Greetings from Southern Saskatchewan

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Hello from the middle of nowhere.  You want to talk about the outer-rim.  I’m living there.  I’m in southern Sask. Canada.  That’s part of the Badlands Garrison.  There aren’t many, if any, 501^st members near me and Wook1138 from Badlands was really great with some questions I had and some worries in my brain about what might be available for fun where I am.

So I have been interested in the 501^st for quite a number of years.  About 5 years ago I almost pulled the trigger on a stormtrooper kit but just had too many concerns and self-doubts about so much of the whole process I folded.  Long story short, take care of you mental health guys.  Turns out when things just have lost their shine and nothing seems worthwhile anymore that’s a sign to get some help.  Who knew?  I didn’t but thankfully found out before things got worse.

 

Fast forward to now and I am much better at seeing if I should or shouldn’t do something and once again the interest and fascination with the 501^st came back up and I decided it was time to either pull the trigger for real or finally leave it behind but it shouldn’t float any longer.

 

I’ve been reading here a lot.  I am sure I am cross-eyed every evening and have lost sleep trying to make sense of it all.  There is a lot of information on this forum in case no one noticed.  In some ways there is too much and my OCD was slapping me around a lot.  But I have boiled it down to a few things now and just need some final details I’m hoping you all can chime in with.  The one thing that really stood out here was the crazy amount of support for everyone and I like that.

 

I don’t think I have the building skills to put together armor myself.  I know a common feeling here is that there is support to help people with it and there is high level of pride in doing it yourself which I can’t deny would be a thing and something to be very proud of.  For me my OCD alone would add months to a self build if I got through the process at all.  With such scarce local members it would be tough with old man eyes and no in person consulting.  So after some emails with AP I have determined a commissioned build is the least stressful route for me.  That then also dictated the stunt version from ANH which also seems to be the popular build and what AP can supply at a level 3.  That expense is understood should I proceed.

 

The bigger questions for me are what kind of mileage I can get from the armor vs. cost.  What I mean is, there are not a lot of opportunities near me to troop with other members.  I’d have to try for some non- affiliated stuff to get more use from the armor.

 

I also just don’t want to be someone who just shows up and that’s it.  A big part of what I really like about the 501^st is the community involvement and the camaraderie of the members.  So what types of things can I do to benefit/help the organization not necessarily in armor?  I, obviously, won’t be the guy who can advise on how to build armor.  I could be the guy who does… what to stay involved and useful to Badlands, FISD and the 501^st?   It may be a weird question I know.  It’s hard to articulate the thought.  I just don’t want a solo hobby so-to-speak here in the outer rim.  I’ve done that before.  It gets boring.  It is important to feel the connection where there are not a lot of members and they are mostly far spaced over a very large area. 

 

This is a short novel I know and thank you to those who have made it this far.  I appreciated it.  If anyone has some insight for me on how you make the organization special to you or how you jump in with both feet throw it my way.

 

Thanks.

 

Bart

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Hello and welcome aboard, here is a great thread full of helpful info which may help you on your way.

 

 

[wook1138[TK]]

Welcome to the forums, Bart.  You not going to find a better bunch of troopers anywhere.  Also, I wouldn't worry too much about the costume mileage.  I have a kit on a mannequin - quite the conversation piece in the off season.    

 

Glen provided a really good compilation of posts to look over.  Yes - lots of info (I hear you) but keep in mind that there are no stupid questions.

 

Good luck

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

Welcome aboard !! 

[Frank75139[501st]]

Welcome aboard Bart, Greg is one of my best attaches there isn’t a question he can’t answer, hit him up with all you got. It’s a great journey, looking forward to seeing it all come together.


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[Starkiller[TK]]

Welcome!

 

I'm fairly new to this whole thing as well. I tend to thrive on connections, whether they're made in person or via digital resources. At the moment, I am just making minor adjustment to my armor and looking for opportunities to meet others I may not have the opportunity to meet otherwise, thanks to this forum.

 

I may not be the most knowledgeable, but I'm here to just chat when needed!

 

Good to meet you! 

[BAZINGA[TK]]

10 hours ago, wook1138 said:

... but keep in mind that there are no stupid questions.

 

 

Hold my beer.

 

Bart

[wook1138[TK]]

56 minutes ago, Bartman said:

Hold my beer.

 

Bart

lol 

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Ok I will  start with something that hopefully isn't dumb and work my way up.  What do you all do in the "off season" assuming there is one to keep up your interest and networking with each other?  I'm in the middle of no where so a forum, while handy, won't provide the best stream for me to feel involved.  What do you do, if anything, to maintain or promote the 501st in the off season.  Basically what is there all "to do" when not trooping?

 

Bart

[Sly11[Admin]]

Welcome aboard Bart.

[BAZINGA[TK]]

19 hours ago, Starkiller said:

Welcome!

 

I'm fairly new to this whole thing as well. I tend to thrive on connections, whether they're made in person or via digital resources. At the moment, I am just making minor adjustment to my armor and looking for opportunities to meet others I may not have the opportunity to meet otherwise, thanks to this forum.

