Famous battalions of the Clone Wars (Grand Army of the Republic)

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

Throughout the huge civil war known as the Clone Wars, the Galaxy was torn in two between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems. A huge Clone Army was raised by the Republic to defend itself against the massive battle Droid Army of the Confederates. Hugely respected and loved by their Jedi officers, the fiercely loyal Clone Troopers displayed great courage and individuality, but secret genetic programming ultimately compelled them to kill their own Jedi friends.

It is unclear whether the Jedi Order's officers in the Grand Army of the Republic commanded battalions or army corps, or if the Republic used the terms interchangeably. In the present day military, a battalion is typically 300-800 soldiers, and an army corps typically 20,000-40,000 soldiers. Below is listed some of the most famous, who appeared in the Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) series, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) series, and Star Wars - Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith.

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• - 21st Corps "Nova Corps" - General Ki Adi Mundi / Clone Commander CC-1138 "Bacara"
• - 41st Corps "Elite Corps" - General Luminara Unduli / Clone Commander CC-1004 "Gree"
• - 104th Corps "Wolf Pack" - General Plo Koon / Clone Commander CC-3636 "Wolffe"
• - 212th Corps "Attack Battalion" - General Kenobi / Clone Commander CC-2224 "Cody"
• - 327th Corps "Star Corps" - General Aayla Secura / Clone Commander CC-5052 "Bly"
• - 501st Corps "501st Legion" - General Darth Vader / Clone Commander CT-7567 "Rex"

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• 21st Battalion "Galactic Marines" / General Ki Adi Mundi / Commander CC-1138 "Bacara"

Unit colours: Maroon / Specialty: Warfare in multiple environments, planetary and space

(Soldiers of the 21st eliminate General Ki Adi Mundi on Mygeeto during Order 66)
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• 41st Battalion "Elite Corps" / General Luminara Unduli / Commander CC-1004 "Gree"

Unit colours: Green / Specialty: Counter-insurgency, hostile terrain, aiding alien natives

(The 41st accompanied Yoda to Kashyyyk during the late stages of the Clone Wars)

(Commander Gree attempts to eliminate General Yoda, and is beheaded, during Order 66)
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• 104th Battalion "Wolf Pack" / General Plo Koon / Commander CC-3636 "Wolffe"

Unit colours: Grey / Specialty: Unknown, possibly airborne assault

(The 104th accompanied General Plo Koon to Felucia to assault a Separatist outpost)

(Pilots shot down and killed General Plo Koon over Cato Neimodia during Order 66)
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• 212th Battalion "Attack Battalion" / General Obi Wan Kenobi / Commander CC-2224 "Cody"

Unit colours: Orange / Specialty: Planetary assault and landing

(The 212th accompanied Obi Wan Kenobi to Utapau in search of Seperatist General Grievous)

(Commander Cody attempted to eliminate General Obi Wan Kenobi during Order 66)
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• 327th Battalion "Star Corps" / General Aayla Secura / Commander CC-5052 "Bly"

Unit colours: Yellow / Specialty: Unknown, possibly long range deployments

(Commander Bly eliminated General Aayla Secura on Felucia during Order 66)
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• 501st Battalion "501st Legion" / General Anakin Skywalker / Commander CT-7567 "Rex"

Unit colours: Blue / Specialty: Planetary assault and landing

(Captain Rex and Sergent Appo with a squad of 501st Clone Troopers)

(Commander Rex of the 501st with Commander Cody of the 212th)

(The 501st accompanied Darth Vader in his purge of the Jedi Temple during Order 66)
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Nobody knows how large the Clone Army was. The Galactic Republic operated like the UN, or the United Federation of Planets, more like a union of many planetary republics and monarchies, and less like a centralized federal government. If we assume a figure of around 10,000 Jedi Knights living at the time of the Clone Wars, there were more than enough to lead a battalion of each, even assuming a large Clone Army of millions was raised to fight the Seperatists.

Many of the tragic assassinations of Jedi Generals took place during the "Outer Rim Seiges", during the late Clone Wars, when the Seperatists and their Droid Army dug in on far flung planets, and the Clone Army had been forced into long battles of attrition to uproot them. The Republic was forced to spend more and more on these costly campaigns, becoming further indebted and placing more power in the hands of the Supreme Chancellor, and future Galactic Emperor, Palpatine.

