IanL Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 As a new TD recruit, I need to know what color pauldron I should wear. I don't think I've earned a general's rank, but someone needs to boss around those clean suited TK's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 The common response is that there are three colors: orange (officer), black (NCO), and white (enlisted), though I've seen some people say the black is enlisted instead. There is also the notion of a grey pauldron for dewback riders, though this is not 100% and it's been maintained that the shot of a "grey" pauldroned trooper was just of a very dirty white pauldron. My *personal* opinion is that the pauldrons have *NOTHING* to do with rank but are specialty/branch indicators. The clones used color to indicate branches, like special ops, intelligence, etc. I think the sandtroopers are the same way. The *only* evidence of pauldrons indicating rank is the famous line "Look sir, driods". But the other shots of sandtroopers don't support this. In some scenes, there are two oranges, two blacks, and a few whites. I don't think this is a realistic distribution of rank. Also, why would the officer have the largest BFG? Usually it's a joe snuffy. Also, why would you want your officers to have a color that stands out so prominantly and make them targets? But it would make perfect sense if orange were something like special ops or intelligence, and it was a special ops officer that led the squad on Vader's orders to find those droids. This is what the US military does with beret colors. Also for those who like the grey pauldron as being a dewback rider's color, having color indicate branch/speciality allows them this freedom, else it's just not consistant to have pauldrons be indicative of rank only some of the time. Perhaps I'm the lone dissenter who just can't buy that they're rank pauldrons at all, but I'll stick by my reasoning as being the more believable explanation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandtrooperScout Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Well, not sure how much faith you place in merchandise, but Gentle Giant's mini busts are labeled by rank per pauldron color. The black pauldron is called a sandtrooper corporal. The white is the sandtrooper sergeant. The orange the sandtrooper squad leader. Same with the Kotobukyia statues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMANavy Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Go with what you want. I used a grey one, but since I have been the only sandy at all the event sI have gone to so far I promoted myself to an orange pauldron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpdblues Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Another great debate! The second "most-contested" debate is pauldron colors and the ranks they represent. (The FIRST debate IS canon vs. non-canon) I've heard that this is the "desired" guidelines for 501st organizations with sandtroopers: 1. There should only be "one" sandtrooper wearing an orange pauldron (officer). 2. A couple of sandtroopers wearing white pauldrons (sergeant) is acceptable. 3. Lastly, the remaining sandtroopers should be wearing the black pauldron (enlisted). I've read, can't remember where, that the "grey" pauldron was a marketing "boo-boo" by Hasbro. The sandtrooper pictured in the publicity photos is actually wearing a "dirty" white pauldron. (The angle of the camera didn't help either.) If you're interested in getting the most exhaustive information available on sandtroopers, purchase a CD from Brak'sBuddy at: http://thedentedhelmet.com/davin/ref_cd.htm I've got all three pauldrons. However, my favorite color is the black pauldron - several sandtroopers that I admire wear black and besides, we're "grunts" AND we do ALL the work! Like CMANavy said, "Go with what you want." Just have fun with it! Guns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Eh? Only one orange? So, if you want to emulate scenes from ANH you're SOL? Makes no sense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caomhanach Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I sometimes think people are reading too much into this. Does it really matter? Also, why would you want your officers to have a color that stands out so prominantly and make them targets? They wear white armor! So unless you're on a blockade runner or in the snow, you really stand out regardless! Stormtroopers obey orders from their superiors, so if the officers are in the front line, surely they are obeying the same order as the rest of them, and if he is blasted first, the rest better not trip over his body whilst moving forward... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 That was just one reason - I still think having them not be rank related is more logical. But as you say - we're here to just have fun so will not push it...much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpdblues Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 As a new TD recruit, I need to know what color pauldron I should wear. I don't think I've earned a general's rank, but someone needs to boss around those clean suited TK's. Okay IanL, satisfied? You've started a small conflict here on sandtrooper.net. WELCOME aboard!!!! I hope you do your homework so you can base your decisions on ALL the information available to you. I hope you find your answer to your original question. Three colors of pauldrons to choose from (four, depending on who you ask AND what you