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From: richardt@orstcs.UUCP (richardt)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re:Stormtrooper's armor
Message-ID: <7800047@orstcs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Sep-85 19:33:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: orstcs.7800047
Posted: Mon Sep 16 19:33:00 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Sep-85 00:22:57 EDT
Organization: Oregon State University - Corvallis, OR
Lines: 58
Nf-ID: #N:orstcs:7800047:000:2861
Nf-From: orstcs!richardt    Sep 16 15:33:00 1985

[om mani padme *munch*]

>[albeit paraphrased quote] 
>why do we see stormtroopers running around in armor on Endor?
>Why not battle fatigues?

I think I can answer this one by drawing a historical analogy:  consider
the behavior of the Brtish during the American revolution.  Here we had
two basic types of behavior: the natives who were resorting to guerilla
warfare because of lack of numbers, but who had better tactics; and an
old and well established army fighting on unknown territory *and valiantly
attempting to uphold the morale and efficiency of the troops*.  The British
didn't figure out what was happening for a long while, and didn't figure out
how to handle it until they had already lost.  Now, recast the roles,
considering the Rebels and the Ewoks as the guerillas, and the stormtroopers
as the British.  The Rebels have high morale due to the nature of their cause
and their basic methods (proof: the current Israeli wars);  The Rebels on
the ground are famioliar with the territory because the Ewoks are showing
them around; The Ewoks have been maintaining surveillance and setting traps,
but are fighting a slowly losing battle because of lack of numbers and 
technology.  The Empire, on the other hand, has low morale in the first place
(proof: current Soviet *TROOPS*), which is being augmented by dealing
with unknown territory and unfamiliar tactics.  They cling to their 
armor, which is effective for ceremonial, morale, and shipboard purposes,
in an effort to maintain morale in a hostile situation.

> given that they are in a dangerous position, why does the Empire maintain
> the shield from Endor?

Three factors seem to be involved.  First, the Empire was slowly killing off
the Ewoks before the Rebels came along.  Second, the basic perversion of
rational thinking which allows planners who believe that they are impervious
to attack to make poor decisions:  The designers of the Death Star were
unwilling to believe that it had basic design flaws [Gee, that sounds
familiar...].  So, too, the poeple who orderred the Shield control to
the ground legitimately did not realize a threat existed.  Third, the 
mechanics of the shield required a planet or large moon. [Lucas seems to like
Earth-type planets around Gas Giants.]  The shield could be mounted on an
artificial asteroid, but would be too vulnerabl and unstable.


				orstcs!richardt
				"The Apparition"
Richard Threadgill
104 S 20th 		<-- SnailMail address soon to be changed
Philomath Or 97370 

"All of them are in tune, the ones who really love you,
	walk together outside the wall
 Some hand in hand,
	Some gathered together in bands;
 The bleeding hearts, and the artists
	Make their stand
 And when they've given you their all,
	Some stagger and fall
 After all, it's not easy,
	Banging your heart against some mad bugger's wall"
			-Pink Floyd, "The "Wall"


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