shashachu

Could you post some closeup pics of the end of your E-11 as well as the D-ring? Like @MaskedVengeance said, I have to think there's a solution here.

Fantastic build, Dan! Just to tick off a box, could you add a photo of the shoulder bell extensions from the outside of the bell? I can clearly see them on the inside bell shot but I can't tell how much they extend past the top of the bell. Something similar to this photo from the CRL: https://databank.501st.com/databank/File:TFA_TK_shoulder_bells.png

Hi Peter, Thanks for your application! It was a pleasure following your build on Facebook over these past weeks. CRL and EIB Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Expert Infantry rank. On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions Just a small nit here - your shoulder straps aren't hugging the curves of your shoulders as much as we'd like, leaving them to stick up a bit in the back. A hot water bath and some gentle bending should correct that. It also could be that you're missing the white elastics to hold them down (address in the Centurion Requirements section below.) Reference Images: Centurion Requirements In this section we prepare you for Centurion. More photos may be requested in the future that allow us to make better decisions on possible adjustments. If there are any areas of concern they will be discussed here. Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EIB, items to pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all that we can from what is seen, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. This is more of a photo request than a change - when you submit your Centurion app, could you please take the rear photo with your arms relaxed? The L3 CRL states There should be a minimal gap between the shoulder armor and the chest/back plates. and your front gap looks perfect, leading me to believe that the rear gap is simply due to the way you're holding your arms. Reference Image: Next, the L3 CRL States: The plastic shoulder straps need to be held down in the back via a white elastic band to the white fabric that connects/bridges the chest and back piece. You may have straps there, but I'm not seeing them in the photos. If you haven't added them yet, that will also help keep the shoulder straps from floating up. Reference Image: And that's it! I honestly struggled to find things to suggest in this application - you've clearly done your research and taken a great deal of care during your build. Congratulations again and we'll see you at Centurion!

Hey Peter! Good to see your app here. Thanks for the quick fix on the hovi tips. I'll be handling your review and will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!

@MrFlavaFlave - just checking in here. Has your D-ring arrived? Just wanted to make sure you weren't waiting on us.

Hi Eric, Thanks for your application, and well done on the fixes I pointed out in your EIB review. CRL and Centurion Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Centurion! On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we discuss areas that could benefit from additional improvement. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions As you already mentioned, ideally there is no overlap between the back and kidney. Depending on how long you expect your recovery to take, you could add some padding under your right shoulder to bring up the right side of your armor. I really feel you because I have moderate scoliosis that causes my right shoulder to be visibly lower than my left, and my right hip to be visibly higher than my right. It's not noticeable in regular clothes, but the armor really highlights the asymmetry. Reference Images: . Finally, just a small alignment issue. From the front, your thigh pieces look nice and even, but from the back they're misaligned. This may be a simple dressing issue, and it's certainly a nitpick, but you may want to examine the strapping holding your thighs up to see if you can even them out. On my kit, I added strapping to the back of my right thigh but not my left because I was having a similar issue. Reference Image: (Sorry for lack of good reference) And that's it! Congratulations again on reaching Centurion #466 on 6/6! Hopefully we'll all be back out trooping soon.

@GoofTrooper although it's redundant, we do like to paste all photos (including those that are EIB requirement) in Centurion applications just so each application stands on its own as a resources for other troopers, and for ease of review for the DO team. I can go ahead and start to take a look at your review, but it would be great if you could update your post with the full set. Thanks!

No problem. We'll be here when you're ready!

Somehow missed this thread while you were working on it, but PHENOMENAL job. Seriously Joseph and I could not find a single thing wrong with it. Very inspiring.

@MrFlavaFlave Thanks for the photos! I was wondering if you might be able to post a few clearer photos of your blaster, maybe under better lighting? The ones you have are a bit blurry. Thanks so much! Edit: and one of the rear of the blaster, showing the rear D-ring, which is an L2 requirement.

Hi David! Thanks so much for your application. There's a number of photos missing showing the necessary details for an EIB approval. I'd suggest looking at the ROTJ CRL and make sure you're showing detail photos that cover all of the blue L2 items as well as look at past approvals to see which photos are necessary (attached an example one). Let us know if you have any questions!

