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| − | The '''DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System''' ('''DC-17m ICWS''') was a configurable combat weapons system used by the [[clone commando]]s of the [[Galactic Republic]]. This weapon was a variant of the [[DC-15A blaster rifle]], which was used by standard [[clone trooper]]s. The DC-17m was much smaller and lighter than the DC-15 and more versatile due to the fact that it could carry three different weapon attachments, making it a ranged weapon capable of adapting to virtually any situations a Clone Commando might run into. |
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| + | |manufacturer=[[BlasTech Industries]]<ref name="GaW">''[[Galaxy at War]]''</ref> |
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| + | |model= |
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| + | |creators=BlasTech [[technician]]s<ref name="GaW" /> |
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| + | |created= |
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| + | |destroyed= |
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| + | |discovered= |
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| + | |owners=[[Clone commando]]s<ref name="GaW" /> |
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| + | |locations= |
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| + | |cost={{Cr}} 4500 |
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| + | |weight=5 [[kilogram]]s<ref name="GaW" /> |
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| + | |purpose= |
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| + | |era=[[Rise of the Empire era]]<ref name="RepCom">''[[Star Wars: Republic Commando]]''</ref> |
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| + | |affiliation=*[[Galactic Republic]]<ref name="RepCom" /> |
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| + | **[[Grand Army of the Republic]]<ref name="RepCom" /> |
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| + | ***[[Special Operations Brigade]]<ref name="TZ">''[[Republic Commando: Triple Zero]]''</ref> |
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| + | *[[Galactic Empire]]<ref name="ImpCom">''[[Imperial Commando: 501st]]''</ref> |
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| + | **[[Imperial Military]]<ref name="ImpCom" /> |
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| + | ***[[Imperial Commando Special Unit]]<ref name="ImpCom" />}} |
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| + | The '''DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System''' ('''DC-17m ICWS''') was a configurable combat weapons system used by the [[clone commando]]s of the [[Galactic Republic]]. Designed by [[BlasTech Industries]] to be able to meet the demands of the [[Grand Army of the Republic]]'s elite [[special forces]] [[soldier]]s, the DC-17m became the unique weapon of the Republic [[commando]]s throughout the [[Clone Wars]]. An adaptable weapon, the DC-17m was capable of fulfilling multiple combat roles due to its ability to reconfigure into either a standard [[blaster]] [[Blaster rifle|assault rifle]], a compact [[sniper rifle]], or an anti-[[armor]] [[grenade]] [[Grenade launcher|launcher]], depending upon the needs of the user. These traits made the DC-17m invaluable to its [[Cloning|clone]] commando owners, and the DC-17 proved a dangerous weapon against the [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]] on countless battlefields across [[the galaxy]], from the [[desert]]s of [[Geonosis]], to the [[city]]scape of [[Coruscant]], and the [[Tree|forests]] of [[Kashyyyk]]. |
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==Characteristics== |
==Characteristics== |
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| + | {{Quote|Have a look through the Deece. Safety's on, but don't press anything.|Clone commando [[RC-3222|Atin]]|Republic Commando: Hard Contact}} |
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| + | A product of [[BlasTech Industries]],<ref name="GaW" /> the DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System was a lighter and more versatile version of the [[DC-15]] [[blaster]] issued to the [[clone trooper]] [[infantry]] of the [[Grand Army of the Republic]]. Manufactured to a higher level of specification,<ref name="HC">''[[Republic Commando: Hard Contact]]''</ref> the DC-17m's design ensured that it never jammed in the presence of excessive heat, cold, dust, or grime, though it required periodic calibration.<ref name="O66">''[[Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel]]''</ref> The DC-17m shared many of its internal parts and components with the smaller and similarly designated [[DC-17 hand blaster]].