Rebel trooper/Legends



"Takin' the safety off!"

- Anonymous Rebel trooper

Rebel troopers (also known as Rebel soldiers and Rebel infantry) were standard soldiers employed by the Alliance to Restore the Republic. After the Declaration of a New Republic in 5 ABY, most Rebel troopers were transformed into or absorbed by units of the New Republic Army.

History


Rebel troopers came from all walks of life and joined up for many reasons. Some were even Imperial defectors. From the moisture farms of Tatooine to the marbled halls of Coruscant, Rebel troopers hoped to shore up the struggling Alliance in any way they could.

From the beginning of the Rebellion and up until the formation of the New Republic, the Rebel troopers saw their organization transformed. What started out as countless local cells of loosely structured resistance groups, gradually turned into a galactic wide and well trained infantry force.

Units
Rebel troopers comprised the main element of the Alliance to Restore the Republic Army. In the overall structure of the Alliance's military, the troopers fell under the jurisdiction of Sector Forces. Rebel troopers were organized into standard units of varying size, ranging from squads and up to the largest tactical units, the divisions. Divisions were roughly equivalent to Stormtrooper Legions in manpower, but not necessarily in combat power.

Uniforms and equipment
The task of supplying all Rebel troopers with standardized uniforms on a galactic scale was nearly impossible. Nevertheless the Alliance to Restore the Republic Army was able to implement a 'standard look' that would help identify the troopers as Rebels and therefore also improve morale and unit cohesion. The large helmets with neck guards and khaki uniforms became some of the trademarks of the Rebel / New Republic uniforms.

Rebel troopers of various units spread across the galaxy were often equipped with uniforms bearing a striking resemblance to the uniforms of the Alderaanian armed forces. Evidently Alliance sympathizers within the Alderaanian government helped fund, train and equip many militant groups outside the Alderaan system. The unadmitted military support of the Rebellion was to such an extent that it helped shape the look of the Rebel troopers for years to come. Even after the Destruction of Alderaan in 0 BBY, and perhaps because of it, many Rebel units began showing up in uniforms with strong similarities to the uniforms of the former Alderaanian armed forces.

On most planets and military installations, troopers were equipped with blue shirts, light grey trousers, black combat vests, and black calf length boots. To protect the head from injuries, white blast helmets with blast visors and extended neck guards were used by both officers and general infantry alike.

After the establishment of the New Republic, improved funding evidently made the addition of body armor (especially around the torso) more common. The troopers, now part of the Combined Defense Forces of the New Republic, also began wearing government and/or unit symbols on their sleeves and body armor.

Most of the troopers were issued DH-17 blaster pistols or E-11 blaster rifless. On the open battlefield they could also utilize a range of heavier weaponry including, E-Webs, mortars and hand-held missile launchers.

Behind the scenes
The uniform worn aboard Tantive IV also has a strong resemblance to the uniforms of Kota's Militia from around 3 BBY.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Rebel Alliance Sourcebook
 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns
 * Lego Star Wars: The Video Game
 * Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * Star Wars: Empire at War
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Star Wars: Battlefront
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron