My take on the TFU Shadow Stormtrooper CRL + Specialist requirements

[mikedwelle94[TX]]

I conjured this up borrowing elements from Fivezero's TFU Shadow CRL draft, along with text from the Stormtrooper Commander CRL, as that costume is structurally identical to this one. I threw in a few of my own ideas as well and deviated from Fivezero's text for a few of the components to keep requirements more consistent among all variants of TFU troopers.

I'll come back to this periodically to add in pictures of my own armor components as well add any Specialist requirements I think are appropriate. Most of the inspiration for the Specialist requirements will come from the Expert Infantry and a few of the Centurion requirements for the FISD's TK Commander.

 

Costume Reference Library

 

Description: TFU Shadow Stormtrooper

Prefix: TX

Detachment: Spec Ops Detachment

Context: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

 

Shadow Stormtroopers are elite Special Ops operatives deployed on various operations under the command of the Emperor's Shadow Guard and Stormtrooper Commanders. Their armor is enhanced with fibers that allow them to become invisible.

 

The 501st approval requirements are listed in black (just pretend it's black... it doesn't exactly look good on this forum's setup lol)

 

The Spec Ops Detachment defines an additional, optional level of costuming excellence. In the page below, requirements for Level 2 "Specialist" are listed in blue.

 

- Those armor pieces without blue text are by default considered the highest level.

- Please visit the Spec Ops website for a full description of these standards.

 

For 501st membership only the requirements in black need to be met.

 

 

 

Helmet

 

 

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Lenses must be sufficiently dark enough to obscure the costumer's eyes. They may be flat or bubbled. They are backlit with blue lighting.

- The body of the "ears" is silver. The bars have three or four bumps and are dark gray in color.

- The frown must have either 6 or 8 teeth cut out. There are spaces between the teeth the wearer's face must not be seen. The frown is backlit with blue lighting.

- The tube stripes may number between 9 and 15 per side with the curve bends extending backwards. These are backlit with blue lighting.

- Vocoder (vertically ribbed chin detail) is black.

- The aerators (cylinders on either side of the vocoder) are black, and screening is silver.

- Traps (trapezoids on dome of helmet) and tears (area beneath the corners of eye lenses) may be hand painted or decals and are dark gray in color. Rear traps and tears have vertical black lines.

- Note: The helmet is accurate in detail and proportion to official references. Many commercially available helmets or those considered disproportionate in size or shape are ineligible.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Ears shall have three screws per side, one above and one below the ear bar and one at the base of the helmet. The screws shall be silver in color to match the helmet.

- Ear bars have four bumps only, not three.

- Traps/tears and tube stripes shall have the correct ANH TK details

- Correct 'Hovi mic' aerator tips.

- Helmet and details/paint is lightly scuffed (battle worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

 

 

Neck Seal

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Black with horizontal ribs, fitted to the wearer, and extending from the base of the neck to the top of the Adam's apple.

 

 

Under Suit

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Black non-textured material, either one-piece or two-piece construction with no visible zippers or logos.

 

 

 

Shoulder Straps

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- These must be securely mounted in front and may free float in back. They may be affixed with rivets, Velcro, or adhesive.

- The shoulder straps are silver in color.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- No visible rivets are allowed.

- The shoulder straps shall not have a flat end at the ends of them. They shall be ribbed 100%.

- Shoulder straps are lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

- These shall be securely affixed in the front and back. No snaps, rivets, or brads shall be visible.

 

 

Shoulder Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- One on each shoulder. The shoulder bells are considered effectively symmetrical; they may be worn interchangeably on the left and right shoulders.

- The shoulder bells are primarily gloss black in color.

- The edges of the shoulder bells are transparent and backlit with blue lighting.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Shoulder bells are rounded at the corners.

- No elastic straps across the biceps.

- Shoulder bells are lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

 

Bicep Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Biceps are fully closed.

- Biceps are silver in color.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- No elastic straps across the biceps.

- Biceps are lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD)

- Biceps are constructed using the overlap method. Butt-join and cover strips are not accurate.

 

 

Forearm Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Forearms must appear to be fully sealed and enclosed.

- Forearms are silver in color.

- The top and bottom circumferences of the forearm should be transparent to allow blue lighting to be seen.

- The top ridge is backlit with blue lighting.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Forearms are lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

- No return edge on the inside of the front of the forearm is allowed.

- Forearms are constructed using the overlap method. Butt-join and cover strips are not accurate.

 

 

Gloves

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Black in color, made of either rubber, nomex, leather, or leather-like material, with no visible straps or logos/designs. The fingers are enclosed, non-textured.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Gloves shall be rubber or rubber-like chemical gloves colored black.

 

 

Handplates

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Roughly pentagonal in shape, the hand plates are mounted securely over the back of the glove. As an alternative to plastic, these may be made out of latex or latex-like material but must remain glossy.

- The handplates are silver in color.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Handplates shall be lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

 

 

Chest Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Chest plate overlaps the abdominal plate.

