Grand Army of the Republic

"As my first act with this new authority, I will create a Grand Army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the Separatists."

- Sheev Palpatine

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), also known as the Republic Army or the clone army, was the army branch of the Republic Military during the Clone Wars. The Grand Army initially consisted of over a million clone troopers; genetically identical soldiers cloned from a human template, outfitted with armor, weapons and gear, and programmed for absolute loyalty to the Galactic Republic. Formed as a result of the Republic's efforts to create a centralized army in response to the threat of separatism, the Grand Army represented the evolution of galactic warfare at the time of its introduction on Geonosis, and was instrumental to the Sith Order's secret plot to take over the galaxy.

The Grand Army was the vision of Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, who foresaw an existential threat to the Republic. Hoping to ensure its survival, he commissioned the Kaminoans to build an army for the Republic, although he did so without the knowledge of the Galactic Senate or the Jedi High Council. After the murder of Sifo-Dyas, his secret project was taken over by the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, whose apprentice, Darth Tyranus, contracted the bounty hunter Jango Fett to become the clone army's template. As the historic nemesis of the Jedi Order, the Sith intended to use the Grand Army as the instrument of the Jedi's extermination, and therefore every clone trooper was engineered with a control chip in his brain. Officially, the chips were said to act as an inhibitor for the volatile traits that the clones inherited from Fett. However, their true role was to guarantee the clones unquestioning compliance to Order 66&mdash;a contingency protocol authorizing the summary execution of every Jedi as an enemy of the state.

Within a decade of their inception, the first generation of clone troopers was fully grown, trained and ready for service, while the galaxy stood on the brink of civil war between the Galactic Republic and the newly formed Confederacy of Independent Systems. After discovering that the Separatists had forged a vast droid army in order to coerce the Republic into recognizing the Confederacy as an independent government, the Galactic Senate bestowed emergency powers to Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, allowing him to authorize the Grand Army's activation as the official army of the Republic in 22 BBY. In the aftermath of the Battle of Geonosis, the Grand Army deployed across the galaxy under the command of the Jedi Knights, who adopted the rank of Jedi Generals in order to lead the Republic's war effort against the Separatist Alliance.

For three years, the Grand Army defended the Republic on multiple battlefronts, from the Outer Rim Sieges to the galactic capital of Coruscant itself. Even the clones' homeworld, the planet Kamino, was a target due to the importance of its cloning facilities. However, in 19 BBY the Jedi made an attempt to arrest Chancellor Palpatine, having discovered that he was, in fact, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Framing the Jedi's actions as a rebellion against the state, the chancellor declared that Order 66 was in effect, causing the clone troopers to suddenly betray and kill the Jedi who had served as their generals and commanders throughout the Clone Wars. With the Jedi Order all but destroyed and the majority of senators under his influence, Sidious proclaimed himself Emperor of the First Galactic Empire, thereby ushering the galaxy into a new era of fascist rule at the end of a thousand years of democracy. Accordingly, the Grand Army of the Republic became the template of the Imperial Army in which clones were phased out of service as the new regime favored birth-born human recruits and conscripts.

Structure
"For the Republic!"

- "Thorn," shouting the clone trooper battle cry just before his death

Clone troopers served as infantry units in the Grand Army of the Republic. In addition to the rank-and-file soldier, the Grand Army consisted of numerous specialists, including environment-based units like clone cold assault troops and clone SCUBA troopers. Other variants units like clone ordnance specialists and clone trooper pilots were specially trained for specific functions, such as bomb diffusion and flight, respectively. ARC troopers and clone commandos were considered elite units in the Grand Army due to their exceptional skills and specialized training.

The Grand Army of the Republic possessed various military vehicles to support its ground forces. The principle battle tank of the Grand Army was the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer; also known as the "AT-TE" Walker, its legs provided the walker with increased stability, but reduced the vehicle's overall speed. As mobility was a key factor in the Grand Army's effectiveness, the military was outfitted with BARC speeders in order to provide the clones with increased operational range, speed, mobility, and firepower that were otherwise unavailable to foot soldiers.

