Governor's Gambit - Star Wars SI into Imperial Governor

[Aeroeng]

I will say, we should get in on the 1-H Hover tank. there was originally only 1,500 built with 1,420 being on the Deathstar 1 when it blew, if we set up a factory for them we have a powerful, cheap hovertank.(each one costs only 50,000 for this one, 45,000 for the 1-M[medium], and 40,000 for the 1-L[Light], which is cheap compared to the 42,000 for the Sabre Tank)

Click to shrink...

Also, a walker we can make that will be greatly useful is AT-ED, its a droid but apparently loved in the outer-rim.

 

[Andrew1993]

I will say, we should get in on the 1-H Hover tank. there was originally only 1,500 built with 1,420 being on the Deathstar 1 when it blew, if we set up a factory for them we have a powerful, cheap hovertank.(each one costs only 50,000 for this one, 45,000 for the 1-M[medium], and 40,000 for the 1-L[Light], which is cheap compared to the 42,000 for the Sabre Tank)

Click to shrink...

Not to nitpick but the wiki page just says that of the first 1500 that were built 1420 on deathstar and 80 in the hammers not that there were only 1500 built

 

[Aeroeng]

Not to nitpick but the wiki page just says that of the first 1500 that were built 1420 on deathstar and 80 in the hammers not that there were only 1500 built

Click to shrink...

I said *Originally*

 

[Andrew1993]

The way it was written made it seem like there were only 1500 built total, at least to me but the 1hs and other variants were continued to be built at a steady but reduced rate

 

[FollowingStars]

Something else that las can invest in that I just thought of and I think already exists in Star Wars is mantle taps you can invest in it and it might not even be possible (the force will make it possible because it's funnier that way) and you can keep it hidden until you start extracting resources

Edit: I can't find anything so I'm probably miss remembering

 

[COShepard]

I hope the governor's chair is reinforced because author may not want to write lewds Grant is gonna jump on his pelvis if nothing stops her

 

[PotatOS2]

If he wants an effective and loyal royal bodyguards he might want to get grievous approved ig-100 magnaguard

 

[Shane.W]

Las could have R&D waste money by making mini Zoids I mean a 6 foot tall Command Wolf would be awesome for scouting or having it as a partner. He also has that water planet so he could have them start making Hammerheads or the Hammer Kaiser and that thing is space capable.

Command Wolf

The Command Wolf (RZ-009 コマンドウルフ) is a Wolf-type of Zoid, one of over 200 mechanical lifeforms depicted by TOMY's Zoids model, toy, and media franchise. First released as a model kit for the Helic Republic faction in 1987, the Command Wolf is one of the most recognizable and reproduced Zoids in...

zoids.fandom.com

Hammerhead

The Hammerhead (RZ-033 ハンマーヘッド "Hammer Head") is a Hammerhead Shark-type of Zoid, and is one of over 200 species of bio-mechanical lifeforms that form the Zoid race depicted in TOMY's Zoids franchise. The Hammerhead is an aquatic Zoid, but is also capable of flight. It can be equipped with CP-...

zoids.fandom.com

Hammer Kaiser

The Hammer Kaiser is a rarely seen type of transport Zoid, comparable in size to the Whale King and capable of space flight. While being of a similar creature as the Hammerhead its structure hardly resembles the far smaller Zoid. The Hammer Kaiser appears as a massive hammerhead shark type Zoid...

zoids.fandom.com

 

[JackOhLantern]

Another thing the MC can do to spend large amounts of money doing is providing scholarships to people to go learn from any famous/expensive places in the galaxy and then come back with all the knowledge they have learned. It's expensive and will take time to see results.

 

[PurpleTwilight]

Spoiler: Report on the effectives of TIE "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter over the TIE line Space Superiority Starfighter

Report on the effectives of
TIE "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter
over the
TIE line Space Superiority Starfighter

Naval Staff Office of Minda

33:4:1​

​

In light of the rebellion unorthodox tactics I will say that the TIE "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter prototype, which I will refer thereafter as the Defender, was a resounding success. Despite what the bean counters will have you believe.

The main objective of securing the target was unsuccessful and disregarding the unique spacial terrain of the nebula the combat performance was remarkable. Consider this, the Defender performed so well the rebels had to disable it since they could not out fight it.

With three hits a Y-wing was completely unrecoverable and with a direct hit two more were found in the same condition. Based on Y-wing's shield, hull, and maneuverability ratings the X-wing should be downed more often. Half the rated hull and a third of the shielding make the X-wing much more venerable to glancing shots. I see in the armament section a tractor beam is optional. This should be required.

Based on the last known figures of the X-wing and Y-wing sale figures from Incom Corporation and Koensayr Manufacturing the defenders performance would give us a significant resource advantage in fighter trading against the Rebellion. It should be noted that the TIE line Space Superiority Starfighter's low cost, hence after TIE line, is due to the ubiquity of the parts. Comparing the cost of one factory making bespoke parts for a prototype to the most ubiquitous starfighter in the galaxy is the most absurd proposition I have heard from an accountant. Still doesn't top the spending on finding and training the top pilots and putting them into cheap screaming metal death traps, but I digress.

If we assume an X-wing is 20% more effective than a TIE line fighter, a low estimate, then the minimum trading per X-Wing will be two fighters. However, based on actual combat data, X-wings cut through TIE squadrons like a thrashing rancor. The reports from the Blockade of Lothal have TIE lines trading 1 to 3, not in our favor, in some after action reports. That is roughly 180,000 credits destroyed compared to the 149,999 credits risked by Rebels'. That is even assuming they bought the X-wing new. During the Blockade of Lothal in spite of the insubordination of the Defender's pilot it had already traded evenly, destroying two X-Wings.

It should be noted going forward that the following figures are based on the TIE line as a value of performance of 1 and the X-wing is given a low estimate of 1.2. The combat figures for the Defender are based of its performance against X-wings and Y-wings. A trade of 1 to 5 in favor for the Defender with the low estimate of 1.2 for the X-wing gives the Defender a performance value of 6 when compared to a TIE line.

If we assume the performance of a TIE line as 1 we can derive some ratios to make decisions and explain the focus on the TIE line. Calculating the Value per Unit Cost, VUC, and using the TIE's number as a denominator we can create a meaningful ratio. The X-wing's ratio is 0.48. This might explain why the accountants favor the TIE line. "Look at this ratio. The TIE is a good deal" they might say ignoring the after action reports of the material and personal lost. Even in the bleakest scenarios of personal incompetence or odds the Defender is better than the TIE line in its best justification, cost effectiveness, ranging from 0.72 to 1.20 in value over a TIE line fighter.

In the scenario presented earlier the Defender traded roughly evenly and when commanded by an experienced pilot destroyed 3 Y-wings then made a gunship and 2 Y-wings flee. The objectives of the battle are superfluous details to its combat performance. It destroyed 404,997 credits in fighters and made 424,998 of damaged enemy assets flee. In both of these scenarios the Defender was a priority target in the battle and was generally outnumbered with other TIE lines providing very little support as combat escorts. Based on combat figures of the Y-wings compared to X-wings a Defender should roughly trade 1 to 5 X-wings, in our favor. A low-end estimate would be 1 to 3 based on the combat data from the Blockade of Lothal if the pilot followed orders.

When we get into Incremental Cost‑Effectiveness Ratio [ICER] under the assumption of 1 to 3 trades in our favor we get some interesting data. The ICER of a TIE line to an X-wing is 449,995, but Defender to an X-wing is 62,500. It is cheaper per performance to field Defenders against X-wings, the primary combat platform of the Rebellion or it takes a lot more credits in TIE lines than Defenders to defeat X-wings.

A small aside, the Net Present Value [NPV] is even better than the TIE by 166% with 1 to 3 trades. This soars to 566% with 1 to 5 trades. This is amazing even from a simplified battle cycle analysis. This is the metric that really matters. These are starfighters not show pieces.

The X-wing despite being used by the Rebellion as a space superiority fighter is not one. It is a multi-role fighter and if given the chance will cause severe damage to capital ships, shown time and time again. An entire squadron of TIE line fighters can be completely wiped out and would only be considered a rounding error compared to the cost of an Imperial I-Star Destroyer. A 1 to 1000 trade for the Rebels is unacceptable. At least with the Defender if a Star Destroyer goes down the fighters are not all lost too and can be used to reinforce another or new Star Destroyer's squadrons.

This is not even considering the tactical options of random patrols of small-craft rather than big cruisers that announce our system presence, the patrolling of space, or the reasons for adopting the Tarkin doctrine. The Defender would nicely address all these issues, but that is for another report.