- The top of the chest plate is semi-gloss gray while the bottom is silver in color.

- Blue lighting is present along the bottom edge and shines over the abdominal plate.

- A silver flexible U shaped gasket or molded lip is present around all edges.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Chest plate shall be lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

 

 

Back Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Back plate contains a "O II" design with little or no overlap of the kidney plate.

- Back plate is silver in color.

- A silver flexible U shaped gasket or molded lip shall be present around all edges.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- The back plate shall be lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

- Back plate shall have no overlap of the kidney plate.

 

 

Abdomen Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- The ab plate is semi-gloss gray in color.

- Ab plate buttons shall be all black.

- Abdomen armor center button panel shall be inverted compared to ANH/ESB.

- A silver flexible U shaped gasket or molded lip is present around all edges.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Ab plate is lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

- There shall be no split rivet or brad visible on the crotch tab of the ab plate.

- Left vertical row of ab plate buttons contain five buttons. All buttons are the same size and color and are visible (not covered by the belt). The fifth button is mounted vertically above the standard four buttons.

 

 

Kidney & Posterior Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- A separate kidney/butt plate is not allowed. The kidney and butt shall be combined/fused to a single plate/one piece.

- The kidney plate is silver in color while the butt plate is semi-gloss grey.

- The transition from silver to grey on the kidney/butt shall be hidden by the fabric belt.

- A silver flexible U shaped gasket or molded lip is present around all edges.

- The crotch plate of the butt plate area may or may not have visible snaps.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- The edges of the hip area are rounded/curved (not like the straight lines found on the ANH/ESB posterior armor).

- The kidney/posterior armor is lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

- Two rivets shall be present on each side of the kidney plate, approximately 4 mm from the inside edge of the U shaped gasket or molded lip that is adjacent to the ab plate. There will be one rivet near the top and one near the bottom on each side. They shall be painted grey or silver.

- There shall be no visible snaps, rivets or brads on the crotch tab of the butt plate tab.

 

 

Belt

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Belt face is made of plastic (ammo belt).

- Two square buttons are present, one on each end.

- The soft belt proper is tightly woven nylon/cordura material or canvas. Width can range from 2.25" to 3.5". The color is silver.

- Back of the belt has blue lighting that shines onto the butt plate.

- The drop boxes dangle from the sides of the plastic belt face via black straps and are aligned under the plastic tabs of the ammo belt. These are semi-gloss gray in color.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Belt face (TX ammo belt) and drop boxes are lightly scuffed (battle worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

- The corners of the plastic ammo belt shall be trimmed at a 45 degree angle.

- Drop boxes are closed in the back.

- The belt proper shall have (eight total) white rivets. Two rivets close to each side of the thermal detonator, and two rivets approximately an inch away from the edge of the ammo belt (The rivets form a rectangular pattern).

- The width of the belt proper shall be restricted to between 2.25'' and 2.5''.

 

 

Thermal Detonator

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- (a.k.a. O2 canister) attaches to the back of the belt. This is a cylinder 2 to 2.5" in diameter with silver end caps and a silver control panel pad, with controls closest to the right end cap.

- The main cylinder is transparent, with blue lighting present.

- The total length is approximately 7.50''

- The thermal detonator is attached via metal or metallic-appearing clips approximately 1'' in (25mm) wide.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- The thermal detonator is lightly scuffed (battle worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD).

- Thermal detonator belt clips are positioned with little to no gap between the clips and the end caps.

 

 

Thigh Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- The thigh armor may open and firmly close in the back allowing the two halves to appear sealed when viewed by spectators.

- The thigh armor is semi-gloss gray in color.

- The ammo belt is installed on the bottom of the right thigh and is silver in color.

- The ammo belt has blue lighting behind it, shining onto the thigh.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Thighs are lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD)

- Thighs use the overlap construction method. Butt join and cover strip method is not accurate.

 

 

Shin Armor

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- The shin armor is able to open and firmly close in the back allowing the two halves to appear sealed when viewed by spectators.

- The trapezoid knee plate is affixed to the top of the left shin with adhesive or rivets.

- The shin armor and knee plate are both silver in color.

- The bottom edges of the shin armor should be transparent, allowing for blue light to be seen.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Shins are lightly scuffed (battle-worn), but not weathered like a Sandtrooper (TD)

- Shins use the overlap construction method. Butt join and cover strip method is not accurate.

 

 

Boots

 

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Dark gray leather or leather-like, above ankle height, with a flat sole, and small U-shaped elastic sections on both sides of the ankle with no buckles or laces.

- Jodhpur/Chelsea-style boots or an equivalent style boot is acceptable. Elvis / Mariachi boots are not acceptable.

- A red stripe is present around the front of the boot.

- White or other color boots may be painted dark gray so long as the boots are maintained to remain the proper color.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- There is no seam present on the front of the boot.

- Boots are lightly scuffed.

 

- - - - - - - - - - -

 

Optional Accessories

 

 

E-11 Blaster (ESB)

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Based on a real or replica Sterling sub-machine gun, scratch-built, or a modified commercial toy Stormtrooper blaster.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Folding stock is placed in the closed position.