want for yourself) orange, white, black (and grey). Here's the most popular (but not always) interpretation of the colors: orange - officer/white - sergeant/black - enlisted/(grey - Dewback trooper) The important lesson here is just enjoy your journey to the dirt-side. How far along are you? What type of armor do you have/want? Are you a 501st member? Got questions? This is the place to ask them. Again, allow me to welcome you to the "best **** job AND website this side of the outer rim terrorities"! Now, get to work! Guns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I have a black and a white, I prefer the white aesthetically. That's right, I picked just like I would pick carpet, or paint. Ha! Rank be damned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanL Posted November 17, 2005 Author Share Posted November 17, 2005 As a new TD recruit, I need to know what color pauldron I should wear. I don't think I've earned a general's rank, but someone needs to boss around those clean suited TK's. Okay IanL, satisfied? You've started a small conflict here on sandtrooper.net. WELCOME aboard!!!! The important lesson here is just enjoy your journey to the dirt-side. How far along are you? What type of armor do you have/want? Are you a 501st member? Got questions? This is the place to ask them. Again, allow me to welcome you to the "best **** job AND website this side of the outer rim terrorities"! Now, get to work! Guns Thanks for the intro 2581. I am actually "inheriting" a partial set of TD armor from a guy on the Florida group. I am a new member, still not assigned a number yet, but I am looking for as much help as possible. I have more questions but I will let one controversy die down before I start another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMANavy Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 As a new TD recruit, I need to know what color pauldron I should wear. I don't think I've earned a general's rank, but someone needs to boss around those clean suited TK's. Funny you should mention this. My last troop some kid asked me if I was the "Stormtrooper Commander" becuase I had more stuff than the other troopers. I should have said yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD8828 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 I don't think it really matters , I usually wear my dirtied up grey pauldron just because I like the look but I have one of each - orange,white,black and grey and **** I even own a blood red one I wear with my TX trooper in Stealth Sandy mode TDX style. Wear what you like It's also good to have options for photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD2802 Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 Ok, now that the coast is clear (for now), let me say that I chose black more for its visual appeal than for whatever rank or branch it represented. Besides black goes with anything and complements troop outings with the great sith lord himself Next question: Why aren't there TD emoticons with other pauldron colors besides orange ? Well? Well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpdblues Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 Hoo Man! Talking about these young troops! Push, push, push. They ask for the stars and if they don't get it they'll at least get the moon! Guns ePS: IanL, no controversy TOO BIG for us sandtroopers. The powers-that-be wouldn't allow ANY discussion to get out hand. This particular generation of sandtroopers, I've noticed, generally police themselves. This forum is always open to all for discussion, POVs, instructions, etc. Questions? Ask away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maj_hassel Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Another great debate! The second "most-contested" debate is pauldron colors and the ranks they represent. (The FIRST debate IS canon vs. non-canon) I've heard that this is the "desired" guidelines for 501st organizations with sandtroopers: 1. There should only be "one" sandtrooper wearing an orange pauldron (officer). 2. A couple of sandtroopers wearing white pauldrons (sergeant) is acceptable. 3. Lastly, the remaining sandtroopers should be wearing the black pauldron (enlisted). So the 501st actually honors the pauldron rank system?? I know I'm not a member--yet--but I think the MEPD should establish their own pauldron definitions and let the color/rank definitions go to those troopers who wear pauldrons with clean armor. There. I said it. All I know is that if a trooper thinks he can bark orders at me just because he shelled out for an orange pauldron on eBay he better be offering me a beer and the order better be, "Drink this." I think mine was Orange when I first bought it but I dyed it black. Better to avoid all of that responsibility. Besides it is an established worldwide aesthetic that black is the international color of tough guys and orange is the international color of crossing guards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD2802 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Another great debate! The second "most-contested" debate is pauldron colors and the ranks they represent. (The FIRST debate IS canon vs. non-canon) I've heard that this is the "desired" guidelines for 501st organizations with sandtroopers: 1. There should only be "one" sandtrooper wearing an orange pauldron (officer). 2. A couple of sandtroopers wearing white pauldrons (sergeant) is acceptable. 