Clone Shadow Trooper

**Clone shadow troopers** were an elite cadre of clone troopers, devised by Director Armand Isard of Republic Intelligence during the Clone Wars. Since the numbers of the Advanced Recon Commandos were dwindling, Isard created the shadow troopers as a reconnaissance unit, who, with the benefit of greatly modified and expensive armor, could operate covertly and undercover. Using magseals installed in their armor, shadow troopers could attach plates to themselves that could pass them off as mercenaries belonging to certain factions. With that advantage, they could infiltrate facilities and gather intelligence with ease.

During the late stages of the war, the role of the shadow trooper expanded, with some performing sniper duties, while others would be used on the battlefield. Though their jamming systems would prevent them from working alongside standard troopers, shadow troopers were occasionally dispatched before large-scale invasions to install jamming devices in key cities, which would allow their comrades to infiltrate their targets with stealth and efficiency.

## Equipment

Shadow trooper armor was based on standard Phase II clone trooper armor, although it featured several strategically placed magseals. The magseals allowed for the placement of cosmetic plates that could alter each individual trooper's appearance, with different plates giving them the appearance of a Hutt Cartel or Black Sun mercenary, or other miscellaneous factions. While the plates could disguise the wearer's sensor signature and project the image of something other than a Human, they were primarily for appearances only.

The plates could also alter the walk of a clone trooper, disguising the "clone gait" that was familiar to some. A jaw switch was installed in the armor, in case a shadow trooper's identity was discovered. Activating the switch would disengage all magseals and allow the trooper to regain full use of his Phase II armor. As a further modification, the Phase II armor was covered with a sensor reflective material, which absorbed active scans. It was also protected from passive scans by thermal dampers and electro-magnetic hardening. The visor of the helmet gave off a red glow, which, in conjunction with their dark appearance, was considered intimidating by some. Some shadow troopers would wear *kamas* and pauldrons.

Omni-directional jammers further enhanced the shadow trooper's invisibility, although with such devices in operation, they usually could not operate in close proximity with standard clone troopers, whose helmet systems would suffer the effects of the jamming. Instead of wielding the standard DC-15S, shadow troopers were equipped with the DC-19 "Stealth" carbine, which featured a sound suppressor, so the troopers could operate in relative silence. An optional function, which allowed the blaster to fire bolts invisible to the regular visual spectrum, was favored by shadow trooper snipers. The invisible bolts, however, were highly expensive, had to be reloaded after ten shots, and as a result of their usage, the DC-19s had to be cooled down afterwards to prevent damage to the weapon's dampeners. Vibrodaggers rounded out the shadow trooper armory. In addition to their standard kit, troopers could use DC-15A blaster rifles and blaster pistols commonly utilized by scout troopers.

Although the distinctive standard Republic gunship was not well suited for shadow troopers' generally low operational numbers and need for stealth, modified shadow trooper gunships, equipped with highly advanced sensor-jamming packages and specialized sensor-refractive armor plating, were employed in cases where an entire squad was to be inserted behind enemy lines.