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Is there a trooper rank system?


Toothdoc

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Several questions actually:

1) Is there a Imperial Rank system used in the movies?  I know about the officer ranks with the blue and red chest placard. 

2) I read about the "Ears" on the TK helmets have 3-4 bumps on them.  A single black stripe is painted to show rank?  How?

3) Is their a "ranking system" used in the 501st approved world of costuming?  Among us troopers on and off the trooping event? 

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Not in the movies but there was something unofficial which our DL at the time came up with, info in these threads

Image made from Paul's suggestion        06szojD.jpg&key=d2f5bca5fcdea3ca2bc065fb

 

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Thanks for the reply, Sir.  Looks like a few actually HAVE CONSIDERED something in this department.  Interesting that it’s been a dead topic in those threads for 5 years now.  As a former USAF officer, a Captain, the rank location on the ears simply doesn’t make much sense.  For example, you can’t see the rank from the front.  You have to see it from the side or at least at an oblique angle.  Also, were TKs considered “Army” or “Marine” troops?  I remember one spoken line in one of the movies where I believe the Emperor says, “You may fire at will, Commander.”  Commander is traditionally known as a navy rank.  I can see the troops on board the big capital ships as “Imperial Navy” oriented.  But they would be mainly ship service, not deployed ground troops.

 

Anyway, interesting, none the less.  Above my pay grade...

Edited by Imperial Dentist
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A little more info:

 

"Stormtroopers, were the elite shock troops of the Galactic Empire. As members of the Stormtrooper Corps, an independent branch that operated under the Imperial Army, they served as frontline assault forces and formed the backbone of the Imperial Military. Indoctrinated to support the ideology of the New Order, stormtroopers were fanatically loyal to the Empire, making it impossible for them to betray the Imperial cause. With their signature white armor and the E-11 blaster rifle, stormtroopers became the face of the Empire on the countless worlds they patrolled throughout the galaxy."

 

Although not seen in the original trilogy:

"Rank was determined by a color coded pauldron worn over the right shoulder, with orange or red representing the rank of commander, black indicating an enlisted trooper, and white representing a sergeant."

 

First order ranks

"While in armor, the rank of a stormtrooper was indicated by the color of their pauldron: red was for officers, black for sergeants, and white for squad leaders."

 

 

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1 minute ago, Imperial Dentist said:

Thanks for your time and effort to help clarify this.

My pleasure, it's what we are here for "troopers helping troopers" ;) 

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Something to bear in mind, if you're planning to take your costume to L2/3, when or if you paint your rank bars is that each TK CRL has specific requirements regarding the number of bars to be painted. E.g. ANH is one (1), ESB and ROTJ are 2-3, and R1 is 1-4. 

 

IIRC Sandtrooper ranks were designated via pauldron colours in ANH, but I think the first time we saw regular movie TKs noted by pauldron rank was R1. Happy to be corrected on this though.

 

In terms of cannon though, rank and unit marking on TK armour is made mention of in Timothy Zahn's "Thrawn Alliances", chapter 1.

 

Quote

The white-on-white unit and rank designations were nearly impossible to see without stormtrooper optical enhancements, but Faro had long since mastered the technique.

 

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43 minutes ago, tarok said:

Something to bear in mind, if you're planning to take your costume to L2/3, when or if you paint your rank bars is that each TK CRL has specific requirements regarding the number of bars to be painted. E.g. ANH is one (1), ESB and ROTJ are 2-3, and R1 is 1-4. 

 

IIRC Sandtrooper ranks were designated via pauldron colours in ANH, but I think the first time we saw regular movie TKs noted by pauldron rank was R1. Happy to be corrected on this though.

 

In terms of cannon though, rank and unit marking on TK armour is made mention of in Timothy Zahn's "Thrawn Alliances", chapter 1.

 

 

Interesting!

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As a HWT that often wears an orange pauldron, I also updated my ear rank bars to reflect the rank of "Captain". No one ever notices, but I think it's a nice detail for those hardcore folks :P I've always thought of it many elite military units where basically to have that job, you are at least an officer of some degree (like fighter pilots, special forces, etc...) 

Edited by TheRascalKing
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My CFO ROTJ helmet from Mark already had the cool rank marks so I'm leaving his craftsmanship right as it is. Also, even though I've never seen it in the movies but since I'm slooooooooooooowly putting together my ROTJ TK , I'd "like" to be able to wear a pauldron with it occasionally "just because I want to".  Have you guys  ever thought about why ROTJ TK's aren't seen wearing one?

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Just now, VaderFan said:

My CFO ROTJ helmet from Mark already had the cool rank marks so I'm leaving his craftsmanship right as it is. Also, even though I've never seen it in the movies but since I'm slooooooooooooowly putting together my ROTJ TK , I'd "like" to be able to wear a pauldron with it occasionally "just because I want to".  Have you guys  ever thought about why ROTJ TK's aren't seen wearing one?

No original trilogy Stormtroopers wear pauldrons, it's only Sandtroopers that do. 

 

You can (with your garrisons approval) wear a pauldron at non cannon events, many troopers do.

 

An oldie but a goodie

 

3IaPmxQ.png

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