Clone jet trooper
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Clone jet troopers, or aerial clone troopers, were clone troopers equipped with and trained in the use of jetpacks.
They were the successors of the Republic rocket-jumpers of the Old Sith Wars and Darca Nyl's airborne mercenaries from before the Invasion of Naboo and the predecessors of the Jumptroopers and Sky Troopers of the Galactic Empire.
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Equipment
Clone jet troopers were part of the Grand Army of the Republic. Jet troopers utilized their limited flight jetpacks to rapidly cover great distances and gain aerial advantage over their enemies. The agility of the flying jet trooper made him difficult to hit and could ambush their enemies from behind.[1] Jet troopers were made famous by Commander Cody, who would use jetpacks frequently in missions with his battalion, and the 7th Sky Corps.
Jet troopers were issued Merr-Sonn Electro magnetic pulse launchers. They were also equipped with the DC-17 hand blasters, which was very powerful and accurate, especially for its size. It also had a better cooling capacity so it could continue firing for a long period of time without overheating. They also carried V-1 thermal detonators.[1] Jetpacks were also used by some ARC trooper units, and the jet troopers themselves were bred at a similar rate to the ARCs, but retained the uniformity of the standard clones. The extra training was to learn how to control and manipulate the jetpack. They were not, however, ARC units, and were deployed into other combat units,[source?] one being the 501st Legion.[2] The troopers learned to incorporate their jetpacks in battlefield tactics, sometimes mounting ambushes like the Mandalorians who had trained them.[3]
Phase I jet troopers wore clone trooper armor with either green markings.[1] They sometimes wore kamas to protect their legs from fire while they were in air. The jet troopers had specialized armor so that they didn't get injured from falling from extremely high places. Their jetpacks featured built in warheads, which cause devastating blasts against their enemies.[source?]
History
Two different types of jet trooper armors were in use during the Clone Wars. The first wore standard Phase I clone trooper armor with the addition of a JT-12 jetpack,[1] while the second, and presumably later model, wore sleek, sealed armor for greater aerodynamics and an improved jetpack to operate in higher altitudes. However, the armor had less protection against enemy attacks.[source?] The Kaminoan resistance to the Galactic Empire utilized jet troopers as their primary infantry, but carried DC-15x sniper rifles as one of their primary weapons.[2]
Clone Commander Cody wore a jetpack not dissimilar to those worn by the Phase II jet troopers, and for this reason he was sometimes known as the 'Jetpack Commander'.[source?] Commander Cody commanded them during the Clone Wars, Cody used the jetpack while on an unidentified planet attempting to attack a shielded city. Cody had been on this planet for three months attacking the shield until Anakin Skywalker found a hidden tunnel under the shielded city. Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi knocked out the shield generator thus allowing Cody, a squad of jet troopers, and many AT-RTs to storm the city and win the battle.[4]
In the Battle of Geonosis, a jet trooper was assigned to acquire a Geonosian holocron that fell from one of the Geonosians. The holocron was successfully delivered to Checkpoint Alpha and sent to be analyzed for its secrets. Jet troopers which were part of the 501st Legion also saw action in other battles of the Clone Wars.[2]
Standard clone troopers were known to have used jetpacks during certain missions. During the Battle of Christophsis, jetpack-wearing clones were led into the battle by Captain Rex, aiding General Anakin Skywalker. During the battle, they fought against Octuptarra combat tri-droids.[5] A small unit of clones, including Rex and Denal, utilized jetpacks during the mission to Skytop Station.[6]
Jet troopers also took part in the battle of Coruscant when Jedi Master Saesee Tiin landed in a Republic Star Destroyer that had been heavily damaged, they jumped out of the lower rear hangar bay with some jet troopers on to the nearest Trade Federation cruiser. Taking control, Tinn had the ship fire its cannons on the nearest Providence-class carrier.[4]
After the rise of the Galactic Empire, the jet troopers were succeeded by the Imperial Jumptroopers.[7]
Variations
- Clone blaze trooper: The clone blaze trooper was the Grand Army of the Republic's frontline close combat infantry support unit and a type of jet trooper.
- Arpitrooper: A variant of jet troopers who utilized repulsor packs to move around a battlefield.
- Aerial recon trooper: Specially trained in recon ops to help pinpoint and attack specific key Separatist forces.
Behind the scenes
Clone jet troopers are one of the Republic classes in the 2004 video game Star Wars: Battlefront and its 2005 sequel, Star Wars: Battlefront II.
Clone troopers using jetpacks have appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, but nothing has connected these troops to the jet troopers.
LucasArts designed the clone blaze trooper, a division of the jet trooper, after looking at the concept art for the jet trooper.
LEGO included an "aerial trooper" based on the sky trooper concept art with the Clone Turbo Tank set. The aerial trooper also appeared as a Hasbro action figure and was described in Star Wars Insider 84 as a trooper of the Sky Corps. Also, LEGO included two Phase I Jet Troopers in their 2009 Tank Droid set. However, these clones are not color-marked but have standard white armor.
Appearances
- Star Wars: Battlefront (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Battlefront II
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
- Republic Commando: True Colors (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: Clone Wars – "Chapter 22"
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith game
Sources
- Battlefront: Prima Official Game Guide
- Star Wars Miniatures: Clone Strike
- Droidworks Assault, Part 2: The Fight for TD-32 on Wizards.com (original article link, backup links on Archive.org)
- Grand Army of the Republic on Wizards.com (original article link, backup links on Archive.org)
- "Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic"—Star Wars Insider 84
- Battlefront II: Prima Official Game Guide
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (As jet trooper)
- The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
- The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
- The Essential Guide to Warfare
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