Did Rancor Battalion Operate Only on Kamino?

When we talk about the clone battalions in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, most of them are tied to big battles across the galaxy—Geonosis, Umbara, Ryloth—you name it. But Rancor Battalion always felt a bit different. We usually see them on Kamino, acting as elite trainers, overseeing clone cadet squads, and defending Tipoca City from Separatist attacks. That’s led a lot of fans to wonder—did they ever leave Kamino at all?

Well, turns out the answer is yes, and their story is a little more layered than you might think. 

Rancor Battalion: Kamino’s Elite Trainers and Defenders

If you’ve watched The Clone Wars, you’ve probably seen Rancor Battalion in action on Kamino. They weren’t your average front-line troopers—these guys were the elite. From what we’ve seen, their main role was to train clone cadets right inside Tipoca City’s training domes. They were the ones who judged if a squad was ready to join the war or not.

We saw ARC troopers like Commander Colt, Blitz, and Havoc take charge—not just by giving orders, but by leading from the front when the fighting broke out.We actually got to see how each member of Rancor Battalion played a key role during the battle for Kamino. 

ARC Commanders Hammer and Havoc focused on holding the line inside the main hangars, directing troopers and organizing defensive positions under heavy fire. Commander Colt was stationed near the barracks, where he took charge of a squad pushing back the enemy forces. Meanwhile, Commander Blitz operated on the outer walkways, leading a group of ARF troopers to keep the perimeter secure. It was one of the most critical moments in the defense of Tipoca City, and while it came at a cost, the Republic came out on top. Rancor Battalion stayed behind even after the battle, helping stabilize the area and regroup with the remaining forces.

Rancor Battalion Also Took Part in Missions Across the Galaxy

While we mostly associate Rancor Battalion with Kamino, they didn’t stay there forever. At least one known deployment took them off-world—to the planet Aleen. In the Clone Wars episode “Mercy Mission,” we saw members of the battalion working alongside 104th Battalion (the Wolfpack) to deliver aid after a massive earthquake devastated the planet.

While most of the episode focused on the 104th, we clearly saw Rancor troopers present, helping move supplies and search for C-3PO and R2-D2 after the droids went missing underground.

Once the job was done, one of the ARF troopers packed up the walker and prepared for departure—just another sign that Rancor Battalion didn’t just stay behind training cadets.