Exploring the Uniforms of Republic Generals

The events of the Clone Wars have been extensively covered through a massive amount of media.  We've received lot's of information on the organization and inner workings of the Republic's military forces.  The generals of the Republic Army play a key role in the stories surrounding the conflict.  However, we have a very limited idea of what their uniforms actually look like.  From what information we have there is still a lot to learn.  The goal of this article is to paint as clear and accurate a picture as the sources will allow.

It should be noted that the ranks of the Republic's generals weren't exclusive to Jedi, but also included non-Jedi[1][2] and at least one Clone Trooper.[3]

Armor

Generals Swan and Kenobi, sporting Clone Trooper-style armor.

While many Jedi generals wore merely their traditional robes into battle, it wasn't an uncommon practice to wear varying degrees of armor.  Most Jedi armor was of the same design as their clone soldiers, usually painted white or a shade of grey.[4]  Some Jedi generals wore a unique chest plate/collar only seen among their ranks.[5][6]  You can occasionally see Jedi wearing armor unique to themselves; it may be assumed these costumes are not reflective of the official general's uniform.[7]

While there are clear commonalities shared by many Jedi generals' armor, it seems all Jedi wore their armor quite differently.  Indeed, Jedi were almost never seen wearing a full suit of armor.  These kits were most likely mixed and matched according to the individual's preference.  As members of a religious order, it seems the Jedi were not forced to adapt to military requirements.  

The only non-Jedi armor we see is that of General Cards, an ARC Trooper.  He wears the standard Advanced Recon Commando gear.[3]  We've seen many Special Operations Brigade officers and their armor is reflective of the SO BDE, not their infantry equivalents.  Thus, it's unlikely a standard general would wear this ARC-style gear.

It's likely a non-Jedi general would wear the conventional Army armor; not unlike the rare, fully-armored Jedi, minus the robes.  

Armor Color

General Cards, ARC Trooper.

For a large part of the war (and for some units, the entire war), Republic Army soldiers would wear certain rank-denoting colors.  All ranks from private to marshal commander had a designated color.[8][9]  Unfortunately, it remains unclear what color represented the Army's generals, if any.  

We've gotten a few lists spelling out the colors used by Army soldiers; all of them have ignored the issue of a color for generals.  However, just because it goes unmentioned doesn't mean no such color existed. 

The armor of Jedi generals never seem to feature the typical rank flashes of officers.  Where their colors would normally be, their armor is unmarked.  The generals' colors can't be white, because grey and black-armored generals don't wear white flashes.  Since many Jedi generals wear armor colors that don't match the troopers they lead, it's entirely possible the Jedi as a whole eschew the standard military color schemes.[4]

One last bit of evidence is the aforementioned Gen. Cards.  He wears an all black suit of armor, very rare amongst Republic Army soldiers.  It's certainly possible black represents generals, but context should be acknowledged in this case.  Cards appears in a spinoff of 2008's The Clone Wars.  In nearly all stories related to the series, a Clone Trooper's color represents his unit, rather than his rank.  However, it's certainly still a possibility, and our only real evidence of a reserved color for these ranks.[3]

Service Uniform

 
GAR trooper, possibly a corporal (left).  Adm. Yularen, Republic Navy (right).

We've never seen a proper General's uniform, but based off the standards of the era we can reasonably assume they share the same design as their subordinates.[6]  Republic Army uniforms seem to be the same as their Navy counterparts.  The only difference is some GAR uniforms feature shoulder patches;[10] it's possible that this is exclusive to lower ranks, as Commander Ponds' uniform lacks this detail.[11]

The colors of Army uniforms aren't completely clear.  Naval officers wear a few different colors and this practice seems to be shared with the Republic Army.[6]  One corporal wears a charcoal uniform.  In the same scene we see officers with lighter shades; we can't be certain all of these soldiers belong to the same branch, however.[10]  A higher-ranking clone, Ponds, wears a light grey suit.[11]

Rank Insignia

A general's rank indicator plaque has never been portrayed, but there are several comparable badges that can give us an idea of what it might look like.

One important factor is that Naval rank insignia are somewhat more explored.  It is important to consider the level of standardization between the Navy and Army.  It may be possible to approximate the badges of generals through their naval equivalents.  Indeed, The Clone Wars Campaign Guide seems to support admirals and generals being equivalents.  The admirals' insignia we see feature two rows of squares.[6]  All Republic Army badges we've seen feature one row (as far as I'm aware).[6][12]  While generals may sport the same rank plaques as admirals, it's equally possible that all Army insignia are one row only.  

Marshal commander may be the highest rank below general.  This rank features a 4x1 badge, and other high-ranking officers wear 4x1 badges.[13][14]  Considering that there are at least three levels of general, the differences between their rank plaques may be stark.[8]  There could be a 4x1, 5x1 and 6x1 for each tier, or they could all have the same dimensions with different colors.

One last thing to consider is the Director of Republic Intelligence, Armand Isard, wore a 6x1 insignia.[15]  At such a high position in the military, he may have been of equivalent rank to a High General.

In conclusion, there is little concrete evidence as to what the Republic generals' uniforms were, but there is enough evidence to come up with a few decent assumptions.  Hopefully we'll get more definitive information in the near future.  The Clone Wars continues to be a popular era in the mythos of Star Wars.

Sources:

1. Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison 1

2. Rough and Tundra

3. Clone Wars Adventures
4. Star Wars: Clone Wars
5. Star Wars: Clone Wars - Chapter 22
6. Star Wars: The Clone Wars 
7. Republic 49: Sacrifice
8. The Clone Wars Campaign Guide 
9. The Essential Guide to Warfare
10. Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Orders
11. Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Innocents of Ryloth
12. Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
13. Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Unknown
14. Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron
15. Reversal of Fortune