bamatrooper

Yeah you can use the canister end caps for the backpack tube and the canister plate for the tube also.

Thanks brak's, How is the assembly done on the ANH belts? Is the front belt attached to the armor in any way? how is th bely 'closed' etc.. -

Yes. Like at C2 there will be a manditory weapons check. Currently they are working on something to tag checked weapons with other than a sticker like used at C2, the proposed solution is a tagged zip tie of some kind...

yeah looks like we might can snag a pic Sat morning while everyone is lining up for the 501st pic. If i can see the future, I'll bet we will line up in costume preferences anyway so when we march to the RCA dome., we can file up the steps with sandies in the back as usual. This means we will be grouping the TD's together anyway in staging our march to the RCA dome.. a good time to shoot our pic.. -Joey

Yeah even though the legion charter is ok with multile detachments per costume type, typically the legion seems to receive the whole detachment idea as a costume specific organization of the characters from the films.. so with the perception the way it is, to actively make the DC a detachment is too distracting from our purpose here inthe MEPD, and i don't think anyone wants anything different.... but if some of you want ot make DC "REGIMENTS" in your own garrison as a fun convention thing for the same fun and gun reasons, then thats kinda cool.. I do want to stress that we need to keep that same spirit and enthusuasm for the MEPD , that is why we are all here. I'm wearing my MEPD patch with my TD gear and so does all of our garrison TD's even the clean ones Ok so we're not all canon witht he patch but when canon calls we can remove them easily enough... If anything, I think the DC ideas help bring MORE emphasis on dirty sandtroopers among the ranks of 501st members just liek the MEPD did to all of us at one time, giving us that push to go sandy.....and if it helps promote dirt, then we in the MEPD will also benefit fom its popularity as well. I think we all have the right sense of how it all should be perceived. ON with the Dirt!!! -Joey TD-152

Yes, make a spot for your packto go around the backplate... the film packs rest on a frame.. so you have an inch or two depth inside the frame to help accomidate your OIL Box on your backplate... If you don't have a frame, then consider making a false one to give some bulk to the pack thus hidding the backplate better.... you can also move the "tube" a bit to the inside edge of your pack to help "hide" the gap... -Bamatrooper TD-152

If you're lucky, you can convert her to the Darkside! Meet my "Admiral" ! -Bamatrooper TD-152 MEPD-DL SO-CO

LOL! Here is the skinny on the 69th Dewback Cavalry regiment...... The Southern Outpost had a lot of stormtroopers, and from the start, they all wanted to be TD's. Pretty soon we had zero or just one regular TK among us at events. As time wore on a bunch of us got caught up in the re-invigoration of the MEPD and so here we are...... But also, at that time one of our members jokingly thought of the idea of having our own squad of TD's " the Dewback riders squad" that could do the grey pauldron and cattle prod TD troopers from films toys, bad dreams whatever.. but in the midst of that all, one of our members went out and MADE a new pauldron using some fake lizard skin they found in the scrap bin at the fabric store.. We'll that was so cool looking that we decided to make a handful of those pauldrons" now dubbed Dewback Skin" pauldrons and that or the grey one would signify our little squad of misfit sandtroopers... Well all this was in fun at the time, so being the responsible CO of the garrison i knew that we COULD set up our own 'sub-units' at the garrison level for our own purposes, but the "squad" designation was an offical unit designation of the 501st, so we chose to organize the group as a "regiment" and then numbered it with the obligatory "69th" TD-6873, the brain's behind the idea is our Regimental Captain, and so we set out making patches and trooping in our gear at non-canon events together as a fun cool Sandtrooper group... But in the midst of all of this, we did have the option of trying to make this a legion wide detachment, there can be more than one detachment per costume type per the charter..... but we felt that it would look too distracting from the MEPD which we all love from the bottom of our dirty boots, so we left it as it is....all in fun.... However, I think it would be a great idea to consider opening the unoffical 69th Dewback Cavalry Regiment and see how it is received... but i'd have to defer my opinion to the Regimental founders to see what they all say about it... Its just a fun thing to do in the garrison, nothing grand.. The MEPD is for us to create movie representations in accuracy and authenticty, but the Dewback Cav, for lack of a better term, is the fun uniform, maybe an MEPD off duty or 'special assignment' uniform, for those convention Belly dancer inspection patrols you find yourself assigned!!! -Bamatrooper TD-152 MEPD-DL Southern Outpost - CO

OK since i know 99% of us are probably going, and since the official 501st picture is scheduled for Saturday AM ( IE CANON ONLY COSTUMES AND as many stormtroopers for the pic as possible) .. why don't we all plan to wear our MEPD or TD gear on Sat?? am at least??? I'd really like to gather all of the TD's and do a MEPD group pic after the 501st pic if we have time... I think it would be a great thing to have since this is the once in a lifetime gathering of so many of us.... I'll speak with the 501st photographer about shooting one for the detachment after the 501st pic if everyone here agree's that this is the best time durig the convention to declare as TD armor time!! thoughts??? Bamatrooper TD-152