Hi Eric, Thanks for your application and for the quick fix with the frown paint. You've clearly done your research - this is a phenomenal build! CRL and EIB Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Expert Infantry rank. On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions Starting from the top, although Anovos helmets come pre-painted and pre-built, looks like the trap decal is overlapping the upper ridge a bit. If you find yourself motivated enough, you could either replace the decal, or go totally screen accurate and paint the details. Reference Image: Continuing on with the helmet, we're suggesting that you sharpen up the paint on the vocoder to define the shape a bit more: The shape I've drawn in green is just an approximation; it doesn't have to follow it exactly. But if you compare to screen-used helmets, you'll see that the shape is a lot more defined. Reference Images: Next, just a dressing issue. It really cleans up the look of your armor to have the gaps equally sized and the armor pieces lined up. Especially viewed from the back, you can see the bicep/forearm gap on your left arm is larger than the right arm, so we're suggesting you double check the strapping and see if it can be adjusted to be more even. I might suggest bringing the left forearm up, as it looks like it may be running into the left handguard a bit. All in all very small details, but ones that really bring your armor to the next level. Reference Image: Next, just worth noting that on the screen-used TDs, the screws were a bit closer to the ends of the clips, and the ends were squared off, not rounded. I understand that Anovos armors also come with the TD fully assembled, so I'm simply mentioning it for your information. Reference Image: Finally, just a small detail that on the screen-used suits the shape of the sniper knee was a bit more angular than yours. Reference Images: Centurion Requirements In this section we prepare you for Centurion. More photos may be requested in the future that allow us to make better decisions on possible adjustments. If there are any areas of concern they will be discussed here. Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EIB, items to pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all that we can from what is seen, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. Starting from the top again, as Joseph already pointed out, the lower ear screws on your helmet will need to be replaced and countersunk per the L3 CRL: Ear screws shall be slotted, flat topped, countersunk and painted white. Reference Image: Next, the L3 CRL states: There should be a minimal gap between the shoulder armor and the chest/back plates. I believe it's largely due to the way you're holding your arms in the front photo as your rear gaps look pretty good, but we'd like to see if you can close the shoulder bell gap any more. This is not an area we're extremely picky about due to differences in troopers' body types as well as differing sizes of the bells from different makers, but one thing to double check is that you've removed all the lower return edge from the bottom of the bells, and when you take your Centurion photos, please take the front ones with your arms relaxed at your sides. Reference Images: Moving down, the L3 CRL states: The top of the ABS ammo belt should sit at or just above the bottom of the central and vertical abdomen button panels. Your belt is just a hair too low, so you'll need to raise it a bit. If you look at the reference photos, you'll see that many TKs actually had the belts overlapping the lower ab buttons. On my own kit, I added two small strips of velcro to my belt to keep the front from sagging. Reference Photos: Next, the L3 CRL states: A single male snap on the top right corner of the ab plate is present. This is also known as the 'Han snap', and I suspect it's present on your armor, but none of the photos you submitted showed it, so I'm mentioning it here. Reference Photos: And that's it! Once again, this is a superb build, and it's just a few small fixes to get you to Centurion. We hope to see your application, soon! Congratulations again.

Hi Roy, Thanks for your application and for the fix with the shoulder bell. CRL and Centurion Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Centurion! On behalf of the DO team and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we discuss areas that could benefit from additional improvement. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions Besides the items already noted, I have only two additional items. First, it could just be a shadow, but it looks like you may have a very slight overlap between the back and kidney. It's not so much as to block Centurion, but worth noting if you're really looking for that sleek look. Reference Image: Finally, it does still look like you could drop your left bicep (and forearm) a cm or two to really dial in the symmetry. It's especially obvious if you note the larger gap between the forearm and wrist on your left arm. Reference Image: And that's it! When we can finally get out and troop, I hope you will wear your armor very proudly. Please accept our congratulations in reaching Centurion!

Oops. We don't track Centurion numbers as closely as EIB but you're right - this should be 462. I'll update

Great job! We'll be with you shortly.

Hi Gaines, Thanks for your application and for all of the fixes! It's really inspiring to me to see a trooper bringing an older set of armor to EIB (and hopefully Centurion!). We're glad to see you here. CRL and EIB Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Expert Infantry rank. On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions Starting from the top, the painting on your vocoder is a little soft compared to the screen-used examples. It would improve the accuracy and look of it if you make the outline a bit sharper. Reference Images: Next, as was already pointed out, just be careful that your shoulder straps aren't tucked underneath your back plate when you're kitted up: And I'll mention is simply as a note of accuracy but I don't think it's possible due to your height - on the screen-used suite, the rear part of the shoulder strap did not have the large tab. If you were shorter I'd suggest you remove it, but as it is, it would likely make your straps too short. Reference Images: Finally, your thermal detonator clips should be flush against the plastic panel. This won't be blocking since it's not visible while you're dressed, but if your TD can take any more tweaking, we're strongly suggesting you replace and reposition your clips. Reference Images: Centurion Requirements In this section we prepare you for Centurion. More photos may be requested in the future that allow us to make better decisions on possible adjustments. If there are any areas of concern they will be discussed here. Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EIB, items to pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all that we can from what is seen, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. Starting at the top, the L3 CRL states: Ear screws shall be slotted, flat topped, countersunk and painted white. The lower screw on your right ear is sticking out just a bit. Should be easily fixable. You can lightly turn a large drill bit in the screw hole if you need room to countersink it. Reference Image: Next, the L3 CRL states: There should be a minimal gap between the shoulder armor and the chest/back plates. Yours actually look quite good, especially from the front, but it does look like you may have some room to bring them in. The right shoulder bell especially looks like it could have it's strapping shortened to bring the top of it closer in. You'll also want to double check that you've removed all the lower return edge of the shoulder bells. This isn't an area that we're extremely picky about due to the wide variation in troopers' body types, so do your best. Reference Images: Moving along, the L3 CRL states: The plastic shoulder straps need to be held down in the back via a white elastic band to the white fabric that connects/bridges the chest and back piece. I'm not sure if it's there and I can't see it, but it doesn't appears you have the elastic in place. It should be about 1/8". Unfortunately elastic is extremely difficult to find these days due to folks sewing masks, so you may need to wait a while if you don't already have some. Reference Image: Next, the snap on the ab plate (the 'Han' snap) should have the white paint removed. This isn't specifically called out in the CRL, but the reference photos are clear. Reference Image: Moving on, the L3 CRL states: Ideally there no gap between the abdomen and kidney armor. You do look like you have room to close that gap on both sides of the ab/kidney. Viewed from the front, I actually wonder if you could close the left side gap with a bit of a hot water bath on the kidney to help it curve around your body better. Reference Images: Moving on to the belt, the L3 CRL states: The top of the ABS ammo belt should sit at or just above the bottom of the central and vertical abdomen button panels. As compared to the screen-used suits, your belt is sitting a bit low. You can see that the top of the ABS belt can even slightly overlap the bottom ab buttons. On my own kit, I added two thin strips of velcro to my ab plate to keep the belt from sagging. Reference Images: Next, the L3 CRL states: Canvas belt must be firm / sturdy in appearance. No creasing or sagging  I'm not sure what material you're using for your belt, but it definitely seems to be creasing. I'm not sure if it would need to be completely replaced for Centurion, or if you might be able to open it up and put a layer of sturdy canvas or other stiffer material inside. Reference Images: Finally, regarding your blaster, the L3 CRL states: The blaster may have minor weathering or base metal exposure however, T-tracks and grips shall have the appearance of black plastic. Since the T-tracks on the screen-used blasters were made of plastic, they shouldn't have any metal weathering on them. Just a few minutes with some black paint should fix that right up. Reference Images: And that's it! It's a number of fixes before you can apply for Centurion, but I hope you'll enjoy the process of making your armor even more screen accurate. It really strengthens the idea that our costumes are never truly 'done.' Please accept hearty congratulations from me and Joseph on achieving EIB!

Hey Roy, Nice job on the fixes! Your shoulder gap as seen from the rear is still a big bigger than we'd like. You appear to be a broad-shouldered gentleman so I don't want to ask for the impossible, but it does look like the left shoulder bell strapping can be shortened some, especially compared to the right, which looks nice and tight. Can you take a look to see if you can bring it in at all? If you're able to and can take new photos, we did also notice that in the rear photos your right bicep looks to have dropped a lot. Not sure if it came unstrapped or unhooked, but keep an eye out for that in your new photos. Thanks, Sha Sha

Hi Jon, Thanks for your application and well done on the fixes! CRL and Centurion Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Centurion! On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we discuss areas that could benefit from additional improvement. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions I mentioned in your EIB review that your forearms were overlapping your biceps and handguards a bit. They look improved in your Centurion photos but there are still some areas where they overlap or nearly overlap, so I'd still suggest reexamining the strapping for your arms, if for no other reason then it will likely improve your arm mobility. Ultimately, the choice is yours. Reference Image: And that's it! Although we're not able to be out trooping now, please accept our congratulations for achieving the rank of Centurion.

Hi William, Thanks for your application and for your patience. CRL and Centurion Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Centurion! On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we discuss areas that could benefit from additional improvement. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions As mentioned in your EIB review, we'd ideally like to see the ab paint a bit smaller, but ultimately the choice is yours. Reference Image: And that's it! Hopefully we'll all be able to get out and troop soon, but until then, please accept our hearty congratulations on reaching Centurion!

Jose - apologies for letting this review sit for so long. I hope the wait is worth it! Congratulations on reaching Centurion!

Hi Jose, Thanks for your application; I apologize for the delay! Fantastic job with the fixes, especially the shim seam! CRL and Centurion Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Centurion! On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we discuss areas that could benefit from additional improvement. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions The CRL actually calls for 'flat soled' boots, and it looks like your boots may have a very slight ridge to them. This is a very minor detail and nothing anyone would ever see, but you might see if you can eventually get a pair of boots that is flat soled to bring your kit to the ultimate level of screen accuracy. Reference Image: And that's it! Superb job on your build; I can tell how much pride you take in your armor. I'm very happy to join Joseph in congratulating you on reaching the rank of Centurion!

