TheRascalKing

Yup, I've been using it for a while now. It absolutely doesn't hurt but ABS plastic will always eventually yellow. It's literally made for protecting plastic from UV, so it's definitely a good idea!

Hey Collin! I'm Justin/Rascal and am your Imperial Attaché for the Orange County Squad, along with fellow Armorer @Oztrooperin Garden Grove. I'm based in Placentia, run @Rascal.Works out of my garage, have mentored a good number of the TKs in our Garrison, and would be happy to assist. As I noted on the SCG Imperial Recruits page, AM/DDD and RWA are both good choices for your frame! Feel free to give me a shout if you have any questions.

OC Squad just had one a few weeks ago, so probably not until Q3. We almost always post them in the SCG Imperial Recruits Facebook group, so I would keep an eye out there - especially if you don't mind driving up to another squad's that may be sooner.

Awesome. Resin is messy but 100% worth it for exactly those types of detail pieces. Looking forward to seeing your progress!

There are extremely few approved New Gen kit owners in the Legion and only 2-3 in SoCal - there were none in personal New Gen suits. All 501st wore ANH-S or ESB. Hope that helps clarify!

There were not any Legion members in studio New Gen suits. Now I'm confused too

Unfortunately, all details we shouldn't/don't like to talk about beyond what I've already said. Sorry!

I'm not a huge fan of Flicker, but if you go the section under Share that says BBCode, you can find the direct image link in there. Example: [url=https://flic.kr/p/2skfLxv]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55351863347_9576ba3d75_b.jpg[/img][/url][ url=https://flic.kr/p/2skfLxv]E11 Build[/url] by [ url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/158265263@N08/]John Nicolosi[/url], on Flickr Pasting in just the URL I highlighted from the code, then pressing space or return will get you an embedded image as below. Blaster is coming along nicely!

California labor laws still apply - we would do it for free but couldn't if we wanted to. Hence it not being a troop - same as any time we do work for the Mouse. We were cast as background actors/character performers and not everyone who applied was selected.

I don't like to talk too much about it, as we did all sign NDAs and some of us continue to do contract work for D/LFL so we try to be discreet. Most of this has already been stated publicly, but this was a situation where a post went up on like Friday night and we filmed that Monday-Wednesday. It was the first time 501st members have been invited for production in numbers, so we did not expect it at all and figured it was a commercial or something until we arrived at the studio. Production work involves LONG hours (12+) in armor, hence some of those troopers' unfortunate posture. This was not a troop or official event - we were cast as background actors. Taking photos at troops is one thing, but actually being a stormtrooper in Star Wars and running around all day in full armor is something else entirely. It was hard work but they were opportunities I'll cherish all my days.

A few of us that were there are active in these forums. As noted above, LFL invited members from all 4 of the California garrisons to be background cast members in the season 1 finale of The Mandalorian. We were also invited for the Obi-Wan Kenobi show and wore our own (mostly) ANH-S style armor. This club has given its members some incredible, once-(or twice)-in-a-lifetime opportunities to be a part of the Star Wars universe.

Then please make it so! Perhaps the below will assist. Other than the helmet availability, they've earned their place back from everything I've seen. Type: DN (Denuo Novo) Country: USA (made in China) Contact: Denuo Novo Website https://www.denuonovo.com/collections/stormtrooper Kit: ABS, untrimmed or completed, ANH derived Availability: Armor In Stock (confirm availability), *Helmets out of stock as of June 2026 Assembly: Armor kit needs to be trimmed, parts butt joined with finishing strips. Ready-to-wear suits available but need some modification for approval. Comments: Formerly operated as Anovos but has been under new ownership since 2021 and have had no major or pervasive concerns since. Correct, a disappointing continuation from the Anovos days. Most of us prefer to replace the belt with a custom fitted reinforced one anyways, so no big deal.

Hey all - can we please get Denuo Novo added back on this list for OT armor? It's been long enough and Anovos can be added to the "No longer made" section. Perhaps we can also add that helmets are currently out of stock, but hopefully that's not for forever. I also don't know if anyone has received armor from RT/PANDA-MOD in a while, I haven't seen any and they never responded to my email a while back.

I am one of the lucky ones who received their product (an FOTK undersuit), and while I will say the quality of the craftsmanship is very good... if he spent as much time working on product people have actually ordered as he does posting on socials, he'd be in a lot better position in the community. I can't currently recommend either.

Hey John! I'm Justin/Rascal and am your Imperial Attaché for the Orange County Squad, along with fellow Armorer @Oztrooperin Garden Grove. I'm based in Placentia, run @Rascal.Works out of my garage, have mentored a good number of the TKs in our Garrison, and would be happy to assist. What armor to buy is a complex question that is pricey enough to require a good deal of thought to ensure you're happy with your final purchase. It's like somebody asking - what kind of car should I buy? Well the guys who can afford Ferraris are going to say that's best, and they're not wrong persay, but that would probably be insane for a daily driver suggestion. Some guys prefer domestic brands over imports. And in the same analogy - there are a lot of guys out there have only ever driven one type of car or haven't driven in years - so be careful whose recommendations and advice you take on the internet. There will be positives and negatives about every maker, so just find one that fits for what you prioritize (accuracy/lineage, comfort, size, price, etc.). That said, there are a lot of us locally that wear Denuo Novo armor (or the older Anovos variant). They're a licensed maker in the US and their armor usually ships quick when it is in stock, and it's a great kit - they retained all the accurate dimensions and asymmetry of the original suits but are made without the lumps/bumps of the inferior vac-forming work done at the time. However, their helmets have been out of stock for a hot minute with no end in sight, and they do not offer replacement parts or extra ABS, so if the kit does not fit your frame, it will be harder to modify. There are also lots of great makers abroad as well, but with tariffs lately, who even knows the cost/shipping you'll deal with, so that's a consideration. Point being - there is no one right answer, but that's not a bad place to start, in addition to this subforum for getting started. Budget about $1500 on average for it, and most builds take about 6 months, but it all depends on you. If you're not already in the SCG Imperial Recruits Facebook group, I'd definitely recommend it. You just missed an Armor Party (where we get together to work on our kits) this past weekend in Anaheim, but there will be more throughout the year. Let us know if you have any questions and we're here to help!

Blocks and bungee cords, just like all the rest :)

Welcome! I even went back and added some more links for you if they help. And to be honest, you can somewhat easily build the kit to be approvable TFA as well with the right parts, but you'd need to order a few things (cod, forearms) from Imperial Surplus and have a second, TFA-specific helmet. Ask me how I know. Troopers helping troopers!

The Denuo Novo armor is meant to be built as TLJ, as that is the cod piece it has, which is the most noticeable difference. Old Anovos armor that was never sold directly to the public was TFA. You'll want at minimum to replace the forearm rails that are included (they're more TFA style) and likely want to replace the thermal detonator with a lighter, printed 2-piece one from Jesse_M. Do NOT cut the forearms at the elbow how they say to - that 90* shape is incorrect and should be a gentle curve downward instead for TL J. If it's a plastic Standard TLJ helmet, you'll want to replace the TFA-style clips, if it's premium fiberglass, you should be good to go. Check out some of the EIB threads and my build thread here for more info and good luck!

Congrats, brotha!

Thank you!

@themaninthesuitcase - Requesting Senior Armorer designation with the above confirmations!

Aw, that's not what I was hoping to hear! Still hoping we see a completed suit and CRL for this soon! What aspects of the McFlyPrint3D files remained that were problematic?

@Tanz Hoping for some updates still - how did this turn out...?!

I agree - looking really positive and you definitely have an eye for it. Keep it up, we need more good New Gen armor options!