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MEPD and BFG's


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Any outcome on this yet?

I'm asking the same question.

I've just dumped a buttload of $$$$ into getting my TD armor and this trooper is broke! I do have my E-11, but nothing else.

However, I've got everything else to become a deployed member.

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After trooping with both a backpack and BFG several times, and then spending the next 2-3 days in pain, I decided its either one or the other.

I kinda feel like thats how it should be here -

If you have EITHER a backpack -OR- BFG, or both if you're so inclined.

Carrying both is ALOT of weight - it looks great on film, but to do it for hours at a time is ******* the old body.

Just my opinion -

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I agree with Jim. While the overall effect is nice, carrying all that crap cuts my troop time in half. And makes for a sore body afterwards. I get burned out after about five hours w/ a pack. Without a backpack, I can go on as long as I want (longest to date; 10 hours). If you have a homemade pack, and a hardware BFG, you're probably lugging around an extra 15-30 pounds (on top of the armour). Maybe a good argument for a sci-fire blaster and a vacc-formed pack! I know I'm going to invest in a lighter pack as soon as possible.

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  • 7 months later...

For the life of me, I can't understand why a BFG is a requirement if screen accuracy is important. A LARGE percentage of the sandtroopers carried E-11s. Davin Felth does. Captain Terrick does. The Move Along trooper does. The Lewis trooper... oops... heh heh... ok.. I guess he doesn't. Having a bunch of sandtroopers, none of whom carry E-11's would be like a vietnam era patrol with nothing but M-79 grenade launchers and M-60s.... where are you STANDARD troopers with the STANDARD issue weapons? We see them in the movie.

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I agree completely. Here's another trooper from the Landspeeder scene with no pack. He/she's a short one too

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He/she is also missing a Sniper knee though:

Posted Image

I can see making the pauldron required too despite the sandtrooper in the docking bay attack without one.

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I don't think the BFG requirement is so much a "troop with this or die" kind of thing, but more of a you should be able to bust out a BFG if necessary kind of thing. Don't forget also that the MEPD formed because some felt the 501st TD requirements were too lax, which they still are. The point is to raise the bar. I personally have trooped without a backpack on numerous occasions, trooped without a pauldron once, (like docking bay 94!!) just MG34 and ammo pouches on the belt.

The bottom line is this; to be MEPD deployed, you must meet all of the requirements. This isn't hard, while it may not be your primary weapon for display, or trooping, odds are you have one. I have yet to meet someone with a sandtrooper costume that doesn't have a BFG of some kind. Why is no one griping for the lack of more requirements? If the emphasis is on accuracy, why not add the lack of drop boxes? No ribbed shoulder straps? No one says you can't troop with an E11, it's in the TD arsenal. I understand why this is a minor point of contention, but if you yank BFG's, based on the same logic, you also have to yank pauldrons, backpacks, and shoulder pouches. If we did that, we might as well polish out gear, fix our ab plates, and get back on the star destoyer.

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Yep, all that should be required is the Ab Knee and dirt. With Dirt being the most important.

If the MEPD made this the requirement it would satisfy the canon Sandtrooper requirements from the movie. I don't know if this extreme step should be taken but making the field packs and bfg's optional seems like a good idea with strong movie references to back it up. With Dirt, Ab, Knee, Pauldron and Pouch there is no way you'd confuse a Sandtrooper with the tea sipping Star Destroyer dweebs Plus a large gathering of MEPD would be diverse like the troopers in the film instead of all being exactly alike.

I have a BFG and I'm building a pack, I'd just like to see the requirements reflect the film evidence.

