Clone shock troopers were highly skilled clone troopers that formed the Coruscant Guard during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They were trained as elite shock troopers specifically for deployment on the Republic capital planet Coruscant and to provide security aboard Republic starships. There, as well as on a few other select Core Worlds, the clone shock troopers served primarily as security police for Republic government buildings such as the Senate Building and as prison guards. They also served as bodyguards for Republic officials and as urban peacekeepers with some troopers trained specifically for riot control. In addition to the civilian police on Republic worlds, as military police they could take over investigations as well and were treated as regular patrolling police when they were out and about.
With the eruption of war between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems in 22 BBY, the clone shock troopers grown on the planet Kamino were put into full operation in the Grand Army of the Republic. However, certain clones had been secretly transferred and grown in secret facilities on Coruscant. The clone shock troopers were established as the Coruscant Guard shortly after the start of the war. Their primary purpose was to serve as a security police for Republic government buildings, Coruscant's infrastructure, banks, plazas, and landing platforms as well as guards at the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center.
Shock troopers escorting Darth Sidious on Mustafar
Though the Coruscant Guard was meant to only supplement the civilian forces of the Coruscant Security Force, in charge of policing Galactic City, and the Senate Guard, in charge of protecting senators, dignitaries and the Senate District, the shock troopers soon found themselves conducting regular policing duties such as raids, hostage rescues, and riot suppression. The Coruscant Guard's Diplomatic Escort Group would be assigned to accompany diplomats and senators, such as Padmé Amidala, a role previously held solely by the Senate Guard.
As the war continued, the Coruscant Guard became the most visible element of the Homeworld Security Command. Shock troopers were called in more and more for police duties and had the authority to demand of anyone to reveal their identification on the spot and perform other random security checks. Rumors of searches of houses without just cause and brutal suppression of protesters in the lower levels existed though were not confirmed by government authorities. This reputation gained the clone shock troopers the nickname "stormtroopers," a term later applied to all clone troopers after the formation of the Galactic Empire.
After newly proclaimed Galactic Emperor Palpatine established the Empire, the Coruscant Guard became the primary force responsible for security on Coruscant. The term "clone shock trooper" was discontinued and members of the Guard were instead referred to as either "Coruscant Guards" or "Elite Stormtroopers." The original clone shock troopers themselves were also phased out in favor of younger and Imperial indoctrinated stormtroopers.
A shock trooper in Phase 1 clone trooper armor
Shock troopers were issued the Phase I clone trooper armor with their initial deployment to Coruscant. Unlike most other clones who were issued white with officers bearing color markings, the Coruscant Guard armor was issued in red. The color scheme made the shock troopers a very distinctive unit within the Grand Army. With the introduction of the Phase II clone trooper armor, the red color scheme continued and a majority of the armor was covered in red. The paint markings were unique designations for the planet of Coruscant, and would later become the de facto color for all things Senatorial and Coruscant executive, during the Clone Wars. Shock troopers wore specialized helmets, with upgraded breath filters and annunciators. It remained such a distinctive armor scheme that the Imperial era Coruscant Guard armor was covered completely in red.
Shock troopers were armed with DC-15A blaster rifles, DC-15Ss, and thermal detonators. They were also seen armed with RPS-6 rocket launchers, and Z-6 rotary blaster cannons during battle. They also employed electrostaffs for combat.
While all canonically-seen shock troopers had red armor highlights, a promotional card for Official Pix sent with the 2006 Hyperspace Fan Club membership kit depicted a shock trooper with blue paint instead of red, but otherwise identical in appearance. The possible canonicity of this color scheme, and of whether those who wore it were indeed part of the shock trooper corps, remains ambiguous.
- LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace
- LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars