Rahm Kota's Militia represented a distinctive fighting unit, composed of seasoned soldiers who served the Galactic Republic during the period of the Clone Wars. While members of the Jedi Order took on leading positions within the Grand Army of the Republic, Master Kota opted to remain separate from the newly formed Clone Army. He harbored distrust for the clones and doubted their effectiveness as warriors. Consequently, Kota assembled a small, yet potent, army by recruiting from local militias, mercenary outfits, and even Separatist prisoners captured during the war.
When Order 66 was enacted by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the clone troopers turned against their Jedi commanders, committing acts of murder. In contrast, the majority of Kota's Militia remained loyal to their General. They went into hiding during the Great Jedi Purge but resurfaced later to fight against the Galactic Empire, ultimately becoming the foundational soldiers of the Rebel Alliance.
The Militia soldiers were outfitted with armor and uniforms that bore a resemblance to those later adopted by the Alliance Special Forces in the initial stages of the Galactic Civil War. The majority of troopers carried blaster rifles, stun batons, missile launchers, and thermal grenades. Elite members received enhanced armor and repeating blaster cannons. Moreover, the Militia had acquired several captured MAAT gunships, at least 3 CR90 corvettes, and numerous BTL-S3 Y-wing starfighters. Subsequently, they also gained control of a captured Republic Cruiser. A significant portion of their weaponry and vehicles was obtained through transactions with criminal organizations, such as the Lok Revenants.
Due to their limited numbers, the Militia primarily employed surprise attacks and guerilla warfare tactics. Despite being significantly outnumbered by the Droid army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and later facing a superior Imperial Military, the Militia comprised soldiers deeply committed to rebelling against the Galactic Empire. Their defining characteristics included loyalty to Rahm Kota, dedication to his cause, bravery in the face of Imperial forces, and a willingness to die for their Jedi General.
Following the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Jedi Order promptly intervened to safeguard the galaxy from the Separatist uprising, accepting command of the newly-established Grand Army of the Republic. While Jedi Master Rahm Kota was equally resolved to defend the Republic, he chose not to command the clone troopers. Unlike his fellow Jedi, Kota did not place his trust in the Clone Army. He also held the belief that clone soldiers lacked the qualities needed for effective combat. Kota considered "real" humans to possess superior creativity, intelligence, and adaptability compared to clones. Consequently, he formed a private unit of highly skilled soldiers, recruited from various local militias, mercenaries, and even Separatist prisoners taken during the war. This resulted in a small, yet formidable, fighting force, known for its battlefield prowess and unwavering loyalty to General Kota.
Rahm Kota's skepticism regarding the clones and his confidence in ordinary humans proved justified when Order 66 was issued by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was secretly the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious. Under the Chancellor's directive, clone troopers turned on their Jedi officers on Coruscant and across the galaxy, executing them. However, Kota's soldiers remained loyal to their General, defying the genocidal order. With the Republic's collapse and the subsequent rise of the Galactic Empire—under the rule of the self-proclaimed Emperor Palpatine—the Militia seized a Republic cruiser and disappeared into hiding.
For many years during the Great Jedi Purge, Kota and his soldiers remained hidden. They reemerged from secrecy nearly two decades after the Declaration of a New Order, launching hit-and-run attacks on various Imperial targets throughout the galaxy. While not officially a rebellion, their actions eventually drew the personal attention of the Sith Lord Darth Vader, whom Kota sought to eliminate. As Kota's Militia was in the process of raiding a TIE Fighter Construction Facility orbiting Nar Shaddaa, Vader dispatched his Secret Apprentice - Galen Marek. Marek, a young Sith assassin known as Starkiller, was tasked with assassinating Kota in Vader's place.
To safeguard the secrecy of his existence, which violated the Sith Rule of Two, Marek was instructed to eliminate all witnesses, including both Imperial personnel and members of Kota's Militia. Starkiller dutifully carried out his Master's commands, ensuring that no one in his path survived. During his advance to the station's command center, where General Kota was located, Starkiller encountered numerous clashes between Imperial and Militia forces. Upon reaching his target, the Apprentice blinded and defeated Kota in a lightsaber duel, but ultimately failed to kill him. As a result of the Battle of the TIE Fighter Construction Facility, the remaining members of the Militia were scattered and left without leadership. Although Kota survived his encounter with Starkiller, the Jedi Master became disillusioned by his defeat and resorted to heavy drinking as a means of coping with depression.
