ireachy

However, what is interesting is this image. This shows what looks like the left shoulder strap of the Mimban pack is the original (undyed) colour of the LC-1 ALICE pack woodland camo shoulder strap (the one that was used for the R1 pack and which has extra length of padding than the 'standard' Olive Green LC-1 shoulder strap). In R1, both the left and right shoulder straps and padding were dyed black. The left hand shoulder strap in this image has the original U.S. Army issued woodland camo colouration e.g. it has not been dyed black. It is difficult to see the right hand straps colouration in the image. Is it black as per R1 or woodland camo as per the left hand shoulder? We assume from seeing the 'mudtrooper' kit that much of the Imperial forces in SOLO appear to be filmed using re-purposed R1 kit (which makes sense considering the R1 kit is not that old and archived). The R1 left shoulder strap was dyed black and had a painted orange weathered patch on it. From in-Universe lore and deduction we know that the orange colour is associated with Kyber crystals - the R1 pack with the orange patch is for collecting Kyber crystals and the cannisters carrying the Kyber crystal on the Enforcer tank through Jedha were orange (also seen on Eadhu). For SOLO it is likely that the left shoulder strap was just replaced with a 'standard' woodland camo strap to remove the reference to the obvious orange patch. Although not dyeing it black does seem a little lax on the part of the props department. However, in-Universe could it possibly be that the left strap of the pack designates the pack's use. So a camo strap relates to general field deployment (as at Mimban) whilst the orange patch designates Kyber crystal securement? The main observation we are making is that the left shoulder strap in this pic appears to present an undyed U.S. Army issued LC-1 ALICE pack woodland camo shoulder strap that was not seen on the R1 Crystal Patrol pack. Also bear in mind as per our R1 Crystal Pack thread that the ALICE woodland camo pack shoulder straps were also reversed e.g. the real World left strap is the R1 right hand strap and vice verse.

We now have the reference from promo pics that show that certain Mimban deployed troopers are sporting R1 style pauldron and also what looks to be the R1 Crystal Patrol back pack or something very, very similar - one can see the LC-1 ALICE pack woodland camo shoulder straps, the cloth shroud (over the top of the pack), the antenna and the infamous RAF dinghy hook clip...

The pic is grabbed from the first few seconds of the 'Big Game' teaser from few months ago. This is the presumed 'Recruitment Centre' or 'Transit Centre' that we see only in that teaser. The trooper in the halo shows what looks to be the first shot we ever saw (before the promo cards and pics released within last week or so) of a trooper wearing a pack. I think I commented on this at the time over on our (Mr Paul and ireachy) R1 back pack thread.

This will be a thread where myself and Mr Paul post observations regarding our research since the Big Game teaser trailer regarding the back pack worn by the Mimban Trooper in the upcoming SOLO movie. It is intended to compliment the existing Mimban trooper CRL thread recently created here on MEPD. Our observations are based upon our extensive work on the Rogue One Crystal Patrol back pack (we have a thread already running here on MEPD breaking down that pack, its found part components and how to build it) and observations we have made where we already think there may be some variations between the packs from the two movies.

Also worth noting in the pic that has been posted up top of this thread with the yellow and red marker lines was one I posted last night on a Facebook page that has up and running for fair while now looking at the Mimban Stormtrooper. The pic is grabbed from the first few seconds of the 'Big Game' teaser from few months ago. This is the presumed 'Recruitment Centre' or 'Transit Centre' that we see only in that teaser. The red line shows that atleast some of the 'clean' troopers appear to have a 'bump' on the lid that is most likely the 'blast shield' we know is on the Mimban lid. The yellow line shows what looks to be the first shot we ever saw (before the promo cards and pics released within last week or so) of a trooper wearing a pack. I think I commented on this at the time over on our (Mr Paul and ireachy) R1 back pack thread. What is obviously interesting is that these troopers are 'clean', but highly likely to be the same as the Mimban Stormtrooper - so are they troopers on Mimban but not field depolyed or are all Stormtroopers to be seen in SOLO likely to have the 'blast shield' lid?

Yep - hopefully should be posting up some observations about the Mimban pack very soon...

So, when I saw the Big Game teaser in the early hours of Monday night (in the UK) I immediately noticed something we the troopers appeared in the transit centre shot right at the beginning. If you look closely - at 00:07 - you can see what looks like a back pack on one of the troopers. The profile is very rounded rectangular shape. Is it possible that the we will get to see a Crystal Patrol Pack in SOLO? Or a variant of it? If SOLO is approx. 10 years before R1 / ANH then the Death Star programme is well underway. In the R1 Catalyst novel we know that Galen Erso was working on Kyber Crystals and energy generation / transfer during the latter part of the Clone War. The scene from the SOLO teaser appears to be in some transit centre / station and close examination of the footage shows that the troopers are searching people. Searching for Kyber Crystals? This also links to why we see the Crystal Patrol Pack being worn by a trooper on The Ring of Kafrene station in R1 - a transit hub where smuggled Kyber Crystals have a good chance of being discovered. All just hypothesis, but the profile looks about correct for Crystal Patrol Pack (or a variant of it) and the context of the setting appears sensible. Of course we may never know as likely that scene will always be in the background, if it even makes it into the final cut of the movie! But food for thought. Mr Paul has also been looking and supplied the screen grabs.

I can't get any better screen-grabs, but others may be able to. However, pretty sure we're never going to know how they attached the lids to the packs...

Best that I could 'grab', but may be others here that could do a better job. Pretty sure we're never going to know how the lids were attached to the packs, but does look cool...

So, I have been doing a little digging and screen-grabbing and have come up with a possible load-out variant based on scenes seen in the R1 Teaser Trailer and Trailer #1. This involves footage of the Crystal Pack Troopers escorting the captured X-wing pilots seen in those trailers. Originally I was looking to inform the research that Mr Paul and I were doing, looking at the variants of antenna height seen across the packs used in the film. Looking at some behind the scenes (BTS) footage (available on the Blu-ray and digital releases of the film) there is footage of the captured X-wing pilots being escorted by 2 x Pack Troopers, but shot from the side, rather than from the front (as seen in the trailer footage). The BTS footage shows that the 2 x Pack Troopers have X-wing pilot helmets attached (clipped?) to the bottom their packs. Presumably from the captured pilots they are escorting. So for those that troop with X-wing pilots, and have binders to secure them, you could possibly troop with a variant load-out for the Crystal Patrol Duty Pack. Now it should be noted that this footage didn't make the final cut of the movie. So may not be canon, but then the Type IV was only seen in the Sizzle Trailer, and other reference is from books and toys, and that is receiving a CRL, so this load-out variant could possibly be allowed? Obviously this is not for me to indicate per se, but is an interesting possibility?

Shawn, Fab work. As you know I love this pack and will be tapping you up in the new year for one. Still looking at rigging options on this to get the 'clean' no straps attachment. Interesting to see the Republic Commando attachment method. May be thinking of going dedicated back plate route i.e. attaching permanently to a back plate that I switch out with another 'clean' back plate for other deployment options i.e. no pack, ANH packs, or using the Crystal Patrol pack etc.

Thanks all. As mr paul says, as soon as we get the original investigation, de-construction and build thread up (from the FISD and our FB page thread), then we'll update with subsequent observations made over the last few months; as we're still investigating this pack, especially variations to the SWCE 2016 pack and those seen in promo material , other reference, and in the movie - Rogue One...