Uniforms of the Com Guards
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The Uniforms of the Com Guards have reflected their origin as the military arm of the monastic ComStar for much of their history, though like elsewhere in the Inner Sphere they were designed to denote rank and branch and varied based on the situation. A number of changes were made following the ComStar Schism to better reflect the more secular nature of the new Com Guards, particularly with an eye to making them more practical, but have retained enough of their former trappings to keep them distinct from other militaries.[1][2]
Dress Uniforms
Pre-Schism, Com Guard dress uniforms were a full set of robes, with a broadsword as the formal sidearm. Robe coloring distinguished branch: dark blue robes with red trim for MechWarriors; red robes with white trim for aerospace pilots; brown robes with yellow trim for vehicles crews; green robes with brown trim for infantry; black robes with red trim for naval personnel; and dark grey robes for support personnel. Rank insignia took the form of a medallion worn around the neck: brass for cadets and Acolytes, silver for Adepts, and gold for Precentors (with Demi-Precentors often wearing a silver-gold mix). Awards and unit insignia were displayed on the left breast.[2]
Post-Schism, Com Guard dress uniforms were divided between two groups, one for junior officers and enlisted personnel and one for senior officers. Those of Adept rank or lower wore close-fitting white trousers and jerkin, along with a white hooded cape, made of a resilient twill that was waterproof, insulated and tear-resistant. The hood, cuffs and collar were trimmed with gold, complimented by a gold cummerbund and white-and-gold boots. A decorative spear or pike was carried as the formal sidearm during military processions.[1]
Senior officers wore powder-blue trousers, smock top, and cape with a gold hood, complete black boots, black belt, and headgear: a kepi for Demi-Precentors and a black-and-blue flat cap for Precentors. Trimming for the uniform was also gold, barring the collar which was trimmed red, and a saber took the place of the broadsword as the formal sidearm.[1]
Junior Officer Dress Uniform (c.3055)
Demi-Precentor Dress Uniform (c.3055)
Precentor Dress Uniform (c.3055)
Field Uniforms
- MechWarriors
Prior to the Schism, Com Guard MechWarriors wore a Cooling Suit and Neurohelmet based on Star League technology, colored dark blue and red respectively, with their name and rank stencled on both the helmet and the left breast.[2] Post-Schism MechWarriors, while retaining the neurohelmet, instead wore white silk-skin trousers, gold cool-mesh boots and a blue-and-white Cooling Vest known as a "torsotube." Despite their light weight, both the vests and boots were far superior to other Inner Sphere models at dissipating heat.[1]
Mechwarrior Uniform (c.3055)
- Fighter Pilots
Com Guard aerospace pilots wore a red jumpsuit, a g-suit, white gloves and boots, and a white flight helmet prior to the Schism. Both the g-suit and helmet were Star League versions. Name and rank were stenciled on the left breast, with callsign stenciled on the side of the helmet.[2] Afterwards, their uniform more closely modeled those of the new MechWarrior field uniform, with the addition of a white pressure suit which incorporated an integral air supply and maneuvering unit.[1]
- Conventional Forces
Pre-Schism tank crews wore full-length coveralls with an armored vest, armored helmet, leather boots and gloves, along with a hood and half-cape. The helmet contained advanced communication and targeting equipment.[2] Afterwards, tank crew uniforms were similar to those of MechWarriors, with the addition of a padded blue jacket, white trousers, and heavy black boots, all designed to protect them from being battered around the inside of their vehicles. Infantry also wore a similar type of uniform prior to the Schism, but changed afterwards to close-fitting trousers and hooded jerkin. Coloring was muted, either a charcoal gray or traditional camouflage pattern. Technician uniforms were the same as for infantry, but white and without the hood.[1]
Infantry Field Uniform (c.3055)
Technician Uniform (c.3055)
Informal
In situations where neither dress nor duty uniforms were appropriate, post-Schism Com Guards often wore white fatigues, or the simple robes of their civilian counterparts. As with regular ComStar personnel, these were color-coded based on rank:[1]
| Robe | Rank |
|---|---|
| Precentor Martial | Red |
| Precentor | Red |
| Demi-Precentor | Green |
| Adept | Yellow |
| Acolyte | White |