Stormtroopers are the Empire's elite group of shock troops whose overwhelming numbers are many times enough to scare away the opposition. Durin the Galactic Civil War, stormtroopers could be found aboard any Imperial vessel and were many times the first troops to attack in a conflict. Stormtroopers are totally loyal to the Imperial cause and it is impossible to sway them, unless of course one is a Jedi Knight, but that's another story. Stormtroopers were stationed on many systems throughout the Galactic Civil War to enforce the Empire in its many forms. The typically outfitted stormtrooper wears an 18 piece white armor suit. The suit has temperature control and life support systems, thus stormtroopers are capable of funtioning well in all types of environmental conditions. The armor also offers minor protection to blaster fire, though a well placed shot can easily pierce it. The stormtrooper helmet contains sensor arrays, polarized lenses, and transmission equipment. Troopers also carry utility belts with extra ammunition, grappling lines, a thermal detonator, and other survival gear. All types of stormtroopers are highly skilled with both blaster pistols and blaster rifles, both of which they usually have on them. It has been rumored that Emperor Palpatine may have created many of his stormtroopers in Episodes IV-VI through cloning as was the case during the Clone Wars. However, these rumors have never been substantiated.