Shadow Stormtrooper

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Model TX-10116, Photo by ukswrath
Description: Shadow Stormtrooper
Prefix: TX
Detachment: Spec Ops Detachment
Context: Gambler's World; Crimson Empire; Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor

In stark contrast to the standard Stormtrooper, Shadow Stormtroopers are equipped with all black armor. This unique colored armor provides them with the benefit of stealth in appropriate situations.

This is a visual guide used for 501st costume approval, not a how-to for construction. Construction details are found at the costume's Detachment website. Measurements provided here are are generalized, and not criteria for approval. All 501st costumes are proportionate to the wearer in terms of size, fit, and scale. During evaluation, both text and images (CRL and Reference) must be considered. When in doubt about a feature of a submitted costume, GMLs should post questions in the Legion forum's DL/GML peer review section.

Required Costume Components

The following costume components are present and appear as described below. For 501st membership only the requirements in black need to be met. This Detachment defines additional, optional costuming details listed in blue and red. Please visit the Detachment website for more details on these options.

• Helmet

• Lenses must be sufficiently dark enough to obscure the costumer's eyes. They are either flat or bubbled. Acceptable colors are black, smoke, dark green or silver.
• The body of the "ears" can either be black or gray. The bars have three or four bumps and can be left the same color as the body or painted black.
• The frown must have 8 teeth cut out and any coloring must not leave the indented area.
• Acceptable colors are black, gray or silver.
• Black mesh must be used to obscure the face of the wearer.
• The tube stripes are black in color and may number between 9 and 16 per side with the curve bends extending backwards. These can be either hand painted or decals.
• Vocoder (vertically ribbed chin detail) can be black or painted silver.
• The aerators (cylinders on either side of the vocoder) are black, and screening can be either silver or black.
• The interior of the aerator can either be white, silver or black.
• Traps (trapezoids on dome of helmet) and tears (area beneath the corners of eye lenses) can be hand painted or decals.
• Acceptable colors are black or gray. Rear traps and tears have vertical black lines.

• Black with horizontal ribs, fitted to the wearer, and extending from the base of the neck to conceal the entire neck.

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

• These shall be securely mounted in front and may free float in the back. They can be affixed with rivets, Velcro or adhesive.
• The rear tab of the strap is optional and may or may not be present.

• One on each shoulder.
• The shoulder bells are considered effectively symmetrical. They can be worn interchangeably on the left and right shoulders.
• Shoulders have a black elastic strap that wraps around the inside of the bicep.

• Biceps are fully closed.
• Overlap construction is only allowed for kits that come with the cover strip molded into the part.

• Forearms are fully sealed and closed.
• Overlap construction is only allowed for kits that come with the cover strip molded into the part.

• Pentagonal in shape, hand plates should be securely mounted over the back of the glove. These can be made up of plastic, latex or latex-like material.

• 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.

• Chest armor overlaps abdominal armor.

• Back plate contains a “O II” design with little or no overlap of the kidney plate.

• The abdomen armor has a button area with 9 gloss black buttons. Correct sized buttons are approximately 7/16” (11mm) in diameter.
• Abdomen armor button area detail matches reference photos.

• The kidney/posterior armor may be either one piece (ROTJ style) or two pieces (ANH style).
• If a separate kidney plate is used, it lines up with the abdomen armor.
• The top of the kidney armor is flush to or under the back armor.

• The kidney/posterior armor may be either one piece (ROTJ style) or two pieces (ANH style).

• The ammo belt shall be made of similar material and color matching the overall armor. It is comprised of 6 rectangular boxes, with three square buttons, one centered in the middle and on each end of the belt.
• The soft belt proper is made of canvas, or material with a canvas covering and must be 3” to 3.5” (75-90mm) wide.
• 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.
• The belt closes by overlapping in the rear center of the kidney/posterior armor where the thermal detonator is attached.

• (A.K.A O2 canister) is attached to the center back of the belt.
• Detonator consists of a painted black cylinder with 2” to 2.68” (50-68mm) in diameter with black end caps on each end and a black control panel pad. The black control panel pad faces upwards, with the controls/round washer-style detail closest to the right end cap.
• The total length is approximately 7.5” (190.5mm).
• No silver stickers or silver paint is allowed.
• The detonator is attached to the black canvas belt with 1” (25mm) black or silver metal or metallic-appearing clips.

• It is made of black leather or leather-like material.
• It is worn on the left side of the canvas belt and is attached via two leather or leather-like material straps to the canvas belt from behind.
• Affixed with only two fasteners at the bottom, one on each side, painted in black.
• Fasteners may be rivets, snaps or Chicago screws.

• The thigh armor may open and firmly close in the back allowing the two halves to appear sealed.
• The small ammo belt is installed on the bottom of the right thigh.
• The bottom corners of the thigh ammo belt shall be rounded off.
• Overlap construction is only allowable for kits that come with the cover strip molded into the part.
• Cover strips must end at the top of lower ridge in front and back.
• If the two parts of the thigh armor cannot fit the user, cover strip should not be too wide. Instead, shims can be used to close the back of the thigh armor. Shims shall have a similar material and color to the whole armor, should be flush without seams.

• The shin armor is able to open and firmly close in the back allowing the two halves to appear sealed. The trapezoid knee plate is affixed to the top of the left shin.
• Overlap construction is only allowable for kits that come with the cover strip molded into the part.

• Boots are above ankle height and made of black leather or leather-like material.
• Small U-shaped elastic sections on both sides of the ankle.
• Flat sole with a short heel.
• No buckles or laces.
• Jodhpur/Chelsea-type boots or an equivalent style is acceptable.
• Elvis or Mariachi boots are not allowed.

Optional Accessories

Items below are optional costume accessories. These items are not required for approval, but if present appear as described below. If adding in an accessory after initial approval, the item still needs to be submitted to local GML for approval before use.

• Must be black in color and made from vinyl or leather. Must be worn over the right shoulder.

• MP40 style ammo packs, one on each side, may be worn in place of drop boxes.
• Flap buttons can be black or silver in color.

• Black MP40 style ammo pack made from leather or leather like material, secured on the upper left of the chest armor.
• Flap buttons can be black or silver in color.
• If this shoulder ammo pack is worn it must be accompanied with the black pauldron and drop boxes on the belt. The belt cannot have pouches in lieu of drop boxes when the shoulder ammo pack is worn.

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

• Based on a real or replica MG-34 machine gun.

• Based on a real or replica Lewis Mark I machine gun. For this prop the magazine disk and bipod of the original gun are left off.