Sandtroopers, also known as desert stormtroopers, represented a specialized type of stormtrooper meticulously trained and outfitted for combat in desert environments. Functioning as a distinct division within the broader Stormtrooper Corps, these soldiers advanced the objectives of the Galactic Empire across arid landscapes during its reign.
Sandtroopers were established as a unique division within the Stormtrooper Corps, designated the Sandtrooper Division. These soldiers were integrated into the Imperial Army during the reign of the Galactic Empire. They were strategically deployed to desert planets, like the Outer Rim world of Tatooine, where they were part of a planetary garrison. On Tatooine, the sandtroopers had to contend with the indigenous Tusken Raiders tribes. In one instance, two sandtroopers encountered a Tusken Raider youngling, but one of the troopers chose to kill the child instead of interacting with the young sand person.
After a raid on his settlement in the Jundland Wastes, a Tusken Raider youngling got lost and separated from his people, eventually wandering into the city of Mos Eisley. After the youngling was ejected from Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina, two sandtroopers—the same pair who had previously encountered another Tusken child—arrived to investigate the disturbance. As they argued about who would have to handle the Tusken child, with the soldier who refrained from shooting the previous child hesitant to touch him due to concerns about sand lice, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared. Kenobi used a mind trick on the troopers, ensuring he could return the child to his tribe.
Sandtroopers also served at the Ring of Kafrene trading outpost and on the moon of Jedha. On Jedha, the Imperial garrison was besieged by rebel leader Saw Gerrera and his Partisans.
Under the direction of Sith Lord Darth Vader and Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, a regiment of sandtroopers was deployed to Tatooine to search for the stolen Death Star plans, which were hidden within the astromech droid R2-D2. Despite the existing Imperial presence on Tatooine, including sandtroopers, the surge in stormtrooper activity caused unrest in Mos Eisley. The sandtroopers were largely uninformed about the mission, only aware that the droids they sought possessed secret plans.
Some troopers participating in the search utilized the native dewbacks as mounts, serving in specialized mounted squads. The sandtrooper unit led by Davin Felth discovered the droids' escape pod. After a mounted squad under Commander TD-4445 entered Mos Eisley, Foot Patrol 7—a unit commanded by Commander TD-110—was dispatched to the town to find the droids. When TD-110 spotted two droids he believed to be their targets, Kenobi used a mind trick to influence the patrol, preventing them from capturing R2-D2 and protocol droid C-3PO.
Shortly after, Foot Patrol 7 arrived at Chalmun's cantina to investigate a commotion, which was actually caused by Kenobi defending Luke Skywalker from the criminals Ponda Baba and Cornelius Evazan. Realizing Kenobi was secretly a Jedi, the bartender, Wuher, intentionally provided minimal information. Consequently, the sandtroopers gained no useful intelligence, only finding Captain Han Solo and his First Mate, Chewbacca, sitting where Wuher directed them. Additionally, despite sandtrooper TD-7556 overhearing whispers about a lightsaber, he dismissed them. While Wuher claimed a Talz patron mentioned seeing the droids heading into the desert, the Kubaz spy Garindan ezz Zavor spotted the droids and informed nearby stormtroopers.
After TD-4445 relayed Zavor's information to Foot Patrol 7, sandtroopers launched an assault on Docking Bay 94, where Kenobi, Skywalker, and the droids had boarded the Millennium Falcon, a YT-1300 light freighter. As Foot Patrol 7 rushed to the hangar, the Falcon escaped, allowing the fugitives to flee Tatooine. Witnessing the starship depart, TD-7556—who had grown disillusioned with the Empire and simply wanted to ride dewbacks—deserted his post, leaving behind a sarcastic incident report.
Following the fugitives' escape from Tatooine, Kenobi was killed by Darth Vader aboard the DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station, and Skywalker later destroyed the space station in the Battle of Yavin. The Death Star's destruction, coupled with the loss of Weapons Factory Alpha, disrupted the Empire's supply lines, leading to negotiations with the Hutt Clan. Dewback-mounted sandtroopers were part of the troops that escorted Vader to Jabba's Palace on Tatooine for these discussions. Sandtroopers also participated in the Battle of Jakku.
The stormtrooper armor worn by sandtroopers was modified with cooling fans and a helmet sand filter for operations in desert environments. They also carried an SD-48 survival backpack containing extra rations and water. Sandtroopers used weapons such as the E-11 medium blaster rifle, the T-21 light repeating blaster, the DLT-19 heavy blaster rifle, and the RT-97C heavy blaster rifle. The Heavy Weapons Stormtrooper version of the sandtrooper was known as the Heavy Sandtrooper.