Can Clonetrooper armor withstand fighter weapons?

Post by **Vympel** » 2002-11-19 10:26pm

Remember when the LAAT is chasing Dooku and the fighters attack?

As Anakin and Obi-Wan run into the hangar, a clonetrooper gets blasted off by a fighter blast- however the body is intact. Was it a direct hit? Who remembers? I don't have the DVD yet (getting it tomorrow).

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2002-11-19 10:27pm

*shrug*

Yuuzhan Vong Hunter droids in the NJO can take a Coralskipper plasma blast in the chest without being destroyed.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-19 10:32pm

It is possible that a clone trooper could withstand such a blast as an isolated incident, but it is clear that clone trooper armor does not even provide complete protection from personnel-sized weapons. There are at least two incidents in the movie of clone troopers being killed by small-arms fire from droids, and other incidents of them being knocked over and appearing unconscious from nearby explosions.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2002-11-20 12:05am

Master of Ossus wrote:It is possible that a clone trooper could withstand such a blast as an isolated incident, but it is clear that clone trooper armor does not even provide complete protection from personnel-sized weapons. There are at least two incidents in the movie of clone troopers being killed by small-arms fire from droids, and other incidents of them being knocked over and appearing unconscious from nearby explosions.

The first incident shows that personnel-sized blaster weapons can penetrate the armor. The explosions don't have as much bearing, though, because they just show that the armor doesn't amplify strength or cancel concussive shock. No amount of armor will stabilize a person against an explosion (except by weight, in which case the person will be virtually immobile anyway). The concussion of the explosion would likewise be difficult to block out, and even if the soldier is not knocked unconscious, the shockwave could disrupt fluid in the inner ear, causing a total loss of balance.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-20 12:11am

The Dark wrote:
Master of Ossus wrote:It is possible that a clone trooper could withstand such a blast as an isolated incident, but it is clear that clone trooper armor does not even provide complete protection from personnel-sized weapons. There are at least two incidents in the movie of clone troopers being killed by small-arms fire from droids, and other incidents of them being knocked over and appearing unconscious from nearby explosions.
The first incident shows that personnel-sized blaster weapons can penetrate the armor. The explosions don't have as much bearing, though, because they just show that the armor doesn't amplify strength or cancel concussive shock. No amount of armor will stabilize a person against an explosion (except by weight, in which case the person will be virtually immobile anyway). The concussion of the explosion would likewise be difficult to block out, and even if the soldier is not knocked unconscious, the shockwave could disrupt fluid in the inner ear, causing a total loss of balance.

Clearly. It's possible that this particular fighter weapon did not manage to kill the trooper by penetrating the armor, but simply through concussive force.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2002-11-23 09:38am

I agree on that. Isn't that what happened to C'boath on Jomark in Dark Force Rising? A "sonic blast" or something?

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2002-11-23 09:56am

Isn't that what happened to C'boath on Jomark in Dark Force Rising ? A "sonic blast" or something?

Air-pressure, R2 fired the Engines off right in his face apperntly displacing a huge amount of Air and knocking him out
(Stand behind an f-14 taking off and you get the same thing)

pecker · Post by **pecker** » 2002-11-23 11:40am

If it was a direct hit, it may ahve been that the bolt didn't detonate. The CT armor was so thin it didn't break up the bolt, so it acted like a solid object and just knocked him over.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2002-11-23 12:18pm

I think you don't really have any clue about SW weapons. No theory I've heard maintained bolts work like that.

pecker · Post by **pecker** » 2002-11-23 01:03pm

Illuminatus Primus wrote:I think you don't really have any clue about SW weapons. No theory I've heard maintained bolts work like that.

I don't think ANY of us have any clue how SW weapons work.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2002-11-23 02:20pm

pecker wrote:
Illuminatus Primus wrote:I think you don't really have any clue about SW weapons. No theory I've heard maintained bolts work like that.
I don't think ANY of us have any clue how SW weapons work.

We know that they're not impact activated explosive warheads, that much we do know.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-11-23 03:15pm

He fell in the wrong direction to have been pushed out by the blast. The ship shaking caused him to lose his balance and fall, same as Padame. If it was the direct result of the blast then she would have been killed.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-23 04:26pm

pecker wrote:
Illuminatus Primus wrote:I think you don't really have any clue about SW weapons. No theory I've heard maintained bolts work like that.
I don't think ANY of us have any clue how SW weapons work.

His choice of words was poor. I think he was saying that you were mistaken in your statements about the effect of SW weapons.

Darth PhysBod · Post by **Darth PhysBod** » 2002-11-23 05:47pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:He fell in the wrong direction to have been pushed out by the blast. The ship shaking caused him to lose his balance and fall, same as Padame. If it was the direct result of the blast then she would have been killed.

Thats the wrong the scene, he was referring to when the gunship is destroyed outside the hanger, one of the troopers disembarked with Ankakin and Obi-wan and was firing on the pursuing fighters before getting hit himself (he still manages to squeeze off a shot off while falling from the platform)

pecker · Post by **pecker** » 2002-11-23 06:37pm

Hmmm, I'll put it this way:

Starfighter weapons tend to explode on impact. However, they don't explode when they hit things such as dust or sand. The obvious conclusion is that the dust and sand was either vaporized or pushed out of the way. If the bolt hit the CT and kept going, then it simply knocked him over, likely turning his insides to jelly.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-23 07:40pm

pecker wrote:Hmmm, I'll put it this way:

Starfighter weapons tend to explode on impact. However, they don't explode when they hit things such as dust or sand. The obvious conclusion is that the dust and sand was either vaporized or pushed out of the way. If the bolt hit the CT and kept going, then it simply knocked him over, likely turning his insides to jelly.

Precisely. The concussive force of the blast should kill the soldier, so the armor's ability to withstand such an impact is meaningless. Note that this is similar to the infamous debate about depleted uranium shells on stormtrooper armor. It's possible that the armor could stop the weapon, but the wearer would be dead anyway, so it makes little difference.

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2002-11-24 01:01am

ITs also possible that even if the armor isn't penetrated, the trooper may very well get cooked inside.

they might be able to withstand low power fighter bursts (GJ range) or maybe some artillery.

Although from what I remember, stormtrooper/Clonetrooper armor has no real effect at stopping direct blaster bolts (They can deflect or stop glancing ones, and reduce the power of direct hits)

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2002-11-27 10:36pm

Doesn;t this kinda disprove KT shots though?

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2002-11-28 03:01pm

Ender wrote:Doesn;t this kinda disprove KT shots though?

Why would you say that?

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2002-11-28 04:00pm

For one thing, I don't think we got a close enough view to know whether or not the armor was penetrated.