<ref>{{InsiderCite|84|Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic}}</ref> Unlike the [[blaster pistol]], the DC-17m was, at its root, a base stock which could be configured several different ways depending upon the needs of the user by way of numerous attachments: a standard [[blaster rifle]], a high-powered [[sniper rifle]], and an anti-[[armor]] [[grenade launcher]].<ref name="GaW" /> For the [[clone commando]]s for whom the rifle was standard issue and who trained with the DC-17m from a young age, changing the attachments was no more difficult than changing out a spent [[ammunition]] [[Blaster power pack|clip]],<ref name="O66" /> and they appreciated the reduction in load the DC-17 afforded them by combining three weapons on one platform.<ref name="GaW" /> The DC-17m stock was sturdy enough to be used as a [[melee weapon]] in close combat, and the rifle had a safety setting to reduce misfires.<ref name="HC" /> Each DC-17m cost around {{Cr}}4500,<ref name="GaW" /> and [[Procurement Development|Republic Procurement]] was continuously seeking new add-ons for the weapon during the course of the [[Clone Wars]].<ref name="O66" /> |
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| − | The DC-17m, produced by [[BlasTech Industries]], appeared at first glance similar to any regular [[blaster rifle]]. However—as it's "ICWS" name would suggest—the DC-17m could convert from the base stock mount into primarily three different weapons. |
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| − | {{clear}} |
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===Blaster=== |
===Blaster=== |
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| − | [[File:DC17m_rifle.jpg|thumb|right|DC-17m |
+ | [[File:DC17m_rifle.jpg|thumb|right|250px|DC-17m with blaster rifle attachment]] |
| − | {{Quote| |
+ | {{Quote|Which moron in Procurement ordered Deeces with the clip on the left? [...] Can't holster it right.''"<br/>"''A moron who never had to fire it to save his life. Or thought that if you aimed right-handed, then your left was free to reach for a reload...|Clone commandos Corr and [[Niner Skirata|RC-1309]], "Niner"|Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel}} |
| + | Perhaps the most often used attachment, the blaster rifle attachment made the DC-17m a powerful, rapid-firing ion pulse assault rifle. Drawing its power from side-loaded power pack clips, the DC-17m blaster could fire a maximum of sixty shots before requiring a reload; [[commando]]s typically carried ammunition for up to three-hundred rounds on their person.<ref name="RepCom" /> |
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| − | The main weapon was a rapid-fire ion pulse [[blaster rifle]]; the favored configuration most often used by clone commandos. This configuration used power pack clips that held 60 rounds each. It was a powerful and accurate weapon capable of quickly and efficiently killing most enemies ranging from battle droids to organics. During the Clone Wars, Corr complains about the clip on the left side with both the rifle and sidearm. |
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| + | |||
| − | {{clear}} |
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| + | The cross-trained commando, [[RC-5108/8843|Corr]]—having served previously as a clone [[trooper]] in [[Clone ordnance specialist|ordnance disposal]] prior to learning commando skills—found the left-mounted energy clip on the DC-17m's blaster to be a hindrance when holstering for beings that favored their right [[Limb|hand]]. First generation commandos that had been trained with the weapon since youth found no such complaint with the DC-17m, though they did note the oddity of the layout once the point was raised.<ref name="O66" /> |
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===Sniper rifle=== |
===Sniper rifle=== |
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| − | [[File:DC17m_sniper2.jpg|thumb|right|DC-17m |
+ | [[File:DC17m_sniper2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|DC-17m with sniper rifle attachment]] |
| − | {{Quote| |
+ | {{Quote|A well-built sniper rifle is a beautiful thing. Ours has two zoom modes, "Up close and personal" and "Hello, you're dead."|[[RC-1207]], "Sev"|Star Wars: Republic Commando}} |
| + | The second attachment for the DC-17m allowed the blaster to convert into a long-range [[sniper]] rifle with electromagnetic [[targeting scope]]. The rifle fired [[Slug|projectiles]] encased in blaster energy, similar to the [[quarrel]]s used by [[Wookiee]] [[bowcaster]]s. Ammunition magazines for the sniper attachment carried five quarrels each. The electromagnetic [[scope]] had two levels of zoom, adjusting the range between 10x and 20x magnification. The sights also provided an effect similar to an [[x-ray]] at close range. A well-placed shot from the DC-17m's sniper attachment was known to be capable of [[Death|killing]] many types of enemies, from [[droid]]s to several [[species]] of organics. The sniper attachment was the preferred DC-17m configuration of the clone commandos [[RC-1207|Sev]]<ref name="RepCom" /> and [[Fi Skirata|Fi]],<ref name="HC" /> both of whom trained intensively as [[Clone sniper|snipers]].<ref name="TZ" /> |
