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Armor observations for the TOR


Daetrin

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Notes from the field as it were, even if post-event. Below are some observations I made and some info I think is worth sharing wrt to trooper armor.

 

1. The FX helmet is on the way out - upgrade or be left behind

One person put it best: they thought they'd see 90% FX helmets being worn, but in truth it was more like 10%. Even though FX was by far the most common armor type, it seems everyone either upgraded their bucket or was about to. I bet this time next year it would only be one or two people out of 180 or so. Most common seemed to be AP & RT, with some TE/Gino/others thrown in.

 

2. New ANH bucket upgrade option: the ANHv2

This helmet from www.imperialsurplus.com looks much better in person than what the photos show and is a great alternative. The front is a bit different from the AP/TE/RT but the sides and back are very similar. Plus, it's symmetrical. Other advantages: one piece construction and it's a bit roomier inside than most ANH helmets. I think the sculptor has done a bangup job and believe this will be a popular helmet moving forward. We took comparison pix of this vs. AP & TE, and will post as soon as I get them.

 

**EDIT** - here are the pix

-----------

---------------

 

From left to right: AP -> A.N.H.v2 -> TE2

 

3. FX armor will be around for awhile

Like or hate it, the venerable FX armor seems to hold favor with most. Saw some other types, but not in significant numbers like I thought I would have. That said, it's pretty obvious looking around that FX is just too big for most smaller troopers.

 

4. But, people do trick it out.

I was pleasantly surprised at how many people started making upgrades. Most popular - even more surprising - was the number of canvas belts I saw. Next on the list was colored ab plate buttons. Least common was closing the sides. Also, I was happy to see that a lot of people replaced the inaccurate dark blue / black tube strips with correct or pretty close blue tube stripes. Most helmets were done in ANH configuration compared to ESB or ROTJ. I also saw some split back/butts.

 

5. Snaps & Straps

Snaps seemed to hold up for everyone, but using velcro to secure the core of your suit (e.g. connecting front & back)...not quite so well. I was surprised to see some people didn't even have a strap connecting the butt to cod. Guys & gals, take the time to properly strap your armor and ensure it's secure. I could be wrong, but it seemed we lost more people due to equipment malfunctions than heat.

 

6. Get fans

I was one of the few without. Even if they don't do much for cooling, get someting to get your lenses clear. Squirrel cage fans seem to work well, and some people put fans in the tops of their buckets that seemed to make a big difference. I saw a few that popped open their lenses, but am not sure how much it helped. At least for parade type events, using fans to keep the lenses clean was more of a priority than trying to use them to cool down.

 

7. If you need to sit, you'll find a way

Over 50% of troops said they can't sit in armor, and on the buses to the practice & event when we were in full armor many folks stood. However on the way back from the event, almost everyone was sitting and some were sleeping. Granted you took up two seats, but it shows that if you need to you can.

 

8. Anti-fog...not so great

Most people used it, most found it didn't help worth squat. I was 90% blind in my right eye most of the march, and 50% in the left. At one point the trooper in front was just a blur and I had to focus to keep sight of our drill captain. Needless to say I wasn't perfect marching straight at times. I think I'd have been better off not using the crap, as I didn't have any problems before it was applied.

 

9. Nothing beast the site of a unit of stormtroopers

Bravo company (non-TK troops) only lost two folks and marched well, but if you look at the pictures in the press the overwhelming majority were of Alpha company (all TK). I think it shows that the site of a massed unit of clean TK's is iconic, and has more impact than that of mixed troops. Walk proud, my stormtrooper brothers!

Edited by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2021
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Very nice writeup, thanks. Just want to add a few comments (not relating to the parade).

 

Anti-fog is just baby shampoo and water, ask any diver :D . The only thing that works better is anti-fog "gel" and it's just a little better. Spit although gross works ok too.

 

I haven't heard of the ANHv2. I'm really interested to see the pictures. Please PM the details.

 

Just out of curiousity how many ESB troopers were there. I can't decide if I want to go this route.

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My questions are

"FX helmet being on the way out" mean Unacceptable? Not that I am defending it or anything but it dosent look horrid, at least on bigger troops, and is easy to find. Seems in my hunt for a helm the others are a little scarce, or really long wait times...

 

Filling in the sides and canvas belts.

 

I like the canvas belt. filling in the sides looks great as well but if you watch the movies close, especially in EP 6 the majarity of those are not filled in. I guess are these going to be required as well is the big question.

 

Push for a closer FX kit.

 

Can this be accomplished? Is there a way to suggest a smaller helm and other options?

 

Man I wish i could have marched. That would have been great to see. :D

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The only thing that works better is anti-fog "gel" and it's just a little better.
I found this to be useless. A dive master gave me some and it was worse than anything i've ever used, but that could be because of the cold conditions of the morning. And I agree with most of Paul's statements. I'm actually going to be putting some more time into my FX armor and will be looking into either an RT Mod of ANH ver2 helmet in the near future.
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My questions are

"FX helmet being on the way out" mean Unacceptable? Not that I am defending it or anything but it dosent look horrid, at least on bigger troops, and is easy to find. Seems in my hunt for a helm the others are a little scarce, or really long wait times...

In this context I mean by popularity / choice. A garrison mate reasoned it this way, that he didn't want to be the only one with an FX helmet in the unit as he'd stand out. And it truth, it was pretty easy to spot the few FX's in a crowd of smaller helmets, esp. on smaller troopers.

 

In the context of being unacceptable I think this is a ways off though I suspect it will eventually happen down the line at some point, but more likely it will just fade out of the Legion on it's current course w/o any dictate being applied. At least this seems to be the trend.

 

Filling in the sides and canvas belts.

 

I like the canvas belt. filling in the sides looks great as well but if you watch the movies close, especially in EP 6 the majarity of those are not filled in. I guess are these going to be required as well is the big question.

 

If there are gaps in the movie then it will be allowed for sure under Legion standards. On the other hand for Detachment deployment standards, it will likely only be allowed for those going for the ROTJ standard. When we vote on them will be a great time for this to be codified.

 

Push for a closer FX kit.

 

Can this be accomplished? Is there a way to suggest a smaller helm and other options?

 

Man I wish i could have marched. That would have been great to see. :D

 

I think it can, and this one of the charters for this detachment's existence. The Legion can control the base standards, but it's up to us to define a higher bar for those troopers who prefer to take their costume voluntarily to the next level.

 

Voluntary higher detachment standards have really upped the quality bar for sandtroopers, there's no reason why it should not be the same for us.

 

My observation is that prop makers respond to demand from the buyers. Right now it's much easier to get an ANH style helmet and there are more choices than ever due to increased demand for them. If people start pushing for more accurate looking suits then people will make them. Until that time, it does seem that the base FX armor can certainly be modified to a higher quality than what's available now, as people are demonstrating.

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I will be looking to replace my FX helmet some time this year with something smaller and hopefully lighter. I haven't tried on the other armor but being 6' 2" I wish some things were even longer than they are on the FX. Namely the bicep and thighs. I don't know that another kit would cover me properly.

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Butah: I really like all your observations and report from the Rose Parade. Having missed it, I really liked your review of the predominant TK armor and what you saw. This thread has really pushed me off the fence on whether to upgrade my bucket from FX. I definitely will and probably in the 1st or 2nd quarter of this year.

 

Thanks,

 

Don G.

TK-5372

 

PS: I like the "Death March" reference too!

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Great post Paul! That ANHv2 looks roomie too.

 

My poor AP doesn't fit over my noggin. I should probably offer it up on the boards at a discount since I tinkered with it so much to try and make it fit.

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I am looking at a new lid this year too. Hopefully a push from the legion speeds up as well as tidys up productuion on helmets.

 

It will be nice to use teh FX as a "display" helm, not the bobble head trooper it is now.

 

Great thread, and an awsome set of observations... :lol:

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Hmmmm. Nice photo. I think the bucket on the far right is quite handsome... :D

I'd have trooped with my TE2 instead of the AP if it was ready. Soon...very soon! Got the RomFX and some fans. Soon...

Just out of curiousity how many ESB troopers were there. I can't decide if I want to go this route.

I don't have an accurate count and really hung around the non-TK company more. I think it was only a few. There were some that had ANH styled helmets with an ESB black frown. If you want to do something different, ESB & ROTJ variants would be neat options.

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I don't have an accurate count and really hung around the non-TK company more. I think it was only a few. There were some that had ANH styled helmets with an ESB black frown. If you want to do something different, ESB & ROTJ variants would be neat options.

 

The ESB helmets are the same as the ANH ones except for the frown and stickers. And the only armor difference I'm aware of is the hand gards.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

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Eh - no comments from anyone else who did the TORP? Or was I that on the money? C'mon, there must be something I missed - sound off Alpha company!

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Hey, I was Color Guard! We were the prettiest in the whole parage, ask Col. Toledo and Steve Sansweet!

 

As for my observations: I noticed tons of FX helmets everywhere. I really think they were on about 40-50% of the troopers there. I did get the opportunity to try on an RT Mod there and with some self conditioning, I might be able to be used to it and not freak out.

I'm also looking in the direction of the ANH v2.

 

What bothered me what what little effort people have put into their FX armor kits. Granted, we all know they're not the most accurate kits out there, but it doesn't take much to put on blue tube stripes at the very least when you're wearing it ANH style.

 

I didn't see all that many cloth belts, but I did see quite a few white leather belts. They looked much nicer than just ABS and in my opinion, nicer than the cloth, though not exactly screen accurate.

 

It also seemed like there was little effort made to have the correct colored ab buttons, even for the people with more accurate armor.

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I've brought this issue up before in the first edition of Static Burst and was rather surprised at the time how many people took offense to my prediction that the FX lid was on its way out. FX armor is still by far the most common worn by the legion but at TORP, I noticed a lot of hybrid configurations with RT Mod, TE and even MovieFx. More than a year has passed since I had written that article but as Paul noted, ANH styles are increasing in popularity. An informal count of FX helmets in Bravo company(about 66 marchers), excluding clones, TBs and snowies yielded only about 4-6 FX among the TDs which were greatly outnumbered by ANH styles. Anyone else in Bravo, feel free to correct me but I would be curious what the breakdown for Alpha would be.

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Pretty astute observations. I took note as well. From what I saw, I might upgrade my entire armor from FX, but being a poor artist the FX will have to do for now until I win the lottery. To me the FX Helmet still is attractive, but like you have said, on smaller Troopers it really stands out.

 

Alpha Company 1st Platoon, 2nd Squad Leader

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Notes from the field as it were, even if post-event. Below are some observations I made and some info I think is worth sharing wrt to trooper armor.

 

1. The FX helmet is on the way out - upgrade or be left behind

One person put it best: they thought they'd see 90% FX helmets being worn, but in truth it was more like 10%. Even though FX was by far the most common armor type, it seems everyone either upgraded their bucket or was about to. I bet this time next year it would only be one or two people out of 180 or so. Most common seemed to be AP & RT, with some TE/Gino/others thrown in.

 

2. New ANH bucket upgrade option: the ANHv2

This helmet from www.imperialsurplus.com looks much better in person than what the photos show and is a great alternative. The front is a bit different from the AP/TE/RT but the sides and back are very similar. Plus, it's symmetrical. Other advantages: one piece construction and it's a bit roomier inside than most ANH helmets. I think the sculptor has done a bangup job and believe this will be a popular helmet moving forward. We took comparison pix of this vs. AP & TE, and will post as soon as I get them.

 

**EDIT** - here are the pix

post-2-1167935941_thumb.jpg

post-2-1167935953_thumb.jpg

 

From left to right: AP -> A.N.H.v2 -> TE2

 

3. FX armor will be around for awhile

Like or hate it, the venerable FX armor seems to hold favor with most. Saw some other types, but not in significant numbers like I thought I would have. That said, it's pretty obvious looking around that FX is just too big for most smaller troopers.

 

4. But, people do trick it out.

I was pleasantly surprised at how many people started making upgrades. Most popular - even more surprising - was the number of canvas belts I saw. Next on the list was colored ab plate buttons. Least common was closing the sides. Also, I was happy to see that a lot of people replaced the inaccurate dark blue / black tube strips with correct or pretty close blue tube stripes. Most helmets were done in ANH configuration compared to ESB or ROTJ. I also saw some split back/butts.

 

5. Snaps & Straps

Snaps seemed to hold up for everyone, but using velcro to secure the core of your suit (e.g. connecting front & back)...not quite so well. I was surprised to see some people didn't even have a strap connecting the butt to cod. Guys & gals, take the time to properly strap your armor and ensure it's secure. I could be wrong, but it seemed we lost more people due to equipment malfunctions than heat.

