Kimelius

I'm wondering if cutting the outline of the rear vents would work as well... ...to assist in letting the warm air and reduce condensation. Mesh in behind so the grey section is still supported and view from outside is limited? Thanks for confirming the density of the VT - otherwise a sharp looking bucket! Cheers!

Troop Report: SIDS & Kids Foundation - Red Nose Day 27 June 2008 Location: Flinder Street Station, cnr Flindrs & Swanston Streets Melbourne Victoria Date/Time: Friday 27 June 2008, 0700 - 0930hrs Situation: SIDS & Kids is dedicated to the support of research into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This year, Red Nose Day once again aims to promote awareness and generate much needed funds. Mission: 1. Support & protect street collectors and the loyal contributing citizens 2. Bolster morale in uncertain financial times 3. Ensure no rebel interference Execution: A pre-dawn deployment secured the RV at Darth Paul's temple. How fitting the muster room was located in lower levels known as "The Crypt". Along with volunteers from ANZ Bank & Deliotte, merchandise trays & floats were issued. Considering the rest of his battle load, it was decided TD-5284 would be more effective roaming the designated checkpoint - the clocks of Flinders Street Station. 0725hrs - The street crew was quickly deployed with personnel covering both exits from the railway station and the nearby tramstop. Within sight of the local constabulary, many mid-traffic jaywalkers were apprehended by TD-5284, parting with their imperial credits for the cause as their eagerness to donate was to be commended even if their actions were questionable. Smile! 0745-0845hrs As the volunteers manning the main entrance were facing the onslaught of peak hour, TD-5284 redeployed in their support. With blaster fire on all sides turning out to be the flashes from many a holo-image recorder, donations and purchases came in thick & fast. Jaywalkers! Even the requested resupply did not keep up with demand as many volunteers returned to the RV with empty trays and overflowing floats! Over-emotional children were quickly brought in line when "Dark Vader" (close enough?) was mentioned to be behind them... ...and armed with a "business card", there were smiles on a few parent's faces knowing they'll be enjoying 5 minutes of peace & quiet! 0930hrs - With foot traffic subsiding as the loyal citizens commenced their caffeine-fueled roles, the crews were recalled back to the muster room for debrief & disbursement. Administration: Troopers in attendance: TD-5284 Kimelius Conclusion: Happy people: Too many to account for! Unhappy people: The rebel supporter who attempted to tamper with 5284 field pack. Casualties: One aforementioned "insurgent's" ego Armour Repairs: Field Pack, minor comms box and thermal detonator damage Mission Status: Complete A relatively brief, but most successful troop! It was reported that the populace were less than eager to contribute as in previous years, a sign of the greater economic climate.

As I first got into armour, I was sporting black 501 Levis and a black long sleeve t-shirt. Due to the oversized nature of the FX kit, none of the pockets, tags etc were visible. Good for when there are no wranglers & you have to carry your wallet/keys/phone on you. Not bad for temperate-winter troops, turn up to a troop with your black gear on already - too hot for summer though! Tried a 1 piece dance leotard (after adding the all important crotch zip) similar result as above, no real advantage. Luckily (?) I was small 'n' lightweight enough to fit an a ladies XL. Perhaps a 2 piece option will work for troopers of different sizes. Now I'm running with the UA-like 2-piece kit. Works great, pricey though. And if you get any running/armour bites, the fabric will begin to pill (go furry-like) in no time. Outdoor winter troops are coming up, so a combo of the above options will get a shot. There isnt a perfect option for all troopers. Wrangle with as many troopers as you can to see what works for who then decide... ...the longer the troop, the 'funkier' the trooper - peeeheeew?!

Phheeew! For a moment, I thought I was going to have form my own detachment: 501st "Bobblehead Troopers" - just need 3 distinct references? and best of alll the merchandising already done...

It does pay to have a holstered E-11 as a troop/event option depending on: a. event & establishment organiser's attitude towards firearms et al (hospitals, wedding receptions etc) b. reaction by children, parents attendees (if they feel threatened, its not good for business) c. uniformity amongst the troopers d. troop tasks -as previously mentioned- handouts, greetings etc To the untrained eye, we're still sand/stormtroopers - even if we feel a lil underdressed without a BFG I guess you can consider it a matter of equiping correctly for the mission's objectives, even if its not canon on the day.

Does this mean: a. those of us with FX buckets who were previously recognised as 'deployed' lose that status... b ...until a new helmet is acquired & pics to verify submitted?

Run for the Kids is part of the Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne) "Good Friday Appeal" fundraiser. With a choice of 6km or 14km courses, participants can walk or run. TAG-Vic was on station to ensure no disruption by rebel insurgents. With muzzle flashes on both flanks, first reported blaster fire turned out to be countless photo opportunities. Suffice to say, patrol time for the 6km was well-extended! Results: No arrests made. No distruptions reported. Placing: 2nd last! Best dressed: 1st Place - no contest! Smiles all round (well I think we were smiling at the end)

The multitude of multimedia vendors draws folks from far & wide to the sleepy town of Ascot Vale - home of the Melbourne Show Grounds. Supanova's first event in Melbourne (well established in Sydney & Brisbane) see's the Fighting 501st's recruiting station manned by TAG-Vic personnel. Pics aplenty with nobody walking away disappointed. Though quite a few surprised when that star wars display actually followed them! Nice work 1535 - scare them into submission!

TAG-Vic out in force to support the Captain Starlights and their many guests and families. Mixed feelings upon seeing a few familiar faces - for some, the fight is not over - but good to see smiles as they recognise us from past troops. Pesky jawas broke my kneeplate! Ouch! **** have no fury like a 3 year old pumped on the jawa-juice! MEPD present: TD's 1535 & 5284. TD 4216 (wrangler) All in all, a great day out though we missed visiting the animals as we had another troop on that evening....

And because of the metal loop's orientation, the pouch leans outwards enough for you to: a. move your left arm b. turn your head to the left without hitting the pouch with your helmet!

All the bloody hard work on the drill square makes a parade look so easy... Well done!

Glad to see customer feedback is driving product improvement. I'll be keeping tabs of these developments!

Here is the result of my appearance at the Magistrate's Court: A Diversion Order issued for: 1x $150.00 donation to the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne 1x $150.00 donation to the Victoria Police "Blue Ribbon Foundation" Seized Property (Blaster & Holster) are Forfeit for Destruction, subject to completion of diversion order 1x trooper lives to make kids smile another day! Any additional funds from honoured pledges will form part of a 2nd donation to the aforementioned charities on behalf of the garrison & legion. Thank you all for your advice support & constructive criticism.

I dont believe the rebel commando rifle got a designation General consensus is its a later version of the Blastech A280 as seen sported by some troopers at Echo Base Since the filming was based in Norway, I guess the props dept utilised local versions of the STG/MP44 By ROTJ, local AR15's (a descendant of the MP44) would have been used. Love to know the story behind this pic by the way. I can only make out the letters "U.K." on it?

Here in Australia, particularly in outer suburban & rural areas, firearms are socially acceptable as part of life. However, due to this nature, they aren't always properly secured and become easy pickings for burgalries. If the firearm wasn't registered to begin with, it makes the situation worse. On the flip side, every where from toy shops, $2 shops and supermarkets carry toy guns of some description - some of which are very realistic. A topsy-turvy world we live in.

To minimise the confusion between my TD field pack and terrorist's IED pack, I got a hiker's 'pack tote' - basically a nylon bag. This allows me to wear the pack using the alice straps (san shoulder pouch) but the pack remains incognito to average joe public. Armour & BFG = rolling travelbag. A great combo for commuting on public transport networks As long as they can't see it, everything is a. OK!

Alrighty, On 12 Feb 2008 I have my case heard in the state's Magistrates Court. Charge: Possession of an unregistered handgun. Will post more info as it comes to hand. My humble thanks for your support.

Ditto - my BFG's broken down into 4 pieces (muzzle, barrel, receiver, stock) for transport & storage. No lesson better learnt than the hard way I guess...

Nothing like a smooth transition when it comes to hand-overs of command... ...so, where to from here?

Nice work dude.. Dont sweat the small stuff - once the craziness of the legion elections subsides - you'll be MEPD'd in no time!

Done - Email sent

1 thing that I have learnt about how armour appears in pics: Cameras do pick up more of the shine/reflected light off the polished sections which has the effect of blinding the camera to any lighter shades of weathering. Hence you'll see many troopers with darker shades of brown or reddish/brown to counter this. Roughing up the surface does give moddelling sand/clay someplace to stick to. I guess you could try a spraying automotive matt clearcoat paint to reduce the gloss look.

Cheers Marcus! Now to fine-tune a few things & expand the prop-armoury Not to mention the MEPD merchandise department

Dont forget the vents on the back of your helmet (dome) and on the cheeks need to be blanked (ie no black parallel lines) You can make a diamond kneeplate from those strips of ABS if you have any spare from the fx kit. Standard TK hand plates are ok - ANH-Special Edition version of sandies are based on the TESB/ROTJ stormtrooper if I remember. If you cut into your existing ab plate, you'll more than likely go right through it instead of just removing the detail. In a rush, I did this then had to get a spare from: www.westerfieldstudios.com The detail of the Ab plate isnt as great as the AP and a lil' asymetrical giving a warped appearence. As for the kneeplate, the 1 I received needed rivetting with an 'L' bracket to attach it to the left greave (calf armour)

Damned if I do = ruffle feathers, expidite proceedings most likely get a conviction = no job. Damned if I dont = no job, cloud hanging overhead but a low profile. At present, the State Government's Police Obudsman is busy clearing house on corruption within the force and are unwilling to deal with what they advised as "...a 'minor' issue which I brought upon myself..." So at best I've been advised to: 1. stay quiet for now 2. Use a car for transport - regardless of distance & time parameters 3. Troop in armour with a BFG as it exceeds the 650mm/26inch restriction (on what can be classed as a 'concealable' firearm) In Officer role - no blaster 4. Go back to drinking coffee. Antioxidants aside, drinking tea can be hazardous to one's health.