Rebel trooper

"Soldiers of the Rebel Alliance, this is our most desperate hour. You are our only hope."

- Gial Ackbar

Rebel troopers, also known as Rebel fleet troopers or Rebel soldiers, were the front-line soldiers of the Rebel Alliance in their war against the Galactic Empire. Initially formed from loosely connected resistance cells, the leadership of Mon Mothma saw them become an impressively armed and trained galaxy-spanning infantry.

History
With the proclamation of the New Order 19 years before the Battle of Yavin, discontinued military equipment from the former Grand Army of the Republic often wound up in the hands of rebelling factions in a variety of star systems. With many resenting Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine's expansionist policies into the galaxies periphery, many came to form loose, unorganized cells against the Emperor's reign. Cham Syndulla's Free Ryloth movement epitomized the ferocity of early resistance movements four years into Imperial rule, while smaller actions orchestrated by groups such as Berch Teller's rebel cell and the Corellian Resistance continued to prove a nuisance to Imperial authorities well into the Age of the Empire.

At least five years before the Battle of Yavin, a loose rebel network came into existence that opposed the Galactic Empire on a near galactic scale, however it was unorganized, with many groups not knowing the existence of one another in order to ensure each groups individual survival in case one was compromised. One group known as Phoenix Squadron utilized CR90 corvettes and a Republic-era Pelta-class frigate along with RZ-1 A-wing interceptors that would continue to be used by rebel forces well into the Galactic Civil War, while soldiers wore uniforms that were visually similar to those worn by later resistance fighters.

With the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, rebel troopers would see wide use and variations in armor and equipment. Being deployed on worlds as far flung as Sullust, Coyerti , and Haidoral Prime , as well as participating in major conflicts such as the Battle of Hoth , the Battle of Endor and the Battle of Jakku

Organization
Rebel troopers were organized into various units such as fire teams of two individuals or squads of four when necessary, and were often put under the command of Generals such as Crix Madine or Carlist Rieekan. Grand strategy was dictated by Alliance High Command, which had the final say in all joint military operations. Troopers could be placed under infantry units such as the Twenty-First or Thirty-Second Infantry, the aquatic Sixty-Eighth Infantry or vanguard Sixty-First Mobile Infantry. While the Alliance Special Forces, such as Pathfinders, was composed of the best soldiers in the Rebellion often pulled from the Rebel trooper ranks, and were utilized and regarded as highly trained and organized commandos.

Uniforms and Equipment
Being deployed on numerous worlds across the galaxy, the standard rebel troopers uniform and equipment varied depending on the environment and mission. Unable to finance a standard uniform for the entire army, the Alliance devised a standard look for troopers to identify themselves and improve unit cohesion and morale. Many Rebel troops adopted the uniform of Alderaanian consular security, wearing blue shirts, black combat vests, grey trousers and black calf length boots, along with a distinctive white helmet with a visor above the forehead. This uniform appeared at outposts such as Base One, while a variant was utilized by support crew on Yavin 4, with a similar white helmet design but instead wearing a light brown jumpsuit instead of combat vest and shirt. Officers wore a similar uniform to their trooper counterpart, but instead sported a light brown jacket, shirt and pants along with a brown belt. Those in the Rebel Honor Guard wore dark green, buttoned down jackets with pockets and matching pants and black boots, but had a similar helmet to those of consular security.

Troopers on Hoth wore a white or beige shirt and pants, along with matching tan and white caps with ear flaps, and could carry goggles when necessary. Troopers in the field and not in the safety of Echo Base often wore a similar variant as those in the hangar but instead had more of a white and grey coloring, along with white Alliance Cold Weather Backpacks.

Troopers assigned to forest, desert and volcanic worlds often but not always wore a uniform resembling those used by the strike team assembled to take down the Death Star II's shield generator on the forest moon of Endor, with camouflaged green and brown jackets and pants, along with backpacks similar to those worn by troopers on cold worlds but camouflaged green or grey. They could also carry brown sacks, and had a green metal rim circling their helmets. Pathfinders were commandos who utilized this same outfit. Troopers assigned to desert worlds could also wear uniforms similar to troopers on the Tantive IV. Bantha Riders rode banthas and utilized a tan shirt and brown jacket along with a similar helmet worn by troopers on the Tantive IV.

Rebel pilots often wore an orange jumpsuit along with black boots and gloves, along with a white helmet which could be customized with various insignias and imagery. Rebel pilots often flew BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers, T-65B X-wing starfighters and A/SF-01 B-wing starfighters. Rebel troopers often utilized the DH-17 blaster pistol and DL-18 blaster pistol, as well as the A280 blaster rifle or its modified variant the A280C blaster rifle, while the E-17d sniper rifle was used by rebel marksmen. Rebel Vanguards wore a white shirt and black jacket, along with brown pants and black boots, and utilized PLEX rocket launchers to take out heavy targets. Alliance troops also utilized the personal energy shield technology stolen from the Empire to minimize damage from enemy blaster bolts. Often being deployed in the field with limited supplies and armaments, Rebel troopers modified their weapons into multi-purpose weapons, with the development of an insert that allowed soldiers to fire charged ion bolts for a limited time. When Merr-Sonn Munitions, Inc. sought to increase its market share, it developed the widely used MPL-57, popular for its versatility and capability for firing a wide range of ammunition.