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| − | |||
| − | The DC-17m could also quickly convert into a long-range ion pulse [[sniper]] rifle with an electromagnetic scope (the IPS rifle round was a projectile encased in blaster energy, similar to a [[bowcaster]] bolt). Each magazine held five rounds. It functioned at two levels of zoom: 10x and 20x. The sights also provided an x-ray vision effect, to locate vital targets within the enemy. It was a useful weapon to have around on missions requiring stealth, such as assassinations or thinning out enemies. |
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| − | {{clear}} |
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===Anti-armor=== |
===Anti-armor=== |
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| − | [[File:DC17m anti armor.jpg|thumb|right|DC-17m anti-armor attachment |
+ | [[File:DC17m anti armor.jpg|thumb|right|250px|DC-17m with anti-armor grenade attachment]] |
| − | {{Quote|Anti-Armor: Great against fortified droids, armored vehicles, and anyone else with an inflated opinion of himself. |
+ | {{Quote|Anti-Armor: Great against fortified droids, armored vehicles, and anyone else with an inflated opinion of himself.|Boss|Star Wars: Republic Commando}} |
| + | A third configuration for the DC-17m was made possible by an attachment that transformed the rifle into an anti-armor [[grenade launcher]]. The launcher was loaded, one at a time, with dumb-fire grenades that could be launched several [[Foot|feet]] away from the user, and detonated on impact with any hard surface. Though the grenades were especially effective against heavily armored targets, the wide blast radius of the explosion made them good for damaging or destroying small enemy formations.<ref name="RepCom" /> Each grenade cost four hundred [[Galactic Credit Standard|credits]],<ref name="GaW" /> and due to the size of the grenades, commandos typically carried only around four on their person. However, a number of individual [[Cloning|clones]] chose to equip their armor with additional holsters for carrying extra anti-armor rounds. One such clone was the [[Delta Squad]] commando [[RC-1262|Scorch]], who favored the explosive power of the grenade launcher attachment in battle.<ref name="RepCom" /> |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | The third configuration was an anti-armor charge launcher equipped with a dumb-fire warhead which boasted the ability to cause high amounts of damage and having a large area of fragmentation. Each shot expended the attachment meaning the trooper had to replace it after each shot. Due to the attachment's size, only a small number of these could be carried by a trooper. |
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| + | {{Quote|Use the PEP laser and keep it nonlethal if you can.|[[Null-class Advanced Recon Commando|Null]] [[Advanced Recon Commando|ARC trooper]][[Ordo Skirata|N-11]], "Ordo"|Republic Commando: Triple Zero}} |
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| − | {{clear}} |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | By the [[time]] of the second anniversary of the [[First Battle of Geonosis|Battle of Geonosis]], a fourth attachment to the DC-17m had been introduced to the Grand [[Army]]'s clone commandos: the non-lethal [[Pulsed energy projectile laser|Pulsed Energy Projectile]]—or "PEP"—laser. Originally a tool of [[The galaxy|galactic]] [[Law enforcement agency|law enforcement agencies]], the PEP [[laser]] was effective in riot and crowd control, or any other situation where death was undesirable. The weapon utilized a [[deuterium]] [[Fluorine|fluoride]] laser to stun targets into submission without inflicting permanent harm, although severe bruising and lingering pain were among potential side effects. The PEP laser attachment produced a powerful shockwave of both light and sound when it was discharged, and the impact from the device was described by one clone user as similar to being hit with a [[flash-bang grenade]] and struck in the chest by several [[plastoid]] rounds at the same time.<ref name="TZ" /> |
