C12 Armour

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Unless it's a blue lemon meringue pie.

[Leman]

Does that taste of Thousand Islands Dressing?

[Fenton]

Painted mail might be referring to the bluing of the mail after manufacturer

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Does that taste of Thousand Islands Dressing?

No, a hundred year-old undressing! 

[fsn]

To which the obvious question is ... how do you know what a hundred year old undressing tastes like?

[fsn]

Painted mail might be referring to the bluing of the mail after manufacturer

There is bluing, and I suppose unpolished it may be blackened. There is  also russeting, but I think that is a later discovery.

[FierceKitty]

A reenactment group doing a long march in Roman gear a few decades ago found that mail (yes, mail) requires less upkeep and polishing than other armour as long as it's being worn; the rings chafe the rust off each other in movement.
This implies the corrolary that mail probably wore out faster than one might have wished.

[sunjester]

A reenactment group doing a long march in Roman gear a few decades ago found that mail (yes, mail) requires less upkeep and polishing than other armour as long as it's being worn; the rings chafe the rust off each other in movement.
This implies the corrolary that mail probably wore out faster than one might have wished.

It's also easy to clean, chuck in a sack/barrel with some sand and shake around a bit.  Easier than polishing pieces of plate in my experience.

[fsn]

I have written to Bretealda asking them to cite sources.

I think my problem is that I got a Kindle edition. Obviously a printed book is infallible, but the Kindle skirts the line between the sooth page and the lying internet.

I quite fancied some troops in green mail. 

[FierceKitty]

For Sir Gawain to try to cuckold?

[fsn]

Why not.

I may experiment with coloured mails, just 'cos I can. 

In "Wargames Tactics" by Charles Grant there is a chapter entitled "Fracas at Bray" which is a medieval skirmish. I think the Stephen-Matilda Wars lend themselves to this format. I'd like to have some distinctively coloured lances to give me flexibility (today red and blue take on black and white - tomorrow red will defend a church against the other three.) Just need 10-15 figures per lance, perhaps a few peasants ... ooh and some Welsh, 'cos they're funny, and let chaos ensue!

[Techno]

Couldn't you try an appropriate coloured ink wash over 'normal' chainmail, Nobby ?
Cheers - Phil

[fsn]

That was my thought. Thought I'd go for the "silver" mail rather than my usual "gunmetal" mail and then slop some limey-green or reddy-brown over the top.


I shall let you know how I get on. Think I've got some Normans left over. 

[Techno]

The only other method I tried years ago.....Which, to me. worked really well was painting a coloured Tamiya varnish over drybrushed armour/chainmail.
There was a significant drawback to using this method, in that the Tamiya varnish would 'lift/dissolve' acrylic paint.
This meant using a metallic enamel for the drybrushing.
Not a problem, way back then, as I still had pots (of pots) of metallic enamels.
Like I say.....I thought it worked really nicely....I'm not sure if Tamiya still produce those varnishes, now though.

Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

I remember doing CHAINMAIL (correct term) with a suede brush and then varnishing. Buffed up the rings nicely. I also have never heard of painted mail, the ID was via the surcoat shield and banners.

IanS