Following the Militia's defeat at Nar Shaddaa, some of Kota's soldiers formed a bodyguard detail for the renegade Imperial Senator Bail Organa. They accompanied him to the planet Felucia in search of Jedi Master Shaak Ti, unaware that she had already been killed. The soldiers were unable to prevent the Senator's abduction by her apprentice, the corrupted Jedi Maris Brood. Marek, who was now collaborating with Kota to organize a rebellion, later arrived on the planet and found the Militia troops engaged in combat with Imperial soldiers. The Militia, unaware of Starkiller's ties to Darth Vader, directed the Apprentice toward Brood's location, where she was holding Organa captive.
After Organa's rescue, a group of Militia soldiers traveled to Corellia where they provided protection to a small group of dissatisfied Imperial Senators, including Mon Mothma and Garm Bel Iblis. However, the meeting was a trap set by Darth Vader to gather the Emperor's enemies in one place. The Militia was quickly overwhelmed by the Dark Lord and his snowtroopers; Kota was easily defeated by Vader himself. The Senators were then transported to the Death Star where Emperor Palpatine awaited them. Marek ultimately saved the Senators, sacrificing his life in battle with Palpatine to ensure the Rebellion's survival. Following Marek's death, the Senators—Mon Mothma, Garm Bel Iblis, Bail and Leia Organa—officially declared the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The remnants of Kota's Militia formed the foundation of the nascent Alliance Military, with Rahm Kota becoming one of its first generals.
Kota eventually grew dissatisfied with the newly-formed Rebel Alliance's war against the Galactic Empire. While Alliance High Command — torn between Mon Mothma's reluctance to risk resources and Garm Bel Iblis's advocacy for total war — struggled with indecision and disagreement, Kota decided to pursue his own agenda by conducting unauthorized operations against various Imperial targets. To accomplish this, he recruited an elite squad that reported directly to him. Well-trained and equipped with gear similar to that of his previous Militia, Kota's new unit served as a successor to the original battalion.
Utilizing Starkiller's former ship, the Rogue Shadow, as their personal transport, Kota's squad served under their General on several missions, including a raid on Cato Neimoidia and an Imperial ambush on the Alliance Fleet in the Itani Nebula. The squad also participated in the Assault on Kamino, assisting General Kota against various Imperial forces as the Alliance troops stormed the Timira City Cloning Facility. As the battle concluded, General Rahm Kota and his squad—aided by a clone of the original Starkiller — captured Darth Vader, securing the Alliance's first major victory in the war.
The most accomplished and dependable members of Kota's Militia were granted positions in the General's heavy weapons detail. Armed with powerful repeating blaster cannons, the Elites were considered formidable adversaries, even for the most battle-hardened Imperial soldiers. Their combat role included providing suppressive fire for other Militia members and defending critical locations during raids.
Heavy Troopers utilized equipment similar to that of the Militia Saboteur, but their primary weapon was the missile launchers. They accompanied other Militia variants, providing long-range fire support against heavily armored and dangerous enemies. While effective at eliminating targets from a distance, they were vulnerable in close-quarters combat and relied on the protection of their comrades.
The Saboteurs formed the core of General Kota's Militia. Armed with DH-17 blasters and thermal grenades, these soldiers were skilled at maneuvering in small, tightly coordinated groups. Given the Militia's limited resources and manpower for a full-scale war against the Galactic Empire, the Saboteurs were also trained in guerilla warfare tactics.
Militia Troopers were General Kota's personally selected soldiers, trained in the use of energized stun batons. As such, they were primarily suited for close-quarters melee combat in environments filled with explosives and other hazards. These specialized soldiers relied on rapidly closing the distance to their enemies, surrounding and overwhelming them before they could fire a shot.
The game developers of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game intentionally designed Kota's soldiers with gear and aesthetics that evoked the Rebel troopers seen in the original trilogy.
Players can assume the appearance of the Militia Elite, Saboteur, or Trooper by using the cheat code SOHNDANN to unlock the alternative skins and costumes. The Heavy Troopers are exclusive to the PSP, PS2, and Wii versions of the video game. In these versions, the Saboteurs are equipped with the A280 blaster rifle instead of the DH-17 blaster pistol.