Clone sharpshooters, also known as clone snipers, or Clone Specialists, were a specialized variant of clone troopers who served in the Grand Army of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. Due to their additional training in long range marksmanship, their ability to hit targets at extreme distance was far superior to that of regular troopers.

Description[]

Overview[]

A clone sharpshooter,^[1] also referred to as a Clone Specialist,^[3] was a type of specialized clone trooper of the Grand Army of the Republic that was deployed as a sniper or marksman specialist. Clone Specialists excelled at long-range combat, but were more vulnerable to close quarters engagements.^[2] While any clone trooper could be assigned sniping duty if needed,^[4] clone sharpshooters had additional sniper training. Due to that fact, they were able to hit targets from much further distances than regular troopers.^[1]

Various Republic Military units deployed Clone Specialists throughout the Clone Wars, both in Phase I clone trooper armor and Phase II clone trooper armor.^[2] Clone Specialists used either a Valken-38x sniper rifle,^[2] a DC-15A blaster carbine,^[3] or a DC-15A blaster rifle.^[1] Clone sharpshooters and snipers utilized adapted training remotes as shooting range targets.^[5]

Armor and equipment[]

The 7th Sky Corps' Clone Specialist were originally equipped with Phase I armor with standard orange markings. They made use of helmet-mounted electrobinoculars, as well as an optional orange pauldron on their left shoulder. When the Clone Specialists within the 7th upgraded to Phase II, there were two variants. One type of Clone Specialist was only equipped with the electrobinoculars, but had different patterned orange markings. The second type of Clone Specialist used by the 7th Sky Corps retained the standard orange markings of the unit, but were equipped with an orange left-shoulder pauldron in addition to their electrobinoculars. The 212th Recon Division's Advanced Recon Force Scout Troopers of the 7th Sky Corps also contained Clone Specialists. These specialists used desert camouflaged Phase I ARF armor with a few orange markings.^[2]

The 41st Elite Corps' Clone Specialists were first equipped with Phase I armor with the unit's standard green markings and electrobinoculars. The Phase II armor used by the 41st Elite Corps' Clone Specialists used different green markings and the electrobinoculars. Clone Specialists within the 41st Ranger Platoon were equipped with Phase I armor in forest camouflage, an optional black pauldron, and electrobinoculars. They later used Phase II armor in forest camouflage, a black pauldron that was also optional, and electrobinoculars. However, Clone Specialists of the unit that did not use the pauldron were further identified as specialists with dark green markings over their forest camouflage. Clone Specialists who served as clone scout troopers within the 41st Scout Battalion were indistinguishable from their other clone scout counterparts, except for several dark green markings that were placed over their forest camouflage.^[2]

The 181st Armor Division was another unit that deployed Clone Specialists, which exclusively used Phase II armor. They were characterized by green markings and dual stripes, electrobinoculars, and an optional green pauldron. The 87th Sentinel Corps's Clone Specialists were outfitted identically to the 181st, albeit with red markings and a red optional pauldron instead. The 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps, which consisted of standard clone troopers and Biker Advanced Recon Commandos, had two variants of Clone Specialists. Firstly, Clone Specialists wore Phase I armor with the 91st's red emblems and red electrobinoculars, although others used a red left-shoulder pauldron and had additional emblems. They later upgraded to Phase II armor, and retained the additional emblems, the electrobinoculars, and the pauldron. The other Clone Specialist variant used by the 91st were Biker Advanced Recon Commandos. These BARC trooper Clone Specialists had their unit emblem on their helmet and chest armor, along with red electrobinoculars.^[2]

Another unit that deployed Clone Specialists was the 104th Battalion. Similarly to other units, Phase I Clone Specialists wore two sets of armor. One set contained a gray left-shoulder pauldron, electrobinoculars, and their helmets were dominated by the battalion's gray color scheme and markings. The other type of Phase I armor set was only the electrobinoculars, although the unit's colors and markings were dialed back and were featured less. Comparatively, the Phase II Clone Specialists also had two sets of armor. The first set also featured electrobinoculars, a pauldron, and more of the unit's colors featured on the set. The second set of armor removed the pauldron and most of the color scheme, although it had a ripped pattern at the top of the chest armor.^[2]

The 327th Star Corps deployed Clone Specialists, and had various sets of clone armor. One set of armor was a set of Phase I armor with light yellow markings and electrobinoculars. Another set was Phase I armor with electrobinoculars, a left-shoulder pauldron, along with mustard and dark-yellow markings. The 327th later upgraded to Phase II armor, which included mustard and dark yellow markings along with a left-shoulder pauldron and electrobinoculars, while another set was identical except for the markings, which were a lighter shade of yellow and slightly different.^[2]

The 501st Legion deployed Clone Specialists, with the Phase I armor set featuring the legion's standard blue markings and the electrobinoculars, while the Phase II armor set retained all of the initial armor's features albeith with upgraded blue markings and a small, sandy-brown emblem on the chest. The Coruscant Guard's Clone Specialists used Phase I armor with the unit's red colors and markings, along with electrobinoculars, however, the Phase II armor that was later used was upscaled with red markings, as the chest was mostly covered in red. Additionally, the Coruscant Guard's Phase II Clone Specialist armor set featured a gray kama with a red border.^[2]

Clone Specialists without a unit affiliation simply were equipped with the standard white Phase I armor with electrobinoculars, an optional left-shoulder pauldron, an optional equipment bag slung across the chest, or an optional right-shoulder small pauldron.^[3] Standard Phase II armor simply included the white armor with electrobinoculars.^[2] Clone Specialists could also be identified by Phase II armor with red markings, a kama, a red pauldron, and electrobinoculars.^[1]

History[]

The Clone Wars[]

Grown on the planet Kamino from the DNA of Jango Fett, a bounty hunter who became the template of the clone trooper army,^[6] Clone Specialists were a variant derived from the standard trooper of the Republic.^[1] They participated in the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and were deployed by many army units.^[2] A pair of Clone Specialists in Phase I armor operated on the planet Felucia,^[3] and Clone Specialists upgraded to the Phase II armor^[2] that was released by the time of the Battle of Mon Calamari.^[7]

The Galactic Empire[]

When the Galactic Republic became the Galactic Empire, Clone Specialists automatically became Stormtrooper snipers. Eventually, clone troopers, including clone sharpshooters,^[2] were phased out in favor of regular human conscripts.^[8]

Behind the scenes[]

The clone sharpshooter first appeared in the 2016 game Star Wars: Force Arena.^[1] It was later identified as the Clone Specialist in the 2020 Star Wars: Legion expansion pack Phase I Clone Troopers Upgrade Expansion.^[3]

Appearances[]

• Star Wars: Force Arena (First appearance)
• Star Wars Battlefront II

Non-canon appearances[]

• "Stepping Up" — LEGO Star Wars 109

Sources[]

• Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 59 (Secrets of Spaceflight: Training Remotes) (First identified as clone sniper)
• Star Wars: Legion — Phase I Clone Troopers Upgrade Expansion (First identified as Clone Specialist)
• LEGO Star Wars (Set: 75345 501st Clone Troopers Battle Pack)

Non-canon sources[]

• "Ready for any mission" — LEGO Star Wars 109

Notes and references[]