Rebel Troopers

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Species:
  Varies

• Size:
  Varies

• Weapon:
  Blaster pistol, blaster rifle, thermal detonator

• Affiliation:
  Rebel Alliance

• 

From the Movies

The men and women of the Rebel Alliance were fiercely dedicated to the principle of freedom, and would lay down their lives to win their objectives. Some were Imperials disillusioned with their government's tyranny. Some were from worlds subjugated by the Empire. In stark contrast to the faceless anonymity of the stormtrooper ranks or the precision drilling of Imperial Academy training, Alliance troops were aggressively individualistic and much more rag-tag.

From the Expanded Universe

Special Forces -- or SpecForces -- described the ground troops of the Rebel Alliance. They were small in number, an estimated 10 divisions. SpecForces were charged with protecting the High Command, and were assigned to the Fleet to be sent on detached duties to the sectors that needed them. Special Forces were organized into formal units, much like the Imperial Army: divisions, regiments, companies, platoons, and squads. However, they rarely operated in the field in such units. Instead, they were organized into task forces, consisting of as many soldiers and as much equipment needed to carry out a specific military objective. General Crix Madine was the commander of the Alliance SpecForces.

In addition to the basic training that all SpecForce soldiers received, there were a number of specializations in the Forces that led to SpecForce classifications. Below are some of the more common SpecForce classifications. When creating a task force, a commander mixed classification types to meet objectives.

• Marines
  SpecForce marines were trained for combat onboard starships, either to repel invaders or to board ships. They were skilled in zero-gee combat, space survival, and space-suit operation. They were typically armed with blaster pistols, vibroblades, rifles and grenades. Marines also had access to the few battle-rated space suits available in the Alliance.

• Pathfinders
  SpecForce pathfinders were troopers that made covert drops onto enemy planets, establishing beachheads, and holding this territory until relieved by Alliance ground forces. Alliance pathfinders completed their extremely difficult mission profile by traveling light, and relying on surprise to overwhelm resistance. Pathfinders were trained in survival, alien species recognition, and repulsorcraft operation. They were equipped with rifles, grenades, and if space allowed, repulsorcraft and heavy weapons.

• Urban Guerrilla
  SpecForce urban guerrillas were highly trained streetfighters. They were well versed in how to turn the constricted urban fighting environment to their best advantage. These troops specialized in making do with whatever weapons they had, from sniping from rooftops, to making homemade explosives. They were experts in hand-to-hand combat, light weaponry, street-savvy, stealth and demolitions.

• Wilderness Fighters
  Like the urban guerrillas, SpecForce wilderness fighters were trained in using their terrain for the best tactical advantage in combat. SpecForce wilderness fighters were often required to be much more mobile than their urban counterparts, and as such were sometimes equipped with repulsorlift vehicles. Some specific brigades were trained for operation in particular terrain types: subzero, aquatic, forested, mountainous, and the like.

• Technicians
  SpecForce technicians were troopers trained to operate and repair any equipment the SpecForce units had, and to build anything they didn't out of available materials. Techs usually did not operate as a unit. Instead, they were assigned to other units.

• Infiltrators
  SpecForce infiltrators were among the most feared of the SpecForce units. They were specially chosen for their distinct hatred of the Empire. These troops were trained to slip through the enemy's lines to sow confusion and consternation in Imperial ranks. Their main weapons were vibroblade and garrote.

• Heavy Weapons Specialist
  SpecForce heavy weapons specialists provided protection against enemy air and ground vehicles, and gave their units the extra punch needed to crack through a tough position. Heavy weapons specialists also received training in starship gunnery. They were quite well trained, though their casualty rates were high. This is because in a battle once an artillery piece's location has been revealed, enemy effort to disable or destroy it becomes paramount. SpecForce heavy weapons specialists were trained to die rather than abandon their guns.

• Other Specialists
  Other SpecForces specialists included transportations specialists (drivers and mechanics), pilots, communications experts, translators, medical technicians, supply specialists, and others.

Behind the Scenes

Since most of the classic trilogy was shot in England, many of the actors portraying secondary Rebel characters were English. During post-production, American actors redubbed most of the Rebel dialogue. The Imperials, in contrast, retained their English accents.

During the filming of the Battle of Hoth for The Empire Strikes Back, the Echo Base troops were actually Norwegian mountain-rescue skiers. In exchange for participation in the film, Lucasfilm made a donation to the Norwegian Red Cross