Unit structure

 * Grand Army of the Republic&mdash;10 systems army and extra troopers (3,200,000 troopers) led by Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine.
 * Systems army&mdash;2 battle armies (294,912 troopers) led by high ranking Jedi Masters.
 * Battle army&mdash;4 corps (147,456 troopers) led by only the most high-ranking individuals, such as the members of the Jedi High Council.
 * Corps&mdash;4 legions (36,864 troopers) led by a Jedi General and Clone Marshal Commander.
 * Legion&mdash;4 regiments (9,216 troopers) led by a Clone Commander.
 * Regiment&mdash;4 battalions (2,304 troopers) led by a Clone Commander.
 * Battalion&mdash;4 companies (576 troopers) led by a Clone Commander.
 * Company&mdash;4 platoons (144 troopers) led by a Clone Captain.
 * Platoon&mdash;4 squads (36 troopers) led by a Clone Lieutenant.
 * Squad&mdash;9 troopers led by a Clone Sergeant.

Ranks
"So if you're a captain, and I'm a Jedi, then technically I outrank you, right?''" "In my book, experience'' outranks everything."

- Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano and Clone Captain CT-7567 "Rex"

At first, color was used to denote the rank of Grand Army clone officers. This system was intended as a benefit for non-clones on the battlefield, as well as clones whose helmet displays malfunctioned. It fell out of use, however, as the Jedi encouraged the clones to express their individuality. As a result, the clone army gradually adopted a new system in which they customized their armor with unique color schemes and markings. Non-clones and non-Jedi could also serve as Republic officers in the Grand Army such as Hodnar Borrum.

Jedi ranks

 * Jedi General&mdash;Jedi Knights and Masters
 * Jedi Commander&mdash;Jedi Padawans, superior to clone officers and subordinate to Jedi Generals

Clone ranks

 * Clone marshal commander
 * Clone Commander
 * Clone Captain
 * Clone Lieutenant
 * Clone Sergeant
 * Clone Corporal

Other positions

 * Deck officer
 * Platoon leader

History
"What if I am choosing the life I want? What if I'm staying in the army because it's meaningful to me?''" "And, how is it meaningful?" "''Because I'm part of the most pivotal moment in the history of the Republic. If we fail then our children, and their children, could be forced to live under an evil I can't well imagine."

- Clone Captain CT-7567 "Rex" and clone deserter Cut Lawquane

Origin
"Yes, a clone army; and I must say, one of the finest we've ever created."

- Lama Su

The Grand Army of the Republic, shortened to the GAR, or referred to as the Republic Army, was originally conceived by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, who had foreseen the galaxy becoming consumed in war. Despite his removal from the ranks of the Jedi High Council, whose other members rejected his ideas, Sifo-Dyas contacted the planet Kamino. The Kaminoans, a species that specialized in the science of cloning, were under the impression that Sifo-Dyas represented the interests of the council. In truth, their communication was kept secret. Unaware of this deception, the Kaminoan cloners accepted the Jedi's commission to create a clone army for the Galactic Republic.

Sifo-Dyas did not live to witness the completion of his army. An unwitting pawn of the Sith, Sifo-Dyas was murdered by the Pyke Syndicate at the behest of Darth Tyranus &mdash;once known as Jedi Master Dooku, the fallen Jedi turned to the dark side of the Force and became apprenticed to the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. After the death of Sifo-Dyas, the Sith secretly took over the project and selected the human bounty hunter Jango Fett to serve as the genetic template of the clone army.

In addition to growth acceleration and behavioral modification, an inorganic bio-chip was installed into the brain of every clone trooper at the early stage of their development. The official reason behind the implant was to ensure that the clones would be more docile than their aggressive genetic donor. The true reason&mdash;as Prime Minister Lama Su and Nala Se understood it&mdash;was to ensure that the clones would terminate renegade Jedi in accordance with Protocol 66. Unknown even to the Kaminoans, the bio-chips were manufactured for the sole purpose of forcing the clones to annihilate the entire Jedi Order so that the Sith could ultimately reclaim control over the galaxy.

Formation
"This army is for the Republic."

- Lama Su

As a result of the clone troopers' accelerated growth process, the first two hundred thousand soldiers were completed within a decade &mdash;approximately ten years after the Battle of Naboo and twenty-two years before the Battle of Yavin. By then the galaxy stood on the brink of war, as predicted by Sifo-Dyas, due to a group of secessionist star systems and powerful corporations. Seeking independence from the Galactic Republic, they combined their resources to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems, an act which the Republic refused to recognize.

