Stormtrooper Armor: walking coffins

[Ning Leihrec]

I have a theory about Stormtrooper armor. Recalling the moment in ANH when Han blasts the archway of docking bay 94 and it explodes all over the troopers below. That was just one blaster bolt. That kind of destructive force applied to living tissue has the potential to get pretty messy. And as far as protection, Stormtrooper armor seems useless, but what if the whole point is to keep the gore of a blasted corpse contained for easy cleanup? They're not any safer, they're just wearing their body bags.

[Zarn]

It's probably just like for modern armor - it isn't necessarily for stopping direct fire, but it can be for defeating environmental dangers, spalling, and shrapnel.

[Scots Dragon]

[MrNexx]

Also for reducing the severity of an injury... something that might kill you instead simply wounds you. Sure, you're down for a bit, but you're going to be ok with a few days of rest.

Let's play with numbers. I have a heavy blaster pistol, and am shooting at bog-standard stormtroopers tied to posts. Due to an evil magician, everyone will roll exactly average.

If they're unarmored, I do 18 damage a shot (5D, with 4 of the dice averaging 3.5 per die, and the exploding wild die averaging about 4), of which the unarmored will ignore 7.5. 10-11 damage per shot; they all Incapacitated. I shoot them again and they are dead or dying.

I then turn to the Stormtroopers wearing armor, who will ignore 11 damage, taking only 7... they are wounded. They fall prone and can't take any actions for the rest of the round, but they're alive. If I keep shooting at them, they don't become incapacitated, they become Wounded Twice... prone again, no more actions for another round, and a bigger penalty if they DO move, but, still alive.

Armor doesn't keep you from getting hurt unless you are very lucky. It makes sure you only get hurt when you should've died.
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[garhkal]

And if you, instead of shooting them with that heavy pistol are using a regular pistol (imo more common to have on pcs since they are more legal), that 3d soak vs 4d dam when armored, vs 2d soak against 4d dam, means instead of a wound (on ave) they only take a stun.
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[Ning Leihrec]

This was purely a cinematic observation. The game's armor is far more effective.

[garhkal]

And game troopers CAN be more effective than those we see on screen as well..
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Zarn]

It's a classic fan theory, but it does explain the extremely competent Stormtroopers seen in the movie. And that wasn't a typo. http://thechive.com/2015/05/04/the-real-reason-that-stormtroopers-always-miss-25-photos/

[Ning Leihrec]

[garhkal]

Even more so, if you don't use BASE book stormies all the time. Add in a squad or two of veterans, (2d higher blaster and dodge), maybe a storm commando team. Or even worse, toss in a Royal guardsman on Storm trooper rotation...
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Ray]

Watch "A New Hope" again, watch carefully as Vader is shown for the first time, boarding the Tantive IV. Notice something, a lot of the stormies that were shot down are now up, with some help, heading to the medic while the Rebel troops are very Dee-Ee-Dee Dead.

[Whill]

[Bren]

[MrNexx]

[Sutehp]