 

I may not be the most knowledgeable, but I'm here to just chat when needed!

 

Good to meet you! 

Thanks, yes I would agree.  When I am interested or involved in something I want to be "All in" so always want to make the most of it.  I'm not sure on the 501st dynamics yet if there are others who feel the same as me or if it's more random interaction.

 

Bart

[giskard8[Staff]]

Welcome aboard!

[Chemi[Staff]]

Welcome to the FISD, Bart.

[BigJasoni[TK]]

Bart,

Welcome aboard. I wouldn’t worry too much about low local numbers, look for opportunities to make your Garrison known. I’m part of a large garrison, but since most of our members live near the metropolitan areas, my home town typically doesn’t get a lot of trooping opportunities. However, I just talk to people and am always pleasantly surprised to find that when organizations, businesses, charities, and other venues learn about us, “excited” is an understatement. Turns out that even one or two people wearing “plastic space armor” can change the entire atmosphere of an event.

Additionally, this is how we grow; you’d be surprised how many people I meet that say “I have a full ___ costume, but didn’t know you guys were around here.” Last month I set up a small booth at a local convention and got to meet a Jawa and a  Revan that said the same thing. So who knows, maybe you’ll end up being the spur for your local Garrison. 
 

Regarding your build, I do typically encourage people to build for their self, but I totally understand the full commission in your situation. However, I will say that you should still anticipate doing some work on your kit; maintenance and upgrades are just part of this life. 
 

Again, welcome aboard. We’re glad to have you here and excited to see your progress.

[BAZINGA[TK]]

13 hours ago, BigJasoni said:

Bart,

Welcome aboard. I wouldn’t worry too much about low local numbers, look for opportunities to make your Garrison known. I’m part of a large garrison, but since most of our members live near the metropolitan areas, my home town typically doesn’t get a lot of trooping opportunities. However, I just talk to people and am always pleasantly surprised to find that when organizations, businesses, charities, and other venues learn about us, “excited” is an understatement. Turns out that even one or two people wearing “plastic space armor” can change the entire atmosphere of an event.

Additionally, this is how we grow; you’d be surprised how many people I meet that say “I have a full ___ costume, but didn’t know you guys were around here.” Last month I set up a small booth at a local convention and got to meet a Jawa and a  Revan that said the same thing. So who knows, maybe you’ll end up being the spur for your local Garrison. 
 

Regarding your build, I do typically encourage people to build for their self, but I totally understand the full commission in your situation. However, I will say that you should still anticipate doing some work on your kit; maintenance and upgrades are just part of this life. 
 

Again, welcome aboard. We’re glad to have you here and excited to see your progress.

Thanks.

 

I fully agree that building the armor myself would be the best option and the most satisfying if I had any skill in that area.  My hat is off to anyone who can do this kind of build.  I just know that if I even start down that path the odds of completing it on my own are poor.

 

As I understand it, assuming acceptance into the 501^st is a real thing for me, there is not much I can do in terms of representing the 501^st outside of the authorized appearances.  So I can do things with my costume, on my own, but can’t really do it on behalf of the 501^st.  I assume I could encourage others to check it out I just can’t “represent”.  It’s a big confusing what is okay and is not but for now that’s okay.  I would expect that if I am to get any mileage in the armor that would be the boat I’d be in most of the time - solo.  Not ideal.  All the solo stuff kind of takes some of the shine off the idea of being part of something bigger.  Official events would almost always mean travelling.  That is not a huge deal as I can do that for maybe 3 or 4 a year that would be in range for a weekend.  I’m not even opposed to further if it was part of a group going up together.  I fully anticipated that to make the most of it travelling is a must.

 

These travel opportunities aren’t local though.  I never expect there would be anything big locally but I know that going in.  I had other ideas, but keep reading if you aren’t bored yet.

 

Not having local 501^st events all the time is not really the deal breaker so long as I can find other ways to stay involved in the organization beyond sweating it out in armor.

 

There is one small thing locally where the 501^st are invited for a couple hours one day in July or August.  From what I have found out there is only one other 501^st member in the same town as me, but they are, unfortunately, not interested in even showing me their armor and answering some questions about how they built it so I have to assume that is a non-starter for anything else.  The next closest is an hour drive.  I had high hopes for that connection, but after a couple attempts to meet up and see the armor there was just radio silence so it does appear “local” involvement or networking isn’t going to be a thing for a good long time if ever.

 

I had an idea that teaming up with even two others can make something happen, but there is no interest there from them on that front.  Maybe if I am loud enough something sparks with them down the road but not the vibe I got. I’m not even sure who I could recruit as a handler for myself if I do get to do some solo things here and not want to be stumbling around with poor visibility.  That’s a problem for later after a decision is made.

 

One other friend here does like cosplay, but has no interested in building a stormtrooper or anything from the 501^st.  He really only travels to a couple things with his own creations and doesn’t have much in the way of time for anything else.   He’d be one that I would approach none-the-less when I have the armor to see if he wanted to team up for anything.  As cosplay is one of his interests he may be more onboard if I demonstrate I’m serious too.  It’s a tough town for us geeks to crack!

