Snowtrooper
Snowtroopers, sometimes affectionately called "snowies" by their fellow troopers, represented the Galactic Empire's most skilled stormtroopers, specially trained and outfitted for combat in extremely cold climates.
History
These cold weather specialists within the Galactic Empire's stormtrooper ranks evolved from the clone cold assault troopers of the Clone Wars, who saw action on icy worlds like Orto Plutonia, Rhen Var, and Toola. Within the snowtrooper ranks were specialized units like Snowtrooper Scouts, Heavy Snowtroopers, and Arctic Jumptroopers.
Snowtroopers joined regular stormtroopers during the investigation of the Tribunal, a wrecked Venator-class Star Destroyer, where their commanding officer, the Sith Lord Darth Vader, discovered the lightsaber that once belonged to his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Under the command of Captain Magna Tolvan, snowtroopers also participated in the pursuit of the rogue archeologist Chelli Aphra at the Citadel of Rur.
Three years after the Battle of Yavin, when the Empire pinpointed the location of the Alliance to Restore the Republic's base on Hoth, the elite Blizzard Force, under the leadership of General Maximilian Veers, played a crucial role in the ensuing Battle of Hoth. This engagement resulted in a significant Imperial triumph and dealt a severe blow to the Rebel Alliance. Sometime after this battle, at least one snowtrooper was involved in the invasion of Ison.
Equipment
Snowtrooper armor provided substantial insulation against extreme cold. The suit and heated breather mask were powered by a battery pack with a lifespan of up to two standard weeks. To enhance survival, the armor also featured ice boots, an insulated kama belt, polarized snow goggles, grappling hooks, ion flares, and a homing beacon. Snowtroopers commonly carried E-11 medium blaster rifles and E-Web heavy repeating blaster cannons. Certain troopers received specialized training in the use of either flamethrowers or T-7 ion disruptor rifles. Rank insignia plaques were incorporated into the snowtrooper armor to identify officers in command, as seen in the case of Captain TS-4068. Notably, snowtrooper commanders and lieutenants sometimes opted to forgo helmets, even in frigid conditions. A cold weather variant of the standard scout trooper was also in use.