Army Order of Battle

The Imperial Army maintains a highly structured yet flexible organizational system designed to project military power across the galaxy. Units can be reinforced and augmented with additional personnel, vehicles, and support elements depending on operational requirements. This flexibility allows commanders to scale formations from relatively small task forces up to massive sector-wide armies while maintaining standardized command structures.

Overall Hierarchy

The standard chain of command flows from the largest strategic formations down to the smallest tactical units. A typical Sector Army contains between two and four Systems Armies. Each Systems Army generally oversees one to three Armies. An Army is normally composed of four Corps. Each Corps contains four Battlegroups. A Battlegroup is made up of four Regiments. A Regiment consists of four Battalions. Each Battalion contains four Companies. A Company is composed of four Platoons, and each Platoon contains four Squads.

Numbered Army

The Empire consists of twenty armies known as the Numbered Armies, originating from the Clone Wars-era Sector Armies, which can be confusing by those new to military history. While other armies specify their origin world or system (such as the 3rd Corellian Army), the Numbered Armies range from the 1st Army headquartered out of Anaxes to the 20th Army headquartered at Tallaan.

Sector Army

The Sector Army is the largest standard formation in the Imperial Army. Commanded by a Surface Marshal, a Sector Army is responsible for military control over an entire sector. It typically consists of two to four Systems Armies. When operating at minimum strength, a Sector Army fields approximately 262,000 troopers. When fully augmented, it can well exceed 1.7 million troopers. These formations include enormous numbers of repulsorcraft and heavy tanks, making them capable of sustained large-scale operations across multiple systems.

Systems Army

The Systems Army functions primarily as a logistical and administrative formation rather than a frontline combat unit. Commanded by a High General, it serves as a bookkeeping headquarters responsible for managing reinforcements and coordinating resources between the Sector Army and individual Armies. A standard Systems Army contains one to three Armies, while an augmented formation may contain up to four. Its headquarters is similar in size to an Army headquarters, with its main purpose being to ensure subordinate commanders have access to the personnel and equipment they require.

Army

An Army is considered the minimum formation capable of capturing and holding a key star system. Commanded by a General, it is normally composed of four Corps (usually one of each major type). Depending on the level of augmentation, an Army may contain between 131,000 and 147,000 troopers. This formation serves as the core operational unit for major planetary conquest and long-term occupation of important worlds.

Corps

Corps are large operational formations used for major planetary or continental campaigns. Commanded by a Major General, a Corps normally consists of four Battlegroups and fields between 32,000 and 37,000 troopers. Several specialized Corps types exist to suit different operational requirements.

Line Corps — The standard all-purpose Corps formation. It is designed for general combat operations and can handle most battlefield situations without specialized equipment. It is the most common type of Corps in the Imperial Army.

Armor Corps — Heavily equipped with tanks and armored vehicles. An Armor Corps typically consists of three armored battlegroups, one mobile battlegroup, one auxiliary battlegroup, and corps headquarters. It contains approximately 74,794 personnel, 5,128 repulsorcraft, and 1,219 heavy tanks. These Corps are built for powerful offensive strikes and breaking through heavily defended enemy positions.

Mobile Corps — Emphasize speed and mechanized infantry. A Mobile Corps consists of three mobile battlegroups, an armored battlegroup, an auxiliary battlegroup, and corps headquarters. It includes around 71,615 personnel, 5,548 repulsorcraft, and 1,113 heavy tanks. They are optimized for rapid repositioning, exploitation of breakthroughs, and operations requiring high mobility across the battlefield.

Atrisian Corps — Elite formations used for high-priority or particularly difficult operations. They are generally considered more capable and better trained than standard Line Corps.

Battlegroup

Battlegroups serve as the standard deployment for major offensives and are capable of conducting continent-wide operations. Commanded by a High Colonel, each Battlegroup is composed of four Regiments and fields roughly 8,000 to 9,200 troopers. Several specialized variants exist to suit different mission profiles.

Line Battlegroup — The standard formation used for most operations. It provides a balanced mix of infantry, armor, and support elements.

Reinforced Battlegroup — A mixed formation that combines multiple specializations, making it suitable for operations in varied or unpredictable environments.

