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Uniform Updates for the Star Army of Yamatai

I think that side arms are very wise to keep handy. Considering that the bulk of the Star Army is geared towards frontline combat. And in frontline combat, any moment could hold a potential for a boarding party to board the vessel. Or even in a non-combat situation a sidearm would prove very useful.

Example: Black Ops Neko invasion of the Sakura.
 
While on a starship, I believe that the crew should not carry a sidearm unless there is an immediate threat of being boarded. In that case, non-combat personnel (technical sentries, bridge officers, engineers, etc.) would be ordered to the ship's armory and the master-at-arms (or whoever is in charge of that type of stuff on a SA ship) allows the crew access. Combat personnel (power armor pilots) would, of course, go to suit up.

While on an away mission to a hostile or unexplored planet, those not equipped with power armor would wear their sidearm, in addition to whatever weapon their commanding officer/NCO chose to equip them with. During a diplomatic mission, I think that wearing a sidearm would be up to the highest authority in the chain of command concerned with said mission (this will generally be someone very high up, as diplomacy is a sensitive matter).

The soldier's profession should also come into play when addressing the wearing of a sidearm. A military policeman would be more likely to wear his sidearm all the time, regardless of where they are than a technical sentry, or even a power armor pilot would.

However, it would all really depend on what you want the sidearm to represent in concerns to the Star Army. Is it meant to be a tool for protection or a symbol of the Star Army's power? A deterrence against hostiles or a device worn with the uniform? The matter of wearing sidearms all the time is really up to how you think Yamatai's militaristic society would feel about doing so.

That's just what I think about this.
 
Question: Do you think it is necessary and/or practical Star Army members to be wearing pants or stockings all the time? Would it be better to only require them off-ship, or perhaps only on combat missions?

Well, sometimes it is nice from a GM perspective to have the characters more vulnerable and/or less powerful. I mean, it would allow for a greater sense of danger and fear for a character in a dangerous situation
 
It's a military uniform ... I guess you can make it whatever you want, but if men aren't wearing pants, what are they wearing?
 
If there's an intruder, you'd best have your pants on your person rather than leaving them laying around in your rooms, anyway.
 
Pants are lame. Real men wear boxers everywhere.
 
I think that being fully clothed is only proper. But on more relaxed ships, such as the Sakura, it could be acceptable to go about in some other attire. Such as a kilt.
 
My personal opinion on the matter is that any member of a armed force is representative of their nation, and the service, and as such should conduct themselves with a proper level of decorum, both while wearing the uniform and not. I do realize that it is unrealistic to expect a soldier to strictly adhere to strict behavioral codes while on leave and such, but even then they should not go do crazy shit (such as getting drunk and doing very stupid things, [note: this is a actual article of Courts Martial (article 134 section 73, to those who care))] or running through the streets naked).

While on duty, however, I strongly feel that they should show such proper behavior. While on duty they should also wear the uniform, in its entirety, properly. This would rule out kilts I am afraid. As a soldier (and possibly officer) you should take pride in wearing your uniform, and in it being in good order. Off duty (but still on ship or other military facility) things could be more lax, but only to a certain degree.

So I have to say that, yes, pants are a must (or skirts, for females, if they so wish) imo for any soldier or officer while on duty (or off duty, if the other option is running about the ship/base in their underwear).
 
But you have to remember....

That is applying a Human standard of conduct. Nekos aren't exactly human and their culture is a lot more free-willed than what we're used to.
 
I'll have to disagree, Derran.

I would say that Neko culture would be more conformist than Western cultures. They only seem more free-willed because they (as a culture) condone a lot of things that are frowned upon by Western cultures. More socially conservative Nekos probably experience significant peer pressure to conform to societal norms.

We must also consider that a Neko only needs a momentary mental effort each morning to go into full uniform via her holographic projectors (after slipping her boots on). It's not exactly draconian to require them to be in uniform even while off duty.

And Wes, why are we having a serious conversation about pants and stockings? XD How much protection do they really provide in this setting? Besides from cat-calls from Nekos, I mean. :D
 
Um, maybe this was just a parody thread? Surprising that it got more attention that the more serious firearm thread. XD
 
I got a funny idea while doing the sidearms thread to repost my question with the word "sidearm" replaced with pants. I'm both impressed and baffled at the serious responses it received.
 
Wes said:
I got a funny idea while doing the sidearms thread to repost my question with the word "sidearm" replaced with pants. I'm both impressed and baffled at the serious responses it received.
Click to expand...

Jesus. And here I thought I was crazy for thinking that.
 
Knowing this is a joke makes my answer fit better, I guess...and I was wondering what pants had to do with being "less powerful" and more vulnerable..."Bewear the might of the AMAZING POWER PANTS!!!"

Anyway, you wouldn't want your army to be caught with their pants down, would you? Or off, in this case.
 
I agree with Derran on this point. Carrying weapons on board a ship is not only largely pointless - as Kotori says anything capable of getting in to an SA vessel is unlikely to be stopped with a pistol - but actually damaging to the ship. Little can be more annoying than the damage that even friendly fire can do to the inners of a ship, especially given that the NSP might be able to effect Zesuaium (I forget exactly how an NSP works but does it not function at least partially as a molecular disruptor?).

Officers should be able to carry firearms not only as a symbol of status (and a sword, because we all know that those are just the greatest for status symbols) but also because they can be trusted with them to a greater degree and for the off chance of mutiny. Nothing is better than having the officers, armed, against a swarm of unarmed mutineers.

Perhaps the development of some form of weapon interior friendly would be a decent idea ... but in general I think it is the best idea to keep the lower echelons away from weapons when they are not required for their duties. Or training.
 
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