Clone shock trooper

"I'm going to need to see further identification."
"It's all there, Sergeant. I'm a member in good standing of the Republic Senate."
"So it says. But I'm still going to need to see further identification."

―A clone shock trooper talking with Senator Bail Organa at a checkpoint^[src]

Clone shock troopers were the special forces clone troopers that formed the Coruscant Guard during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They were trained as elite shock troopers specifically for deployment on the planet Coruscant, and to provide security aboard Republic starships. There, as well as on a few other select Core Worlds, the clone shock troopers served primarily as security police for Republic government buildings and as prison guards. They also performed duties such as bodyguards for Republic officials and as urban peacekeepers with some troopers trained specifically for riot control. In addition to the civilian police on republic worlds, as military police they could take over investigations as well, and were treated as regular patrolling police when they were out and about.

HistoryEdit

"We've secured the Hutt location, sir. Senator Amidala's unharmed and she's returning to the Senate with her protocol droid. We have Lord Ziro in custody. He's claiming he was forced into the kidnapping of Jabba's son by Count Dooku. Zero casualties—unless you count droids, of course."

―Clone Commander Fox, reporting the successful hostage extraction^[src]

Main article: Coruscant Guard

See also: Homeworld Security Command

With the eruption of war between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems in 22 BBY, the clone troopers grown on the planet Kamino were put into full operation as the Grand Army of the Republic. However, certain clones had been secretly grown on the planet Coruscant. Drilled as special forces for urban environments, the clone shock troopers were established as the Coruscant Guard shortly after the start of the war.^[1] Their primary purpose was to serve as a security police for Republic government buildings,^[2] Coruscant's infrastructure,^[3] banks, plazas, and landing platforms^[2] as well as guards at the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center.^[4]

Clone Shock Trooper 05 — Shock troopers escorting Palpatine on Mustafar

Though the Coruscant Guard was meant to only supplement the civilian forces of the Coruscant Security Force, in charge of policing Galactic City, and the Senate Guard, in charge of protecting senators, dignitaries and the Senate District, the shock troopers soon found themselves conducting regular policing duties^[5] such as raids,^[6] hostage rescues,^[7] and riot suppression.^[8] The Coruscant Guard's Diplomatic Escort Group would be assigned to accompany diplomats and senators, such as Padmé Amidala, a role previously held solely by the Senate Guard.^[9]

As the war continued, the Coruscant Guard became the most visible element of the Homeworld Security Command. Shock troopers were called in more and more for police duties and had the authority to demand of anyone to reveal their identification on the spot and perform other random security checks. Rumors of searches of houses without just cause and brutal suppression of protesters in the lower levels existed though were not confirmed by government authorities.^[2] This reputation gained the clone shock troopers the nickname "stormtroopers," a term later applied to all clone troopers after the formation of the Galactic Empire.^[10]

After newly proclaimed Galactic Emperor Palpatine established the Empire, the Coruscant Guard became the primary force responsible for security on Coruscant.^[11] The term "clone shock trooper" was discontinued and members of the Guard were instead referred to as either "Coruscant Guards" or "Elite Stormtroopers." The original clone shock troopers themselves were also phased out in favor of younger and Imperial indoctrinated stormtroopers.^[12]

EquipmentEdit

Coruscant Guard 1 — A shock trooper Phase 1 armor

"Jek. Concerned about weapons you are. Weapons do not win battles. Your mind, powerful it is! Mmm? Out think the droids you can."

―Jedi Master Yoda to Trooper Jek^[src]

Shock troopers were issued the Phase I clone trooper armor with their initial deployment to Coruscant. Unlike most other clones who were issued white with officers bearing color markings, the Coruscant Guard armor was issued in red.^[6] The color scheme made the shock troopers a very distinctive unit within the Grand Army. With the introduction of the Phase II clone trooper armor, the red color scheme continued and a majority of the armor was covered in red. The paint markings were unique designations for Coruscant. The color red became a symbol of all things Coruscant executive.^[10] It remained such a distinctive armor scheme that the Imperial era Coruscant Guard armor was covered completely in red.^[12]

Shock troopers were armed with DC-15A blaster rifles, DC-15Ss, and thermal detonators. They were also seen armed with missile launchers and Z-6 rotary blaster cannons during battle.^[9]

Behind the scenesEdit

While all canonically-seen shock troopers had red armor highlights, a promotional card for Official Pix sent with the 2006 Hyperspace Fan Club membership kit depicted a shock trooper with blue paint instead of red, but otherwise identical in appearance. The possible canon of this color scheme, and of whether those who wore it were indeed part of the shock trooper corps, remains ambiguous.