Sweet!

My Marine is a Corpsman, yet I made a "bypass kit", have some extra MT parts tucked in my helmet band and carry binoculars. One thing about the Raiders concept that appeals to me is that this sort of multifunctional preparedness feels right at last. To quote General Chang, "in space, all warriors are cold warriors".

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

I'm working on more materials and decided to add at least one world in connection with the 'Raider' project.

NIX

Nix - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11813&p=179307#p179307

Nix is a wet planet with heavy vegetation and numerous jungle coastlines, islands, archipelagoes, wetlands, swamps and every other watery what-have-you to be named. It was originally named 'Phoenix', not for the mythological bird, southwestern city or constellation of the same name, but for the genetically modified date palms which thrived in numerous climate regions around the virgining world. However, the designation for the planet quickly degenerated to Nix, after the dangerous water spirit of mythology. The locals simply found life too dangerous and challenging not to alter the name by repetitious complaint, often making dour references to the world in every day conversations. The name was immediately argued against on many fronts from public relations to scientific communities. First, it had a somewhat funerial sound to it, which wasn't helped by oft spelling with a 'Y' (a direct reference to the goddess of night and death). Second, the scientific community at large didn't feel that any extrasolar planet should bear the same name as a moon of Pluto.

Neither of these primary arguments (or any minor ones) could keep the name from sticking and within a generation no one called it Phoenix at all.

Strangely, the name proved very fitting over time as it remained an unusual world in the annuls of terraforming. Vegetation took so well in the early days on Nix that the standard, carefully scheduled seeding of plants was set aside in favor of a laissez-faire kind of abandon. Colonists, speculative venture capitalists and not a few disreputable scientists brought in hundreds of unlicensed seedlings and Nix quickly became a hot house, almost a 'hot bed' of greenhouse activity. With these un-inspected plants came insects and vermin that spread more than a few pestilences among the early colonists. Nix was the proverbial slippery slope and it took many years to find places of safety and balance. Parts of Nix are still chaotic enough that the world has become a favorite testing ground for many military projects and eventually came to serve as a permanent training destination for the Marine Raiders.

It is quite common for one Raider to inquire of another if they've been 'Nixed'. Many would be Raiders apply for training there specifically to secure this very exclusive epithet. Raiders who have served on Nix proudly wear a patch or pin, not decorated in the standard laurels, but bearing a simple, golden 'frond', the only hold-over from the planet's earlier name.

Okay, time to knuckle down and talk patch placements.

The original Marine Raider patch was worn high on the left sleeve near the shoulder, but the standard Colonial Marine uniform has the flag patch in that location, so it stands to reason that we place it elsewhere. The left pocket of the Colonial Marines is the standard location for ship patches and occasionally the round delta patch, is it not? Would placing the Marine Raider patch on the Right front pocket crowd the uniform look?

As far as placement directly on the armor, I'm still behind Bacta Baby's suggested location on the shoulder tabs. See previous images from Bacta Baby and retrograde. I propose we accept that for placement on armor for all Marine Raiders.

could do it as a replacement for the ship patch.

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Prime Сasual Dating

How big is the patch in relation to the chest pocket? I quite like the chest pocket placement idea.

Having your Raider patch on the chest where the ship patch goes? That's going to hide it if you wear your armor. I wouldn't want to hide my Raider patch. I would want my comrades and also the enemy know the Raider presence. That's the way I see it.

I like Bacta's placement on the armor tab. It's visible and won't replace any existing patches.

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"How do you want this door? Bypassed or blown to shit?"

What about gunners? we don't have shoulder armour

You may not have shoulder armor but you have the chest or the top strap armor? Where it can be visibly seen. I wouldn't want to hide a badass patch imo.

I thought of that too, but I'd rather not replace anything that's standard canon unless a majority of people who wish to portray Marine Raiders would like to go that route. Also, placing it there might preclude the placement of future ships designated as 'Raider' vessels.




The patch is 3" wide x 4" tall. How big is the pocket space below the pocket flap on those standard shirts?




The armor would hide it, but it's been suggested that we have a placement on the shirt and the armor to avoid this problem. The shoulder tabs are perfect for the patches. Now we need to pick a uniform spot for armor-less viewing and dress uniform events.




Agreed, but I'd still like to have a dress uniform and bdu placement for people who aren't wearing their armor at specific events.






I'd strongly recommend the top, center flat surface on the chestplate.

Right on yellowjacket.

Oh wait. Would that create a bright target in the center of the armor...? A kind of 'shoot here' spot.

Maybe a collar tab version? In addition to the larger patch?

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"How do you want this door? Bypassed or blown to shit?"

That's an interesting idea right there. I could make a tiny version of the patch by isolating the skull within the diamond...

The reason I don't wish to put it on one of my shoulders is because I already have 2 things in mind for those places: a red diamond (a symbol of having passed infantry corps training here in NZ), and a NZ Coat of Arms badge.

I have nothing against those that chose to put their Raider patches on their shoulders, I just feel it's not for me.

However, I love the idea of a smaller patch, you could also possibly place it (the small patch) in between the flag and rank chevron maybe?? Dunno how much space there is, but if it were small enough to go on the collar, surely it could fit elsewhere?

And I like black. Good Kiwi colour.

That's awesome Prev and completely understand. I would like to put my company logo some where also.

Maybe the placement could be different based on theater or some other factors? For instance, deployment or patrol to the Nix system would be identified by patch placement on armor tabs.
Something like that to allow for different patch placement.

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"How do you want this door? Bypassed or blown to shit?"

The placement of the Raiders patch on the armor tabs would never be a uniform requirement. We're just setting standards for people who want to go with a general look. Raiders would have the option of wearing the patches on the tabs or not.




Agreed. A smaller patch could very likely go between the flag and the rank. I'll do some uniform mock-up images when I get a chance, so we can see possible placement ideas.




I still lean toward the patch or no patch on the tabs as a personal choice per Raider. The only truly definitive 'NIX' emblem will be the palm frond, which I'm designing now. The palm frond patch will be tiny enough to place above a pocket or below the USCM patch on the right sleeve.

We need some good Raider graffiti. Things to do with amphibious forces and the nature of the work.

"Slippery When Wet"

"Just add water"

"Only Dead Fish swim with the stream"

Just typing out loud.

I'm a fan of 'Come Hell or High Water'.

"The wetter it is, the faster we come"

"between the devil and the deep blue sea"

"Calm before the storm"

"Rubber Ducky"

"I shore can"

I'm going with Bottom Feeder.

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"How do you want this door? Bypassed or blown to shit?"

Niiice. That made me laugh.

You could always paint the Raiders design onto your armour, in case you didn't want to be using the patch?

I feel patches belong on uniforms, paint/stickers/decals on armour.


But that's just this grunt.

It's the pretty similar as in wearing your patches on your body armor/tactical vest. But whatever works for the person honestly.