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| ⚫ | In the [[19 BBY|third year]] of the Clone Wars, the [[Merr-Sonn Munitions, Inc|Merr-Sonn Munitions]] corporation released a fifth attachment for the DC-17m, this time a rapid-entry [[breaching grenade]]. While similar to the anti-armor attachment in many ways, the Merr-Sonn breaching grenade was specially designed to blow open sealed doors and [[hatch]]es from a safe distance, and was fired from a stand-off rod placed at the end of the DC-17's muzzle. The breaching grenade drew a few small criticisms from the [[soldier]]s who used it: one clone commando stated that the stand-off rod made the DC-17 unwieldy and could potentially impair aiming, while another believed that it was too blunt of an instrument and an insult to their [[year]]s of elite training. In spite of these minor complaints, the attachment proved itself to be a useful tool in executing door breach maneuvers where a potentially dangerous and hostile force could be waiting on the other side.<ref name="TZ" /> |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | {{Quote|[[Nikto|They]] were tough. Intel said they could defeat Jedi. They were even rumored to have a weapon that could deflect and destroy a lightsaber blade. Maybe Jedi needed to tool up with PEP lasers, then.|[[Fi Skirata|Fi]]|Republic Commando: Triple Zero}} |
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| − | Later on during the [[Clone Wars]], a fourth non-lethal attachment known as the Pulsed Energy Projectile—or PEP—was introduced. Effective in riot and crowd control, or any other situation where [[death]] was undesirable, the PEP laser attachment utilized a deuterium fluoride laser to stun targets into submission without inflicting permanent harm, although it had the potential to leave severe bruising. The weapon also produced a powerful shockwave of sound and light when fired and was described as "like being flash-banged and hit in the chest by several plastoid rounds at once".<ref>''[[Republic Commando: Triple Zero]]''</ref> |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | |||
==History== |
==History== |
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| + | {{Quote|Dar, give him a crash course in using a DC-17, will you?|[[Kal Skirata]] to clone commando Darman, referring to [[clone trooper]] [[RC-5108/8843|Corr]]|Republic Commando: Triple Zero}} |
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| − | DC-17m rifles, sniper rifles, and anti-armor launchers were used by clone commandos throughout the Clone Wars, on [[Planet|world]]s from [[Geonosis]] and [[Qiilura]] to [[Kashyyyk]]. |
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| + | The DC-17m Interchangeable Weapons System was one element of the standard issue equipment provided to all clone commandos in the Grand Army of the Republic's [[special forces]] division, and their primary weapon in combat. Growing up on [[Kamino]], the clones were educated from a young age in how to utilize the advanced blaster rifle, first by [[Kaminoan]] [[flash training]] simulation programs, then by the ''[[Cuy'val Dar]]'' [[sergeant]]s recruited by [[Jango Fett]] to further train the commandos. Live-fire exercises in the [[Tipoca City Military Complex|military training complex]] of [[Tipoca City]] honed the clones' skill with the DC-17m, and while each commando held a their preference for the individual attachments and configurations, by the start of the Clone Wars, the commandos were capable of wielding the DC-17m blaster with incredible efficiency.<ref name="RepCom" /><ref name="HC" /> |
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| ⚫ | |||
| − | After the [[Great Jedi Purge]], the commmandos were not given new weapons, and were allowed to keep their DC-17 rifles, in order to avoid wasting time with new weapons training. |
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| + | As the weapon of choice for the Republic's clone commandos, the DC-17m made its mark on numerous fields of battle across the galaxy. On the [[red]] [[desert]] plains of [[Geonosis]] during the war's first battle, ten thousand clone commandos brought their DC-17s against the [[Separatist Droid Army|forces]] of the [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]].<ref name="TZ" /> Notably, the commandos of [[Delta Squad]] wielded their rifles with deadly effectiveness in the destruction of a [[Geonosian]] [[Geonosis droid foundries|droid foundry]] and a [[Raid on the Core Ship|raid]] on a Confederacy [[Lucrehulk-class|''Lucrehulk''-class]] [[Lucrehulk-class Core Ship|Core Ship]].<ref name="RepCom" /> The DC-17m would further prove its worth on the [[Mid Rim]]<ref name="TEA">''[[The Essential Atlas]]''</ref> [[Planet|world]] of [[Qiilura]], where the [[Omega Squad]]'s elite commandos destroyed a Confederacy [[bioweapon]]s facility and captured the CIS [[scientist]], [[Ovolot Qail Uthan]].<ref name="HC" /> The DC-17m enjoyed continued use during a Republic [[Mission to Fest (Clone Wars)|covert strike]] on the [[Water|snow]]-covered planet [[Fest]], a multi-[[squad]] undertaking to [[Mission to Coruscant (Clone Wars)|destroy]] a [[Jabiimi]] [[terrorist]] cell operating on [[Coruscant]],<ref name="TZ" /> the hunt for the rogue Kaminoan [[Master Cloner|cloner]], [[Ko Sai]],<ref>''[[Republic Commando: True Colors]]''</ref> and the [[Battle of Haurgab|battle]] of [[Haurgab]]. Clone commandos relied on their DC-17m blasters during the [[Battle of Coruscant (Clone Wars)|attack]] on Coruscant orchestrated by [[General]] [[Grievous]], [[Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies]] of the Confederacy, late in the war. The specialized assault rifles were also instrumental to the commandos of [[Delta]] Squad during their assigned [[Mission to Kashyyyk (Clone Wars)|mission]] to the [[Tree|arboreal]] [[homeworld]] of the Wookiees, [[Kashyyyk]], and in the subsequent [[Battle of Kashyyyk (Clone Wars)|battle]] that erupted between the Confederacy and Republic shortly after.<ref name="O66" /> |
