Daetrin

For 501st requirements? Nope, not at all. In fact the only place people usually use rivets is on the right thigh ammo pack and the left shin sniper plate. Are they needed for EI requirements? Nope, not at all. If you want to be screen accurate for ANH? Yes, they should be there. I mean, at this point you're getting to the nitty details of prop replication

I used to be pretty anti-ROTJ too, until I saw TK-J tail. How can you not like the results? They really opened my eyes. -----------

I thought Andy was DA aka Dark Armor? Isn't his stuff a mix of recast AP, CAP, PT, and SDS? Would be great to get the straight story on this side of the pond.

Alas, there are no firm requirements for any costume in the Legion and it's always LMO or GML call, but the 501st guidelines have actually be standardized now, so both require some mods out of the box to match the Legion CRL. Out of the box: 1) The FX needs correct color tube stripes, and people should cut out a fourth tooth per side to match CRL 2) The MRCE needs new tube stripes, darker lenses, and the seam to be filled in In a way they are no different really than any other kit, what's really changed is that we used to accept the FX "out of the box" and now we make it adhere to the same standards as any other helmet.

Yup, I'd bid on that! Wait, did I just say that aloud?

Actually we're all good to go guys! Thanks

Or Scootch's excellent pack build *here* on FISD -----------

Yeah, I am as I read the book. Yes, you can see sandtroopers without packs and pauldrons, but these are clearly due to the fact that they are just background characters with really no screen time, and at the time the movie was made they weren't as anal about these kinds of wardrobe issues as people are now. Heck - look all over SW and you can see similar issues. Officers with no rank bars or straight legged pants, missing tube stripes. Even in the Move Along scene there are parts falling down, etc. Actually we can be certain about the Mos Eisley troopers. If you look both at the films and at all the behind the scenes photos, you'll not find a single drop box, pentagon sniper plate, or ab plate detail on any of them. If you really want to wear a pauldron with your TK, you're certainly free to do this at casual events like cons all you want (in fact, that's part of the fun). If you need to be canon, then the only way to do it with a clean TK is to go as a Heavy Weapons trooper, which is pretty much a clean TK in (as George Lucas is reported to have asked in the book) "marching order".

I think TM is probably the best right now. If price/lead time becomes an issue, the AP is able to be made to a nice Hero as well.

From The Making of Star Wars: George Lucas asked the props guy how to tell the sandtroopers apart by rank, so they grabbed some chest protectors and painted them. Uncle George just arranged them as he wanted to look cool in the shot. When they got to the Death Star, Uncle George wanted them all to look the same, so they did. The gray pauldron is actually a toy maker mistake - there never were any. Thus... * Film canon sandtroopers wear only black, white, and orange. * Film canon stormtroopers never wear pauldons * EU Heavy Weapons Troopers wear orange (in the game), but also are allowed black and white for logic reasons * EU Incinerator Trooper wears a red pauldron (per game reference) * Nova Elite Troopers wear a gold pauldron (per game reference) What rank do they mean? Nothing was intended, but people create back stories for them all the time, including LFL. Personally I dig the explanation that they indicate the same thing as pauldrons do on clones, as it would make the most sense. Just coincidently most of the old clone troopers became officers.

Doh! You're right, I forgot Terry. I just order 'em with two right biceps. :-p

Not true Steve - the armor is the same size and ATA reworks the molds continuously to improve them. That one helmet comparison was from an ATA test pull anyway, and if you compare recent pulls the reality is that there is more variation pull to pull than between molds. The other fact is that while they are all TE derived originally, they are not identical and one of the key goals for next year is to create visual guides that show the differences in parts, similar to how Terry created the sandtrooper comparison pictures.

It's all individual. As noted you can start shiney and just let it naturally get scuffed over time.

Updated!

OK then, so how's this: 1) Grandfather William (Wildabeast) on his TKC EI, as he did the action figure reference 2) Update the TKC EI to remove the Action Figure option 3) Update the TKC EI to state a single back piece is required, as helmet/hand plates aside they are really using an ROTJ trooper model 4) Update the ICN EI to state a single back piece is required, as helmet/hand plates aside they are really using an ROTJ trooper model Sound correct?

What do you think then Mason? Should we allow both for EI? I think it's pretty reasonable, but would like to hear what you think.

Thanks Mike! The situation is that we as the staff can't drive legal action, however we can provide to you the names of the parties involved should you request it, just as they are free to contact you via PM should they wish the "authorities" to step in. We have all our evidence archived, and can present them upon request to a legal authority.

As for the back, while the EIB says it should be one piece, I'm wondering how fast we should make it in that in some screen graps it seems the kidney rotates separately from the butt piece. Not sure if it's angle, or what.

Wow, that's reeeeeeally close. Just the radio details that are really different, and the filter is shorter (though I think it looks better at the length you did). Truly great work!

It's 501st acceptable for sure. It's EI only under the Action Figure reference, which the LMO really doesn't like, and may not be EI by the time you hit 501st in lieu of the game reference.

Actually EI HWT allows for standard dual-tray packs. If it passes MEPD Police Officer standards, it's HWT OK. Now, if you want to use a game model, then oh yeah, it better be one box.

That's excellent! On my Hero they were made by Mike Appling and I can see through them easily for even a long troop. Seems you've achieved the same apex. Nice

Extremely well done

I had several mistakes on my first suit too, and joke that this is why I went sandtrooper with it That's an option as well, or you could simply make it a Stormtrooper Commander or Incinerator Trooper as both require painting anyway, which hides a lot of mistakes. Depending on your size, AM or RT can make good first kits as they are molded to be easiest to put together. At this point between T/MC & AP, T/MC is running less expensive and could be the way to go for ABS armor.

IIRC AP should be closest to GF, but I could be wrong in that.