Master Tej - Help with NovaTrooper Elite Armor Build

[Master Tej]

To all 501st members,

 

Hello, my name is Master Tej, and I am a potential 501st member. When I knew I wanted (and had) to join, I thought, for my first suit, go big or go home. Nah, not really, but the NovaTrooper Elite particularly caught my eye. Something about that black and gold combo . . .

 

Anyways, I would really like to attend Celebration VI in armor, specifically as a Nova Elite, but I am in need of a lot of help. I have no knowledge or experience in any of this kind of building, painting, or assembly beyond a bit of rudimentary basics from model rockets and the like, and I am just really unsure where to start.

 

I am 5' 8", 140 lbs, wear shoes size 12, and live in Virginia, making me a hopeful member of Garrison Tyranus. As I said, I am unsure where to start with . . . anything, and I was told to post here for help. So, who's got suggestions?

 

- Master Tej -

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

Welcome Tej! If you're wanting to go to CIV, then you're about 6 years too late. However, if you want to go to CVI, then you have about a month to get all of this together. That is a tall order. You could buy an already built kit and make the adjustments for a nova. There are a few complete shadow stormtrooper kits for sale on the legion boards. Or you can buy a kit and build it from scratch. I doubt you would finish in time. Think you could handle being a shadow stormtrooper?

[Master Tej]

Oh, didn't realize I said IV, not VI. And, um, I wouldn't mind at all going as a Shadow Stormtrooper, that would actually be really awesome, but what is the "one month deadline" thing about? That's the second time I've heard that mentioned now.

 

- Master Tej -

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

Well, CVI is 23-26th of August. Which is next month. No deadline on you becoming a trooper, but if you want to become one before CVI, then you have a 1 month deadline.

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

Also, could you give a post here http://forum.specops501st.com/index.php?/forum/35-spec-ops-recruits-report-in/ tell a little bit about yourself. Who you are, where you're from, age , why you want to join etc... just a courtesy we ask for.

[Master Tej]

Wait, I thought this was celebrating the 30th anniversary of ROTJ.

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

Celebration is a Star Wars convention that only happens every few years. It isn't set up because of an anniversary necessarily, but if one happens to be that year then it will get used in the promoting.

[Master Tej]

Oh, I had seen that IV and V were held on the 30th anniversaries of those movies, and so I kind of thought this one would be too. I can't fathom how I overlooked that it said it was during 2012. Well, I'll have to see if I can, hopefully I can get back to you later today.

 

- Master Tej -

[Shade]

Tej, I know exactly how you feel about working on a deadline. I'm still trying to secure some armor for dragon*con cominng up on memorial day weekend.

 

And, Joshua, can non 501st members even gain access to the forums where the armor is being sold? If not, then I don't think that would help me or Tej, lol

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

can non 501st members even gain access to the forums where the armor is being sold? If not, then I don't think that would help me or Tej, lol

 

No, I was going to PM the seller and see about giving their info.

[Shade]

Ah, that would work, haha.

 

Any non-fx/am kits?

[Master Tej]

Well, unfortunately, schooling will get in my way for Celebration VI, so I won't be doing a month long mad dash to get a suit together, but that also means I will hopefully be fully able to accomplish my goal of being a Nova Elite at my first event. I've already contacted Dirty Boy over in MEPD, he's got a great backpack deal, and I'll stay posted on that. Who could point me in the direction of the best armor seller, preferably already full assembled and painted black?

 

- Master Tej -

[Master Tej]

Alright, I have a question. This is something that has bugged me for a little while, and I don't think it's been addressed on any of the discussions in this forum. The T - 21, the weapon for a Nova Elite, is a light repeating blaster rifle, no? In the words of Wookieepedia -

 

"Since the T-21's standard power pack only has enough energy for twenty-five shots, it was almost always paired with a continuous-feed power generator. The twenty kilogram generator was carried as a backpack."

 

Now, I know Wookiepedia doesn't speak for the 501st, but, to maintain a high level of canon accuracy, shouldn't there be some kind of connecting cable between the T-21 and backpack on a Nova Elite? I mean, if the backpack is carried for the main purpose of providing power to the T-21, at least in the canon universe, then wouldn't a cable make sense? Without cable, why bother with a backpack at all?

