Stormtroopers were the assault/policing troops of the Galactic Empire. They wore white armour made from plastoid over a black body glove which, in addition to creating an imposing image, was outfitted with a wide array of survival equipment and temperature controls that allowed its wearer to survive in most environments, and were designed to disperse blaster bolt energy.
As members of the Stormtrooper Corps, an independent branch that operated under the Imperial Army, stormtroopers represented the backbone of the Imperial Military—trained for total obedience to the command hierarchy, as well as absolute loyalty to Emperor Sheev Palpatine and the Imperial regime. Stormtroopers were trained at Imperial Academies, and used a variety of weapons.