Let me first say: DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE! I'm not suggesting anyone needs a guide or should follow it, I just felt like throwing this list of screen accurate "looks" together for the various pieces of kit and how they are worn. Figured it could be useful/fun for anyone who is new and curious what accessories are out there, or even vets who are looking to flesh out their kit.

For more info on...
Sidearms and Knives: see viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12723&hilit=sidearm
Character Personalizations: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12357&hilit=personalization
Expanded Universe weapons: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12642&hilit=iron+bear


The focus here is really about the uniform, gear, and preferences for how and what is worn.
*(Grenades do make the list, but personally I consider them an accessory for costuming purposes).

With a standard combat uniform, there are only so many ways to “wear something different”, but our beloved Marines do try. I'll start off with the "soft parts" accessories

-First up, SLEEVES!

Long Sleeve Club: Apone, Crowe, Gorman (in jacket), Spunkmeyer
Semi/half roll: Ferro, Frost, Gorman (in shirt), Dietrich (more of a 'scrunch' than a 'roll')
Rolled up sleeves: Ski, Hudson, Hicks (extreme roll to arm pits)
Sleeveless: The smart gunners



-Chin Straps! Bet no one really ever thought about screen accuracy of chin strap placement before

Keep em secured, dont want it falling off: Apone, Crowe
Loose and Dangly. Low key, man: Hudson, Dietrich, Ski
Secured in Helmet band out of way: Hicks, Frost (Lft side up, Rt side dangly)



-Gloves

Smartgunners and Ferro (right hand only) wore various styles of gloves. Dietrich had her right hand wrapped, but not sure I'd call it a "glove"...



-Pouches

With the exception of the smart gunners, who do not wear them at all, The "standard" layout for pouches is one "small pouch" on the right hip, and one "large pouch" on the left buttocks. The variations occur when there is more gear added, like Hudson's hack pouch and Dietrich's medic bag which leads to them being scooted to other spots of the belt. Hicks is the only exception. He only has the one large pouch (2nd pic of Hicks is actually Remar as Hicks, but Hicks' single pouch is visible several time in film).



-Bags (Medic bag and Dump bag)

Not a "popular" item with the marines, but certainly a plausible "standard issue" item. Dietrich's medical bag features a red cross where Frost's is presumably empty for "just in case" situations (like ill fated ammo carrying).

And now on to the fun stuff: Hardware and gear accessories.

-Belt Tools!!! (the most underrated prop in my humble opinion)

The only webbing-sporting Marine that does not have any belt tool is Ski. Naturally Gorman and the Smart gunners don't have them (no webbing to make them look good!) but everyone else has AT LEAST one!!!

Hudson: x 1 on belt (left pelvis)
Hicks: x 1 on belt (right pelvis [and upside down?! Most others go barrel down. Hicks has barrel up])
Apone: x 3 on belt and strap (on each pelvis and one left strap)
Frost: x 3 on belt (two right pelvis, one on left pelvis)
Dietrich: x 2 on belt (one each pelvis)
Crowe: x 2 on belt (two right pelvis)




-Grenades

Not as popular as some people think. The grenades on bandoliers worn Gorman and Ripley near the end of the movie account for the vast majority of actual grenade related action seen on film. Only 2 Marines fill both straps (Ski and Frost) and our hero Hicks starts with 4 (seen only with 3 later in film). No one else carries them



-Hand Welders

Carried initially by Hicks and Hudson (Vaz grabs Hudson's at some point) these puppies really are just tied to the belt with para-cord.



-Motion Trackers

Again, Hicks and Hudson (one each squad when they split up) carry them initially. Hicks' gets passed around like a joint at a Phish concert. Frost, Vaz and Ripley all get a turn with it.



-Racal Headsets

The radio of choice for not radio-equipped headgear. Sported by Gorman initially, Hicks ditches the helmet for one quickly and Spunkmeyer wears one when not wearing his flight helmet. This prop is great for literally any costume including officers, flight crew, and ground pounding marines.

Last two bits are essentially "one offs". Not popular nor necessary, but a nice addition if you like extra stuff.


-Hudson's Hack Kit

Presumably one guy in every squad might have one. Hudson wore his like so...



-Apone's binoculars

Again, likely one per squad issued. Cool bit of hardware, but not too many wearing options other than "slung around neck"




So anyways...that about wraps it up for SA gear. Hope this is useful to someone, and if not...hey, at least I entertained myself for a couple hours putting it together!

Very cool. The grenades was an eye opener to me, and I somehow missed that Crowe had two belt tools (not that it matters at all, but it's fun trivia).

I hadn't seen that shot of Hudson's hack pouch before either, so that's a bonus! Nice work as usual. It's always good to see how the rest of the squad was equipped afterall.

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

I LOVVVVVED Reading this. And the other threads.
All this talk about Hack pouches recently had me wondering where it goes an learned a few other things.
Thanks man!

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Check it out!
Independently targeting particle beam phalanx. Vwap! Fry half a city with this puppy.
We got tactical smart missiles, phase-plasma pulse rifles, RPGs, we got sonic electronic ball breakers!
We got nukes, we got knives, sharp sticks...

Great thread idea. I'm sure this is very helpfull for everyone who's trying to build a very screen accurate armor, action figures etc.

I was suprised to find out that Hudson doesn't carry any granates with him. It seems I was using the wrong picture as a reference when I was sculpting my Hudson Lego custom figure. This remade prop by Terry English had four of them.

nice pic of hudsons hack kit but what is that under his backplate in the arm hole????? and in the welder pics of hicks, there is a wire going into his belt pouch and it is obviously weighty, whats that about? power pack for the shoulder lamp possibly???? I have never seen ether one of those pics!

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Pt. Graham "gunny" Green
A07/TQ2.0.12129E1
UKCM 501st Regt. 1st Batt. The Bucketheads

Yup, you nailed it. The power cord for the shoulder lamps. They were hard wired. Crazy right? You can see it better in the pic of Frost's back on the "bag" section.





Thanks guys When I was researching to build my various scale figures is when I got obsessed with this minutiae. The devil in the details is just such a fun thing for me (for some reason).

Perfectly put together.

Bravo.

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You don't have to be pitilessly sadistic to work here.... But it helps.
http://www.chefs-creations.co.uk/shop/index.php/colonial-marine

http://www.kgbairsoft.com/wordpress

On the picture of Hudson's MT, what is the thing between the MT strap and the shoulder armour? I can't figure it out!

Edit: it's his loose chin strap. For some reason I thought it looked like a flattened tube running along the edge of the shoulder piece...

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

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"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

This will be a very helpful thread, thanks mate!

Cheers,
Doug

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A11/TQ1.0.4214
Sgt Doug Phillips
69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes

"If it doesn't get you dirty, it's not worth doing."

Superb stuff....Thank you!

AND For me, the realistic variation in kit from person to person and the obvious wear/customisations are what make the USCM 'real'. This illustrates why I love the depiction.

Look at other Sci Fi Militaries (Starship Trooper Mobile Infantry and Star Wars Stormtroopers off the top of my head- but even the most recent Hunger Games Peacekeepers) and their uniforms are identical, parade ready- too clean by half. For me, that makes them look very obviously like actors in studio gear, not soldiers

Real troops will vary their personal kit within the bounds (or beyond) of regs to suit their preferences- meaning, while they are wearing the same uniform they are anything but uniform

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2nd Lt Jon "Jaylo" Lopez
A11/TQ1.0.72144E1
USCM Quality Assurance Division- Aerospace and Space Products- Earth
"Checklists Save Lives- No Service Stations at 30,000ft"

Bravo! Great thread.