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| + | After the [[Declaration of a New Order|transformation]] of the Galactic Republic into the new [[Galactic Empire]], the clone commandos that had formerly served in the Republic Grand Army's [[Special Operations Brigade]] were reassigned to the [[Imperial Commando Special Unit]]—a new special operations division within the [[Imperial Army]]'s [[501st Legion]], under the [[Commander|command]] of [[Anakin Skywalker|Darth Vader]]. Despite the changes to their serial numbers, their armor, and the names of their squads, the commandos were allowed the retention of their DC-17m rifles. Commandos from Imperial [[Squad 40]] used their DC-17s in a [[Mission to Celen|confrontation]] with former [[Jedi Master]] [[Iri Camas]], and to [[Mission to Coth Fuuras space station|hunt down]] the [[Jedi Knight]] [[Borik Yelgo]], missions that both ended with the targets' death.<ref>''[[Imperial Commando: 501st]]''</ref> |
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| − | Due to their advanced creativity and notable personalities, various clone commandos favored the different ICWS attachments. The leaders of [[Delta Squad]], [[RC-1138]] and [[RC-1140]], often used the DC-17m blaster rifle, while the dark-humored [[RC-1207|Sev]] preferred the long-range, one-shot-kill functionality of the sniper rifle. The squad's explosives expert, [[RC-1262|Scorch]], had a blaster with the anti-armor conversion, which had a capacity of only 4 shots. However, all were proficient in all configurations and were able to use them to their full potential. |
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| + | |||
| + | ==Behind the scenes== |
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| + | The DC-17m Interchangeable Weapons System first appeared in the [[2004]] [[novel]], ''[[Republic Commando: Hard Contact]]'', by [[author]] [[Karen Traviss]] as a tie in to the subsequent [[2005]] [[video game]], ''[[Star Wars: Republic Commando]]'', for which the weapon was created and prominently featured. The DC-17, as the blaster used by all the clone commandos, would go on to make appearances in every novel in the [[Republic Commando series|''Republic'' and ''Imperial Commando'' series]]. The [[2008]] reference book, ''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', featured a brief informational entry for the DC-17m. |
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==Appearances== |
==Appearances== |
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| Line 48: | Line 88: | ||
*''[[Omega Squad: Targets]]'' |
*''[[Omega Squad: Targets]]'' |
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*{{CWACite|3|The Package}} |
*{{CWACite|3|The Package}} |
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| − | * |
+ | *{{Tales|22|Honor Bound}} {{Flash}} |
*''[[Republic Commando: Triple Zero]]'' |
*''[[Republic Commando: Triple Zero]]'' |
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| + | *{{TCW|Witches of the Mist}} |
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*{{InsiderCite|87|Odds}} |
*{{InsiderCite|87|Odds}} |
||
*''[[Republic Commando: True Colors]]'' |
*''[[Republic Commando: True Colors]]'' |
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| + | *{{TCW|Missing in Action}} |
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| + | *{{TCW|A Test of Strength}} |
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| + | *{{TCW|Bound for Rescue}} |
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| + | *{{TCW|Revival (episode)|Revival}} |
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*''[[Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel]]'' |
*''[[Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel]]'' |
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*{{CWACite|6|The Drop}} |
*{{CWACite|6|The Drop}} |
||
*''[[Reversal of Fortune]]'' |
*''[[Reversal of Fortune]]'' |
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| + | *{{CWACite|4|Orders (comic)|Orders}} |
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| − | *{{InsiderCite|87|Odds}} |
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*''[[Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader]]'' |
*''[[Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader]]'' |
