Stormtrooper
Stormtroopers are the Imperial soldiers seen in the Star Wars movies. Descended from the Clone Wars-era Clonetroopers, they are clad in a protective cocoon of white armor.
Standard Equipment
- Stormtrooper Armor
- Blaster carbine
- Thermal Detonators
- Grappling hook and cable
Squad level equipment
Clones or Recruits
Ever since Star Wars was released in 1977, there has been much debate over whether Stormtroopers are all clones or are just normal humans recruited/conscripted by the Empire. However, according to the majority of sources, the Stormtrooper Corps is comprised of both clones and conscripts.
Stormtrooper Variants
Sandtrooper
Sandtroopers are only briefly seen on Tatooine. Little is known about differences in equipment and training between these and more regular Stormtroopers. It can be assumed that they specialize in desert combat and survival.
Snowtrooper
Snowtroopers were seen on Hoth. They wore insulated armor to protect them against the bitter cold.
Radtrooper
These stormtroopers, as their name implies, operate in high-radiation environments with superior protection against all forms of dangerous radiation. Visually, a silver coating and slightly fuller coverage distinguish this type of armor.
Spacetrooper
Not depicted in any of the movies. Although normal Stormtrooper armor does seal fully enough to provide at least temporary survivability in full vacuum, Spacetrooper armor has additional systems to make operating in a free-fall environment less tiring and complex. Spacetrooper armor also allowed for heavier weapons to be deployed as standard. Spacetroopers also receive additional training to use this equipment and operate in these environments for extended periods.
Scout Trooper
Scout trooper armor is decidedly less massive than normal Stormtrooper armor. Although it provides less protection, it can be presumed to require less maintenance and be more comfortable in the field for long deployments. Their helmet has more extensive visual enhancements, although at least some recruits had trouble coping with this design.They have been seen on Endor and Hoth.
Sea Trooper
Sea Troopers are equipped with what appears to be a large rebreather/pressurized gas tank. Their armor is based that of a Scout Trooper.
Storm Commando
The Imperial Storm Commando first appears in Star Wars: Rebel Strike. The Storm Commando's are a special group of stormtroopers tasked with collecting new technologies for the Empire. They travel in Imperial Escort Carriers.
Dark Trooper
There is some conflict amongst the source materials as to the true nature of the Dark Troopers. Some describe them as wielders of the Dark Side of the Force (hence the name) with elite equipment, while some have described them as droids. According to The Force Unleashed, the original Dark Trooper (phase zero) project was an attempt to salvage crippled or aged clone troopers through cybernetic means, which later shifted to the use of full droids owing to the high incidence of suicide among the phase zero units.
The Mandalorian series indicates that Dark Troopers were initially humanoids, but the Empire shifted to combat droids because the living troopers were less reliable. The Dark Troopers seen in the series use blaster rifles as their main weapons, have sufficient armor to resist blaster small arms, and have sufficient strength to break through blast doors given time.