Stormtrooper

"Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

Stormtroopers, informally referred to as bucketheads by dissenting citizens, were the elite shock troops in the Imperial Army, placed under the Stormtrooper Corps, the land-based forces of the Galactic Empire. They were particularly distinguished by their loyalty to Emperor Sheev Palpatine, the founder of the Empire, and were reputedly incapable of betraying either him or the Imperial regime. Stormtroopers wore white armor over a black body glove which, in addition to creating an imposing image, were outfitted with a wide array of survival equipment and temperature controls that allowed its wearer to survive in most environments, but offered limited protection against blaster bolts. Along with standard stormtroopers, there were several specialized subgroups, including the scout troopers and the snowtroopers.

History
"Stormtroopers? Here? We're in danger. I must tell the others. Oh, no! I've been shot!"

- C-3PO

The stormtroopers represented the ultimate evolution of the clone troopers, the soldiers who fought on the Galactic Republic's side during the Clone Wars. At the end of the conflict, Sheev Palpatine, then Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, transformed the democratic government into a tyrannical regime of his own, which he dubbed the First Galactic Empire. With the development of the new Imperial war machine, the clone trooper armor was upgraded. Additionally, the new Emperor ordered the extermination of the Jedi Order, the members of which had served as officers in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. Within the new regime, the clone troopers&mdash;now known as stormtroopers&mdash;were placed under the guidance of Imperial officers and governors instead. As the clones' accelerated aging process began causing their skills to deteriorate, they were replaced by non-clone volunteers and conscripts.

Although they were a rare sight, women were not prohibited from serving in the ranks of the stormtroopers. During training, female cadets were placed in all-female units. Unit Forn was an all-female unit at the Imperial Academy on Lothal.

During the Galactic Civil War, the Emperor's enforcer Darth Vader commanded a battalion of stormtroopers who served him loyally. With those troops, Vader captured Princess Leia Organa's Alderaan cruiser Tantive IV over Tatooine shortly before the Battle of Yavin.

Stormtroopers were still active approximately thirty years after the Battle of Endor. By then, they were affiliated with a faction known as the First Order.

Training
"Cadets, you entered this facility as children. And in a few short weeks, you will leave as soldiers. By the time you complete your training, you will be prepared to serve your Emperor."

- Cumberlayne Aresko

Unlike their predecessors, the majority of stormtroopers were non-clone recruits. Cadets were shipped off to Imperial Academies, and subjected to rigorous training programs in order to produce highly trained shock troopers fiercely loyal to the Empire. Among other things, cadets would train to fire blasters, learn to pilot Imperial walkers, and the ruthlessness it took to become a stormtrooper. Another challenge recruits had to face was the Well, a programmable obstacle course designed to test their strength, agility, reflexes and intelligence.

Equipment
"I can't see a thing in this helmet!"

- Luke Skywalker

Stormtroopers wore a distinctive set of white armor that was used to instill fear in the Empire's subjects, while also providing the soldiers with an extended range of survival equipment and temperature controls, thus allowing them to survive in almost any environment. The helmet provided skull protection, filtered air, and contained enhanced vision and communication systems. Rank was determined by a color coded pauldron worn over the left shoulder, with orange representing the rank of commander, while red, black, and white pauldrons were also used. They also had an utility belt and a grappling hook attached to it, and primarily used the E-11 blaster rifle, which was the standard weapon for the stormtroopers. However, the stormtrooper armor was not without its downsides. The plates made running hard and offered little protection against a direct blaster shot. Furthermore, the helmet diminished the wearer's field of vision.

Specialized stormtroopers
In addition to the "standard" troops, the Empire had created a number of specialized stormtrooper units assembled to operate on varied planets and climates within its territory. To deal with problems on frozen environments, the Empire created the cold-assault snowtroopers who wore a special mask and a skirt-like piece of armor that both resembled the equipment worn by the Galactic Marines on Mygeeto during the Clone Wars. Scout troopers wore lighter armor and used speeder bikes to patrol the perimeter of the Imperial garrisons they were assigned to. Sandtroopers wore modified armor that allowed them to survive on desert worlds such as Tatooine. Phase II dark troopers wore heavy armor and were used to attack enemy defenses with assault cannons. Seatroopers were trained to operate in aquatic environments. There were also the Imperial combat drivers who piloted many of the Imperial Army's ground vehicles.