Rebel trooper Rebel troopers , also known as Rebel fleet troopers or Rebel soldiers , were the front - line soldier s of both the early rebel movement and later , the Rebel Alliance in the early war against the Galactic Empire and later the Galactic Civil War . Initially formed from loosely connected resistance cells , the leadership of Mon Mothma saw them become an impressively armed and trained galaxy - spanning infantry . History . With the proclamation of the New Order 19 years before the Battle of Yavin , discontinued military equipment from the former Grand Army of the Republic often wound up in the hands of rebelling factions in a variety of star system s . With many resenting Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine ' s expansionist policies into the galaxies periphery , many came to form loose , unorganized cells against the Emperor ' s reign . Cham Syndulla ' s Free Ryloth movement epitomized the ferocity of early resistance movements four years into Imperial rule , while smaller actions orchestrated by groups such as Berch Teller ' s rebel cell and the Corellian Resistance continued to prove a nuisance to Imperial authorities well into the Age of the Empire . At least five years before the Battle of Yavin , a loose rebel network came into existence that opposed the Galactic Empire on a near galactic scale , however it was unorganized , with many groups not knowing the existence of one another in order to ensure each groups individual survival in case one was compromised . One group known as Phoenix Cell utilized CR90 corvette s and a Republic - era " Pelta " - class frigate along with RZ - 1 A - wing interceptor s that would continue to be used by rebel forces well into the Galactic Civil War , while soldiers wore uniforms that were visually similar to those worn by later resistance fighters . With the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic , rebel troopers would see wide use and variations in armor and equipment . Being deployed on worlds as far flung as Sullust , Coyerti , and Haidoral Prime , as well as participating in major conflicts such as the Battle of Hoth , the Battle of Endor and the Battle of Jakku Organization . Rebel troopers were organized into various units such as fire teams of two individuals or squad s of four when necessary , and were often put under the command of General s such as Crix Madine or Carlist Rieekan . Grand strategy was dictated by Alliance High Command , which had the final say in all joint military operations . Troopers could be placed under infantry units such as the Twenty - First or Thirty - Second Infantry , the aquatic Sixty - Eighth Infantry or vanguard Sixty - First Mobile Infantry . While the Alliance Special Forces , such as Pathfinders , was composed of the best soldiers in the Rebellion often pulled from the Rebel trooper ranks , and were utilized and regarded as highly trained and organized commandos . Uniforms and Equipment . Being deployed on numerous worlds across the galaxy , the standard rebel troopers uniform and equipment varied depending on the environment and mission . Unable to finance a standard uniform for the entire army , the Alliance devised a standard look for troopers to identify themselves and improve unit cohesion and morale . Many Rebel troops adopted the uniform of Alderaan ian consular security , wearing blue shirts , black combat vests , grey trousers and black calf length boots , along with a distinctive white helmet with a visor above the forehead . This uniform appeared at outposts such as Base One , while a variant was utilized by support crew on Yavin 4 , with a similar white helmet design but instead wearing a light brown jumpsuit instead of combat vest and shirt . Officers wore a similar uniform to their trooper counterpart , but instead sported a light brown jacket , shirt and pants along with a brown belt . Those in the Rebel Honor Guard wore dark green , buttoned down jackets with pockets and matching pants and black boots , but had a similar helmet to those of consular security . Troopers on Hoth wore a white or beige shirt and pants , along with matching tan and white caps with ear flaps , and could carry goggles when necessary . Troopers in the field and not in the safety of Echo Base often wore a similar variant as those in the hangar but instead had more of a white and grey coloring , along with white Alliance Cold Weather Backpack s . Troopers assigned to forest , desert and volcanic worlds often but not always wore a uniform resembling those used by the strike team assembled to take down the Death Star II ' s shield generator on the forest moon of Endor , with camouflaged green and brown jackets and pants , along with backpacks similar to those worn by troopers on cold worlds but camouflaged green or grey . They could also carry brown sacks , and had a green metal rim circling their helmets . Pathfinders were commandos who utilized this same outfit . Troopers assigned to desert worlds could also wear uniforms similar to troopers on the " Tantive IV . " Bantha Rider s rode bantha s and utilized a tan shirt and brown jacket along with a similar helmet worn by troopers on the " Tantive IV . " Rebel pilot s often wore an orange jumpsuit along with black boots and gloves , along with a white helmet which could be customized with various insignias and imagery . Rebel pilots often flew BTL - A4 Y - wing assault starfighter / bomber s , T - 65B X - wing starfighter s and A / SF - 01 B - wing starfighter s . Rebel troopers often utilized the DH - 17 blaster pistol and DL - 18 blaster pistol , as well as the A280 blaster rifle or its modified variant the A280C blaster rifle , while the E - 17d sniper rifle was used by rebel marksmen . Rebel Vanguard s wore a white shirt and black jacket , along with brown pants and black boots , and utilized PLEX rocket launchers to take out heavy targets . Alliance troops also utilized the personal energy shield technology stolen from the Empire to minimize damage from enemy blaster bolts . Often being deployed in the field with limited supplies and armaments , Rebel troopers modified their weapons into multi - purpose weapons , with the development of an insert that allowed soldiers to fire charged ion bolts for a limited time . When Merr - Sonn Munitions , Inc . sought to increase its market share , it developed the widely used MPL - 57 , popular for its versatility and capability for firing a wide range of ammunition .