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*''[[Imperial Commando: 501st]]'' |
*''[[Imperial Commando: 501st]]'' |
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| Line 62: | Line 107: | ||
*{{InsiderCite|84|Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic}} |
*{{InsiderCite|84|Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic}} |
||
*''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'' |
*''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'' |
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| + | *''[[Galaxy at War]]'' |
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==Notes and references== |
==Notes and references== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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| + | |||
| + | {{Interlang |
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| + | |cs=DC-17m |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | |es=Sistema de Arma Intercambiable DC-17m |
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| + | |nl=DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System |
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| + | |pl=DC-17m |
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| + | |ru=Модульная оружейная система DC-17m |
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| + | }} |
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[[Category:Blaster rifles]] |
[[Category:Blaster rifles]] |
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[[Category:BlasTech Industries products]] |
[[Category:BlasTech Industries products]] |
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| − | [[Category:Ion |
+ | [[Category:Ion weaponry]] |
| − | [[Category: |
+ | [[Category:Portable launchers]] |
| + | [[Category:Blaster sniper rifles]] |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
Revision as of 05:02, 27 February 2014
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Warning: This infobox has missing parameters: material, shape, crew and unrecognized parameters: hidep, hideu, hidet, era, structure, imageBG
- "Nice Deece. Ion pulse blaster, RPG anti-armor, and sniper?"
"Yeah. Full house." - ―A clone trooper and clone commando RC-1136, "Darman"
The DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System (DC-17m ICWS) was a configurable combat weapons system used by the clone commandos of the Galactic Republic. Designed by BlasTech Industries to be able to meet the demands of the Grand Army of the Republic's elite special forces soldiers, the DC-17m became the unique weapon of the Republic commandos throughout the Clone Wars. An adaptable weapon, the DC-17m was capable of fulfilling multiple combat roles due to its ability to reconfigure into either a standard blaster assault rifle, a compact sniper rifle, or an anti-armor grenade launcher, depending upon the needs of the user. These traits made the DC-17m invaluable to its clone commando owners, and the DC-17 proved a dangerous weapon against the Confederacy of Independent Systems on countless battlefields across the galaxy, from the deserts of Geonosis, to the cityscape of Coruscant, and the forests of Kashyyyk.
Characteristics
- "Have a look through the Deece. Safety's on, but don't press anything."
- ―Clone commando Atin
A product of BlasTech Industries,[1] the DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System was a lighter and more versatile version of the DC-15 blaster issued to the clone trooper infantry of the Grand Army of the Republic. Manufactured to a higher level of specification,[5] the DC-17m's design ensured that it never jammed in the presence of excessive heat, cold, dust, or grime, though it required periodic calibration.[6] The DC-17m shared many of its internal parts and components with the smaller and similarly designated DC-17 hand blaster.[7] Unlike the blaster pistol, the DC-17m was, at its root, a base stock which could be configured several different ways depending upon the needs of the user by way of numerous attachments: a standard blaster rifle, a high-powered sniper rifle, and an anti-armor grenade launcher.[1] For the clone commandos for whom the rifle was standard issue and who trained with the DC-17m from a young age, changing the attachments was no more difficult than changing out a spent ammunition clip,[6] and they appreciated the reduction in load the DC-17 afforded them by combining three weapons on one platform.[1] The DC-17m stock was sturdy enough to be used as a melee weapon in close combat, and the rifle had a safety setting to reduce misfires.[5] Each DC-17m cost around 
4500,[1] and Republic Procurement was continuously seeking new add-ons for the weapon during the course of the Clone Wars.[6]
Blaster
DC-17m with blaster rifle attachment
- "Which moron in Procurement ordered Deeces with the clip on the left? [...] Can't holster it right."