3. Lastly, the remaining sandtroopers should be wearing the black pauldron (enlisted). So the 501st actually honors the pauldron rank system?? I know I'm not a member--yet--but I think the MEPD should establish their own pauldron definitions and let the color/rank definitions go to those troopers who wear pauldrons with clean armor. There. I said it. All I know is that if a trooper thinks he can bark orders at me just because he shelled out for an orange pauldron on eBay he better be offering me a beer and the order better be, "Drink this." I think mine was Orange when I first bought it but I dyed it black. Better to avoid all of that responsibility. Besides it is an established worldwide aesthetic that black is the international color of tough guys and orange is the international color of crossing guards. Crossing guards?? Never thought of that. Come to think of it my daughter wears an orange vest as a student crossing guard at her school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 I'm sticking to my arguments posted earlier in support of them not being rank related. Aside from a single, inconclusive line in SW there is more and more compelling evidence to them being speciality related than rank related. And if the first theory, article, book, whatever that came out after the trilogy was releated had indicated this (speciality related), everyone would be on that bandwagon. I feel no obligation to follow the 501st rules on this when in this particular case I have a strong conviction they are arbitrary and not based in any strong evidence. I can't recall seeing anything prior to 1983, let alone 1978 that says conclusively that they're rank related. And I don't recall this ever being firmly establed until well into the '90s(?) when people felt a need to pin this down and explain every minutia about the SW univerise. I'd be very interested to see any documentation that proves this one way or the other during the initial release of the film, and also - if anyone knows - when what they meant was first established in print. OK, I'm a thorn on this issue, but I can't abide going along with an idea w/o good reasons to back it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted December 22, 2005 Share Posted December 22, 2005 Not in the movie = not canon = EU. Brush it off, no sweat. It's a rank, it's a specialty, it's your favorite color, whatever makes you happy. Ces la vis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD1043 Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 When I had decided that I was going to convert from TK to TD, I wasn't sure which color pauldron I really wanted to go with. I know just about everyone goes with orange, so I knew right away that I didn't want to be just like the rest. So, there was a guy from eBay who was selling all four colors together and I bought it. I like wearing the white and gray colored ones the most. And in all seriousness, I have yet to wear the orange pauldron (I've been trooping since October 2005). One of these days though, I'll wear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-6829 Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Greetings! I'll throw my 2 cents in to the mix. I own three pauldrons - orange, grey, and black. Personally, I think they should be "spread out" at events where multiple sandtroopers are going to be. I carry my Orange and my black when I troop. (Only been 2 times in my Sandtrooper...so I don't have much experience). However, I prefer to wear my black pauldron over my orange. My armor (as seen in my signature picture) is probably one of the dirtiest out there, and the orange just doesn't do it for me. I wear my black pauldron at events proudly, since after all - we all know who does all the real work out there on Tatooine. It's us black pauldron, low ranking enlisted troops! As seen in the image below - I just had to wear my black pauldron for my "legion photo". Nothing else would do! "Look sir...I stepped in bantha poo-doo!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD1043 Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Here's a picture of me wearing my gray pauldron... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hpdblues Posted December 26, 2005 Share Posted December 26, 2005 Greetings Chris, I just spent a few minutes looking over your website. Awesome!!!! Any more of those great looking tee-shirts available? Well amigo, a belated welcome to sandtrooper.net! If you can spare a couple of minutes, I've got some collector questions to throw at ya! Take care & LMK. Guns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampyregodz Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 there are 5 Sandies now in the Tamap Bat Squad, DYoung usually wears orange, Hippie trooper wears white, garyisbald wears black, i wear grey and our newest member Tony who we dirtied tonight bought my extra white so we will have 2 whites...nice and spread out variation and looks great in pics this particular day dyoung wore his black but we did not have a common changing room to co-ordinate the pauldrons From Left to Right....Hippietrooper, Vampyregodz, DYoung, garyisbald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Great pictures guys! Having a distribution amongst the team does a great job in creating a more stunning visual impact. We've discussed doing the same thing (distribution), though with only three TD's it's not so hard. It's a glorious site to see > 1 sandy at a time - very inspiring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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