Bob Runnicles | 23 Sep 2014 11:25 a.m. PST |
I recently returned to my on again/off again Napoleonic 15s project (using predominantly Chariot and Essex figs from many years ago) and I have a question regarding flags. As I have access to several really nice printers at work, I've decided I would like to print out my own flags using those downloads from the wonderful folks at warflag.com; the question is without anything besides the length of the banner pole on the minis in question to go on, how big should typical flags actually be? The issue is that I printed some British flags for use on the Chariot Brits I painted over the weekend and they are perfectly scaled to fit the pole the figures are carrying but they seem, well, kinda small and not very impressive when compared to images I see online. They are around 15/32" (about 1/2" including the wraparound area). The French colors are even smaller (around 7/16"). Am I going way too small here? Should I clip off the banner poles provided and make my own wire ones to the size I like? For those of you with professionally purchased flags, how big actually are they? Thanks! Bob |
LtJBSz | 23 Sep 2014 11:44 a.m. PST |
I think that British colors were just about 6' square. So if 15mm represents a man 5'5" the British colors should be about 16 or 17mm or just over 5/8ths of an inch. French flags were 80cm x 80cm or about 32" square or roughly half the size of the Brits. That said I made mine larger because I like the look of the bigger flags. |
deadhead | 23 Sep 2014 11:53 a.m. PST |
and don't forget this only applies to infantry. Cavalry standards were even smaller (esp the French) Most folk seem to prefer them larger than would be strictly correct. Let's face it, half the time they were wrapped in oilskins, the other half they were only half unfurled to make them manageable….never mind that half the units we do so equip did not carry eagles/flags/lance pennons etc on campaign anyway. Sometimes it is what looks good |
Bob Runnicles | 23 Sep 2014 12:11 p.m. PST |
Yeah I realize there is some 'exaggerating' of the size of the flags in many minis units lol, but even going strictly to scale it seems my flags are way too small. At least the Brits are, sounds like the French aren't that far off overall. Not to worry! To the pin vice/dremel I go! |
Extra Crispy | 23 Sep 2014 12:11 p.m. PST |
I make mine as big as I can without looking totally ridiculous…. |
von Winterfeldt | 23 Sep 2014 2:13 p.m. PST |
I would scale them down – according to the figure scale, I don't like the very popular exagerated immense colours |
deadhead | 24 Sep 2014 12:00 p.m. PST |
Worth considering indeed, von W. A French cavalry standard was 55cms square (off the top of my head, without even looking it up, I admit). At our scale that is 1cm square. All my units carry GMB (beautiful) flags, which are exactly twice that size! I did post here on this before, but was convinced from the horse's mouth to stick with what I had got. TMP link Like you I do wish they were smaller, but wargamers are the bread and butter customers and flags serve a purpose for recognition I suspect. |
von Winterfeldt | 24 Sep 2014 12:42 p.m. PST |
For sure I cannot share the enthusiasm for out of proportion blown up monster colours and standards, one should have at least a choice |
Widowson | 24 Sep 2014 12:48 p.m. PST |
It should be noted that the 1815 French flags were considerably larger than the previous issues. |
deadhead | 24 Sep 2014 2:40 p.m. PST |
Infantry no doubt and well documented, but did that apply to cavalry? May well be so and would love to know. My impression is not. |
Outlaw Tor | 24 Sep 2014 3:24 p.m. PST |
Funny that many gamers spend extraordinary amounts of energy and time on correct uniform details, organizations, and flags, but then can't seem to get the flag size right. They obsess over figure sizes, horse sizes and furniture, artillery sizes, and the myriad basing options and yet still oversize their flags. Funny |
von Winterfeldt | 24 Sep 2014 11:07 p.m. PST |
Cavalry is well documented as well, it is a matter to look hard, in case you like to find something out, you will do, recently for example Jörg Titze published a very well documented book about Saxon infantry colours post 1810 – which revised all other sources so far, one has to be on the look out. The interesting thing on cavalry standards are that often they were embroided while the infantry had painted colours, the orginals I did see of cavalry standards, very heavy embroidery. |
Marc the plastics fan | 25 Sep 2014 5:31 a.m. PST |
Slightly bigger seems to work – but the magnification seems to be needed less as the figures get bigger – a 54mm figure can carry a "proper" scaled flag and it looks good – I guess it is just what one can see using "mark 1 eyeballs". |
deadhead | 25 Sep 2014 5:33 a.m. PST |
Embroidery is more practical and weight less important, on smaller cavalry standards. Infantry flags were heavy enough to carry in the field, as they were, without doubling the weight with embroidery. My apologies for the chauvinism I showed above saying French cavalry standards should be 1cm sq in "our scale". Typical of a 28mm fan……..especially when I keep realising that the 15/18mm figures are often far better proportioned! |
WeeWars | 25 Sep 2014 5:53 a.m. PST |
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Bob Runnicles | 02 Oct 2014 10:10 a.m. PST |
Interesting stuff, thanks all! In the end I think I'll go for the largest flags I can get on the banner poles provided with the figures – which is about 50% larger for the Essex figures than it is for the Chariot ones, at least for the Brits. The French I'm happy to keep the same size for both manufacturers. |