2006, 12:29
But all the stuff is just lifted from SW anyway... how does that require imagination...
*rubs head* it just does...dont question my genius! *blasts Praetonia with force lightning* (jk) I used the wrong word perhaps...ow well. I just like doing it so people online here at NS can have a in-forum ready made thread for these types of units and their historical aspects as well, not just the specs.
Fritzhollanderland
22-06-2006, 15:01
Have you ever actually seen a woman naked? Just wondering.
The Aeson
22-06-2006, 15:04
Have you ever actually seen a woman naked? Just wondering.

Does this actually have any relevance at all to the topic at hand? Just wondering.
Hydac
22-06-2006, 18:37
Have you ever actually seen a woman naked? Just wondering.

You ever talked one without giving her your credit card number first?
Thrashia
22-06-2006, 19:27
You ever talked one without giving her your credit card number first?

Thats a sad insult, especially since it was used by Triumph the Insult Dog on Late Night with Connon O'Brien. Come up with a better insult next time, maybe more original. And if you actually must know, I am engaged. So up yours.
Hydac
22-06-2006, 19:36
Thats a sad insult, especially since it was used by Triumph the Insult Dog on Late Night with Connon O'Brien. Come up with a better insult next time, maybe more original. And if you actually must know, I am engaged. So up yours.

I was speaking to the person who insulted you, try actually reading the thread next time.
Thrashia
22-06-2006, 19:46
I was speaking to the person who insulted you, try actually reading the thread next time.

Sry, just being rather defensive right now. I apoligize. *bows*