To backpack, or not to backpack?

[Rapture]

I am working on some marines and have recently decided that their backpacks are silly and too large. I thought about chopping off that knob the the pack fits on and leaving that slight flat protrusion but I think that could look kind of plain.

Then I took a backpack and chopped off those round exhaust vents but I found that it still looked too tall. When I also cut off the lower section it sat too high on the marine's back.

(I borrowed this picture since I don't have a camera)
http://www.freewebs.com/gowsk/Watching%20Paint%20Dry/is01.jpg

Now I am stuck. I think I will try to come up with something (possibly ammo pouches and grenades) to make their backs look less flat and just forget about the space marine backpacks.

What do you think?

[Slann]

I always thought there back packs to be fine , maybe adding one of there pouches to even out the bulk might be a good idea .

[Rapture]

They just don't do it for me. The bulk is set so high and they serve no purpose other than to power the armor. I don't see why they would be designed with such an odd distribution of weight and without any storage for ammo or gear. I think they have to go or be slightly tweaked.

Right now the backpack without the 2 exhaust ball things is my favorite.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

I remember reading in an Imperial Armor book that the power armour itself contains a backup power source which can supply the suit for about a month, albeit without auxiliary systems. It would still work out fluff-wise to have backpack-less space marines, especially if they're suffering from lack of supplies, or prepared for a mission in very confined spaces.

[Hephesto]

Rather fond of fiddling with backpacks myself, though I can't see why you couldn't leave them of if you prefer them without it. You could try to drop them a tad, here's a few pick of an old conversion:

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f105/hephesto555666/b2.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f105/hephesto555666/b3.jpg

Takes a bit of slicing and cutting, but it really does reduce the bulky feel of the normal backpac

[Rapture]

Hephesto that is beautiful...

Looks like you cut the exhausts, trimmed/filed the upper section that fits against the marine's upper back, and then removed the lower exhausts?

I appreciate you sharing what you have . Soon you will be seeing more of those around.

[Hephesto]

Glad I could give a little creative impulse and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

[Slann]

Those do look pretty good for a more compact backpack .