Looks like you got all the major components represented somehow, Great scratch build! -Joey TD-152

Welcome home Joe! -Joey

Don't take me wrong, I agree with the need for the discussion, ( you never know until you ask) I was just trying to clarify what the MEPD stance was on Deployed status right now, we certainly can change and adapt as the group wants it , but as far as any specific variation of the costume, now that these latest films have been edited so much, I personally think its really just a matter of choice for the costume builder. Anything that meets the Legion TD requirements is enough to get you membership in the MEPD, so all these variations in the SE and New Trilogy editions are OK. The only thing we have here different is the deployed status of troopers representing the OT- ANH sandtroopers common uniforms as what we decided upon when rebuilding the detachment. We all seemd to agree on it as a compromise between the Various TD troopers, and the OT-ANH proponents... This way we keep all TD's in the Detachment regardless of variation... -Bamatrooper TD-152

Anyone have any informaton or experience modding your Belt's to represent the canvas ones from ANH? I'd like to rebuild mine since it had broken and cracked a handful of times already.... Anyone have any screen caps of this king of belt? -Joey TD-152

Mathew, Just keep your Helmet on and no one will know the difference !! -Bamatrooper TD-152

I think the intended purpose of the MPED was to emphasise the canon sandtrooper we all know from ANH.. now that we have this CGI buisness creating technical variations in what is seen on screen , we have a delima.. Do we stay with the orginal representation, or do we back off the details as long as it was on screen in some fashion, we'll take it? If you prefer the later,, then you have to be content with having sandtropers with no pauldrons too as there was one on screen for a blip in ANH... so to be technical about the SE troopers, then you have to be just as technical for no pauldrons, which we all agree was probably an imprvisation on the costume at the time of the filming... See being nick-picky just becasue a costume variation was on screen, doesn't mean we should try to capture all of those in the detachment theme in my opinion... So a poll on the subject is fine to gauge opinions, but it seems to open more questions than answers... -Joey TD-152

I've seen that pic somewhere before, basically it was a dirty scout trooper with Orange elbow armor pieces other than the white ones.. Nothing else seemed to be different.. It was a comic book, but i can't remember what issue or title... Yeah, probably not an MEPD costume, but we like to see 'weathered' troopers of all types, like in the films, most scouts were a bit banged up! -Joey TD-152

Hmm.. 1. Its a hobby like golf/hunting etc.. A set of armor is cheaper than a set of golf clubs and membership dues, cheaper than hunting club memberships....etc.... 2. Its not a convention hopping group... there is stuff to do a couple of times a month if you look for it. 3. Despite what you may think, this particular group is way different than most 'steriotypical' "sci-fi" groups. Once you spend time here, you'll find a lot of professional suburban families here, 2.4 kids a dog, etc.. 4. ITs a family group. Most of our wives and kids enjoy the hobby along with us.... its not somethign you go do and leave her at home.... 5. 2 out of 3 events we do are charity events or kids events.... 6. Have her watch the trailer to the upcoming documentary onthe 501st .. Http:heartofanempire.com 7. Just becasue you don't have a costume yet doesn't mean you can't go out and participate with your local 501st garrison.. we always need handlers and spotters, etc.. its the best way to intrduce yourself to the group, and let others liek you wife and friends spend time where they can see what it is your so excited about. 8. Show her pictures of charity events and kids events on the web from 501st garriosn websites...My garrison's site is http:501stso.com for example.. You have to approach it as a hobby.. go out and help with a few events wiht your local garrison. look for events where your wife will see the better parts of what we do. conventions are only for the strong stomach... there are sooo many freaks and geeks that you will have a hard time tryng to convince anyone new that this isn't the kind of crowd in the majority of a group like the 501st..... Hope that helps... -Bamatrooper TD-152 MEPD-DL Southern Outpost CO 501st Legion

Looks good! -Joey TD-152

Awsome project trooper! Definately got something there few can say they have, scratch built armor! Welcome aboard! -Bamatrooper TD-152

Got mine in time for out next trooping event! thanks Dean! -Bamatrooper TD-152

Although not great pics, three of us from the SO are also in the MEPD here. We were out for 2 Xmas pardes this past weekend in Tennessee: Me(TD-152)in the background, and Mark(TD235) with the Imp santa hat Jeff(TD6873) -Bamatrooper TD-152

got the TD gear out for a Toys for Tots drive in Montgomery Alabama this past weekend. Made a few arrests in the name of the MEPD and caught a rebel in the process! Anyone else on patrol with your garrison this holiday season? -Bamatrooper TD-152 MEPD-DL

yeah looks like its over and done! Is it ready for our use and abuse??? -Bamatrooper TD-152

Welcome! Now you get to the be action figure! -Bamatrooper

TE's suits are just like the movie suits, can't do much better than that for acurate parts... -Joey TD-152