Great work, William! I'll be with you soon.

Hey William! Good to see your Centurion app already. We need a few more fixes from you before proceeding with your application. First, your shoulder bell gap is improved, but there's still a visible gap at the top. Is it possible to shorten the elastic holding it on any more? I don't have a good sense of how broad your shoulders are compared to the bells. Reference Images: Next, the horizontal dropbox alignment looks great, but they appear to be hanging a little low. It might just be the photo perspective, but if there is a gap, we're asking you to shorten the elastic so the top of the dropbox sits just at the bottom of the ABS belt. Reference Image: You're almost there!

Awesome job, @Vengeance! Really glad to see you tackling all of these changes so quickly. I'll be with you soon.

Hi Roy, I appreciate your patience. Thanks so much for the quick turnaround with the fixes! I do agree with Joseph that your bucket does look better without that top padding. Hopefully you can still see! CRL and EIB Application Requirements All required photos are now in and, after review, we are pleased to welcome you to Expert Infantry rank. On behalf of Joseph and myself, many congratulations! Other-Armor Fit/Assembly In this area we review observations made by your fellow troopers and the DO team. Some observations may lead to suggestions to improve the overall look of your armor. Note that we consider both text (CRL) and pictures (screen caps/reference images) when reviewing submissions FIrst, it appears you're using white nylon strapping to connect your chest and back. That is totally fine, but we do know that the screen used suits used white elastic, so if you're going for that next level of accuracy, you could consider swapping it out. Reference Image: Continuing on, a couple dressing issues. First, it appears your left bicep is riding just a touch too high. Ideally we like to see symmetry and evenness in the gaps between armor, so it might be a simple dressing issue, or you might need to adjust the strapping a bit. Reference Images: Onto your belt, a lot of troopers prefer the weathered look which is absolutely fine, but we're suggesting you give your belt a bit of a haircut to trim off some of the extra threads. Reference Image: Next, the screws on the end of the TD clips should ideally be closer to the end of the clips. Obviously this would require you to replace your TD clips so it's merely a suggestion for those who want to go the extra mile. Reference Image: Moving along, the left part of your butt plate appears to have popped above your kidney. I'm not sure if it's a dressing issue or something that would require a strapping adjustment, but that's something you'll want to keep an eye out for. I have also heard folks adding small ABS tabs to their butt plates to ensure they stay tucked under the kidney. Reference Images: Next, an extremely minor detail, but it really makes everything look super clean if you make sure your cover strips are aligned. You can see your calf pieces are a bit off kilter. So next time you're out at a troop (and we all hope that we'll be able to troop again sooner rather than later), have a handler give you a once over just to be sure everything is lined up. Finally, another super minor issue with your left calf closure. That's one of those areas that's impossible to see yourself once you're suited up, so again just have a handler take a look for you and make any necessary adjustments. Centurion Requirements In this section we prepare you for Centurion. More photos may be requested in the future that allow us to make better decisions on possible adjustments. If there are any areas of concern they will be discussed here. Because Centurion photos show much more detail than EIB, items to pertaining to Centurion might be seen there and not here. We try to point out all that we can from what is seen, but the final accuracy is the responsibility of the trooper. The L3 CRL states: Ideally there is no gap between the abdomen and kidney armor. Your right side gap looks fantastic, but we'd like you to try to eliminate more of the gap on the left side. This could just be a dressing issue, or you may need to tighten the strapping between the left side of your ab and kidney. I personally use nylon strapping (vs elastic) on my left side to try to prevent any gap from emerging. Reference Image: Next, the L3 CRL states: The top of the ABS ammo belt should sit at or just above the bottom of the central and vertical abdomen button panels. Your belt positioning is pretty good, but should be brought up just a tad. You'll see in the reference images that many troopers actually have the plastic part of the belt slightly overlapping the bottom ab buttons. On my own kit I added two small strips of velcro to my ab armor to keep the belt from sagging. Reference Images: Continuing with the belt, the L3 CRL states: Drop boxes are vertically aligned with the end of the ammo belt with minimal gap between belt and box. It may just be the camera angle, but it appears your drop boxes have a bit o fa tendency to wander. Most troopers add a bit of glue to the drop box elastic to help keep it in place on the belt. Reference Image: Next, the L3 CRL states: Ab button paint shall not extend beyond the bottom of the actual raised button. It's a bit hard to tell, but I believe you'll need to make some small adjustments to your ab button paint. If you take a look at the reference photos, you'll see that the ab buttons are actually a but underpainted. It shouldn't be more than a bit of time with a toothpick or cotton swap and some paint thinner or mineral spirits. Reference Images: And that's it! A few required changes for Centurion, but we have full confidence in your ability to tackle them. Congratulations again, and we'll see you at Centurion! Stay safe.