Uniform Updates for the Star Army of Yamatai

[Wes]

If I put the opening in the middle of the jacket, it wouldn't look as "Yamatai." I don't want it to look exactly like the real world. Without colors, the working uniform shirt is literally featureless. The leg pockets will use buttons to avoid velcro noises.

 

[Aendri]

Velcro is worse than anything for anyone who needs to work in the field. It comes undone easily, it's loud, and it gets filled with all sorts of junk as time goes on. It's just not worth it on the whole, and every guy I've talked to about it from my dad's time in the SF groups says the same thing. A zipper, a button... Heck, this is SARP. Why not have some weird, scifi connecting tech where you just press the edge against it and it seals up?

 

[Reynolds]

Yeah, much like my comment about sci fi camo, I'm not sure why the uniforms are so low tech.

Considering Neko and Minkan and such can project patterns above their skin, why not just issue them a belt to hold their gun and let them handle the rest?

 

[CadetNewb]

With the working Uniform, I assume the zipper goes down the front or the back, and it aesthetically screams Yamatai. Though coloring it as a whole would make it look featureless, we just need to simply avoid doing so. I recommend that the chest portion remain a single solid color such as a field gray, while the rest be some shade of olive or sage. The uniform would look very good that way, and on top of it, Reynolds' suggestion would do the rest for every theater soldiers find themselves in.

Cheap, color changing pigments are all that's needed to give it a camouflage pattern to fit the environment while making sure we have a uniform that's comfortable, functional and Yamataian. A plate carrier can simply be worn over it if needed.

 

[Wes]

With the working Uniform, I assume the zipper goes down the front or the back, and it aesthetically screams Yamatai.

It's a spandex pullover.

Here's a button version, with some snug-fitting wrists like a bomber jacket. The name tape thing is now a hidden pocket.



As for color-changing, it's probably easier to make a few basic environment colors to choose from and call it a day. I mean, most Star Army soldiers don't actually visit that many planets in any given year. We could make a sci-fi color changing one as an option. For the purposes of this art, it doesn't matter, and I'm getting pretty frustrated.

So here's the look right now: This top, plus some working uniform pants and boots or some baggy Japanese construction worker pants with jika-tabi, and a Star Army sailor cap until we figure out something better for ground forces headwear. I think the boots, belts, and gloves will just be the traditional dark gray as shown in the belt above.

 

[CadetNewb]

I'm sorry Wes, but the design just reminds me of "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" or "The Rocketeer"

That music is pretty much what I'm hearing when that uniform is given darker colors. Meanwhile, when given lighter colors, it reminds me of Star Trek. Though both franchises were good for their own reasons, they're not Star Army, and even overshadow us in a sense. We need to stand on our own and be distinct. That's why a modified Working Uniform is much better. Even if it is a spandex pullover, that's still perfectly viable - in the sense of how it's put on and off, it's very similar to the Army Combat Shirt. The FROG that the Marine Corps uses is in the same area too.

There's also the comfort factor to take into consideration as well. If any of us is going to be wearing body armor, it's better worn over a shirt than a jacket. The latter gets hot and sweaty very fast, and even if Neko don't sweat, it's still more cloth under the vest that'll rub and chafe during extended periods of physical exertion.

 

[Amaryllis]

Why don't we just admit bodysuits were the best thing to ever happen to Yamataian uniforms and go with them? They're the ultimate in comfort and flexibility and every Neko gets to feel like a spandex wearing superhero and everyone Neko gets to act like one because they are all able to fly.

Bodysuits are the space future. All spaceship traveling and mecha and power armor shows told me so.

How about a dull blue for our default colour with suits that can somehow change to any colour on the spectrum? Blue is Yamatai after all. It's in the flag. No need for olive. We could just say our suits have nanomachines that can give us any kind of cool camo pattern we want.

