Stormtrooper armor modifications

[Cykeisme]

Yes, it's possible that complete, man-portable personal armor protection against blaster fire requires material technology so far ahead even of Star Wars' incredible super-strong materials... to the point that it's deemed downright impractical, and for all intents and purposes, impossible.

Also, blaster hits may take out Stormtroopers, but how do we really know which of them are dead, and which are merely incapacitated? And if a high end blaster bolt can take out a huge chunk from a concrete wall, what would it do to a Stormtrooper who wasn't wearing armor?


Regarding Phase III Dark Trooper powered exoskeletons, has anyone seen the Hazard Troopers and Rocket Troopers in Jedi Academy? The Hazard Troopers in particular wear some sort of massive powered frame that renders them essentially impervious to most small arms, and lets them wade through molten lava (!) unharmed. Perhaps it's an unrelated design to DT armor, but it's interesting enough.
Still, I'd expect that the unit cost of such a suit is probably a sizeable chunk of what you'd pay for an armored vehicle, and it pretty much causes your clone to lose the flexibility an infantryman typically enjoys.

It's worth noting that for clone armies (unlike normal troops), you don't look at your soldiers and give them the best kit that money can buy to save their precious lives. You simply maximize the cost vs effectiveness ratio of your army as a whole. Heavy suits with vehicle-grade armor on powered exoskeletons would probably be detrimental to this efficiency.

[LordChaos]

Seems he's asking how to improve Stormtrooper armor, so are you guys saying it's right now (OT era) as good as it can be?

I'd say it's as good as it NEEDS to be.

I mean, even if you are a galaxy spaning evil empire, you have to keep the books balanced, and shelling out trillions extra cred (there are a LOT of stormies) for a marginal increas in surviablity isn't worth it. It currently does what it needs to do - protech against everything expect a dirrect hit by a high powered weapon.

[Darwin]

Regarding Phase III Dark Trooper powered exoskeletons, has anyone seen the Hazard Troopers and Rocket Troopers in Jedi Academy? The Hazard Troopers in particular wear some sort of massive powered frame that renders them essentially impervious to most small arms, and lets them wade through molten lava (!) unharmed. Perhaps it's an unrelated design to DT armor, but it's interesting enough.
Still, I'd expect that the unit cost of such a suit is probably a sizeable chunk of what you'd pay for an armored vehicle, and it pretty much causes your clone to lose the flexibility an infantryman typically enjoys.

The hazard troopers are basically what I'd expect ZeeGee Assault Stormtroopers to be wearing, just add some manuvering jets and replace that concussion rifle with a blaster cannon, grenade launcher and mirotorps. The Rocket Troopers are a direct development from the Dark Trooper project.

[Kartr_Kana]

In one of the Tales books(Empire IIRC) Tinian I'att demonstrated a prototype stormie suit that contained a specilized "anti-energy system" thingy that protected her from a squad of Stormtroopers all aiming at weak points. So they could be improved significantly. Plus in Survivors Quest the 501st stromtroopers with Fel took a lot of blaster fire from old weak blasters without dieing or even being wound until the armor had literally been blasted away by hundreds of blasterbolts. So stormtrooper armor is good, they just have problems fighting "heros".

[Illuminatus Primus]

In one of the Tales books(Empire IIRC) Tinian I'att demonstrated a prototype stormie suit that contained a specilized "anti-energy system" thingy that protected her from a squad of Stormtroopers all aiming at weak points. So they could be improved significantly. Plus in Survivors Quest the 501st stromtroopers with Fel took a lot of blaster fire from old weak blasters without dieing or even being wound until the armor had literally been blasted away by hundreds of blasterbolts. So stormtrooper armor is good, they just have problems fighting "heros".

How expensive was that system? How robust was it in combat? How much maintanence was required? How much heat and radiation did it vent?

And what were those blasters? The equivalent of .22?

[Kartr_Kana]

They were the standard Imperial Stormtrooper weapon, E-11. They system put out heat, and most of the items in the backplate were replaced with this system. I assume that it would lack the vacuum ability and maybe some of the other useful stuff that was in the backplate. Not sure about cost, maintinace was low, the system was very robust from what I read and had the ability to harm anyone who tried to touch the wearer.

[Illuminatus Primus]

They were the standard Imperial Stormtrooper weapon, E-11. They system put out heat, and most of the items in the backplate were replaced with this system. I assume that it would lack the vacuum ability and maybe some of the other useful stuff that was in the backplate. Not sure about cost, maintinace was low, the system was very robust from what I read and had the ability to harm anyone who tried to touch the wearer.

There must have been some drawbacks. I bet difficulty of production and cost.

[Knife]

Who said every Stormtrooper ever shot with a blaster died? With the Med Tech of the SW universe, all the Stormtrooper armor would really have to do is make a blaster hit, survivable.

Why spend the cash and the resources of 'super' armor when you have your troops and their infrastructure that is so close to them, readily close to bacta tanks and clone replacements?

[Noble Ire]

They were the standard Imperial Stormtrooper weapon, E-11. They system put out heat, and most of the items in the backplate were replaced with this system. I assume that it would lack the vacuum ability and maybe some of the other useful stuff that was in the backplate. Not sure about cost, maintinace was low, the system was very robust from what I read and had the ability to harm anyone who tried to touch the wearer.

There must have been some drawbacks. I bet difficulty of production and cost.

They were an ambassador's elite guard after all.

[Cykeisme]

As Knife pointed out, all you have to do is toss a fucked up clone (any era) into a bacta tank, as long as he survives the attack.

Also, assuming cloned replacement organs were available, they'd still be cheaper than replacing a clone.. even if you have to replace most of a clone unit's innards at considerable expense, you'd save the cost of their training.

As I said earlier, it's hard to tell which stormies in the movies are actually killed, and which are simply incapacitated. Considering Han's DL-44 blasts huge chunks out of walls, I'd imagine it'd "gib" someone who's shot in the torso unless they were wearing armor.. in which case they'd have a chance of survival if there's a nearby medical facility.

[Dangermouse]

Considering Han's DL-44 blasts huge chunks out of walls, I'd imagine it'd "gib" someone who's shot in the torso unless they were wearing armor.. in which case they'd have a chance of survival if there's a nearby medical facility.

Its a shame that Greedo falls forward straight on the table. IIRC, I don't think you can see too much of the damaged area.

[Vympel]

Its a shame that Greedo falls forward straight on the table. IIRC, I don't think you can see too much of the damaged area.

His body is basically fried. He's also audibly sizzling.