Death trooper

Death troopers were an elite variant of the Galactic Empire's stormtroopers. They served as protective details and bodyguards for important Imperial officers and officers of the Tarkin Initiative. They wore black suits of armor and specialized helmets that scrambled verbal communications. Death troopers were trained in unarmed combat, heavy weapons, and sniping. Specializing in commando missions, the troopers were experts at covering their tracks, leaving little evidence of their missions.

A squad of death troopers served under Director Orson Krennic's command, wielded as his personal protection since at least 13 BBY. Grand Admiral Thrawn had a squadron of death troopers under his command during his campaign against the early Alliance and participated in the Battle of Atollon. They were also present for the Battle of Scarif at the beginning of the Galactic Civil War. Death troopers were known to wield SE-14r light repeating blasters, E-11Ds,, DLT-19X Sniper rifles, and C-25 fragmentation grenades.

Death troopers were named after a legendary Advanced Weapons Research project to revive necrotic tissue, which resulted in the creation of uncontrollable Undead Troopers.

Age of the Empire
In 13 BBY, a squad of death troopers accompanied Director Krennic to Lah'mu. There, they took Galen Erso to complete his work on the Death Star. One of the death troopers killed Erso's wife, Lyra and the squad attempted to find his daughter Jyn Erso, with no success.

During the early Alliance, a squad was under the command of the Seventh Fleet's commander, Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Battle of Atollon, following Thrawn's discovery of Chopper Base. Several accompanied him to the Base to capture the Senior Rebel officers such as General Jan Dodonna, Captain Hera Syndulla. However, the rebels were able to make their escape when the Bendu attacked both the Imperial and Rebele forces. The death troopers were able to shoot down Bendu by shooting him in the eyes.

Death troopers continued to protect Krennic during the Death Star's initial testing stage at Jedha and Eadu. They were present at the Battle of Scarif where all of Krennic's protection squad were wiped out shortly before Krennic's death.

Training
"It's the trooper you don't see that will get you."

- Cassian Andor

Death troopers were the elite squad of stormtroopers in the Galactic Empire's military. Stormtrooper candidates who excelled at their training were reassigned to the advanced death trooper camp on Scarif. Death troopers were required to exceed traditional stormtrooper standards, including height and weight. The candidates were subjected to a battery of physical tests and had to meet certain ideological standards. Death troopers were also subjected to classified surgical enhancements, making them "beyond human". Additionally, troopers had to complete more rigorous training than standard stormtroopers, including training in exotic environments. They were mostly assigned to small groups, with each trooper specializing in a specific skill set.

Behind the scenes
The first footage of the death trooper was shown in the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story teaser trailer on April 7, 2016. According to the Us Magazine Collector's Edition - Star Wars Rogue One article Going Rogue, the death troopers were comparable to the United States Navy SEALs.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Force Arena
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novel
 * Star Wars Battlefront
 * Poe Dameron 8: The Gathering Storm, Part I
 * Poe Dameron 8: The Gathering Storm, Part I

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes