Armor Building, CRLs, The "Anomaly Factor"

[gazmosis[501st]]

This is a topic that has come up recently. It was discussed in depth in A thread but I thought that this important content might be lost within the ocean of threads and responses. This deserves its own topic.

 

The passion for accuracy is something many troopers hold near and dear to their hearts. Making the Legion accurate should be the goal of all troopers to some degree. However, it has been brought up that some builders wish to emulate a specific trooper seen in the film. Here is where the concern arises. Many times these "screen seen" troopers have details on their armor that fall outside the required elements of the Legion TK CRLs which have never focused on a specific trooper with the exception of the "hero" TK. The CRLs focus on the average trooper.

 

During shooting of ANH between '76 and '77, it is well documented that the shooting schedules and budgets for the film were stretched beyond their means. Mishaps in the costume department made a particular impact on the Stormtrooper costumes. All these problems for a stupid kids' space movie that wasn't supposed to make dollar 1. What this led to were documented inconsistencies, construction errors, and other mistakes that were not addressed with any real sense of urgency, repaired with minimal efforts in hopes that these details (or lack of) would just blend in. Well, if wasn't for detail oriented troopers and DVD pause buttons, we would never catch these little delights. We are talking, of course, about Mr. "No Stripes", Mr. "bicep Gaffers tape", Mr. "shoulder bridge gaffers tape", Mr. "Paint chipped too much on my mic tips hero helmet", Mr. "Three toothed Stunt helmet", Mr. "thigh tops cut way too low so I can fall easier when I get shot"...you get my point.  These inconsistencies are known to the Legion as "Anomalies".  At this point, this is just a fancy word for mistakes.  If our pretend world was real, the Empire would never allow these mistakes to be present. The manufacturing of the armor would be perfect and consistent across the board. This is what the current CRLs are based upon. Consistency. I don't know if we really want a group of troopers walking around with their right bicep coming apart. (yes this was in the movie).

 

Although the CRLs do not currently support these "anomalies", it doesn't mean that they never will. If there is enough interest in a specific trooper seen in the film, steps can be taken to create a new award category or even a future CRL surrounding that trooper but the interest needs to be well documented. I know our DL has been throwing this idea around.

 

The troopers that can set their hearts to taking a box full of plastic parts and make it into something film makers would want in their films, should be saluted. EIB and Centurion awards are not just handed out willy nilly. This level of accuracy makes the Legion and every one of its Garrisons look better. Troop on!!!! 

 

 

 

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

  I say Hooah!!

[usaeatt2]

I don't see joining the 501st or FISD any differently than joining the military or a world-class corporation.  Those organizations have specific standards which must be met as a requirement of service or employment and so does the 501st.  When you decide to join, you're becoming part of a team and should be willing to set aside your personal agenda for the greater good.  After serving with many different units in my miltary career, I agree a real Death Star trooper squadron would be held to the absolute HIGHEST standards, as this would be considered an "elite" assignment, like military honor guards or demonstration teams.  Do you think the president has random enlistees on his personal detail or flying Air Force One?  Any violation of standards while serving these high visibility assignments comes with severe consequences.  Those soldiers represent "best" of our military and are often in the public eye.  Seems like this would also be the case with an assignment on the Death Star.  I think it's safe to assume "Mr. Anomolies" were swiftly dispatched to menial assignments (or worse!) the day after film crews left...  which means those troopers would no longer be assigned to the unit...  Who wants to be the guy that got kicked out of an elite unit?

[Superkav]

My own opinion is that if an individual wants to spends £££s, $$$s, €€€s etc, to build a suit that pays homage to the anomalies then they should go for it, but should fully expect to display said suits on a mannequin at home or at a SW convention.

I personally joined the 501st and UKG to put together screen accurate armour of the highest standard and troop with my Garisson with pride. The general public who like SW are unlikely to appreciate an anomaly trooper and will more likely see it as a Trooper that isn't quite up to scratch.

 

 

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[MisterFett[TK]]

I fully believe the CRLs are the guideline, and the more accuracy the better. That being said though, I always troop with a No Stripes helmet. It's the 4th Star Wars costume I have to do troops with, so if more accuracy is required at some event, I just wear one of my other 3 costumes -  so it doesn't bother me any if the CRL never lets my ANH-Stunt guy be an ANH-Stunt guy by FISD standards, as it goes. I'm coming up on my 14th anniversary in the 501st this year, so I'll still be trooping. 

 

Honest truth as to why I went with that helmet in the first place was that I figured I could instantly pick myself out of group pics at troops where there would be a number of TKs at it. That's the reason. After a while, I did (and still do) think about adding tube stripes to the helmet to look like everyone else, but when I throw that thought around to other TK friends of mine, somebody every single time will always tell me "but we like you as that No Stripes guy". So, since the people I normally troop with want me to keep going with it, I'll keep trooping as a Mr. No Stripes I suppose.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

mr no stripes! as seen on screen!

[MisterFett[TK]]

mr no stripes! as seen on screen!

 

Only on the Tantive IV, on the Death Star in multiple scenes, and onboard the Millennium Falcon, as well as a bunch of official merchandising. Then brought back in the Special Edition where they cgi'ed more TKs behind him. No biggie. 

[firebladejedi[TK]]

What do you think of this costue and how would you feel being at an event with me wearing it?

 

I still do not get people who do not like people who want to make their costume s accurate as possible, i just dont get it..

 

[SW1]

Here's another spanner in the works my screen accurate TM luke suit that has all the little replicated quirks as seen on the original , got this cleared to troop but under a standerd CRL for Hero but I know personaly it goes above and beyond that , I always thought when you replicated a costume you do so for what you see on screen and is that not the achievement and the goal ! I guess this why we have very high standards and always pushing the boundres in my Garrision

 

[vecspeed12]

Mark, Lets see more of that suit! I love how you UK guys rock it.

[iconoclasta_88[501st]]

My suit will replicate the looks of the Tantive IV troopers. Not one in specific but the overall look of the real suit. With all the gaffer's tape, the skid marks and the anomalies.

 

My Sandtrooper armor is a move along replica as seen on the mos eisley roadblock.

 

I love it I would not want it any other way. Also, troopers in my garrison like my armors. Both of them.

 

And even people in troops and events, even if they don't really know why, they can spot the difference. Somehow lots of ppl have said that my armor has that something that just looks better. More familiar.

 

They don't know what it is, but I do. The anomalies.

 

 

Saludos.