The Naval Staff Office of Minda recommends that the Defender replaces the TIE line as the new starfighter combat platform. The Defender simply provides more combat performance per credit spent. A space superiority variant should also be highly considered.

Signed,
The Naval Staff Office of Minda

@Freefaller
My attempt at an omake, but i got a mind of metals and wheels XD
gonna hit the hay

 

[OrderedOrb]

If you're still looking for potential money sinks, why not try personal shields for frontline troops en masse? It's been discussed in canon sources and online that the reasons for lacking it are threefold: power supply, cost, and radiation from the shield related to problem 1.

 

[swtoring]

My attempt at an omake, but i got a mind of metals and wheels XD
gonna hit the hay

Click to shrink...

Idk about how it looked in canon but in legends the tie defender, or any replacement of the standard tie really was not going to get adopted since EVERYONE would be against the one pushing for their variants to replace the LNs due to the amout of clout it would earn the one who actually succeeded in making the change

 

[crbox]

My attempt at an omake, but i got a mind of metals and wheels XD
gonna hit the hay

Click to shrink...

My guess is that the Governor will attempt to STOMP on them before they can actually submit that. He doesn't want more attention. Having people go around waving red flags in front of very powerful, very vindictive and evil bulls in the upper reaches of the Imperial Government cause 'look here, You're wrong!' is not good for his life expectancy or job prospects. Especially when one of the people he's going to annoy is likely to be Tarkin himself who is his mother's backer, which gives our mother actual reason to remove us.

 

[Freefaller]

Chp-22: Investigation

Kaela Grant
Minda System, Ugea, Accordia, Imperial Island

The Island was in chaos. Troops were swarming the entire complex, on her orders, and she herself was sitting in the Towers medbay, communicating with the rest of her soldiers through her PDA while she kept watch over the Governor. The governors pet, Mugwuffin, was laid down on the ground by the governor's bacta tank. She had refused to move, and Kaela saw no reason to do so.

The explosive test of the MASA had caused severe damage. In the beginning, it had just seemed like bad luck. The ferrocrete structure that they were watching the test behind just happened to break. In the governor's exact spot. Leaving almost everything else intact or slightly burnt. Just a coincidence, right?

Then the facts started to pile in. Sure, the MASA, like all the other prototypes, was still in the early experimental stages. You could see the welding and exposed wiring. Most lacked even basic features, like the EHMA's and EDCA's being unable to move at the speeds advertised, the HDCA being so heavy it struggled to walk, the MASA lacking internal controls, and a great deal more. These were personal projects, after all, and the prototypes had been developed quickly, for sole use as showpieces and proof of concept. Still months from a fully working version, and years from production in good quality and quantity. And that's assuming the whole department was working on a single one at a time.

The MASA, however, was different. Kinda. While it was roughshod, and the jump jets still had a bevy of problems, the firing mechanism was solid. They were basically the same torpedo tubes you find on TIE bombers, for the sake of simplicity and logistics. Reliable, proven tech. So why did they fail?

Internal security had scoured the data and tapes, and found something. One of the recent hires to the R&D team. Like many of the techs, he had come from the richer core and colony worlds. Places like Coruscant, Corellia, and Kuat. Not for the pay, but for the creative freedom that was promised, and because, like many, the pale man had been practically exiled because of petty power plays and office politics. And, like many of the techs, he seemed to greatly enjoy the freedom given, with special care being put into the MASA. He even worked on it overnight. Thing is, he had called in sick the day of the test. And had failed to pick up his PDA calls.

Her people were hunting him. And when he was found, she would have a long conversation with him about proper work ethic. A bloody conversation.

As she thought about the fate she was to inflict, her eyes caught her reflection in the darkened screen of her PDA. Teeth bared in a furious snarl, eyes dilated into pinpricks, she looked like a beast. A monster. Flashes of old memories lit up in her mind. Of scorn. Of disgust.

Of neglect.

Only the beeping of the bacta tank drew her out of her fugue, and she glanced over at the Governor. The ferrocrete had taken the brunt of the explosion, but not the heat. Burns covered his body extensively. While the bacta would deal with all of the actual injuries and he would turn out perfectly healthy, the scars would forever mar his body. Especially the burns on his face. Covering the left side of his face was a burn that stretched over his eye and left ear, but never reached his hair.

