Ok since I’m new here I figured that I would start out by posting my WIP for my armor and seeing what everyone thinks of it and hopefully get some tips and help in completing it.
First off, picking a name. Took me forever to figure out but I came up with ‘Drako Kilstar’, thanks to some suggestions from the misses and using
http://www.dimfuture.net/starwars/random/index.php.
Next off is coming up with the design for my armor. This is was very easy for me since I have had ideas bouncing around in my head for the last few years. I am into firearms, specifically rifles. Therefore, I wanted to setup my armor for how a sniper would set their armor. I want it to be simple, with dark colors; specifically my favorite colors: black, blue, and possibly some dark grey for accents (something like this but with more detail
http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/FireSlade/MandoConcept1_zps7c209f35.jpg). As a sniper my kit would constantly be painted for camouflage so it will not be weathered as much with paint and more so with scratches and gouges. This will be tough to get the right look for something like that. For now, I am aiming for a fiberglass kit but would love to upgrade to a full metal kit.
For my bucket, I wanted it to be slightly different from the rest; which I thought that the Assassin Helmet was perfect for me. Being into electronics I want to kit my bucket out with communications, possibly Bluetooth, some audio to help me hear and speak (I know how hard this can be from riding a motorcycle), and for a coolness factor lighting up my visor with EL wire lighting (found Jaro’s post
http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=62860.msg929488#msg929488). I want to keep the helmet simple in shape so the range finder is out but I may decide to add other features.
I wanted to go with Jango’s medium style with some modifications. I wanted to extend the gaunts to past my elbow and combine the shin armor with the knee armor. I understand that the approval team probably will not allow this, which is why I want to run my ideas by everyone first before I put time and money into it. For me extending the gaunt just made more sense with what a warrior would want protected from falls, hits, etc. and would make a weapon if fighting hand-to-hand. It’s not necessary since I will not be fighting just more for coolness factor. Combining the knee and shin armor was more for my comfort reason. April 24, 2013 while riding my motorcycle with my fiancée, we ended up getting into an accident (she was fine with a few scratches and a slight concussion thankfully), where I went headfirst into the tailgate of the pickup and ended up with a torn ACL, and multiple fractures including one in the joint itself. Because of this and the hardware still in my leg kneeling, and any hits to my knee is extremely painful. My solution for this was to spread out any pressure through a larger area and add some foam padding; it would short of look like this (
http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/FireSlade/MandoConcept1_zps7c209f35.jpg) but made to look good and fit properly. Not 100% needed if denied, just means that I have to adapt. One feature that I want to add is that I want to hide my cell phone in my gaunts so that you cannot tell that it is there but I can access it and send/receive calls or listen to music with the Bluetooth. I think that it is the perfect place to hide it, as long as I can secure it.
For my weapons, I wanted to keep it simple for now with plans to upgrade as I learn more. My main weapon will be a Verpine Sniper Rifle like the bottom one in this picture (
http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/FireSlade/RamikasVerp_zpsec6f0519.jpg). I need to find a style pistol that I like for my backup weapon. Is a republic era Deece 15 (DC-15) pistol (
http://static4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070508230060/starwars/images/a/a7/DC15s2.jpg) acceptable? Due to the scale of the Clone Wars and the losses of troops and supplies, I bet that a bunch of these would have been floating around. For a CQB style weapon I wanted to make this (
http://static4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070508230060/starwars/images/a/a7/DC15s2.jpg) out of wood (I prefer metal but I rather be safe and convention legal than sorry). Someday I think that it would be cool to make a gaunt for my right arm that housed a vibro-blade (made of wood or plastic) that could eject and retract like in the Republic Commando videogame. The biggest issue with that is making a mechanism that is safe and acceptable and housing it in a small package (I was thinking that an electric solenoid would work but that may be breaking rules).
I was thinking that basic combat gear would be good for my boots and gloves. The jumpsuit, I might just by a Jango style but I want to look around first for something that fits me. I noticed a pilot jumpsuit in the trading section so I may look into that too. I want to try to make myself a Jango style flak-vest out of leather but I may end up buying this as well. I plan to make my own gun/ammo belts and girth belt using some of the forums tutorials.
Sorry about this wall of text, but let me know what you all think I should do with all this. I can do a lot of the work but I have no idea what steps that I should take first to get started. I hope to get lots of input and criticism. Thanks
-Tim
