"A" Squad

"A" Squad was a clone trooper unit within the Grand Army of the Republic's 212th Attack Battalion during the Clone Wars. Led by a clone lieutenant, it fell under the overall command of Marshal Commander CC-2224 in the Battle of Sarrish, which took place in 20 BBY. After crashing their LAAT/i shuttle during the battle, the squad moved to eliminate an anti-aircraft gun. At least eight members of the squad were killed, while two others were injured. Despite their losses, "A" Squad successfully defeated the Separatist forces—completing their mission—with a small group led by Cody destroying the anti-aircraft gun.
==Description==
The Grand Army of the Republic's "A" Squad served under Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi's 212th Attack Battalion. The unit operated at least one LAAT/i gunship and was supplied with DC-15A blaster rifles, DC-15S blaster carbines, and ascension cables. All clone troopers in the squad wore Phase II clone trooper armor with orange markings.
==History==
===A routine mission===
"A" Squad was deployed—alongside the rest of the 212th Attack Battalion—to the planet Sarrish of the Vensensor sector in the Battle of Sarrish in 20 BBY as part of the Clone Wars. On the planet, the clone forces were ordered by Kenobi—mid-flight via LAAT/i gunships—to shatter the front lines of the opposing Separatist forces and eliminate any remaining pockets of resistance. They were also ordered to avoid the anti-aircraft gun on the mountaintops and to leave it for the gunships and ARC-170 starfighters. After giving Marshal Commander CC-2224, nicknamed "Cody," and the rest of the 212th their objective, Kenobi departed.
While thirty seconds away from the landing zone, Cody began to explain the plan to "A" Squad, but the LAAT/i they were aboard was hit by heavy flak and crashed. Two members of the squad were injured, while five others—including the clone pilot—were killed. The crash landed the squad precisely near the anti-aircraft gun. Thinking quickly and as they believed Kenobi would, Cody and the squad's lieutenant ordered the troops to prepare for battle, all while taking cover behind their downed shuttle. Troopers Eight-eight-six-seven, Eight-eight-six-eight, and Eight-eight-six-nine were then ordered by Cody to affix grapples to their DC-15A blaster rifles and follow him—their goal having changed to destroying the anti-aircraft gun—while the remainder would prepare for covering fire.
===Fateful climb===
As Commander Cody, Eight-eight-six-seven, Eight-eight-six-eight, and Eight-eight-six-nine climbed towards the gun, the three troopers were killed. One was shot just as the group left the wreckage of the gunship, another fell to their death during the climb, and the last was shot in the head by a B1-Series battle droid; as a result, Cody was the only survivor of the sub-group.
After Cody reached the summit, he began to grapple with the battle droids present, taking out two of them. The forces on the ground eliminated the remaining battle droid piloting the gun just as it aimed at Cody, allowing him to take control of the gun and wipe out the remaining droid forces using it. Following their victory, the remaining troops of "A" Squad celebrated. In a later discussion with Kenobi, Cody described the skirmish as "routine" and in line with their expectations. Despite "A" Squad's small victory, the Republic suffered a devastating loss with the Battle of Sarrish.
==Commanders and crew==
"A" Squad was led by a clone lieutenant of the 212th Attack Battalion, who in turn served under Commander Cody, the Clone Marshal Commander of the 212th Attack Battalion. While General Kenobi did not directly lead "A" Squad, the orders under which they served came from his command. "A" Squad consisted of at least eleven other clone troopers, including a pilot, Eight-eight-six-seven, Eight-eight-six-eight, and Eight-eight-six-nine.
==Behind the scenes==
"A" Squad was created by writer Randy Stradley for the comic story Routine Valor, which was illustrated by Douglas Wheatley and published by Dark Horse Comics on May 6, 2006 for Free Comic Book Day.
==Appearances==
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==Notes and references==
Category:212th Attack Battalion units
Category:Grand Army of the Republic squads