# What's the purpose of storm troopers' armor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468 "2017-07-31T00:01:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/21 "2017-07-31T03:58:47Z")
I always assumed they were more like space suits than armor. Providing environmental protection against things one might encounter in space based patrols. Such as air quality, temperature, radiation, turbulence, etc. mc ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/22 "2017-07-31T04:14:27Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > I always assumed they were more like space suits than armor. Providing environmental protection against things one might encounter in space based patrols. Such as air quality, temperature, radiation, turbulence, etc. > > mc Yeah in some of the games the Storm Trooper suits provide full NBC protection and are able to be used in the vacuum of space. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/23 "2017-07-31T06:28:01Z")
Even a football player ([American Rules football, that is](http://alexkachkaev.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/J53B0217cl-s.jpg)) in full-regalia can be taken out by someone wielding a baseball bat, and it’s specifically designed to be “impact absorbant.” Military-grade Kevlars and such (modern-day equivalent of Stormtrooper armor) will give some protection against impacts, but that’s not what it’s primarily designed to do; it’s designed to stop sharp bits of high-velocity metal (shrapnel/fragments) and, with appropriate “Trauma Plate” inserts, even some calibers of bullets over vital areas. As someone who’s worn Kevlar helmets (and even industrial-type hardhats in certain jobs) _and_ who’s had a few accidental knocks to the head (self-inflicted!), I can tell you definitively that even a padded hardhat isn’t any kind of “total protection” against minor-tp-moderate impacts. Still, on the few occasions when I did bonk myself a good one in the noggin, I was damned glad to have that protection, even if I did see double and go, “OW!” And again, this was accidental ouchies. Against a determined attacker swinging a blunt-trauma implement, military Kevlar _might_ keep an impact from killing you, but, and assuming you live, you’re still not going to like how you feel afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/24 "2017-07-31T06:47:11Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Who needs a wheel when you have anti-grav? I’m sure that’s what the Roxolani thought, too… ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/25 "2017-07-31T13:02:28Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I think the armor is as much intimidation as anything - it clearly has very little in the way of actual protection against the arms at the time - hell, ewoks beat them about the head and shoulder with sticks and stones (and left broken bones). This. I’ve always thought of it as a uniform; a representation of The Empire. Even Luke called it “a uniform” in A New Hope: Leia : Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper? Luke : Huh? Oh, the uniform… ---
**Author:** ![pieceoftheuniverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7993a0/32.png) [@pieceoftheuniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pieceoftheuniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/26 "2017-07-31T17:50:56Z")
In the Star Wars roleplaying games, it’s stated that there’s an arms race going on between armor, ballistic weapons, and blasters. During the clone wars, the droids are using blasters, so the clones’ armor holds up better against that kind of abuse - but it’s not very good at protecting against ballistic weapons. Before the events of the first trilogy (Episodes IV, V, VI), the pendulum has swung the other way: the stormtroopers start going up against people using ballistic weapons, so the armor adjusts accordingly. But this is at the cost of being more susceptible to blaster fire. One WMG for Return of the Jedi is that the stormtroopers fell to the “kobold problem” - that is, if you throw a high-level warrior into a pit full of level-one kobolds, the sheer number of the little beasties means that the chances of any of them rolling a twenty (for max damage) approaches one, thus allowing them to destroy the warrior. Any time we see troopers succumb to Ewoks, it’s because they get surrounded, or otherwise suffer a tactical disadvantage. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/27 "2017-07-31T18:16:57Z")
> [@pieceoftheuniverse](#): > > In the Star Wars roleplaying games, it’s stated that there’s an arms race going on between armor, ballistic weapons, and blasters. During the clone wars, the droids are using blasters, so the clones’ armor holds up better against that kind of abuse - but it’s not very good at protecting against ballistic weapons. > > Before the events of the first trilogy (Episodes IV, V, VI), the pendulum has swung the other way: the stormtroopers start going up against people using ballistic weapons, so the armor adjusts accordingly. But this is at the cost of being more susceptible to blaster fire. > > One WMG for Return of the Jedi is that the stormtroopers fell to the “kobold problem” - that is, if you throw a high-level warrior into a pit full of level-one kobolds, the sheer number of the little beasties means that the chances of any of them rolling a twenty (for max damage) approaches one, thus allowing them to destroy the warrior. Any time we see troopers succumb to Ewoks, it’s because they get surrounded,\*\* or otherwise suffer a tactical disadvantage\*\*. (bolding mine) - Like being in armor that limits site, hearing and mobility. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/28 "2017-07-31T18:35:05Z")
