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More Accurate than SWAT.... is it possible?


iconoclasta_88
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Is it????

First of all, I want to make it very clear that discussing this "accuracy level" do not has anything to do with the CRL or the badges available now for the MEPD or the 501st. This is a discussion for fun, and the build that will evolve from this will also be for fun.

So, what do I have in mind???

I am currently (still) building a TK full replica armor based on the Tantive IV troopers. You can see it here... It has already been cleared for Centurion but I have always felt that Centurion was not (and was not intended to be) as accurate as I wanted. So, I have not settled for that.

With SWAT it is different. The Badge is granted to armors that actually comply with many very specific details replicating one specific armor assembly. And that I love and work very hard to both, achieve the badge, and get the program up and working.

But now, 4 years or so later, I wonder if I could go beyond SWAT...

What I would do, and what I consider to be the only way to make a full replica armor, is to make it the way '76 armor was built. Not only trying to look similar, but to be built in a similar way.

I am not inventing anything new, many ppl have done this before, but I have not seen it with a Sandtrooper armor.

I mean: reckless trimming and assembling, glue residues, cracks and gaps and all kind of mistakes. Not replicating them, but making them due to the way the armor is built and treated.

Also, replicating the interior with the same techniques and mistakes.

Getting original boots and paint them white... a black turtle neck pullover instead of underarmor and neckseals...

Next, getting as many original vintage parts as possible. Including materials parts are done for, found parts from the 70s and the such... Even (knowing that it most likely will be impossible), getting deactivated weapons to build the blasters.

Would that be too much? Does that sounds accurate, and more accurate than SWAT even if it does not replicate a specific trooper? Is there any other way to go further?

This is atm just an hipotetical discussion, but... maybe someday a build can meet this ideas.

What do you think?

This is meant to be an interesting and hopefully fun discussion about accuracy and going to far... and not a declaration of intention or fyi kind of thread. So... hope to hear many opinions on what you consider accurate and what is just plain madness.

:)

Saludos.

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Great discussion Juan.

Some of us guys in Britannia Patrol have been discussing the possibility of a special badge, something like "Tunisia '76" for those who have gone to the extreme with their costumes, and sourced original parts, such as Karrimor frame, Bapty blaster etc. This was only going to be for fun and totally separate from the MEPD SWAT program.

We wouldn't have the luxury here, as would be the case for many countries I believe, of using deac weapons, but a replica made to be very close to original would be acceptable.

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Love this discussion already - '76 all the way :)

But to be honest, I think a few compromises are necessary if you aim to wear your armor for longer than a few shots. With my armor I tried to emulate the trimming and strapping as original as I could. However, I tried to avoid cracks (by reinforcing certain areas) and also didn't use Stelmax but E6000, again to avoid unpredictable warps in the armor.

But that's just a practical decision, I think it's great when somebody goes all the way!

No argument about the backpack though. Apart from some items that need to be cast (eg thermal det, lids, trays) finding original parts such as the canteen flask, tupperware, syphon etc. is part of the hunt that keeps the game alive - for me anyway :)

Regarding SWAT however this can be a little bit of a two edged sword. On the one hand it is precisely this program that has led to many advances and discoveries and set a standard for the whole legion in terms of accuracy. On the other hand the program keeps getting harder with each approval and we have to look out that it doesn't become unachievable.

Cheers

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Interesting to see this come back up. I know in the past we have stayed away from terms like "prop forgery" etc....but I agree there is a desire to take certain builds to the next level over SWAT....what do we do? Make the changes to SWAT that would require the trooper to emulate exact details, move to a Special Forces type program or just let troopers build upon what they've already done without recognition?

With the next vote set for CRL revision I think we can go further with the criteria without exclusion of members.

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My initial thought on this was how am I going to break into the Lucasfilm archives and steal a complete set of armor! But that might be the extreme side to ultimate accuracy beyond SWAT. Just joking of course!

It would be cool to see your idea take form. Back on the hunt for those vintage backpack parts!

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Thx for the good response bros!

And, did I see somethimg new here? A badge above SWAT but away from the CRL?

Swat was not intended to be incorporated to the CRL but a higher notch for troopees to aim for... It became so popular that other detach,ents followed and at the end, the Legion had to have it included in the CRL.

I actually would not want a lever 4, but a Detachment badge sounds interesting... This is just food for thought... And we are far from there IMHO, but... Maybe someday.

I must say that you guys on the BP are ahead of most of us in accuracy, reseach and builds... Can you go further?

ABS armor and HDPE buckets... Turtle necks, vintage parts and hardware, clumsy assembly and residue?

It can be done I guess... But yes, that wouldnt make a good trooping armor, but a great piece for any collection... But, would anyone take the challenge?

Interesting... And exciting.

Saludos.

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Hi Juan,

it sounds like a wonderful project!!

For me SWAT is one of the highest accurate level in the whole 501st. For now there are just a view open issues to get a 1:1 '76 trooper.

But it must be always our challenge to get in touch with the screen trooper.

I will support you my friend...if I can!?!?!?!!!!

Cheers

Felix

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Sounds like some of the people over on the TDH... "Got to have the Casio Calculator and the right dental pieces...!"

To be fair, sounds interesting and fun... Could actually take away a lot of the build concerns to be honest as you are not doing a sanitized version of the original suit... What I would caution though is making a level over SWAT... I mean how many levels do we really need? And in some cases the items in the 'new" level - could they contradict the CRL, PO and SWAT level (turtle neck sweater in lieu of a ribbed neck piece as was noted earlier)? Each one builds on top of the last, not contradicts it...

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Yes. It is actually a bit less stressful to build it this way.

But I am in no way looking to start a discussion about a new level.

This is not for the CRL. But for fun.

:)

Cause yes, it can be too difficult to make previous levels match a new top one. And the other way around.

Saludos.

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The next level....

Building it the way they did is in my opinion the last and final level that can be reached, even if it is just for the fun of it( and we do like fun)...next to growing a big bad afro..

Whoever should do this and reach the goals should get, after creating it, a badge integrated in his avatar/ profile which says "76 all the way".

But what a great and fun question this is..exploring possibilities together and thinking out loud by all the members.

This is going to be a great topic!!...it already is :)

:salute:

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The next level....

Building it the way they did is in my opinion the last and final level that can be reached, even if it is just for the fun of it( and we do like fun)...next to growing a big bad afro..

Whoever should do this and reach the goals should get, after creating it, a badge integrated in his avatar/ profile which says "76 all the way".

I like that idea! And extra points if he or she has an afro, lol ;-)

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I would really see this happen to armors, not sure yet how to feel about levels and badges and CRLs... But, let's see.

I Remeber when we first started talking about a new level over Police Officer. I think it was exactly 6 years ago.

A year or so had passed where the Detachment was in a stall. Pretty much only about 5 members posting once a day, most notorious was Rolf, preventing the forums to die. Then came a new guy, Bluey and recluted a few more guys, including DirtyBoy, to strengthen the existing command staff and making the Detachment firstly stable, then stronger...

We then became all excited about the new discoveries made around that time. If my memory doesn't fail me, the Sonix radio was finally identified, the so called SiMan armor was found (RS original armor), new more accurate paldrons were being designed and developed, pack parts were found and identified as the syphon, new ideas for weathering were researched and much more. And of course, Rolf was building the next ultimate Sandtrooper armor as always... a TM I think.

So one day, Buey (then CO),Rick, Rolf and Me started talking about how cool would it be to make a new Forum icon for those troopers that achieved the next level of accuracy on their armors. Giving it something like a check list for armor, weapon, pack, puches and pauldron. Making it visible what that trooper had done. And when someone had all the boxes checked, a new badge would be granted.

After a few weeks, discussing what accuracy would mean, and what aspects should it cover, Bluey came up with this mock-up:

post-1761-0-25523400-1456159771_thumb.jp

After going back and forth for a few months, and talking in consideration other troopers opinions like Paul's (Daetrin), and I think even Mike H, former MEPD CO, we decided to start working on the rules and standards of what would come to be known as the SWAT badge, not yet a level or CRL.

6 years later, we have the most demanding, accurate and coveted badge/level/Program

on the 501st Legion.

What will happen now?

Where will this takes us as a Detachment, or just as the biggest, most respected and welcoming Sandtrooper community worldwide?

Again, as always, this is an exciting time for us!

And I think we are already on our way, with new builds being made more and more accurate. I really think that many of the standard basic level builds made today by members here, could meet pretty much all a regular 3er level CRL for other detachments, were accuracy is taken for making standard builds, not replicating details.

And that, is a huge achievement for the Detachment.

Let's see what comes now.

Saludos

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I would really see this happen to armors, not sure yet how to feel about levels and badges and CRLs... But, let's see.

I Remeber when we first started talking about a new level over Police Officer. I think it was exactly 6 years ago.

A year or so had passed where the Detachment was in a stall. Pretty much only about 5 members posting once a day, most notorious was Rolf, preventing the forums to die. Then came a new guy, Bluey and recluted a few more guys, including DirtyBoy, to strengthen the existing command staff and making the Detachment firstly stable, then stronger...

We then became all excited about the new discoveries made around that time. If my memory doesn't fail me, the Sonix radio was finally identified, the so called SiMan armor was found (RS original armor), new more accurate paldrons were being designed and developed, pack parts were found and identified as the syphon, new ideas for weathering were researched and much more. And of course, Rolf was building the next ultimate Sandtrooper armor as always... a TM I think.

So one day, Buey (then CO),Rick, Rolf and Me started talking about how cool would it be to make a new Forum icon for those troopers that achieved the next level of accuracy on their armors. Giving it something like a check list for armor, weapon, pack, puches and pauldron. Making it visible what that trooper had done. And when someone had all the boxes checked, a new badge would be granted.

After a few weeks, discussing what accuracy would mean, and what aspects should it cover, Bluey came up with this mock-up:

attachicon.gifranking.jpg

After going back and forth for a few months, and talking in consideration other troopers opinions like Paul's (Daetrin), and I think even Mike H, former MEPD CO, we decided to start working on the rules and standards of what would come to be known as the SWAT badge, not yet a level or CRL.

6 years later, we have the most demanding, accurate and coveted badge/level/Program

on the 501st Legion.

What will happen now?

Where will this takes us as a Detachment, or just as the biggest, most respected and welcoming Sandtrooper community worldwide?

Again, as always, this is an exciting time for us!

And I think we are already on our way, with new builds being made more and more accurate. I really think that many of the standard basic level builds made today by members here, could meet pretty much all a regular 3er level CRL for other detachments, were accuracy is taken for making standard builds, not replicating details.

And that, is a huge achievement for the Detachment.

Let's see what comes now.

Saludos

Yeah bro, copy that, we are crazy but in a good way :woot::teehee::thumbsup:

Yep i remember, also using weeks for study all the anh sandtroopers combinations of pauldrons, packs, pouches, weapons etc... and made a mepd guide for it :td:

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