Vowing to preserve the unity of the thousand-year Republic, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine attempted to negotiate the Separatists' return to the Republic with the aid of the Loyalist Committee and the Jedi Council. Around the same time, the Galactic Senate was divided in their response to the Separatist Crisis. Some senators advocated for the passage of the Military Creation Act, which would enable the Republic to organize a military force to defend the Republic. Other senators such as Padmé Amidala opposed the bill under the belief that it would provoke a full-scale war between the Republic and the Separatists.

The matter was ultimately settled when the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered both the Kamino-produced clone army and a secret army of battle droids that the Separatists constructed on the planet Geonosis. Convinced that the senators would never authorize the creation of a military on their own before the Separatists attacked the Republic, Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks called on the Senate to empower the Supreme Chancellor with the authority to end the crisis of the Separatist movement. The Senate enthusiastically supported Binks' proposal; accordingly Palpatine accepted the mandate and announced the formation of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Clone Wars
"What's the point of all this? I mean, why?''" "I don't know, sir. I don't think anybody knows. But I do know that someday this war is gonna end." "''Then what? We're soldiers. What happens to us then?"

- CT-7567 and CT-5555, questioning the war and their role in it

After a decade of development and training, the first generation of clone troopers was called into action. Placed under the leadership of Grand Master Yoda, the Grand Army of the Republic made its debut in the Battle of Geonosis, storming the Separatist stronghold and engaging the droid army with the element of surprise on their side. Clone troopers fought side by side as they repelled the enemy from the battlefield, ultimately forcing the Confederate forces into full retreat from the planet. With Geonosis secured, the Grand Army claimed victory in the first battle of the Clone Wars&mdash;so-named for the clones who composed the Republic's armed forces.

Throughout the conflict, the Grand Army of the Republic was deployed across the galaxy in order to put an end to the rebellion of the Separatists. The Jedi Knights assumed direct command over the clone troopers, becoming Jedi Generals of the Grand Army. As the Clone Wars progressed, more clone troopers sacrificed their lives out of loyalty to the Jedi and the Supreme Chancellor. While the clones had been engineered to serve as soldiers in the Grand Army, they were also encouraged by the Jedi to develop their own distinct identities, consequently resulting in a wave of greater individuality and creative-thinking that spread through the clone ranks. As such, special unit markings and color patterns became increasingly common within the Grand Army.

The Grand Army of the Republic fought on all fronts for three years. As the end of the war drew near, clone troopers continued to see action from Coruscant to Kashyyyk and Utapau. Following the deaths of Darth Tyranus in the Battle of Coruscant, and General Grievous in the Battle of Utapau, the Separatists were all but defeated. However, by then the Jedi Council discovered the Supreme Chancellor's true identity&mdash;Sheev Palpatine and Darth Sidious were one and the same; the leader of the Galactic Senate was the enigmatic Sith Lord who secretly controlled both sides in the war. Several masters on the council moved swiftly to arrest the Chancellor before he could destroy the Jedi Order and the Republic, but their efforts ultimately ended in failure. Using this incident to frame the Jedi Order for treason, Sidious declared that all Jedi were now enemies of the state.

It was then that the Sith unleashed their secret weapon&mdash;the Grand Army of the Republic. Sidious broadcast Order 66 to the clone troopers who were spread throughout the galaxy. Due to their hidden programming, the clones complied without question, turning their weapons on the Jedi and executing them across numerous worlds, as well as inside the Jedi Temple where Darth Vader personally oversaw the Jedi's eradication. With the military under the Chancellor's control, and the Jedi all but destroyed, Sidious proclaimed himself Emperor of the first Galactic Empire. Ultimately, the Grand Army of the Republic was an asset that enabled Sidious to establish a Sith dictatorship over the galaxy.

Legacy
"You and your kind brought peace to the galaxy. Why would you lower yourself to fight with traitors? Where is your loyalty?''" "My loyalty was to the Republic, not your Empire." "I serve the order you'' put into place, Captain."

- Brom Titus and Rex

As the formation of the Empire marked the end of the Old Republic, the Grand Army of the Republic became the basis of the Imperial Military&mdash;the armed forces of the Emperor's new government. Accordingly, the Republic clone troopers transitioned into Imperial stormtroopers. With vast portions of the galaxy unconquered, the Empire embarked on a massive militarization program to eliminate the remaining Separatist holdouts, enforce the Emperor's authority, and expand the Empire's growing dominion.

