Marine assault armor

"Most of you know how to put on your basic battle armor in your sleep. But Marine armor is a bit more complicated. This suit is vacuum-rated, and its seals will keep out anything from airborne pathogens to nuclear waste, as long as you keep your helmet screwed firmly on your face. This is partly why they call us 'jarheads,' apart from our first battle helmets resembling spice jars."

- Laera Reyolé, describing Marine assault armor to a platoon of Army troopers

Marine assault armor was a suit of heavy battle armor developed specifically for use by the Republic Marines. Due to the nature of their roles and the fact that they were a relatively small percentage of the, the Marine Corps enjoyed the use of some of the best suits of armor that Republic armorsmiths could craft. Built of tough, reinforced and comprising eighteen separate pieces, Marines considered their armor to be roughly on par with that worn by the average  trooper. The materials used made for a heavier suit than what troopers wore, but new recruits were conditioned to accept its bulk by wearing suits that were identical to standard assault armor, but made of significantly heavier materials. These suits would be worn through most of basic training, so that by the time a newly-minted Marine received their standard issue armor, they were well-equipped to handle any potential hindrances to mobility.

The first type of assault armor, developed in the wake of the, included a large, somewhat bulky cylindrical helmet that appeared to many outside observers to resemble an inverted jar. This resulted in Marines often being referred to as "jarheads," a title that they would never succeed in squelching even after their suits were redesigned and modernized. This new version included a number of key developments, the most noticeable of which were the slimmed-down and upgraded helmet, the replacement of the right shoulder piece with a reinforced pauldron which nested well with Marine-issue blaster rifles, the separation of the shin armor into boots, and the addition of extra pouches on the utility belt. Marine armor had always been vacuum-rated, but the new set further protected the wearer from exposure to airborne contaminants that included biological pathogens, chemical irritants and agents, and the fallout from nuclear weapons.

Behind the scenes
The design and artwork for Marine assault armor, which was done by fan fiction author Sean "Goodwood" Nahs, was inspired by a number of things. Initially, he had intended the armor to resemble that seen by the Republic troopers in the cinematic trailer for . The actual design came about when Nash saw the image for armor, found in , which he endeavored to modify for use in crafting the armor worn by his Republic Marines.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Death and Life
 * A Marine Went to Jedi Camp
 * Star Wars: Saber Battalion
 * The Last Full Measure
 * The Great Leap Forward