TD-0013

Looks good, Jay. I especially like that you covered up the "contraband" mucking up your pauldron, Nice to see it starting to look more canon finaly! Great stuff.

*eyebrow* Okay, I get that the "more dirt" comment was a joke, and I'm cool with that, but I'm actually pretty serious about us looking like SANDtroopers, and not POOPERtroopers. The gear should look as if it's "dirty" from serving on Tatooine, not "covered in fecal matter". So, yes... Don't take the jokes seriously, but take my intial post and the concerns raised very seriously. Not upset, just making it clear, that's all.

Actually, let's see some nice big, clear photos of the gear first. If you need to add a LITTLE more, we'll tell you, but welcvome to the ranks Sandie Brother. TD-0013

I'll be there. Kevin O'Connor, TD-0013, CO Dune Sea Garrison - AZ, USA MEPD

Greetings, everyone, I've been out of the loop for quite a bit, but I'm back now. I haven't stopped trooping, and the Dune Sea Garrison has been quite active all this time. Anyhow, I was recently at the Rose Parade and I had the pleasure of meeting up with a few of my Sandie brothers and sisters, and while there I heard a rather disturbing statement. I was talking to a Sandtrooper about his joining the MEPD, and he said that he was turned down because his gear wasn't dirty enough. It was plenty dirty from what I saw. Looked like he stepped off the sands of Tat. I also spent my New Years Eve cleaning a sandtrooper's gear. That's right, you heard me...I was cleaning it. He didn't look like a SANDtrooper, he looked like a POOPERtrooper. There was more brown then white, and that's just rediculous. He also mentioned something along the lines of the MEPD requiring his gear to be that dirty, which amazed me. I have been in the MEPD since it's earliest days, and it was Joe Musso and I that breathed new life into it and brought it back to life. I mention this only so that you all understand that I'm not some newbie showing up and causing a ruckuss. I've been here from the start, trust me. We are sandtroopers, and our dirt has always been what sperates us from the desk troopers of the Empire. We work for a living, and our gear reflects that. Dirt is a badge of office to us all. But there has to be limits. There are some troopers on the "Deployed" page that look like their Dewbacks had explosive diarrea on them, and that's just not Sat, you know? The goal is to have a dull WHITE suit accented with dirt in the crevaces, not a brown suit with tiny bits of white showing through the layered fodder. Can we please set a standard and keep it the minimalist beauty that is shown in the films? Just my two credits on the subject. A subject that we all hold very dear here in these halls of dirt and duty. TD-0013, CO Dune Sea Garrison - AZ, USA MEPD

I have a few various wallpapers on my website... http://adpov.net/downloads/

I cannot believe this is STILL an issue, but I guess I'm not at all surprised that Spanos is behind this. I've had run ins with him before, and this very issue was mentioned the last time we spoke on the phone months ago. It's things like these incosistancies that drove me away from the council and legion boards a year and a half ago. That's it. We all tuck black towels in our collars, and carry sabers from now on. I'm Darth Sandie. Who's with me? TD-0013

After four years of griping, it's nice to see that Tim (and LFL) are realizing that it's the DIRT (second requirement) that makes a sandtrooper! Arsonsmith and I will be there with three new MEPD ready sandtroopers! be there with four new MEPD ready sandtroopers from the DSG!

Ditto to what Joe said. Without all of YOU, none of this would have been possible. Me and the two Joeys would just be three guys playing with our putzes had it not been for the overwhelming drive of you, the ELITE SANDTROOPERS of the MEPD (Yes, as far as I'm concerned, the MEPD sandies ARE elite, because we commit to the dirt, not just the "cute accessories") came aboard and made this place a home for all troopers who wish to go dirty, and become a "working" trooper, not just a Death Star Desk Jockey. I must apologize for my own recent absence from this site, and for not getting the new deployed troopers photos done yet. I have become the Dune Sea Garrison's CO this year, and with everything going on, I have been running with all cylinders firing at once. I WILL get these photos done soon, so no worries. Alas, I won't have a jacket with me at C3, but I will be sporting my MEPD shirt proudly, as well as working the volunteer gig in full MEPD regailia. (Tim, we're still up for that "special duty", right? I look forward to raising a drink with as many of you as I can at C3, so we can all trade "no really, these idiots wanted me to clean my armor" horror stories. You have the Dirt. You have the Heart. You have the Commitment. And thus, you have my undying respect. See you at C3!

Haha! Told you! I am so stoked! I'll be picking up all three at C3!

The Academy? You're soaking in it! Sandtrooper.net IS the MEPD's Academy, as it were. This is your one stop shop for all things Sandtrooper! Here you can find out the differences between the Standard desk Stormtroopers, and the hard fighting Sandtroopers that we emulate here! We are rapidly building up a good amount of tutorials for the mods required, as well as a decent source of replacement parts, weathering techniques, weapons, and other items needed. If you have any questions, this is a the place to ask them, brother! Welcome to the MEPD Academy!

Looks good, brother, but I'll need you to send me some higher resolution copies of the photos so I can get you stuff ready. Also, the headshot is a little fuzzy. But, seeing what I saw, I think you've done an excelent job!

Well first thing is to get the helmet built, as that it the most complex, but rewarding piece of the entire suit. Make certain to ditch those lousy bubble lenses and get yourself some flat lenses! Also, you're going to want to paint the inside of the bucket black. This does two things for you. First, if you head is tilted an odd angle when a photo is taken, sometimes you'll be able to see up into the helmet, and all that white reflects whatever light there is, and illuminates your skin, making you too visable. Second, having the inside black makes you eyes focus outside the helmet, since there is nothing but blackness inside the helmet. This will actually help you see better, trust me. Also, get rid of the velcro that came with the suit. The adhesive sucks and will melt off the armor almost constantly, but leaving behind a gooey residue that is nearly impossible to clean off. Instead, try to ABS cement as much of the suit as you can. Front of thighs, fronts of calves, cannons (bicep armor), foreams. Be sure to cut the groin plate seperate from the rest of the abdomin plate, and then reatach it with some elastic straps and hot glue. This will help you move a lot easier, and even sit down for the most part. Oh yeah...See that long "tongue" thing that comes off the groin and goes between your legs? GET RID OF THAT. Trust me, you be happier if you do. You know what...Just contact ArsonSmith and see if he's got an extra Sandtrooper Abdomin plate. if you're going for Sandtrooper, you may as well go for it right out of the gate. Ask him about a Sandie kneeplate too. There's a ton more, but I'm having trouble remembering it all right now. I'm sure our brother in dirt can also offer up some great suggestions.

Ah! Gotcha...Well, if there's any high rez copies of that stuff, I'd love some for my library of artwork to work with for projects like these! If you want to email them to me, I'm always willing to accept it!

Josh, I'm not sure what you mean by "file from the website", but as far as I'm concerned, if anyone else wants to take a whack at designing these, that's great! The more we have to choose from, the better. As for the "Dirty Deeds"...That was an idea I've had in my brain for quite some time now. Glad you like it. I always thought it was an appropriate phrase for us anyhow.