YE 39 NSMC Crewman Pattern Jacket
The YE 39 Nepleslian Space Marine Corps Crewman Pattern Jacket is a uniform used by the Democratic Imperium of Nepleslia beginning in YE 39. In particular, it was created to allow the men and women of the NSMC who operate vehicles such as the Maximus HBT or fly the Corona Heavy Gunship to distinguish their special training and fields of expertise apart from the standard grunts.
The YE 39 NSMC Crewman Pattern Jacket cannot be purchased, as it is only made available to members of the Nepleslian Space Marine Corps.
History
During the fading weeks of YE 38, Nepleslian Arms and Munitions had begun to look into slight alterations to differentiate the ground forces of the NSMC from the vehicle specialists. This choice was tied into an ever-growing reflection that pilots and the traditional fleet crew often had differing suits and alterations made. Rather than explicitly defy the uniformity of the Nepleslian uniform, however, they sought to provide all the vehicle specialists within the Marines a distinguishable variant. This was found to help encourage the return and adjustment of more than a simple reliance upon Power Armor, almost as an incentive for folks to take even the least interesting or the more harsh conditions of riding in a stuffy box or flying a death-trap through enemy skies. In short, it was made as a tool to assist in recruiting men and women throughout Nepleslia's prospective youths to join groups such as the 309th Armored Infantry or the now-fading pilot force that worked under the protection of fighters with the fast-deploying Corona divisions.
After a brief quality assurance check in early YE 39, the uniform was deemed up to standard and of final quality. In a matter of months, the uniform began to roll out production to the many divisions fighting both within Nepleslia's borders and in the unknown stars.
Design
Made with new polymers and in a similar mentality to last, the YE 39 Crewman Pattern Jacket differs from the one made in YE 30 with two drastic changes. The new polymers have granted it an incredible resistance to heat and cold temperatures, allowing it to be worn in nearly every weather type. This is made easier for the wearer by being able to adjust their sleeve length. When worn with short-sleeves, the uniform's polymers will be scrunched up and promote a cooling shift in the material to better dissipate heat and comfort the operator in close-quarter conditions. When the sleeves are unfurled, however, the polymers become far warmer and essentially allow the operator to work in the normal cold temperatures one could face on traditional worlds. This allows it to serve the wearers fairly capably if forced to abandon their craft, but also allow the pilots to quite literally adjust their uniform to “run hot” or “run cold”.
Along with this polymer change, the shoulders have been changed to bear single brown stripes rather than the large, shoulder-covering brown spots. This was done to wear a far larger Nepleslian NSMC star for identification by ground troops who will be sent to retrieve downed or stranded members. The shoulders are also fitted with small padding to allow the user to endure the rocking that can commonly occur within a vehicle.
Color-wise, the jacket comes only in one color capacity. The traditional green base covers much of the exterior, while the inside and the shoulder stripes are a fine brown. However, the YE 39 Crewman Pattern Jacket can have its hem lined with a silver-white to appear more ceremonial. Most, however, get it as it helps it resemble one of the more iconic pieces of Nepleslian military inspiration.
Usage
Aside from its usage in combat, the YE 39 NSMC Crewman Pattern Jacket is obviously worn in place of the YE 30 NSMC Standard Uniform's pullover. One simply wears it with its buttons facing forward, often with a thin tanktop worn underneath to provide a more appropriate fit.
As it is expected to endure long operation hours to match the potential sieges of tank warfare or long flight missions, one can go for some time without needing to clean the Crewman Pattern Jacket. However, one is expected to replace any lost or damaged buttons whenever they can to ensure full combat safety potential.