"A moron who never had to fire it to save his life. Or thought that if you aimed right-handed, then your left was free to reach for a reload..." - ―Clone commandos Corr and RC-1309, "Niner"
Perhaps the most often used attachment, the blaster rifle attachment made the DC-17m a powerful, rapid-firing ion pulse assault rifle. Drawing its power from side-loaded power pack clips, the DC-17m blaster could fire a maximum of sixty shots before requiring a reload; commandos typically carried ammunition for up to three-hundred rounds on their person.[2]
The cross-trained commando, Corr—having served previously as a clone trooper in ordnance disposal prior to learning commando skills—found the left-mounted energy clip on the DC-17m's blaster to be a hindrance when holstering for beings that favored their right hand. First generation commandos that had been trained with the weapon since youth found no such complaint with the DC-17m, though they did note the oddity of the layout once the point was raised.[6]
Sniper rifle
DC-17m with sniper rifle attachment
- "A well-built sniper rifle is a beautiful thing. Ours has two zoom modes, "Up close and personal" and "Hello, you're dead.""
- ―RC-1207, "Sev"
The second attachment for the DC-17m allowed the blaster to convert into a long-range sniper rifle with electromagnetic targeting scope. The rifle fired projectiles encased in blaster energy, similar to the quarrels used by Wookiee bowcasters. Ammunition magazines for the sniper attachment carried five quarrels each. The electromagnetic scope had two levels of zoom, adjusting the range between 10x and 20x magnification. The sights also provided an effect similar to an x-ray at close range. A well-placed shot from the DC-17m's sniper attachment was known to be capable of killing many types of enemies, from droids to several species of organics. The sniper attachment was the preferred DC-17m configuration of the clone commandos Sev[2] and Fi,[5] both of whom trained intensively as snipers.[3]
Anti-armor
DC-17m with anti-armor grenade attachment
- "Anti-Armor: Great against fortified droids, armored vehicles, and anyone else with an inflated opinion of himself."
- ―Boss
A third configuration for the DC-17m was made possible by an attachment that transformed the rifle into an anti-armor grenade launcher. The launcher was loaded, one at a time, with dumb-fire grenades that could be launched several feet away from the user, and detonated on impact with any hard surface. Though the grenades were especially effective against heavily armored targets, the wide blast radius of the explosion made them good for damaging or destroying small enemy formations.[2] Each grenade cost four hundred credits,[1] and due to the size of the grenades, commandos typically carried only around four on their person. However, a number of individual clones chose to equip their armor with additional holsters for carrying extra anti-armor rounds. One such clone was the Delta Squad commando Scorch, who favored the explosive power of the grenade launcher attachment in battle.[2]
Additional attachments
- "Use the PEP laser and keep it nonlethal if you can."
- ―Null ARC trooperN-11, "Ordo"
The DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System with the DC-15s side arm blaster
By the time of the second anniversary of the Battle of Geonosis, a fourth attachment to the DC-17m had been introduced to the Grand Army's clone commandos: the non-lethal Pulsed Energy Projectile—or "PEP"—laser. Originally a tool of galactic law enforcement agencies, the PEP laser was effective in riot and crowd control, or any other situation where death was undesirable. The weapon utilized a deuterium fluoride laser to stun targets into submission without inflicting permanent harm, although severe bruising and lingering pain were among potential side effects. The PEP laser attachment produced a powerful shockwave of both light and sound when it was discharged, and the impact from the device was described by one clone user as similar to being hit with a flash-bang grenade and struck in the chest by several plastoid rounds at the same time.[3]
In the third year of the Clone Wars, the Merr-Sonn Munitions corporation released a fifth attachment for the DC-17m, this time a rapid-entry breaching grenade. While similar to the anti-armor attachment in many ways, the Merr-Sonn breaching grenade was specially designed to blow open sealed doors and hatches from a safe distance, and was fired from a stand-off rod placed at the end of the DC-17's muzzle. The breaching grenade drew a few small criticisms from the soldiers who used it: one clone commando stated that the stand-off rod made the DC-17 unwieldy and could potentially impair aiming, while another believed that it was too blunt of an instrument and an insult to their years of elite training. In spite of these minor complaints, the attachment proved itself to be a useful tool in executing door breach maneuvers where a potentially dangerous and hostile force could be waiting on the other side.[3]
History
- "Dar, give him a crash course in using a DC-17, will you?"