Was it her fault? Logically, no. Emotionally, it felt like it. The defense of Ugea, and by extension the Governor, was her duty. And she failed.

Before she could spiral, her PDA beeped. A message, that all the R&D techs had been assembled and cleared, save for the suspected infiltrator, who they were still hunting. With a single message, she had them brought to her.

First through the door was the Head Engineer, Yop.

"C-Commander, Ma'am. We swear, n-none of us had anythin-"

"Silence"

He obeyed. Her voice was low, but not soft or gentle. Her eyes contained the rage of a beast tempered by the patience of a hunter. A far cry from her usual boisterous state, yet far more terrifying.

"As the second highest officer on the planet at this time, I am afforded emergency powers until the governor recovers. As such, I am effective immediately canceling any and all personal R&D projects for the foreseeable future."

While scared, the various scientists seemed on the verge of complaining. For good reason, to. They had left cushier jobs in the Core for the freedom offered out here, and now they were being told that freedom was to be taken?

Her gaze stopped them in their tracks.

"Failure to properly vet projects before testing, rushing what can only be called the prototypes of prototypes for live exercises, failure to vet personnel. The R&D department has been given a great deal of freedom because the governor believed in your ability to push Minda as a system forward. No longer."

"The main focus will be on the TIE project that is already underway. Any personal projects will not be allowed to enter any stage of production past simulated models. In regards to the armor projects, only the Expeditionary and Mk II trooper armors are to continue background research."

Again, the techs sought to complain, and again, she shut them down.

"For all your technical abilities, you lack the experience needed to understand what is viable on the battlefield. The Expeditionary armor has promise, but not as an individual unit. Instead, its biggest advantage is as a platform. Make the armor and limbs easier to remove and replace. A modular system allows for more practicality and for different kits to be taken on different missions. It might even see success in the civilian sector if done correctly."

Her input seemed to silence them, their scientific minds taking the idea and automatically working them over. Taking this chance, she continued.

"As for the trooper armor, remove the life support and thin the armor panels enough to allow for higher durability than regular armor, but not heavy enough that you can't remove the exoskeleton. For all that your prototype was good, like most of the armors it was over engineered, and the exoskeleton added far too much complexity. Speaking of, the rest of the armors were just that. The defense armor was far too large and bulky, the elite armors were too advanced, and my armor was a massive waste of resources for a single infantry sized unit."

She kept the fact that she still wanted it to herself. This was not the time to complain about her lack of toys. No matter how much she wanted to.

"There will be increased security measures throughout the labs, including full background checks, scans/pat downs during entry/exit and you will no longer be allowed to bring your work home. You can still use your break times to simulate personal projects, but the use of government materials to build said projects is strictly prohibited until the governor is back on his feet, at which point you may petition him for changes to the rules, or present said personal projects for approval."

There was definite grumbling, but the techs acquiesced. With what was likely sabotage having just occurred, restrictions were expected.

"Full cooperation with the investigation is expected. It will be your duty to determine how the MASA prototype failed."

She leaned forward, her tall frame ensuring she was eye level with them even when seated.

"Do not fail. Understood?"

As she spoke, Mugwuffin raised her head, spines straightened and eyes narrowed. A primordial sense of danger permeated the room, and no words were said in response to the Commander. Only frantic nods, none of them nearly confident enough to speak a coherent sentence.

"Good"

As they left, Kaela turned back to her PDA, pulling up the Commodores contact information.

There were preparations to be made, defenses to be reinforced, and people to track.

She would not fail.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sidheth T'vor
Minda System, Ugean Orbit, Forged In Orbit

Sidheth moved with a calm pace through the station, making her way towards the executive office. While she moved like someone with no worries in life, that couldn't be farther from the truth.

The Governor almost died.

Normally, that might be a cause for joy. But as she enters the elevator, she knows that couldn't be farther from the truth.

The current governor of the Minda system, for all that he had bulked up the defense fleet a significant amount, had done nothing against the Rebellion. His laws, reforms and initiatives had brought a relatively large amount of prosperity to the system.

Minda's permanent population had grown from 200k to 500k in a little over a year, with at least another 50k transient population of merchants, traders, mercenaries and commerce convoys that passed through. The average income had risen drastically, and the system as a whole was far richer than before.