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Isn't the purpose of the MEPD to be the best Sandys in the Legion? I think that besides being the most accurate, we also represent the true essence of what a sandtrooper is all about- a grunt on a crap station. That's why I don't think any of the requirements should be simplified. When the masses see a dirty trooper with a pauldron, pouches, BFG and pack- they know exactly what's up. As I see it, the ab and knee plate are for us- to be accurate- but the BFG, the dirt, the pauldron, the ammo pouches, and the pack are for the people who see us in the streets on a troop. That's what they recognize as a sandtrooper. The cost issues are valid, but I've built a pack and a BFG for about $50, so it can be done. I'm not a big canon warrior, and if people troop without a pack or without a BFG, that's great- but why back off on what makes this detachment so much **** fun?

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I don't think the BFG requirement is so much a "troop with this or die" .... Don't forget also that the MEPD formed because some felt the 501st TD requirements were too lax, which they still are. The point is to raise the bar

Isn't the purpose of the MEPD to be the best Sandys in the Legion?

Here, here!! When you destroy the challenge you destroy the accomplishment. The requirements are purposely high to make it hard, to ensure that one has to put forth effort to achieve the distinction of being able to say they are MEPD and not just 501st sandy. Else any boob can just order a few parts and presto! Where is the exclusivity or any sense of accomplishment in that?

And as also stated, we're supposed to be setting the bar for quality. Easing the requiments defeats the purpose of our charter.

I've been working to get MEPD for over 6 months, but even if it took a year, what does it matter? I want to be MEPD because it's the best, else there's not much purpose of joining is there?

Elite units that are easy to join by definition aren't really elite, are they?

BTW, I agree that trooping for hours with the pack is a pain point, and agree that being MEPD/sandy doesn't mean that you have to be 100% all the time. But it does mean that you've hit that level, and can.

Sorry for the rant, but people clamoring for lower standards really is a sore point for me, not just in SW, but in many parts of American life.

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[ but making the field packs and bfg's optional seems like a good idea with strong movie references to back it up. (edited for the sake of a shorter qoute) I'd just like to see the requirements reflect the film evidence.

The problem with that is there is also film evidence of sandtroopers w/o pauldrons, and shoulder pouches. So, the big difference is a kneeplate, ab plate, and dirt? Because that is the only constant. Here is how I see it, if the "some troopers didn't have BFG's" is the arguement to make BFG's optional, then you have to be consistent. By that arguement we would have to make pauldrons, pouches, and backpacks optional. I think the whole thing came up originally because a couple of people had everything but a BFG, and didn't want to be bothered with it. (this isn't directed at Braks, I think we all know you're well equipped )

When/If I'm elected DL, I'll bring a vote to 501st members in regard to the optional BFG, as well as adding the no drop box requirement. I think it would be a mistake to loosen requirements, if the purpose is truly "to reflect film evidence" we should be adding a few.

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If elite is the concern then ANH helmets should be required not Field Packs and BFGs. MEPD requirements focus on what our impression of a Sandtrooper is.

Compromises are made all over the 501st and evne the MEPD in terms of accuracy. One man's field pack and BFG is another's TE armor and film perfect dirt scheme. The MEPD requirements lean heavy towards the check box of accessories instead of "Elite" perfect Sandtroopers. If I make an almost film perfect "Stop that ship!" sandtrooper armor and BFG I still can't get into the MEPD since that bloke had no pack, what's up with that?

The MEPD can stay the same, it's an amazing place with the best troopers in the 501st, I'm here to stay whether the requirements change or not, I'm just a little picky when it comes to what's in the film and it's difference to what being a "Sandtrooper" has become.

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well, with the release of the special edition you no longer have to worry about knee and ab plates. The one unifying trait of all sandtroopers is, well, SAND!!

Now my counter argument for the higher standards is:

If you are a Sandtrooper you are issued the required gear. You may not carry that gear all the time, You may have been called to stop a ship in docing bay 94 and forgot you pauldron. You may be on light duty patrol talking with local informats and just carry your E-11. You may be called off down time for a short duty looking for droids and not require you're backpack. But in the end you still have all these items.

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I think a part of what sets MEPD apart is the fact we've gone to the trouble of building our own packs or BFGs, and then subjecting ourselves to hours weighed down by these items. At the same time, you could still be canon on a troop without either/or. The main thing is yes, being able to whip the bad boy out if needed and to satisfy MEPD deployment standards.