 

The only other stormtrooper that I “know”, for all of two weeks now, would be Greg, who has commented on this thread already  He is 3 hours away from me.  He’s been an huge help with my endless questions.  I had another friend in the 501^st that has a Tusken costume, but I don’t know of any other stormtroopers.  He is not near me either and we don’t really associate anymore regardless for other reasons.   The Badlands are very spread out.  Each member in it has several thousand square miles to call their own!

 

So that is the big ask of myself before pulling the trigger.  What can I do?   Buying it isn’t the issue.  I know the expenses up front.  Trooping is the thing and the opportunity to do that.  Everything on this board confirms that when I read the various threads and see the pictures with the fun that is being had.  Standing out in a green field with my white armor may make an interesting photo shoot, but how much fun does that bring?

 

I know no one else can make the decision for me.  I just value the input from anyone who is doing this so I can make the informed decision vs. a knee jerk reaction.  I know I’m not the only one with a lack of local 501^st members in the same area so how do others stay interested and involved in the considerable down time between troops?  I guess that is the big question I am trying to answer for myself.

 

Bart

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by Bartman
fix the text colour.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Sorry to hear you don't have anyone local to troop with, I have attended several events which I sourced myself, even trooping on your own can be a rewarding experience. A visit to a hospital or care centre for children with special needs can be very rewarding. If you do want to try find some events in your area make sure you run it through your local garrison command, they may have steps you need to take and ways to post events, some other members may even make the trip out, really depends on how far they have to drive. Most of the year we can't troop at retail locations but at certain times LFL does allow a lift of these rules, one such recent is for IMAX Rogue One is playing on the 26th and for some members are able to troop at those locations, we don't have one locally so I'll be missing that. 

 

 

 

 

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Yeah I wouldn't be in the 501st by the time the Imax re-release happens.  That's closer at just 2.5 hours away.   There won't be much in the way of opportunity locally unless there is a sudden shift in interests in the immediate area.  The trick for me is figuring out how to maintain my interest in between the 3 or 4 events I can get to any given year.

 

Bart

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

19 minutes ago, Bartman said:

Yeah I wouldn't be in the 501st by the time the Imax re-release happens.  That's closer at just 2.5 hours away.   There won't be much in the way of opportunity locally unless there is a sudden shift in interests in the immediate area.  The trick for me is figuring out how to maintain my interest in between the 3 or 4 events I can get to any given year.

 

Bart

I didn't think you would be was just an example  

 

I've not been trooping much these past few years, I have some medial issues one is with my immune system so been trying to dodge the dreaded covid, so far so good but I don't venture out without a mask which I found can be a little more restricting wearing a helmet for airflow and heat build up. Like many I do a few builds to keep me occupied, having a few 3D printers makes prop work a lot easier than it used to be, recently got it to Arduino electronics which has been taking up some time, going from adding lights and sound to programmable electronics is a big step. A lot of the costuming side is hands on, you can start small and work your way up, many add additional costumes over time, being able to work on them yourself does save a lot of $'s.

 

I guess for me whenever something new Star Wars comes out it peaks my interest, building the next prop from a new series and having it at your next troop or convention is very rewarding, especially when you hear the public commenting on them. 

 

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Hope you don't get Covid.  I escaped it for a long time then a friend basically walked it into my house.  I had a mild case that lingered for two weeks and ever since then my allergies have been much worse than normal.

 

Bart

Edited August 17, 2022 by Bartman
typos

[captsafe66[Admin]]

Welcome to the White Zone!!

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Well it's done thanks, in no small part, to a number of you here on this board and Wook1138 in particular who answered a few hundred questions privately I am sure.

 

I was able to make up my mind for good this time.

 

I put in a deposit with AP this morning.  I'm still leaning to ready-to-wear.

 

Yikes!  Scary and exciting at the same time.

 

I'll try to take it easy with the number of questions I have running in my head now.  I'll try to space them out!

 

Bart

[TKSpartan[Staff]]

43 minutes ago, Bartman said:

Well it's done thanks, in no small part, to a number of you here on this board and Wook1138 in particular who answered a few hundred questions privately I am sure.

 

I was able to make up my mind for good this time.

 

I put in a deposit with AP this morning.  I'm still leaning to ready-to-wear.

 

Yikes!  Scary and exciting at the same time.

 

I'll try to take it easy with the number of questions I have running in my head now.  I'll try to space them out!

 

Bart

Great News !! Looking forward for your BBB Day !!  

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Looking forward to seeing some BBB photos in the not too distant future.

 

This thread should help you in regards to other items you may need to complete your ensemble   

 

[BAZINGA[TK]]

I've been shopping today... I want to ensure everything is here when I need it to be here.  Bart

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Things are happening.  I should have a blaster and the Icomm system by the end of the month and maybe boots.  Something "afoot" with the boots as I seem to be getting scam email from a courier that I am to pay them for a shipment, but I have no actual tracking info from Imperial Boots to know if this one is legit or one of the daily attempts I receive to pay someone for something I ordered (or didn't order).  Did anyone else get any shipping notifications for boots from the Sept. wave?

 

Bart