Project War-Mantle

Project War-Mantle, also known as simply War-Mantle, War Mantle, the stormtrooper program, and the Stormtrooper initiative, was an initiative of the Galactic Empire enacted soon after its founding that sought to fill out the ranks of the burgeoning Imperial Army with conscripted and willingly recruited human soldiers, a departure from the clone army of the Galactic Republic. The project was also the clandestine code name for the creation of barracks, facilities, training programs, and gear for non-clone troopers.

Many Imperial officials were concerned over the cost of creating new clone troopers, as well as the clones' accelerated aging and limited shelf life. Furthermore, the clone troopers had been created for the Republic, which the Empire had replaced. Therefore, the project would eventually replace the soldiers who had originally sworn themselves to the Republic with those who had sworn themselves solely to the Empire. While the clones displayed great loyalty to the Empire during the early Imperial Era, much of this loyalty was enforced by their behavioral modification biochips. The project ultimately culminated in the passing of the Imperial Defense Recruitment Bill, which allowed the Imperial Military to legally begin the mass mobilization of non-clone soldiers.

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