It seems to have become a convention in some quarters that unit standards should be made over-scale for effect. When I was blissfully ignorant of this I was content to admire the workmanship and thought no more of it. However, now I know they're much too big they stand out like rhubarb in a cornfield. Am I just being ultra-picky? :-\
No I agree with you. I try to find the actual size of the standards and then scale that to the figures.
William
But most foot standards are 6' x 6', ie figure size.
ianS
Quote from: Hertsblue on 25 March 2011, 10:58:48 AM
Am I just being ultra-picky? :-\
No, you're just a typical wargamer. ;D
And you're right.
What bothers me as well is when French Napoleonic troops are sporting flags instead of eagles.
Cheers,
Aart
i try to get them 'about right' - so for AWI my british standards are scaled to 6' x 6'6 and my Hessian flags are smaller and squarer - but this isnt a precise scale anyway so theres a bit of leeway. I dont like flags that are clearly overscale - i've seen pics of 15mm scale flags used with 6mm figures and that just looks plain wrong to my eyes
We try and keep ours to around 11/12mm square, to represent 6' on the figure. They vary slightly, but not by much.
Quote from: Hertsblue on 25 March 2011, 10:58:48 AM
Am I just being ultra-picky? :-\
Come now - who ever heard of a picky wargamer? ;D
Cheers,
Kev
Too big can look bad.
But a bit oversized looks OK, as more detail can be seen. I'm not sure I like the 2 flags for 12 figures look though.
well i just get mine rescaled to 12 or 13mm on the pole, seem to fit perfectly
Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 25 March 2011, 11:54:35 AM
What bothers me as well is when French Napoleonic troops are sporting flags instead of eagles.
Yeah, there's no evidence that flags were carried on campaign. Mine do - but that's because they were painted before I learned this fact. Guess that also makes me a typical wargamer....
Another question of personal taste, I think. For me exact scaling can look wrong with smaller figures - I think (although this may just be rationalising a prejudice!) that it is to do with the size of flag relative to the thickness of flagstaff. In particular with things like cavalry standards it can seem that more of the flag is wrapped around the pole than flying loose - I think this spoils the look of many beautifully painted and based figures. On the other extreme, I find the superb work done by the League of Augsburg in 28mm spoiled to a degree by the simply HUGE flags carried by their cavalry - I can only think of 18th century Russian dragoons carrying anything like these vast bedsheets. For my FPW Pendraken infantry I am afraid I am a heretic, I use Baccus 6mm flags for them. There are a number of reasons for this. Baccus have a wide and accurate range for this war, including some smaller German states and the essential Saxons. Second, at c 9mm square they are pretty close to actual size for 10mm figures (if not slightly larger than their historical versions). Finally they look right to me (others can make their own minds up by looking at the examples on show in the Gravelotte-St Privat game in the BATREPs section). Where we are luckier than our predecessors is that there are now so many examples available from a variety of manufacturers we usually do have a choice of ready made products, if we are not minded to make them ourselves.
Mollinary
I tend to fall into the "too big" flag category, mostly because I use quite a lot of Little Big Men 15mm flags for 10mm figures and they are just a wee bit big but then if I was to scan and reduce them they wouldn't look as nice and I'd be breaking the copyright.
But the overall effect isn't too bad
Byzantines
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa242/danandsan/Byz9.jpg)
Seljuks
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa242/danandsan/Seljuks1.jpg)
Mine tend to be a little too big (unless I buy them from Dave) - I find 11 mm ones look a little too small.
I was mainly thinking of the League of Augsberg standards which are well over the top - infantry as well as cavalry. Beautifully drawn, I admit, but huge even by seventeenth century standards (excuse the pun) :-[
I tend to use Baccus flags as these seem about right for my 10mm figures. They are not oversized because they are for 6mm and consequently you get a shed load of them.DP
I always do my flags to scale. Just my personal preference.
I agree with flags to scale (or as near as dammit!) Oversized flage look....er....oversized! However, power to the elbow of those that feel that look is for them.