 

This is also backed up by screenshots from SWG. In the screenshots posted on this forum, Nova Elites are shown with no backpack, which makes sense, as they are carrying no blaster. Now, I know this game is not always correct either, but I'm just wondering if this has been addressed, or if I'm going after a "Phantom Issue", or what.

 

- Master Tej -

[Darth Agnon[501st]]

When we have questions like this arise we shuttle you off the Star Wars reality section of the 501st and have you start immediate work on the reality program.

[Master Tej]

I'll get to work on it right away, Sir!

 

*Gets into Imperial Shuttle and flies away.

 

- Master Tej -

[Darth Emphatic[CMD-DWM]]

We can just argue that it works just like the Palm/HP Touchstone...

[Master Tej]

How's that?

 

- Master Tej -

[Darth Emphatic[CMD-DWM]]

Through osmosis

[Master Tej]

Hmm, I suppose that makes enough sense. At least, I know it makes enough sense to satisfy costuming needs. Who knows, maybe they just have rechargeable power packs that they can switch out between the pack and T-21.

 

Anyways, I won't be able to get the pack for a little while, maybe by next week. However, just for fun, I am working on building a lightsaber hilt. It's something I started about 1/2 a year ago and have resumed work on. I'll try to post some pics tonight.

 

Also, anyone know who I should go to for armor to meet Level 3 certification standards? I would just like to get the armor when I can so that I'll be able to begin building as soon as possible.

 

- Master Tej -

[Master Tej]

Well, sorry for the lateness, been kind of busy. Here's the pics of the lightsaber hilt. It needs primer on one side and, when completed, will have an attached power switch, clip for belt, power inlet, and handgrips. However, I'm not sure how to best make it silver. It is made from pipe parts, nothing fancy, and therefore doesn't have the natural shiny silver quality that, say, a graflex, which is made of metal would have. I have a can of silver rustoleum, but I'm not sure if there's a better way to give it that sheen that lightsabers have normally. Any suggestions?

 

Also, sorry for the quality of the pictures. The bluriness is my fault, but I don't know why they came out so grainy. They're really kind of terrible.

 

http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/phoenixking248/?action=view&current=Capture_00015.jpg

This one has a battery next to the hilt for scale.

 

http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/phoenixking248/?action=view&current=Capture_00019.jpg

The other side.

 

http://s557.photobucket.com/albums/ss19/phoenixking248/?action=view&current=Capture_00022.jpg

Concept drawing.

 

- Master Tej -

[Master Tej]

My apologies for the lapse in posting - I've been getting ready for school to start and slogging it out in Marching Band and the August heat. I just ordered my pack from Dirty Boy, but I'm not sure where to look to buy the best armor. I have a feeling the answer is almost literally right below my nose, but I can't seem to get it. Suggestions, anyone?

 

- Master Tej -

[Master Tej]

Alright, so I just looked at the Nova Elite bucket ARAKYEL has up for sale, and I am wondering if I should buy it. It appears to fulfill all basic and specialist requirements. However, is there a risk to buying the bucket seperate from the armor? I'm not sure if I'm putting this in the best possible way, but will I be easily able to buy armor with a helmet included?

 

- Master Tej -

[Shade]

Yeah, there are actually quite a few sellers that will sell "lite" kits without a helmet included. I think the helmetless ones usually run for around 400 or so?

But yeah, you can definitely find kits without the helmet, and getting the ARAKYEL one would save you a lot of time and stress trying to paint and assemble it.

[Master Tej]

Then I think that's the direction I'm going to go in. You're right about the "lite" kits. I now looking at a full glossy black abs kit from mightytank in the junkyard, and he offers it for $495. I'll just have to work extra to build up the money, I guess.

 

- Master Tej -

[ACJay[501st]]

If you haven't already purchased from ARAKYEL there is always ATA. He offers full ABS kits that are TE2 sized. That way you get the super glossy/shiny ABS and its armor that most likely will fit you much better at a lower overall price.

 

I used AP sized armor and an ARAKYEL lid for my second build and I must the the ARAKYEL lid is without equal but I'm 5'10 200 and the armor needed major trimming to fit me. My first kit was a TE2 recast and it fit like a glove but it was not glossy like the AM kit and the ARAKYEL lid.

 

I totally endorse the ARAKYEL lid but someone of your stature in my opinion should definately go with a TE2 sized option on the armor and with ATA offering a full kit lid included in ABS at a low price ($530 plus shipping) you can't lose. -Good Luck