Special missions platoon

A special missions platoon was a formation in the Imperial Army. Comprised of thirty-eight men, a special missions platoon was made up of two sharpshooter squads, an engineering squad, and a heavy weapons squad. These squads were then cross-attached with each other to form three roughly equal squads contained sharpshooters, engineers, and heavy weapons specialists. Special missions platoons conducted operations that required elite personnel, rather than standard military maneuvers.

Special missions platoons undertook "political gain operations" where the unit would conduct terrorist operations on a planet where sympathies were closer to the Alliance to Restore the Republic rather than the Galactic Empire. Such operations would result in the governor requesting assistance which was provided in the form of new troop deployments. These troops would then arrest suspected and known Rebel sympathisers. The attacks would then cease, fostering the image that the Alliance was behind the terrorist attacks.