Dubrillion had been the premier system of the sector, boasting a population of nearly 30 million, and by far the largest economy of the sector. A few other border worlds held the subsequent positions due to passing trade, while Minda held the position of 7th largest economy/wealthiest system in the sector. Considering it had been at the bottom of the list just over a year ago, it was quite the rise.

A rise the rebellion couldn't use.

For all they spoke of hope, their greatest weapon was the cruelty and incompetence of their enemies. For every city the empire clamped down on, they gained supporters. For every system exploited, they gained a cell. Some cells even incited those atrocities themselves. Disgusting, even if she understood the reasoning.

But Minda lacked that. The Governor here wasn't just competent, he was downright generous. The people of Minda would be very hard pressed to turn, and Sidheth didn't want to turn them. Not that she didn't want more Rebels, but she just didn't believe that the risk was worth it.

And so, she finally entered the office floors. Passing by the variety of workers that managed the bureaucracy of the growing station, she worked her way towards her private elevator, which led to her office.

Forged In Orbit, their company, wasn't a shell company for the Rebellion. It was a fully legal, fully functioning company that actually ended up supplying independents far more than the actual Rebellion. They just ensured that when they scrapped ships for parts, some of the parts other cells needed were deemed overly damaged, and only fit to be sent on the next scrap hauler.

If a container of scrap was lost on the way, who would really bat an eye.

Sitting down at her desk, she began to compose a message for Vilil. On the surface, it was a message to a supplier of industrial tools asking for a shipment of newly needed welders. Which they did actually need. Underneath, it was code. Simply, Governor injured, sabotage, who? A question. She needed to know if this was another cell, like the more radical Partisans. If it was, then their entire operation was in jeopardy, and she couldn't have that.

The Rebellion relied on the parts this station produced, and it's operations could not be jeopardized by some overzealous idiots.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hiya folks. Shorter one today, and a little late. Got caught up reading The Knight Only Lives Today on Comick, cause it's an absolute BANGER of a story.

Anyways, I had an extra POV planned for this chapter, but I figure I'll just toss it in as the opening for the next one.

Spent way too long watching Snatch with friends and complaining about the lack of mechanical and worldbuilding depth in Pokemon games, before realizing I'm yapping about kids games.

Regardless, feedback, comments, yadda yadda, ya know the drill. Though, please, for the love of whatever celestial creature you hold dear, stop the yapping about mechs. It was something I threw in for the sake of plot, but y'all have been arguing the pros/cons for ages. It's real simple. Tanks can do most things mechs do, but are usually fairly slow and can more often struggle in urban/dense environments. Mechs are very mechanically complex, and generally outclassed by tanks, but if built big enough to carry heavy equipment, but small enough to move fairly quickly and low down, they can be used as specialized armored infantry and the like, and excel in urban environments where mobile heavy weapons are needed. This, of course, varies greatly from universe to universe, and situation to situation. Gundam does mechs cause its gundam, and Avatar does mechs because Pandora has got megafauna up the ass, while Battletech does mechs cause the people from that universe are all techno-barbarian scavenger state savages that don't know how to make fucking toasters, and venerate the ancient toaster making factory without knowing how it works. Like the Mechanicus but without the benefit of hyper durable millenia old factories.

Rant aside, thank you all for reading!

-Freefaller

 

[SneakyScoundrel02]

Well, at least the governor didn't get the Vader treatment. It's a good opportunity to get himself some badass masks/armor.

 

[Wonderbread16]

Thank you for the chapter

 

[Mr.Dr.Professor Patrick]

I think it was most likely a rebel. The infiltrator either had an actual Core World background or forged one good enough to get by Imperial eyes, which isn't something I'd expect from pirates, and the Governor hasn't yet pissed off anyone high up in the Empire who'd go through all this trouble to kill him.

It would seem like the only possible enemy that'd want to take him out is a radical rebel who really didn't like the Empire getting a 'victory' in the Governor's sector.

Or his mom is a lot crazier than I even suspected.

 

[Charles Harrison]

I would personally find it funny if the rebels found the bomber, hogtied them, and sent them to the commander.
Like saying "It wasn't us!"

 

[Zodiark69]

Got caught up reading The Knight Only Lives Today

Click to shrink...

That is an absolute banger of a story. I'm love with brother Corporal. I'm in the Unarmed Arc now. Cant wait for more of it.

As for this, I do hope Las isn't extremely hurt, man needs to finish building more of his shit.

