Arms and Armor

The first, widely recognizable version was the Crusader Armor which was the signature armor worn by the Mandalorian Crusaders led by Mandalore the Indomitable during the Great Sith War. It had a jagged, organic form that varied from soldier to soldier. The design of Crusader Armor was centered around defending its wearer during melee combat, which was considered by the Mandalorians to be the most honorable form of battle.

During Mandalore the Ultimate's reign as Mandalore, the Neo-Crusader Armor was designed for use in the Mandalorian Wars. By the time of the Jedi Civil War, it had become quite uniform in design and came in various colors, including blue, red, and yellow, which represented different ranks in the hierarchy of the Mandalorian Clans.

Millennia later, the Mandalorian Supercommando armor was developed to replace the older designs which were now referred to as Mandalorian Shock Trooper Armor. It was no longer full body armor, but partial armor that left limbs almost completely undefended, and focused its strength on the vital areas such as the torso, head, and groin. The New Mandalorian armor was a collection of blast resistant plates, made from Mandalorian iron or duraplast, which were attached to a waterproof, armor mesh flight suit. A liner shirt with a micro energy field projector and two layers of ceramic plates greatly improve protection around the chest, back, and stomach. The careful layering of segmented armor plates ensured mobility, which could be further increased by wearing a jetpack. The Mandalorians began to see the value of extra weapons mounted on the suit, and so simple dart shooters, grappling wires, wrist-mounted rocket launchers and flamethrowers were added to the overall assault capabilities of a Mandalorian Supercommando.

The helmet alone was the control center of most of the suit's abilities. A range finder attached to the duraplast armored helmet could track up to thirty targets, while a battle computer inside the helmet allowed the wearer to control the suit's weapons, sensors, and jet pack through verbal commands. The dark macrobinocular viewplate offered a variety of vision modes, including infrared. A pineal eye sensor on the helmet combined with an internal overlay display to provide tracking information within a 360-degree radius. Motion sensors, an encrypted internal comlink, and a broad-band antenna completed the helmet's devices, all of which could be linked to the wearer's weapons or their personal starship. The helmet could also act as a environmental filter system, with a two hour reserve tank providing breathable air to the Mandalorian warrior.

During the Galactic Civil War, the Death Watch Mandalorians colluded with the Black Sun to manufacture Crusader MK III armor in the Death Watch Bunker on armor. This was a Mandalorian armor variant and they produced two different versions of it, one to sell to the Empire and one to sell to the Rebel Alliance. The armor was used most notably during the Battle of Restuss.

   ―Count Dooku[src] 

Two Mandalorians in their armor. Two Mandalorians in their armor.

Throughout Mandalorian history, three major features remained constant in Mandalorian Armor design:

  1. The wearer was always protected by lightsaber-resistant Mandalorian iron, which could also deflect blaster bolts.
  2. The helmets almost always possessed a T-shaped visor and a sophisticated heads-up display (HUD).
  3. Mandalorian warriors decorated their armor to reflect personal accomplishments, clan affiliation, or simply personal preference. They often repainted their armor to reflect rank, clan, and possibly the current terrain. They were also known to paint their armor in the traditional colors that represented specific causes the individual might currently be undertaking. The color blue represented reliability, green for duty, black for justice, gold for vengeance, red for honoring a father, and gray for mourning a lost love were common color variants. 

Mandalorian armor was traditionally made out of almost indestructible Mandalorian Iron, but this was rare and expensive, so many Mandalorians, such as Jango and Boba Fett, opted for less durable materials instead, such as durasteel. Boba Fett in the employ of Jabba the Hutt. Boba Fett in the employ of Jabba the Hutt.

The classic Mandalorian design could also be seen in the armor of clone troopers, and evolved from the basic clone trooper and commando Katarn armor specs to those of the armor of Imperial stormtroopers. The ARC clone troopers and a few commanders wore Kama, the long almost skirt-like extensions from their waist, which were parts of older Mandalorian armor design and often contained pockets for hidden weapons.

There were a few special suits of mention from the Galactic Civil War. One of the most famous was worn by the Bounty Hunter Boba Fett, although unlike typical Mandalorian armor it was made from duraplast. But rumors told of possibilities of crafting a set of Mandalorian armor in the dreaded Death Watch Bunker.

Mandalorian Shock Trooper Armor was a catch-all term for the various armor styles worn by the Mandalorians throughout the years, including the Neo-Crusader armor used during the Old Sith Wars, and the supercommando armor worn by the True Mandalorians, the Mandalorian Protectors and the Death Watch during the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War.

Boba Fett, Jango Fett, and Jodo Kast were three noted individuals who wore Mandalorian Shock Trooper armor. The armor worn by clone troopers in the early battles of the Clone Wars was loosely based on the armor of the Mandalorians, because Jango Fett was the template for the clones.

Neo-Crusader Armor

Neo-Crusader armor (also known as Mandalorian assault armor) was a type of Mandalorian armor developed sometime after the Great Sith War and in use by 3,964 BBY. Known for being exceptionally tough against most types of weaponry, this armor incorporated a fully-enclosed armored helm that boasted visual enhancements built into the visor. These suits also contained stealth field generators to allow the Neo-Crusaders to pass relatively undetected by enemy units. A set of armor was recovered by the Galactic Republic in the Battle of Myrkr to examine by the Ministry of Defense.

It came in at least three colors (blue, red and gold) each representing a certain rank, typical soldiers wore blue, non-commissioned officers wore red, while those of higher rank or who had proven themselves in battle wore yellow armor. These colors of rank identification would later find themselves on the clone trooper armor during the early years of the Clone Wars.