 

[fireproof78]

I love the different Clone Units. There are also the Clone Security force stationed on Coruscant.

Also, in your initial listing why is the 501st under "General Darth Vader?" Anakin was in command of the 501st the entire time.

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

He was inducted into the Sith Order and knighted as a Sith Warrior, given the name Darth Vader, shortly before leading them into into the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, so I though it would be interesting to list them as Darth Vader's unit (might be how they were seen by later historians, as people tend to refer to Darth Vader when describing Luke/Leia's parentage for example).

I like that the Clone Wars kinda evokes aspects of the American Civil War and World War II. Judging by Luke's reaction to Obi Wan telling him he served in the Clone Wars, the galaxy by the time of A New Hope seem to regard it as an almost mythic struggle, like World War II is viewed. I bet there were a lot of veterans with stories of the wars, and also a lot of human suffering.

 

[Tuskin38]

You can Spot a Phase 2 helmet with Gree's paint scheme in Thrawn's office in Rebels.

For those who are unaware, the 501st during the assault on the temple was lead by Commander Appo.
Rex at the time was on Mandalore.

Commander Appo is also the Clone that approaches Senator Organa when he lands at the temple durin Ep 3.

 

[fireproof78]

He was inducted into the Sith Order and knighted as a Sith Warrior, given the name Darth Vader, shortly before leading them into into the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, so I though it would make things interesting to list them as Darth Vader's unit (might be how they were seen by later historians, as people tend to refer to Darth Vader when describing Leia's parentage for example).

I suppose I can see the rationale, but Anakin Skywalker was the general of the 501st during the Clone Wars, so listing the Jedi Generals, but then "Darth Vader" is odd. Also, if you want to take an Imperial historical point of view, would they really acknowledge the Jedi at all?

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

I suppose I can see the rationale, but Anakin Skywalker was the general of the 501st during the Clone Wars, so listing the Jedi Generals, but then "Darth Vader" is odd. Also, if you want to take an Imperial historical point of view, would they really acknowledge the Jedi at all?

Like I say, just trying to mix things up a bit, no great thought went into it - hence why I've also listed the units as corps in that list, and then as battalions, a completely different sized unit, in the unit descriptions below that - really they might be a mixture of the two with generals serving as the leaders of battalions within larger corps also led by Jedi generals - but for simplicity and neatness, I've chosen to imagine that the Grand Army of the Republic is say, 916 battalions/corps of unknown size (i.e. the Republic does not follow real world naming conventions), each led by a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master, with no larger units, like say field armies - it makes sense in a galaxy sparsely strewn with planets.

 

[fireproof78]

Like I say, just trying to mix things up a bit, no great thought went into it - hence why I've also listed the units as corps in that list, and then as battalions, a completely different sized unit, in the unit descriptions below that - really they might be a mixture of the two with generals serving as the leaders of battalions within larger corps also led by Jedi generals - but for simplicity and neatness, I've chosen to imagine that the Grand Army of the Republic is say, 916 battalions/corps of unknown size (i.e. the Republic does not follow real world naming conventions), each led by a Jedi Knight or Jedi Master, with no larger units, like say field armies - it makes sense in a galaxy sparsely strewn with planets.

Since, even in canon, they use "Corps" "Legion" and "Battalion" interchangeably, that confusion isn't really your fault

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

I like that they have a lot of personality between units, starting out in identical phase I armor, and then gaining different traditions as the war went on, painting their phase II armor with specific livery. Not as dramatic as Warhammer 40,000's famous legions in the time of the Horus Heresy, but more like units from real military history, who developed specific histories. Maybe I should add bios of major individual clones - Rex would be a good place to start:

 

[Tuskin38]

According to a new canon book Rex is also an ARC trooper.

Which seems to fit with his armour, all he's missing is the second pauldron. He's got the kama, and he has the antenna coming off his helmet that AFAIK you only see on ARC troopers.

He was inspired by an ARC trooper from the Comics, Alpha-17. In fact Rex was originally going to be Alpha-17, but George didn't want the 3 main characters to all start with 'A'. Anakin, Ahsoka, Alpha-17.