Also, @Demonblooded is a meanie for trying to kill our Jika-tabi with supposed realism. We've got cat/elf people whose homeworld used to have magic and underground beings called demons and still has elves and trolls (Tom played a troll). Who doesn't want to play a flying samurai ninja space pizza cat? I know I do.

The more uniforms are changed the less time we have to actually see if we inherently like them and the less time we have to grow to like them regardless.
Be a strong dictator with an iron paw and stick with a uniform for ages Wes. We need stability, not change.

Oh, and why not work on uniform accessories and little gadgets and whatnot that are or close to standard issue/widely used instead?

 

[Wes]

Based on the lines alone, what jacket looks better, 1 or 2?

1.

2:

 

[Yoshi]

after scrolling back and forth I think I like 2 better, the down cut line causes the top to look less busy and flows better.

 

[Wes]

How about a dull blue for our default colour with suits that can somehow change to any colour on the spectrum? Blue is Yamatai after all. It's in the flag. No need for olive. We could just say our suits have nanomachines that can give us any kind of cool camo pattern we want.

Spoiler

 

[OsakanOne]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[CadetNewb]

Oh god, that's good. So long as the SAoY doesn't shoot them down, my sides will stay in orbit.

Anyways, the nanomachines would do the trick, but they're a bit expensive, so that's why I suggested pigments that could be prompted to change as needed a few posts back. As for the direction of the triangle, I think it party depends on what direction we want it to go in. Do we want this to be closer to the Type 30 Duty Uniform, or the Type 31 Working Uniform? I do agree with Yoshi however; #2 looks better. However, if the shoulders weren't rigid and softer or more rounded, #1 would look far better on our Neko.

In regards to Jika-Tabi however, they do have some very real disadvantages. It all really boils down to whether or not the user thinks the tradeoff is worth it - with Nekovalkyrja, that's likely to be the case.

 

[Amaryllis]

Anyways, the nanomachines would do the trick, but they're a bit expensive

What if Neko grew their uniforms?

#1 would look far better on our Neko.

I agree.

 

[Wes]

Alright, hopefully this will be the final version. Other colors will be available.

 

[Reynolds]

I think that looks better. I feel like that bottom half under the V should be different somehow, though. Like a different shade or material, since it's sectioned off. Or pockets...I don't know.

 

[Wes]

I dunno. I'm pretty satisfied and I've been working on the art for 3 days now. Also we need to keep the bottom of the jacket clear for body armor and especially the utility belt.

Here's the page I made for the jacket. Let me know if it looks okay.

Now we just got to figure out pants and footwear.

Edit: The more I think about it, this jacket top doesn't really match the Japanese style pants and jika-tabi. So I'm thinking we should just reuse the working uniform pants design.

 

[CadetNewb]

I agree with Reynolds, and it's something that I mentioned before with modifying the Type 31 Working Uniform for this purpose. Seeing this go on, I think I'll give it a crack myself.

 

[Wes]

I noticed that the pants of the working uniform do not have any side pockets.

Since we're introducing a new jacket for the planetary troops, maybe we should alter the pants too.

I'm thinking the pants should basically be like these:




These are Propper Tactical Pants. They're my favorite type of pants (I get them in khaki so they look like cargo pants).

Also, I'm thinking about adding pockets on the knees for kneepads.

 

[Wes]

I'm changing the arm pockets back to velcro. It's more convenient and it's good enough for the U.S. Army, the most well-researched military in the world, as well as the US Marine Corps and the law-enforcement-oriented pants linked above, plus I like it better. The majority of soldiers in the Star Army of Yamatai aren't going to be using their arm pockets during stealth activity anyway.

Note: The front will stay zipper-only and any pants pockets will still be buttons as these pockets are used for heavier stuff and used more often.

 

[Fred]

Velcro is probably fine if you consider the Star Army uniforms more like astronaut outfits. Astronauts like velcro. Or, they might work in airless environment where there's no sound anyways.

It's probably on the more tactical outfits that you'd want to avoid the sound.