• SokathHisEyesOpen@lemmy.ml
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    3 years ago

    Why do stormtroopers wear that armor? It doesn’t stop blasters, bullets, arrows, or lightsabers. It’s not like they get into any fist fights where it would stop punches.

    • GTG3000@programming.dev
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      3 years ago

      It varies with the source, but generally it’s supposed to be a few things:

      • The blasters used in the movie era are… Basically unstoppable? They’re the pinnacle of weapon tech as far as mass arming is concerned.
      • The armour is supposed to protect the stormtrooper against most “lower tech” weapons, think slug throwers, shrapnel from explosions, vibro-swords.
      • Light sabers OP.
      • You’re supposed to be using droideka-style personal shields if you want to tank energy shots.

      Of course, movies don’t think about it too hard and just use them as mooks.

      • LoamImprovement@ttrpg.network
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        3 years ago

        I mean, it does also illustrate how the empire’s strength lies in numbers and resources, and not in superior skill. There’s some evidence that stormtrooper accuracy is a lot better than popular media gives credit for (e.g. “these blast points are far too accurate for sand-people,”) and the only reason stormtroopers miss as much as they do in the movies is because they are under Vader’s orders not to injure Luke and Leia, which may or may not be true, but the battle on endor shows how susceptible the armor is to guerilla warfare that does, in fact, utilize those lower-tech weapons. I’m sure if the empire cared enough about the efficacy of the armor, they could develop a suit that incorporated shield technology and win battles with a fraction of the troops they use, but again, the suit’s primary function is to mark these shock troops as the face of an insurmountably vast empire. I would not be surprised if the poor defensive qualities of the armor are intentional, to foster a strategic message to the empire’s enemies that says “we don’t care how many you kill, there will always be more.

    • SphereofWreckening@ttrpg.network
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      3 years ago

      I’m not an expert on Star Wars lore, but I think it’s to dehumanize them and add them to the greater force of the Empire. The Empire doesn’t need individuals for its troopers, they need tools and pawns that will follow orders when given.

      And since they’re just pawns, typically recruited en masse, why even cash out for good armor when you can just mass produce the bear minimum for dirt cheap? That’s my take anyways

        • Tropper@lemm.ee
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          3 years ago

          In short, the armor is designed to be cheap, light and imposing. It protects them from the environment but not a direct hit from a weapon.

        • acockworkorange@mander.xyz
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          3 years ago

          It’s a form of ablative armor. The laser blast vaporizes and explodes the clamshell which crucially sits away from the body glove. It will burn the wearer and knock them out on military grade weapons fire, but does improve survivability considerably. Much like modern military body armor.

    • bouh@lemmy.world
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      3 years ago

      Most soldiers in war are killed from artillery, and especially shrapnel from artillery and other explosives. The armor they wear protects them from that.