- ―Kal Skirata to clone commando Darman, referring to clone trooper Corr
The DC-17m Interchangeable Weapons System was one element of the standard issue equipment provided to all clone commandos in the Grand Army of the Republic's special forces division, and their primary weapon in combat. Growing up on Kamino, the clones were educated from a young age in how to utilize the advanced blaster rifle, first by Kaminoan flash training simulation programs, then by the Cuy'val Dar sergeants recruited by Jango Fett to further train the commandos. Live-fire exercises in the military training complex of Tipoca City honed the clones' skill with the DC-17m, and while each commando held a their preference for the individual attachments and configurations, by the start of the Clone Wars, the commandos were capable of wielding the DC-17m blaster with incredible efficiency.[2][5]
DC-17m rifles in clone commando hands
As the weapon of choice for the Republic's clone commandos, the DC-17m made its mark on numerous fields of battle across the galaxy. On the red desert plains of Geonosis during the war's first battle, ten thousand clone commandos brought their DC-17s against the forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.[3] Notably, the commandos of Delta Squad wielded their rifles with deadly effectiveness in the destruction of a Geonosian droid foundry and a raid on a Confederacy Lucrehulk-class Core Ship.[2] The DC-17m would further prove its worth on the Mid Rim[8] world of Qiilura, where the Omega Squad's elite commandos destroyed a Confederacy bioweapons facility and captured the CIS scientist, Ovolot Qail Uthan.[5] The DC-17m enjoyed continued use during a Republic covert strike on the snow-covered planet Fest, a multi-squad undertaking to destroy a Jabiimi terrorist cell operating on Coruscant,[3] the hunt for the rogue Kaminoan cloner, Ko Sai,[9] and the battle of Haurgab. Clone commandos relied on their DC-17m blasters during the attack on Coruscant orchestrated by General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies of the Confederacy, late in the war. The specialized assault rifles were also instrumental to the commandos of Delta Squad during their assigned mission to the arboreal homeworld of the Wookiees, Kashyyyk, and in the subsequent battle that erupted between the Confederacy and Republic shortly after.[6]
After the transformation of the Galactic Republic into the new Galactic Empire, the clone commandos that had formerly served in the Republic Grand Army's Special Operations Brigade were reassigned to the Imperial Commando Special Unit—a new special operations division within the Imperial Army's 501st Legion, under the command of Darth Vader. Despite the changes to their serial numbers, their armor, and the names of their squads, the commandos were allowed the retention of their DC-17m rifles. Commandos from Imperial Squad 40 used their DC-17s in a confrontation with former Jedi Master Iri Camas, and to hunt down the Jedi Knight Borik Yelgo, missions that both ended with the targets' death.[10]
Behind the scenes
The DC-17m Interchangeable Weapons System first appeared in the 2004 novel, Republic Commando: Hard Contact, by author Karen Traviss as a tie in to the subsequent 2005 video game, Star Wars: Republic Commando, for which the weapon was created and prominently featured. The DC-17, as the blaster used by all the clone commandos, would go on to make appearances in every novel in the Republic and Imperial Commando series. The 2008 reference book, The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, featured a brief informational entry for the DC-17m.
Appearances
- Star Wars: Republic Commando (First appearance)
- Republic Commando: Hard Contact
- Omega Squad: Targets
"The Package" — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 3- "Honor Bound" — Star Wars Tales 22 (In flashback(s))
- Republic Commando: Triple Zero
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Witches of the Mist"
- "Odds" — Star Wars Insider 87
- Republic Commando: True Colors
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Missing in Action"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "A Test of Strength"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Bound for Rescue"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Revival"
- Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel
- "The Drop" — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 6
- Reversal of Fortune
- "Orders" — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 4
- Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
- Imperial Commando: 501st
Sources
- "Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic" — Star Wars Insider 84
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Galaxy at War
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Galaxy at War
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Star Wars: Republic Commando
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Republic Commando: Triple Zero
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Imperial Commando: 501st
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Republic Commando: Hard Contact
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel
- ↑ "Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic" — Star Wars Insider 84
- ↑ The Essential Atlas
- ↑ Republic Commando: True Colors
- ↑ Imperial Commando: 501st