- No ammo counter shall be present.

- D-ring mounted on the rear.

- Sterling based blasters have the correct M-38 or M-19 style scope.

- The M-19 scope is preferred.

- No power cylinders on the magazine housing.

- Scratch-built, resin cast, Hyperfirm rubber cast blasters shall have a total of 6 T-tracks on blaster (leaving the lowest row on the magazine housing side uncovered).

- If using the Hasbro E11 toy blaster, it is modified to have the correct number of T-tracks (6 total), with a lower row of open vent holes on the magazine housing side. This is accomplished by covering the pre-existing rows of holes with T-tracks, then grinding off the lower integrated T-track on the magazine housing side, and drilling a new row of holes in its place.

 

 

E-11 Blaster (ROTJ)

 

For 501st approval:

 

- Based on a real or replica Sterling sub-machine gun, scratch-built, or a modified commercial toy Stormtrooper blaster.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- Folding stock is placed in the closed position.

- No ammo counter shall be present.

- D-ring mounted on the rear.

- Correct style scope.

- No power cylinders on the magazine housing.

- Scratch-built, resin cast, Hyperfirm rubber cast blasters shall have a total of 7 U shaped channels on blaster (all holes on barrel shall be covered).

- If using the popular commercially available Stormtrooper blasters, you shall grind off the T-tracks and replace them with U shaped channels and cover the open rows of holes (total of 7 U shaped channels in all).

- Correct greeblies on the left rear area shall be present (door catch and two "hammers").

 

Lightsaber (The Force Unleashed)

 

For 501st approval:

 

- The hilt is Graflex style or has the characteristics of the Graflex, (reference Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from ANH and ESB).

- If the lightsaber has a blade, it may be one of the color blades used in the video game, The Force Unleashed. The choice of blade colors are: Black, Blue, Green, Gold, Purple, Red and Yellow.

- Note: Double blades, small Yoda style lightsaber, or inexpensive non-FX Hasbro Lightsaber toys are not allowed.

 

OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable):

 

- The hilt shall be made to reference Starkiller's lightsaber (as seen in The Force Unleashed).

- If the lightsaber has a blade, it may be one of the color blades used in the video game, The Force Unleashed. The choice of blade colors are: Black, Blue, Green, Gold, Purple, Red and Yellow.

[mikedwelle94[TX]]

I will finish formatting and adding to the second half of the post in a little while. Just wanted to get that posted so I wouldn't lose it.

 

-- Just finished formatting. That's about it for the text. Let me know if you see any glaring issues. I'll add pictures as I finish my costume parts.

Thanks for looking!

[mikedwelle94[TX]]

Just added pictures of my costume parts. Some of the pictures will need a bit of Photoshopping to clean em up. I'll add front + back pictures of me wearing the costume as soon as I have a free moment.

[mikedwelle94[TX]]

Updated post with new pictures. I sent my application to the LMOs earlier tonight so I'll let you guys know what happens with that. If this gets approved as is, the CRL should be pretty much good to go. Just need someone to photoshop out the background from my pictures.

 

If they request changes, I'll update this thread again with newer pictures.

[IcyTrooper[CMD-DL]]

I can't wait to see the approval post, you worked hard on this one! It will be nice to see the completed CRL with images, as well.

[RAIDER[COTG]]

Nice Mike! Look forward to what you hear back.

[Chaos[CMD-DCA]]

I like making the "oddball" and "unusual" characters. Have you gotten word back on your approval? 

[RAIDER[COTG]]

On 10/18/2018 at 7:41 PM, Chaos said:

I like making the "oddball" and "unusual" characters. Have you gotten word back on your approval? 

Ditto.  Any updates @SolidScrafty?  Anything we can do on our end to help?

[mikedwelle94[TX]]

On 10/18/2018 at 7:41 PM, Chaos said:

I like making the "oddball" and "unusual" characters. Have you gotten word back on your approval? 

 

On 1/30/2019 at 10:06 AM, Raider said:

Ditto.  Any updates @SolidScrafty?  Anything we can do on our end to help?

My initial app was denied because of a minor issue with fit and strapping. I still haven't gotten it done yet because my most recent troop resulted in a broken belt rivet and two broken LED strips which are a pain in the ass to fix/replace. And then all costuming and building came to a halt when I moved in with a new partner (tinyyyyy apartment) and wound up throwing all my costuming stuff into a storage unit. Fast forward a few months and we're in a bigger place and I finally have the room to work on it again. 

I ordered some new lights on Amazon today. I'll see about getting those installed in my armor pieces this Saturday and maybe getting my costume done? I'm sorry it's taking so long ?

[Fivezero[TX]]

Good to hear you're still after it and can work on it again!! Those light strips are a pain aren't they? I had to replace a few as well, and that was just from taking it on and off a couple times for approval pics. And no worries about taking so long either, I worked on mine for about 3 or 4 years before I was approved.