My “head-canon” is that the armor mostly works and a lot of the time when we see troopers go down after being shot in the movies they aren’t dead–just knocked out by the nature of the laser/plasma blast. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/29 "2017-07-31T22:58:00Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > I’m very confused by “Disney” and “blind Asian guy.” I’m confused by, “not killed, since this is a Disney movie.” Has the OP not seen any Disney movies? [They](https://images.moviepilot.com/image/upload/c_fill,h_470,q_auto:good,w_620/bambi-the-real-reason-walt-disney-killed-off-bambi-s-mom-will-break-your-heart-jpeg-134495.jpg) [got](https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/poohadventures/images/b/b6/Gaston%27s_Death.png/revision/latest?cb=20130706031432) [a](https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/9/92/Lionking-disneyscreencaps_com-9307.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140415012014) [hell](http://www.lionking.org/imgarchive/Act_1/Dad.jpg) [of](https://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/e/ed/Sleepingbeauty_1022.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140410220727) [a](http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/dino/images/b/b9/Fantasia_mosasaur_vore_pteranodon.png/revision/latest?cb=20150723023306) [body](http://www.thehookmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2-14.jpg) [count](http://www.lolwot.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/20-times-disney-broke-your-heart.jpg), and that’s just talking about their animated kids movies. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/30 "2017-08-01T00:16:10Z")
The purpose of stormtrooper’s armor is to screw up his aim so he can’t hit anything. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/31 "2017-08-01T02:02:03Z")
Maybe it’s useful for actual storms, like a rain poncho. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/32 "2017-08-01T02:14:17Z")
> [@Trancephalic](#): > > Maybe it’s useful for actual storms, like a rain poncho. …and snowtrooper armor is useful against snow. I think you’re onto something! ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/33 "2017-08-03T20:53:03Z")
It’s primary purpose is obviously skull protection, in case you accidentally bump head-first into something… Otherwise - yeah - looks cool. Makes it easy to identify the bad guys, without personalising them. White armour shows up better on the screen in indoor settings than black. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/34 "2017-08-03T21:52:43Z")
Real Reason: To make them all appear uniform and anonymous. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/35 "2017-08-03T21:56:31Z")
> [@](#): > > White armour shows up better on the screen in indoor settings than black. And also contrasts well with Vader (who’s also in a depersonalizing armor and mask), to make his appearance more dramatic. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/36 "2017-08-03T22:31:59Z")
Hmmm…masks…power…identity…somebody alert Joseph Campbell! Maybe he could write a book that could explain Star Wars or something. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/37 "2017-08-03T22:34:40Z")
Vader’s getup is clearly not armor! Particularly his helmet which is basically a portable iron lung keeping him alive. mc ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/38 "2017-08-03T23:18:17Z")
Vader’s getup clearly is armor. At one point he gets hit in the shoulder with a lightsabre, and is merely damaged, not dismembered as is typical for people getting hit in the shoulder with lightsabres. Anything that tough that’s worn by a person counts as armor in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/39 "2017-08-03T23:25:26Z")
Its purpose? easy question Shock Value, Intimidation Removal of personal identity also holds a few things like personal comms equipment. It serves the same thing an SS uniform serves. The uniform was just cloth, but you saw it and knew what ideals where behind it and what the person wearing it would do. Everything about the Empires appearance is to instill fear and hopelessness in those who might oppose. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468/40 "2017-08-03T23:28:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Vader’s getup clearly is armor. At one point he gets hit in the shoulder with a lightsabre, and is merely damaged, not dismembered as is typical for people getting hit in the shoulder with lightsabres. Anything that tough that’s worn by a person counts as armor in my book. He’s more machine than man, now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-purpose-of-storm-troopers-armor/792468.md?page=3)