The Ewok thing DOES defy credibility, the same as the rebel fleet not being destroyed by all those superior numbers up in space. The ROTJ finale is lacking in that respect.
Anyway, I doubt there is much encumberance from that armour. SImple fact is that the stormtroopers never appear to be good shots on film.
Unlike TIE Fighter pilots which seem damn dangerous in ANH. Then in ROTJ, you can shoot down three hundred of them with no effort. Pah!
Well....the expectancies from movies have increased with time. In '77 ANH was probably amaising ( i wouldn't know). the same with ROTJ, ureal shots like the ones with the TIE fighters and ewoks migh've been overpassed then in faivour to other things like CGIs and action line. Now, in modern times we look upon them and see the "mistakes" but still like them from another point of view: They're classics.
Somewhat a theory, but more speculation...what if Palpatine just...I don't know--killed the Kaminoans, destroyed the planet, etc.
My previous post was just pointing out to the MC thing, maybe Lucas put it in the first episode for a reason? How could he simply say one line and just leave it be. Like no one is going to try and clone Jedi for evil purposes...that's like saying anakin got a little boo-boo when he had his arm sliced off.
Anyway, he doesn't care about casualties, that's why they wear light armor and why their ships don't have shields (and why the pilots have a flimsy flight suit). It's a huge galaxy too, so they MIGHT just have more storm troopers than we usually see in one scene... 😉
You can't tell me he's (the emperor) going to send a million troopers just to find some droids on Tatooine, stuff takes time, traveling all over the galaxy isn't instantaneous, even in SW.
Plus I still remember them talking about an [Imperial] Academy.
P.S. About the flight suit thing, I mean it's just a little padding, less than the Rebels, and they have to use a breathing mask since the ship doesn't create it's own life support.
But, if you say that the breathing suit is the same thing, ah well, I think a self-contained cockpit and one you have to use a breathing mask in are two seperate things.
And one more thing, the stuff cost money (who knows what kind) in SW and I know they control the galaxy and all, but the Empire still had senators and stuff to worry about for a long time, and they obviously made a lot of ships.