Victory to the brave!
—Republic Special Combat Force motto
The Republic Special Combat Force, often abbreviated to RSCF or simply SCF - and also colloquially called RepSpec - was a regiment of the military of the Galactic Republic, first as part of the Republic Army and then, during the Clone Wars, as part of the Grand Army of the Republic. Along with such soldiers as the elite unit Havoc Squad and the Grand Army's ARC troopers, it served as the Republic's special forces regiment, and enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest fighting forces in the galaxy.
The RSCF was first formed during the Galactic War, in order to give the forces of the Republic an extra advantage over the forces of the Sith Empire. Its members received training, generally recognised as among the best in the military, in a variety of fields, including firearms and explosives training, hand-to-hand combat, field medicine and reconnaissance. This served to create a regiment of beings who enjoyed a reputation as among the Republic's most elite soldiers. During peacetime, the SCF was tasked with peacekeeping and counter-terrorism operations, often working in conjunction with the Stratetgic Information Service or Republic Intelligence. In the wake of the New Sith Wars, however, the passing of the Ruusan Reformation dissolved the Republic's military, the RSCF included.
For almost a millennium the SCF remained disbanded, along with all other branches of the Republic's military force. However, the creation of the Grand Army of the Republic and the outbreak of the Clone Wars saw its return to the galactic stage. Now comprised entirely of clone commandos, the regiment once again earned its reputation for efficiency and resolve. The regiment was reorganised into the Imperial Special Combat Force following Order 66 and the formation of the Galactic Empire, where it retained its reputation for effectiveness, but also earned a reputation for ruthlessness and brutality.
History[]
Formation and the Galactic War[]
What I propose is a new regiment, trained in both Republic and Empire tactics and strategies. Furthermore, I believe that they should be specially prepared to face Sith Lords.
—Elara Dorne, outlining her vision for the Republic Special Combat Force
The Republic Special Combat Force was first formed four standard months into the Galactic War, the conflict that erupted after the collapse of the fragile peace that had prevailed since the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant and the end of the Great War. Knowing that the Republic would need every possible advantage if it was to triumph over Emperor Vitiate's Sith Empire, three influential figures in the Republic military, Supreme Commander Jace Malcom, General Elin Garza and General Var Suthra, as well as Elara Dorne of Havoc Squad, a former Imperial field medic who had defected to the Republic during the Cold War, formed a new special forces regiment that was trained in both the Republic's and the Empire's styles of fighting, as well as receiving specialised mental and physical training in order to effectively counter the Force powers and physical prowess of Sith Lords. The new regiment, named the Republic Special Combat Force, earned a reputation over the course of the war for supreme efficiency, unshakeable loyalty to the Republic and immense courage.