I'm not sure what the point of this post is. I've seen illustrations of Polybian shields in at least red, blue, green, yellow, and white, both with and without motif. Seems to me you can do pretty much what you like.

Second that, anything and any way you please.

A few random options to get you started:

Quote from: Leman on 09 December 2016, 10:10:52 PM
I'm not sure what the point of this post is. I've seen illustrations of Polybian shields in at least red, blue, green, yellow, and white, both with and without motif. Seems to me you can do pretty much what you like.

Yes, but what would you lot all like?

Quote from: Leman on 09 December 2016, 10:10:52 PM
I'm not sure what the point of this post is...

To quote Larry Leadhead

QuoteIt wouldn't be a hobby if there has to be a reason!

QuoteThe Dura Europos shield is the closest we have to a complete real legionary shield. Opinion seems to be that the reconstruction of the damaged original and it's paintwork are as good as we're likely to get for Imperial legions.

Except we're not talking about Imperial shields so this is pretty irrelevant - the only reference I'm aware of is Polybius' comment that a legio covered/hid its shields so as to be not recognised which implies some form of recognisable shield identity.

Ithoriel's images are probably as good as anything, when armour was still personal then individual colours and emblems are likely, once things shifted to state provision then infirmity will appear if only because product is bought in bulk for the same merchants / fabricators.

Persoanlly I wouldn't paint hastate shields a different colour to their principes and hastate - if they were colour coded I think it would be by legio or cohors so all of them would be the same. No evidence at all but hastati in one colour and principes in another is all wrong

if pushed I'd vote white (and did)

One option might be to go with a predominate shield colour for each legion's hastate, principes and triarii.

For example Legion I hastate - yellow, principes - red and triarii - brown, Legion II hastate - white, principes - green and triarii - blue.

Then add some random coloured shields in each unit, as Zippee says "when armour was still personal then individual colours and emblems are likely"

Three way tie at the moment, last 24 hours; oh hive mind!

Must be a new vote in, since you last posted, Will.

Red's in front by a short head, as they come to the final furlong.

Cheers - Phil

Red!

Red is the Gods colour, they will favour you!

Quote from: Matt J on 14 December 2016, 12:38:21 PM
Red!

Red is the Gods colour, they will favour you!

Pinting your shield in the gods colour is hubris - they will punish you

Quote from: Zippee on 14 December 2016, 01:16:23 PM
Pinting your shield in the gods colour is hubris - they will punish you

How doo you drink a shield

Cut it into small strips, and pretend you're a sword-swallower ?

(No one is to put anything remotely smutty after this.....Or I'll use the delete button.)

Cheers - Phil

Damn - Phil just deleted my last post in this thread ...

IanS 

How about pink?

That fits, right?

Quote from: ianrs54 on 14 December 2016, 03:49:04 PM
Damn - Phil just deleted my last post in this thread ...
IanS 

Oooooh......I never...You fibber.....Just to get me into trouble.

(I liked that, Ian.  ......Good one !)

Cheers - Phil

Couldn't resist !

Quote from: Ithoriel on 09 December 2016, 01:47:26 AM
Vegetius wrote:

"Lest the soldiers in the confusion of battle should be separated from their comrades, every cohort had its shields painted in a manner peculiar to itself. The name of each soldier was also written on his shield, together with the number of the cohort and century to which he belonged."

I voted other, as I go with Ithoriel (and Vegetius).  I find the thought that they would not use such an obvious way to designate units as highly unlikely. It also adds to the units morale.


I would designate each troop type ,  principes ,triari and  hastate a different shield colour.

THEN:-

1 Paint each troop type the same shade of the chosen colour and add a different coloured/type  emblem for each legion - Use VVV transfers

2 Paint each legion a different shade of the designated colour for that troop type.

3 A combination of both of the above


I look forward to seeing your 10 mm legionary shields painted as stated by Vegetius with their name, Cohort and Century on the shield 

Never expected this thread to reach three pages! 
Thanks chaps

Red ones go faster...

http://allthetropes.wikia.com/wiki/Red_Ones_Go_Faster