Armored Battlegroup — Concentrates large numbers of vehicles. It is designed to destroy pockets of resistance and break through fortified lines.

Mobile Battlegroup — Focuses on rapid mechanized maneuvering and exploitation of breakthroughs.

Auxiliary Battlegroup — Oriented toward support and logistical roles rather than direct combat.

Regiment

Regiments are the smallest formation normally deployed for independent operations. Commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, a Regiment consists of four Battalions and contains between 2,000 and 2,300 troopers. Multiple specialized types exist to fulfill different roles.

Line Regiment — Used for long-term planetary occupation and general combat duties. It is the most common Regiment type and serves as the backbone of many operations.

Assault Regiment — Serves as the vanguard in major attacks. These Regiments are designed to lead assaults and secure initial footholds in enemy territory.

Repulsorlift Regiment — Emphasizes speed and rapid response. It is ideal for exploitation, pursuit, and operations requiring high mobility.

Armor Regiment and Vanguard Armor Regiment — Provide heavy mobile firepower. They are used to destroy enemy armor and fortifications with concentrated armored assaults.

Artillery Regiment — Delivers concentrated fire support for other units across the battlefield.

COMPNOR Regiment — Affiliated with COMPNOR (Commission to Preserve the New Order). These Regiments are composed of highly motivated troops who have received additional ideological training to ensure unwavering loyalty to the New Order. They are frequently assigned to internal security missions, ideological enforcement, and operations where absolute dedication to Imperial principles is essential.

Battalion

Battalions are capable of capturing and holding major urban centers. Commanded by a Major, each Battalion contains four Companies and fields between 512 and 576 troopers. Specialized types include:

Line Battalion — The standard formation for general operations.

Assault Battalion — Optimized for aggressive attacks and breaking enemy lines.

Armor Battalion — Focused on armored combat and vehicle support.

Repulsorlift Battalion — Emphasizes mobility and rapid response.

Artillery Battalion — Provides dedicated fire support.

Special Missions Battalion — Trained for high-risk and specialized operations.

Company

Companies are generally sufficient to control a city. Commanded by a Captain, each Company consists of four Platoons and fields between 128 and 144 troopers. Common types include:

Line Company — The standard formation used for general duties and occupation.

Assault Company — Designed for aggressive combat and leading attacks.

Repulsorlift Company — Focused on mechanized and mobile operations.

Attack Armor Company and Breakthrough Armor Company — Equipped with heavy vehicles for direct assaults and breaking through defenses.

Artillery Battery — Provides long-range fire support.

Drop Company — Trained for independent pathfinder and assault operations, often inserted ahead of larger forces.

Scout Troop — Provides reconnaissance using speeder bikes.

Special Missions Company — Used for expeditionary and special reconnaissance tasks.

Platoon

Platoons are capable of capturing a district. Commanded by a Lieutenant with a Sergeant Major, each Platoon contains four Squads and fields between 32 and 36 troopers. Specialized types include:

Line Platoon — Basic infantry for general combat duties.

Assault Platoon — Optimized for aggressive combat.

Repulsorlift Platoon and Heavy Weapons Repulsorlift Platoon — Focused on vehicle-mounted operations.

Armor Platoon — Equipped with armored vehicles.

Scout Platoon — Trained for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.

Artillery Line — Provides dedicated small-scale fire support.

Special Missions Platoon — Used for high-risk special operations.

Squad

The Squad is the core tactical unit of the Imperial Army. Commanded by a Sergeant (with a Corporal serving as second-in-command), most squads are subdivided into two Fire Teams. A typical squad contains 8 to 9 troopers. Common variants include:

Line Squad — The standard infantry squad used for general combat.

Heavy Weapons Squad — Equipped with crew-served heavy weapons for increased firepower.

Sharpshooter Squad — Trained for precision fire and eliminating high-value targets.

Engineering Squad — Focused on construction, demolition, and engineering tasks.

Repulsorlift Squad and Heavy Weapons Repulsorlift Squad — Operate anti-gravity vehicles, with the latter carrying heavy weapons.

Scout Lance — Provides reconnaissance on speeder bikes or light walkers.

Armor Section — Operates walkers and repulsortanks.

Artillery Section — Mans individual gun crews for artillery support.

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