The Imperial Army served as the ground-based military component of the Imperial Military belonging to the reconstituted Sith Empire. This army engaged in combat against the Galactic Republic throughout the Great Galactic War, the Cold War, and the Galactic War.
One instance of their involvement was during the Battle of Bothawui, where they suffered a significant defeat at the hands of the Republic's defending forces. The Imperial Army also participated in the Sacking of Coruscant, an event that ultimately led to the Treaty of Coruscant and the subsequent state of cold war between the Empire and the Republic.
Following their retreat from Korriban, the surviving members of the Sith Empire, after years adrift in space, discovered the jungle planet of Dromund Kaas. It was there that the first Grand Moff initiated a program to establish a new Imperial military force. He conscripted all eligible non-Sith individuals into the army and implemented a training system that would remain in use for over thirteen centuries.
Over the years, they fought their way through the jungles of Dromund Kaas, overcoming the planet's dangerous wildlife to create space for the Empire's new capital city. After the completion of the Imperial armada, the Army together with the Navy were eventually deployed in what is considered to be the largest strategic invasion in galactic history, against the Galactic Republic, thus starting the Great Galactic War.
A notable failure of the Army's engagement was the Sith Empire's second attempt to seize Bothawui, where, despite possessing superior numbers, they were unsuccessful due to the flawed strategy of simply overwhelming the enemy with sheer force.
Following the Cold War, their engagements were reduced to peacekeeping operations, as the Treaty of Coruscant prohibited direct conflicts between Imperial and Republic forces. Despite this, they remained on active duty, continuing to be deployed against the Republic in contested territories.
By the time of the Cold War, the Army had a significant presence throughout Sith Space. Some of the troopers stationed on Korriban were affected by the planet's dark energies, leading to psychotic episodes and attacks on their fellow soldiers.
Serving as the Sith Empire's ground-based military branch, the Imperial Army's soldiers commonly wore gray armor, but variations in black, white, green, and red were also used (black and white for commandos, green for Grenadiers). They were equipped with TH-17 or DLA-13 blaster rifles for combat. Within weeks of joining the military, ground forces began live-fire exercises in the jungles of Dromund Kaas, and even non-combat personnel received training in basic weapons, survival skills, and first aid. The Army also utilized Imperial crawler tanks, walkers, and various models of war droids. Imperial heavy troopers were issued full-body gray armor made from duraplast, with colored markings to indicate their unit or specific assignments. The leg armor was designed for mobility and shrapnel protection, while the belt held extra ammunition and grenades. The armor's bracers contained environmental and targeting controls, and the chest readouts provided medical diagnostics for treating wounded soldiers. Heavy infantry soldiers typically carried around one hundred pounds of armor, and most soldiers carried rifles, sidearms, grenades, and five days' worth of rations. The standard service period for an Imperial soldier ranged from twenty-five to thirty years.
The Imperial Army's rank structure was organized as follows: Private, Specialist, Corporal, Sergeant, Ensign, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and ultimately General.
The Imperial Army was further divided into various subgroups, including:
- Fire team: composed of two or three soldiers, led by a corporal.
- Squad: consisted of five to ten soldiers, led by a sergeant.
- Platoon: comprised 50 to 100 soldiers, commanded by a lieutenant.
- Company: included 100 to 300 soldiers, led by a captain.
- Battalion: ranged from 700 to 1,500 soldiers, commanded by a major.
- Brigade: consisted of 5,000 to 7,500 soldiers, led by a colonel.
- Division: ranged from 20,000 to 40,000 soldiers, commanded by a general.
- A larger unit, referred to as an "Assault Group" or "Operations Group," could be formed from over 40,000 soldiers, placed under the command of a Moff or high-ranking Sith Lord for specific missions, and then disbanded after the mission's completion. [2]