Over time the clones' skills deteriorated with the accelerated speed of their aging process, leading the Empire to prefer human recruits and conscripts over cloned soldiers. By and large, clones were removed from combat duty and instead given the task of managing various Imperial projects. By this time many clones felt bitter and horrified at their actions during Order 66, even though it was out of their control. Few clones continued to serve in the stormtrooper ranks after the Battle of Yavin; ISB Commander Alecia Beck believed Sergeant TX-828 to be one of the last Kamino-produced clones who were still in service to the Imperial Military.

During the time of the First Order, the Grand Army was still referenced in military circles, with Kylo Ren belittling Armitage Hux's troops, suggesting a clone army would be a stronger force.

Armies

 * 4th Sector Army
 * Twelfth Army

Corps

 * 7th Sky Corps
 * 21st Nova Corps
 * 41st Elite Corps
 * 87th Sentinel Corps
 * 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps
 * 327th Star Corps
 * Flame trooper corps

Divisions

 * 181st Armor Division
 * 212th Recon Division
 * 224th Division
 * Mud Jumpers

Battalions/Legions

 * 41st Scout Battalion
 * 104th Battalion
 * 212th Attack Battalion
 * 442nd Siege Battalion
 * 481st Legion
 * 501st Legion
 * Carnivore Battalion
 * Execute Battalion
 * Depa Billaba's battalion
 * Depa Billaba's new battalion
 * Rancor Battalion

Companies

 * Ghost Company
 * Green Company
 * Monnk's company
 * Tango Company
 * Torrent Company
 * Unidentified company

Garrisons

 * Outer Rim garrison

Platoons

 * 41st Ranger Platoon
 * Unidentified platoon
 * Waxer's platoon

Regiments

 * CC-2801's regiment
 * Unidentified regiment

Squads

 * Clone Force 99
 * D-Squad
 * Delta Squad
 * Fil's squad
 * First squad
 * R2-D2's battle droid squadron
 * Rex's squad
 * Rostu Squad

Squadrons

 * Lightning Squadron
 * Unidentified tank squadron

Specialized units

 * Clone Intelligence
 * Coruscant Guard
 * Diplomatic service
 * Foxtrot Group

Training units

 * 322nd
 * Bravo Squad
 * Clone Youth Brigade
 * Domino Squad

Unspecified

 * Calm Tree
 * Clone military police
 * Orto Plutonia clone security force
 * Skywalker's team
 * Snow Wolves
 * Wildfire

Vehicles and machinery
"We need more firepower! Send in the walkers!"

- Jedi General Anakin Skywalker

As the ground forces of the Republic military, the Grand Army used a wide range of vehicles to achieve various objectives. For artillery, the Grand Army utilized the AV-7 Anti-vehicle Artillery Cannon, the Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolaser, and the UT-AT. The army also made use of several types of speeders, including the BARC speeder, the CK-6 swoop bike, and the Infantry Support Platform.

The Republic's ground forces also used walkers, repulsorcraft, and wheeled vehicles such as the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer, the All Terrain Open Transport, the All Terrain Recon Transport, the All Terrain Attack Pod, the HAVw A6 Juggernaut, the TX-130 Saber-class fighter tank, the RTT-04 armored troop transport, and the RX-200 Falchion-class assault tank. For transportation of clone troopers and cargo, the Grand Army utilized AA-9 Freighter-Liners based on Coruscant.

Weapons and equipment
For infantry weapons, the Grand Army of the Republic had a selection of blasters, grenades, and projectile launchers. For blasters, the army made use of the DC-17 hand blaster, the DC-17m blaster rifle, the DC-15A blaster, the DC-15 blaster rifle, the DC-15LE blaster rifle, the DC-15x sniper rifle, the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon, the SCUBA trooper rifle, and the Valken-38x sniper. The types of grenades used were the Class-A thermal detonator and the N-20 Baradium-core thermal detonator. The Grand Army utilized ascension guns, missile launchers, and the RPS-6 rocket launcher.

Behind the scenes
The Grand Army of the Republic first appeared in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.