On a troop, unless you're the only sandy there, perhaps its not necessary for all the TDs to carry a BFG. It could be arranged where you could take turns holding the baby; or designate one or two.

Personally if everyone carried his BFG, that's ok too - ironically not screen-accurate of course - but since I and others have put a lot of time and effort into constructing them, the deployment standards suit me fine and we would like to show the fruit of our labor.

My opinion is we're MEPD because of what we can pick and choose from our personal arsenal, not through lack. Curious to what the final ruling would be.

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Great points. I can see the MEPD has it's requirements for a good reason, as a reflection of what a real Tatooine detachment would require. I got confused and was fixated on the film evidence (I don't count the Sp-Ed!) but that's cool, I like the reasons the MEPD has now I understand better.

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While I am a nut for screen-accuracy, the simple basis for the MEPD requirements was taking the 501st main requirements (since we are a detachment of the 501st ) and making the "optional" parts required. I personally have no objections to anyone trooping in any screen used config, (OT non-special edition, of course ) because it is in fact, screen accurate. (actually, you can wear clear-back, or tie-dye armor for all I care ) At the same time I think that you should meet all the current requirements to be MEPD deployed. Call it double-think, but I seperate the two, costume club requirements VS my personal preference. This is a great discussion, I'm glad it's staying civil too!

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If elite is the concern then ANH helmets should be required not Field Packs and BFGs.

I agree. I have a SDS Battle Spec ANH helmet. And it makes the sandtrooper what he is, ANH Sandtrooper; for me it's not a costume it's my armour. My Sandtrooper armour.

NOW AND FOREVER.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have an AWESOME TD rig, (just look at my avatar) the ONLY thing I'm lacking for MEPD deployment is the BFG. Sure I could go out to my workshop and hack one together in a single evening from ABS pipes, reducer couplings, and a toy blaster section, then get my picture taken for proof and request deployment the next day, but I'm not going to do that.

I'm taking my time scratch building my BFG so it looks RIGHT, but that's for the personal challenge. I'm also shopping around to find a reasonably priced, light weight, ACCURATE kit for actual trooping.

I want MEPD deployment just a much now as I when I wanted 501st membership when I was building my TK rig a couple months ago.

It nevered occurred to me to propose dropping the BFG requirement, or ANY of the other requirements for that matter! Since I recently learned of non-ribbed shoulder straps being canon, I'm looking into replacing them with smooth ones eventually, just in case it gets voted in at a later time!

If it's ever put up to a vote, I'm voting the BFG requirement STAYS!

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If it's ever put up to a vote, I'm voting the BFG requirement STAYS!

Proper attitude, mate. The barrier is high, but that's what makes the MEPD so special, and so fulfilling once achieved.

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I've been working on my BFG a couple times a week for the past 3 months and taking my time about it. My own personal standards are high to qualify for MEPD deployment and believe the time and labor intensity I've devoted to this project would in itself do justice to my conscience in achieving that status. After all, as alluded to earlier, one could do a slap-dash job of a bfg and meet the the other mod requirements to get deployed, but where is the sense of accomplishment and pride in your work? To me, that intangible factor alone is what should make MEPD deployment so coveted and deserving of elite status.

Finally, buckets off to my old man in this project. He's a 30+ year career military man who's given me a lot of guidance and inspiration along the way. Without his weapons expertise, I'd probably be armed with a pos.

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  • 3 weeks later...

If you take away the BFG as a requirement, I mean it is a lil hard to do when your building abilites suck, like mine. But youll get guys like this guy right here

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drop boxes still on, no sniper knee plate, just a bfg really and I think a backpack? I cant remember, it was at star wars weekends and yes thats me the guy in the black hat.

Actually he doesnt have a back pack just pauldron, ammo pouch and a BFG and is dirty

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