Elite Force-attuned soldiers, the Imperial Sith Acolytes were deployed by the Galactic Empire starting in 1 BBY. Their establishment is attributed to Darth Sidious, the Galactic Emperor and Dark Lord of the Sith. As part of the Acolyte Program, Imperial Sith Acolytes underwent training on Kamino and often operated alongside the Saber Guards. They quickly became known for their intensely aggressive training methods, their resistance to many force techniques, and their capability to channel the Force for destructive purposes. The question of whether they were recruited from Force-sensitive individuals within the Empire, or if they were stable clones derived from the deceased Galen Marek, remains unanswered. It is plausible that their ranks included both Human individuals and clones.
Deployed to newly conquered planets like Cato Neimoidia, and stationed on Kamino, some Acolytes participated in the assault on the Salvation, the flagship of the emerging Rebel Alliance, during the Assault on Kamino. Starkiller, a renegade clone of Marek, eliminated numerous Sith Acolytes in his pursuit of Rahm Kota and, ultimately, Juno Eclipse.
The genesis of the Acolyte program occurred not long after the death of the original Starkiller. Following Galen Marek's infiltration of the Death Star, Emperor Palpatine initiated the program to bolster security. Darth Vader, the Emperor's apprentice, exploited the program as a pretext for the Empire's return to Kamino and to conduct experiments in cloning his apprentice. The Acolytes, identifiable by their red stormtrooper chestplates and armor resembling that of the Saber Guard, underwent extensive Force training under the tutelage of unidentified Dark Side Adepts (possibly Vader himself) within the Timira City Cloning Facility. The initial group of these warriors was stationed on Cato Neimoidia and placed under the command of Baron Merillion Tarko.
During their training, the Acolytes demonstrated a disturbingly sadistic sense of humor, consistently utilizing their Force abilities to orchestrate "accidents" within the facility, disregarding the resulting injuries and fatalities among the personnel. Largely unfamiliar with the Force's applications and unaware of the Acolyte program's true purpose, the unfortunate facility workers could only speculate about the causes of these "accidents," although the Acolytes' constant presence during these events did arouse suspicion in at least one Imperial.
Despite their training, the Sith Acolytes were ultimately defeated by Starkiller, a rogue clone of Marek who escaped from Kamino in order to locate Captain Juno Eclipse—the woman Marek had fallen in love with prior to his demise. During his time on Cato Neimoidia, Starkiller single-handedly eliminated every Acolyte who opposed him. He then rescued Rahm Kota, the Jedi general, from the Tarko-se arena.
Shortly after the events on Cato Neimoidia, the Acolytes, along with other Imperial units including Saber Guards, boarded the Rebel flagship Salvation during the Rebel invasion of Kamino. Despite successfully seizing control of the hangar, engine room, and various gun emplacements, the boarding parties were systematically eliminated by Starkiller. Many Acolytes also died in the fighting throughout Timira City, while the remainder of their Imperial comrades suffered heavy losses against Starkiller and the Alliance. Their failure to defend Kamino ultimately led to a significant victory for the Rebellion, as well as the capture of Darth Vader.
The Imperial Sith Acolytes possessed a notable aptitude in the Force. They employed a range of Force techniques that rendered them nearly invulnerable to Force-based attacks. Acolytes could also generate abilities such as Force push, Force lightning, and Force repulse. However, their singular focus on Force-based attacks left them highly susceptible to individuals skilled in lightsaber combat.