 

6. Get fans

I was one of the few without. Even if they don't do much for cooling, get someting to get your lenses clear. Squirrel cage fans seem to work well, and some people put fans in the tops of their buckets that seemed to make a big difference. I saw a few that popped open their lenses, but am not sure how much it helped. At least for parade type events, using fans to keep the lenses clean was more of a priority than trying to use them to cool down.

 

7. If you need to sit, you'll find a way

Over 50% of troops said they can't sit in armor, and on the buses to the practice & event when we were in full armor many folks stood. However on the way back from the event, almost everyone was sitting and some were sleeping. Granted you took up two seats, but it shows that if you need to you can.

 

8. Anti-fog...not so great

Most people used it, most found it didn't help worth squat. I was 90% blind in my right eye most of the march, and 50% in the left. At one point the trooper in front was just a blur and I had to focus to keep sight of our drill captain. Needless to say I wasn't perfect marching straight at times. I think I'd have been better off not using the crap, as I didn't have any problems before it was applied.

 

9. Nothing beast the site of a unit of stormtroopers

Bravo company (non-TK troops) only lost two folks and marched well, but if you look at the pictures in the press the overwhelming majority were of Alpha company (all TK). I think it shows that the site of a massed unit of clean TK's is iconic, and has more impact than that of mixed troops. Walk proud, my stormtrooper brothers!

 

I saw this comming when I first looked at my armor before I even joined the 501st, I thought to myself...do these people actually wear this thing? :lol:

 

 

Butah: I really like all your observations and report from the Rose Parade. Having missed it, I really liked your review of the predominant TK armor and what you saw. This thread has really pushed me off the fence on whether to upgrade my bucket from FX. I definitely will and probably in the 1st or 2nd quarter of this year.

 

Thanks,

 

Don G.

TK-5372

 

PS: I like the "Death March" reference too!

 

 

I'm still waiting for my AP helmet :(

 

Great post Paul! That ANHv2 looks roomie too.

 

My poor AP doesn't fit over my noggin. I should probably offer it up on the boards at a discount since I tinkered with it so much to try and make it fit.

 

I'll buy it off of you!!! I have a small head "size 56-57" European size that is :D

 

Hey, I was Color Guard! We were the prettiest in the whole parage, ask Col. Toledo and Steve Sansweet!

 

Steve Sansweet is a cool guy, I hear tell that if your out here, you gotta go to his house and see his collection!!! it pretty sweet!

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I'd say if you can upgrade your amor go for it, if your gonna go go all the way :lol: I'd say go T.E the T.E helmet is far bigger then an AP helmet. <_< and on the subject of ESB troopers i am working on a ESB helmet.

 

Yeah but I have heard of no source for a TE I'm guesing "2", not the "1", I don't think the TE 1 exists anymore, but I could be wrong :pint1: But if you got one shoot me a PM with the info if you have the time :duim::salute:

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TE2 is the new TE. He certainly exists and is certainly making armor & helmets. The reality of the situation is that the TE is more of an "advanced" set, meaning that there is much more work involved in getting one together: you have to be willing to trim & paint and do some higher skill building in some areas such as the legs.

 

This is a barrier for most folks who are used to buying ABS armor pre-trimmed (and perhaps even partially assembled) and in ABS (which requires no painting), or who just don't have the time/skills to take on an advanced project.

 

For this reason TE2 doesn't openly make to order like some folks do else he'd be buried trying to answer email from folks who never order, or who order w/o really understanding what they're getting, instead of making armor.

 

If you feel you're committed to the TE process, feel free to shoot me a PM.

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TE2 is the new TE. He certainly exists and is certainly making armor & helmets. The reality of the situation is that the TE is more of an "advanced" set, meaning that there is much more work involved in getting one together: you have to be willing to trim & paint and do some higher skill building in some areas such as the legs.

 

This is a barrier for most folks who are used to buying ABS armor pre-trimmed (and perhaps even partially assembled) and in ABS (which requires no painting), or who just don't have the time/skills to take on an advanced project.

 

For this reason TE2 doesn't openly make to order like some folks do else he'd be buried trying to answer email from folks who never order, or who order w/o really understanding what they're getting, instead of making armor.

 

If you feel you're committed to the TE process, feel free to shoot me a PM.

 

You know me, I have no life, so I would prolly have the time to take on the task this summer, what is the suit made out of? I forgot

thanks again man :salute:

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