Stormtrooper Corps (SWAU)

The **Stormtrooper Corps** was an independent military branch within the Imperial Military of the first Galactic Empire. They functioned under their own command structure, though they de facto answered to the Emperor. The stormtroopers were the elite shock troopers of the Empire and the chief enforcers of the Emperor's will, regarded in the utmost respect by those in the military and the civilian population alike. Their uncompromising loyalty to the Empire and its leader are traits that every Imperial soldier looked up to. The stormtroopers' ranks were numerous and were fitted with advanced armour and weaponry, and were among the most elite of the Imperial Military.

When the stormtroopers were first formed, they consisted of all the former Republic clone troopers that the Empire inherited after the Clone Wars. They were kept as a separate branch of the Imperial Military, as the Imperial Army was created brand new to incorporate enlisted soldiers from the Imperial populace. After the last mass-produced batch of Fett clones were created in 18 BBY, Emperor Vader diversified the genetic templates of the clones, with new soldiers being created from a variety of different hosts. However, the Stormtrooper Corps would later take in many enlisted soldiers in order to inflate the numbers of the Corps as a psychological tactic. As the Stormtrooper Corps became more and more diverse, tensions between the original Fett clones and the new recruits coupled with the noticeably-reduced quality of the newer soldiers threatened the integrity of the organization by the Battle of Yavin.

## Organization and structure

### Tactical organization

The Stormtrooper Corps was organized under the Order of Battle which mirrored the Imperial Army's lower-level structure, but unlike the Army, the legion was the highest level in the Stormtroopers' command structure. In addition, stormtrooper units did not include support personnel.

* **Legion**—9,813 units: 4 regiments (9,812 units: 8,192 troopers and 1,620 officers) led by a High Colonel. The legion is the largest defined level of organization within the Stormtrooper Corps and is the approximate equivalent to an Imperial Army battlegroup. Depending on the specific size of the squads and legions composing it, a legion can even reach as high as 14,826 units, composed of 12800 stormtroopers and 2025 officers. The legions mere deployment and parading also act as a form of psychological warfare, being adept at manipulating the psychology of dominance while shielded in the eerie anonymity of their armour.
* **Regiment**—2,453 units: 4 battalions (2,452 units: 2,048 troopers and 404 officers) led by a Lieutenant Colonel. A Stormtrooper regiment is considered sufficient enough to seize a Class A planetary starport. Depending on the size of the scouts and platoons, it may reach as high as 3,701 units, composed of 3,200 troopers and 505 officers.
* **Battalion**—613 units: 4 companies (612 units: 512 troopers and 100 officers) led by a major. A Battalion is very likely to incorporate many types of specialized stormtrooper units, including scout troopers and incinerator stormtroopers. Depending on the amount of squad and platoon manpower, the units may reach as high as 926 units; specifically 800 troopers and 125 officers. In some cases, however, they also lacked of staff officers, which have them holding 820 men similar to that of battalions within the standard Imperial Army.
* **Company**—153 units: 4 platoons (152 units: 128 troopers and 24 officers) led by a captain. Depending on the size of the platoons, it may reach as many as 231 units, specifically 200 troopers and 30 officers.
* **Platoon**—38 units: 4 squads (36 units: 32 troopers and 4 officers) led by a lieutenant and a sergeant major. A platoon was variable in size, similar to a squad, with some platoons even reaching up to 5 squads, and by extension, 57 units: 50 troopers and 5 officers.
* **Squad**—9 units: 8 troopers, including a corporal, led by a sergeant. It was the smallest stormtrooper unit typically deployed into a threat situation; it could also include up to 10 troopers.

Although a Legion was the highest possible standard unit within the Stormtrooper Corps, various legions had been known to merge from other sectors into one unit within a Sector Group for a major offensive. Similarly, even though the squad was the lowest possible standard unit within the Stormtrooper Corps, the squad itself could be further subdivided into two Fire Teams, each being in a wedge formation, with the fire team leaders being at the tip of each wedge, in order to allow for maximum firing range every direction and allow for ready communications between members.

### Rank structure

* Trooper
* Corporal
* Sergeant
* Sergeant Major
* Lieutenant
* Captain
* Major
* Lieutenant Colonel
* High Colonel
* Commandant - The commander of the entire Stormtrooper Corps.

## Equipment

### Weaponry

The standard issue blaster for the Stormtrooper Corps was the E-11 blaster carbine, which was in turn one of the most commonly issued weapons in the Imperial Military. The E-11 blaster rifle was largely based on the DC-15S blaster carbine used by clone troopers during the Clone Wars, right down to the folding stock. Save for troopers assigned to roles that involved heavy or special weapons, the rank-and-file stormtrooper carried an E-11 as their service rifle and an SK-17 light blaster as their sidearm. By 32 ABY, an updated version, the E-11B, had almost fully replaced the old model in the ranks of the Imperial Remnant.

A good portion of stormtroopers were armed with weapons outside of the standard issue. Marksmen and higher ranked soldiers are able to equip themselves with a DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle or even an E-11s sniper rifle. Though not as common as the E-11, it was more powerful and accurate, though longer and not ideal for close engagements. Soldiers may also request to be issued a sidearm of their choice; this is more common with officers, who are able to purchase their own weapons to be used as a sidearm.