 

[Guardian Box]

So... once the governor wakes up, can he now say he took a torpedo straight to the face and lived?

 

[PotatOS2]

B-but pokemon games are pretty fun tho isn't that the whole point?

 

[CynPersonified]

I can't wait for the reveal of Mugwuffins capabilities. She's very clearly HIGHLY Intelligent and protective. Multiple times now when she wants to she's been able to make People feel what seems to be some sort of primal fear/fear aura. Even the mandolorians felt she was more dangerous than the guards in power armor.

She definitely has something force related. She's a whole ass Espeon, and I'm dripping in anticipation

 

[gambit1000]

Should the governer change his name to Zuko?
He has a scar exactly like him and is exiled by his parent, tasked with almost imposible job. That just first things in my mind, but I will laugh if small unserious kid becomes his nemesis.

 

[furiothecat]

Good chapter.

SW's tech level is where it is for the same reason Cyberpunk's is a certain way: the creativity of the original writer(s). It was written half a century ago, and the vision of GL and the book/RPG/comic writers since then worked with what they could conceive of being in universe.

If they didn't think it, it wasn't considered, and wasn't going to make it in. Later additions like the Holonet vastly alter the GFFA from a modern perspective (there's even a gene-targeted nanotech superweapon in Legacy of the Force).

The mechs are fun to think about, even if they run counter to the entire SW aesthetic (why have a person-needing battlesuit when a droid can do the job better? <cough> HK-47 <cough>).

 

[Crixxis]

While scared, the various scientists seemed on the verge of complaining. For good reason, to. They had left cushier jobs in the Core for the freedom offered out here, and now they were being told that freedom was to be taken?

Click to shrink...

Typical, all because of one guy who ruined everyone fun and now the ban and rule hammer comes smashing everything. Reminds me of work when managers were willing to look the other way so everyone can snack on leftover cooked products and one asshole wanted alot and deliberately over cook.

 

[Gordian_Knot]

She is thinking too small. Our glorious protagonist is one of the only people in the entirety of the New Order living up to the Empires promises. And if it comes out that the EMPIRE tried to kill him for that...

 

[Parthan]

Should the governer change his name to Zuko?
He has a scar exactly like him and is exiled by his parent, tasked with almost imposible job. That just first things in my mind, but I will laugh if small unserious kid becomes his nemesis.

Click to shrink...

I mean aren't the Ghost Crew thinking of trying to yoink a few military/engineer grade PDAs? They could turn up to try an snatch a few and Ezra is a plucky kid...

 

[Demonianism]

…medical tech is so freaking weird in Star Wars. Right now today, we can grow small patches of skin to replace burned or otherwise missing 'material.'

Maybe this gives another R&D hole to throw money down? Medical tech. Cloned skin/organs, better medicine…

 

[KonahrikYol]

Should the governer change his name to Zuko?
He has a scar exactly like him and is exiled by his parent, tasked with almost imposible job. That just first things in my mind, but I will laugh if small unserious kid becomes his nemesis.

Click to shrink...

his arch-nemesis local homeless force sensitive psyker kid (got to protect them from the empire, so they are labeled as a psyker in all official docs.) who thinks the governor is trying to abduct them for a government experiment (he's not, he just wants to prevent inquisition or Vader to show up. at most, it would be exile to a farm for the kid.).

 

[noblej7]

I'm still supportive of accidentally making a mirror version of the dark trooper project. Even if it's only used for his bodyguard detail. You know a 12 man unit mirroring the starfighter squadron numbers. Probably costing that much too. But deadly enough people go Oh S..t like seeing the equally deadly and horribly expensive droidikas. Except possibly more so since dark trooper mark 2 and 3s may be more deadly. The mark 3 used phrik as a substitute beskar like material instead of droidika like shields. But with the larger 8 feet mark 2 or 12 feet mark 3, the suits may be sufficiently shielded to avoid the radiation problem that prevented effective shielding on normal trooper armor in their current era. Clone commando armor is the closest example of this with the katarn class armor that was too expensive for standard troopers but also had limited shields to avoid killing the troopers. You'll notice their armors were especially thick. Anyways. I liked the concept of dark troopers as a concept balanced by their extreme price.
Spartan mjolnir armor in halo is a similar example of ludicrously high costs and thus extremely limited numbers in a interstellar military at max budget availability.