Dark Trooper Project The Dark Trooper Project was a program run by General Rom Mohc of the Galactic Empire , funded by Emperor Palpatine , to develop what would have become next generation stormtroopers / battle droids , the dark trooper s . The factory ship " Arc Hammer " served as the main production facility of the battle droids . History . Dark Trooper Phase Zero Project . The Dark Trooper Phase Zero project was implemented in the early years of the Empire to deal with a shortage of experienced troops . To return veterans of the Clone Wars to peak condition , their limbs and organs were removed and replaced with cybernetics using much of the same technology used to transform Darth Vader into a cyborg . In some cases , over 70 % of a clone ' s body was replaced . With their years of combat experience and cybernetic enhancements , the units that did make it onto the field were undeniably effective . However , as the subjects were forcibly recruited into the project , many Phase Zero Dark Troopers could not cope with the state of being more machine than man and attempted suicide . The project was eventually shut down as the Empire grew in power and the recruitment rate of non - clones rose . Development . The Dark Trooper Project was the brainchild of General Rom Mohc who drew from his experiences helping TaggeCo develop the Z - X3 experimental droid trooper , as well as the Dark Trooper Phase Zero Project he oversaw in the earlier years of the Empire . General Mohc , working with the Imperial Department of Military Research , requisitioned the " Arc Hammer " to both construct , house , and transport his new little army . However , not everyone in the Empire supported the project . Several officers and politicians had reservations about droids dating from the Clone Wars experiences . Notably Grand Vizier Sate Pestage never thought the project would work . The project was divided into three phases : phases I , II , and III . While the Phase I dark troopers were little more than skeletal prototypes they were put into some use early on by General Rom Mohc guarding installations . A peculiarity of the Phase I when compared to the later stages is that instead of a blaster rifle , or some other projectile weapon , it was equipped with a retractable vibrosword and a blast shield . Deployment . Success for the project was ultimately achieved with Phase II . After initial production of the Phase II dark troopers , an attack was launched on Talay Tak Base . The attack proved the capabilities of Phase II dark troopers ; the base was completely wiped out in minutes . These battle droids were larger , bulkier , and equipped with armor of similar design to that of stormtroopers . This armor was made of phrik , a dense and durable alloy that was difficult for even lightsabers to cut through . The Phase II carried a weapon capable of firing both plasma shells and explosive rockets . Not content with the modest success of the Phase II , Rom Mohc went on to develop the Phase III . To General Mohc the Phase III would be the ultimate battle droid . However , it also served as an exosuit for living soldiers . Only one unit was ever constructed of the most devastating of the dark troopers . General Mohc utilized this droid to defend himself and the " Arc Hammer " from Kyle Katarn . Failure . Under orders from Mon Mothma , Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors continually sabotaged the production facilities . Kyle Katarn quickly infilitrated and sabotaged a number of key facilities including the phrik mines on Gromas 16 and the phrik refining facility and Phase II factory on Anteevy . Eventually the mercenary infiltrated the " Arc Hammer " , where Mohc and Katarn had their final showdown . Mohc was killed in the skirmish , and the " Arc Hammer " was destroyed by thermal detonator charges . Furious at the time and credits wasted on the project , Palpatine ended all productions of the dark troopers and even went so far as to withdraw funding for all Imperial battle droids being developed at that time .