Imperial Royal Armour

Overview

The Imperial Royal Armour is comprised of two crucial units: the (body) armour itself and the helmet.

Imperial Royal Armour

Among the most recognizable armours in the galaxy is that of the Imperial Royal Guard. The concept and design for the Imperial Royal Armour was greatly influenced by the armours of the Mandalorian Death Watch, the Senate Guards of the old Galactic Republic, and the Sun Guards of the Thyrsus system. All were elite units who invoked fear in even the most hardened of adversaries; a psychological effect upon which Imperial guardsmen sought to capitalize.

Aside from the head, the armour covers the entire upper body. A pair of molded plates guard the chest and are designed to absorb major impacts from brute force attacks and projectile weaponry. Across the abdomen are multiple layered and jointed plates which increase flexibility without sacrificing protection. Each shoulder guard has a double layered plating and is mounted so that a pivoting connection is maintained to the chest and back plates, along with the portion of the armour which encases the upper arms; maintaining excellent range of motion. The armour also extends down to the forearms, safely encasing them for use in parries and deflection of slashing attacks. The back plate is the foundation for all the pieces and is reinforced, unarguably making it the single strongest portion of the armour.

Beneath the armour is shock absorbent padding which increases protection against kinetic and concussive energy. This padding also makes the armour more comfortable when having to be worn for long periods of time. The armour can be worn alone, concealed beneath a tunic for clandestine operations, or with an attached cape or robe - lending a more stately appearance. The Imperial Royal Guard typically wears a cape over the armour and both are scarlet in color; though it can easily be painted to match the tactical environment or other requirement.

Imperial Royal Helmet

While the inspiration for the Imperial Royal Armour came from a combination of historically elite unit armours, the helmet design was taken almost exclusively from that of the Sun Guards of the Thyrsus system. It has been widely rumored that an early era emperor was partial to the Sun Guards due to their ferocious mercenary reputation and association with the Sith, and as such commandeered their helmet design for use in his own personal guard.

The helmet is a functional, yet elegant, capstone for the set. It is a single piece that fits over the head to rest easily upon the shoulders and lock securely into place. The helmet's appearance of inflexibility and restrictive visibility is deceiving; set into the front of the helmet is a wide-angled viewport that provides nearly unobstructed vision and peripherals, including vision filters and magnifiers. The rigid appearance is intended to intimidate, showing only a minimal black faceplate and an unreadable, unemotional visage. Some modified versions of the helmet add a vertical cut below the normal horizontal viewport to provide even greater vision. The helmet also includes an internal comlink for coordination and communication. The helmet is traditionally scarlet-coloured when used by the Imperial Royal Guard.