What is war without its footsoldiers? Nothing, of course! So it was almost expected of Star Wars: The Old Republic, being set in a galaxy ripped in twain by conflict, to involve the common grunt, the backbone of any good war effort. And just recently, our expectations were rewarded: with the new Trooper class! These common men and women with the bravery, or instanity, to stand against the Sith threat with the New Jedi Order promise to be quite the interesting class, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for quests, battle styles, and most importantly, weaponry.

Oh yes, the sweet, delicious sound of a blaster bolt hitting the cranium of a Sith soldier... Mmmm...

Sorry, forgot where I was for a second there. Anyway, it appears that these troopers have been at the side of the Jedi and their effort to re-establish the Republic in the galaxy since the Treaty of Coruscant was first signed, and long before that as defenders for the Republic, before its fall. They're tough as nails, respected among the Jedi as equals on the battlefield, and are to be feared for their tactics, which involve field reconnaissance in small, specialised squads. Now, on to the fun stuff; let's hear what the official site has to say about what these guys are packing.