Okay, I must confess I didn't do a lot of research on this because I am more interested in logical conclusions then real military protocol but I am not against someone mentioning such protocol. I found myself in a tricky art situation. For I was planning to have an artist draw a character in her military uniform. Looking up examples of art I noticed a lot of matched a piece of art I already had. Funny enough that character was also military. So that was awesome but I ran into a few hiccups. I wondering what you guys think. I think my idea works but before pay for art I figured I would ask a second opinion. While the uniform concept between the art I want and the art I have(To avoid this getting confusing. Names. I have art of a girl named Hazel. Planning to get art of a girl named Vanessa.) Hazel's art shows the uniform as brown. While Vanessa I felt needed another color. I thought maybe it would be fair to say that based on division that the uniform color changes in spite of the design being exactly the same. Does this seem logical? Huh, I suppose that is the only real question I had. lol. Hazel being a Medical Officer and Vanessa being a standard semi high ranking officer. Well, while I got you here. A second concept. I know fictional world, with magic, so I am expecting you guys won't disagree with this idea but heck, seems a waste to not ask more. High ranks, like super elite status ranks. I was claiming said officers were no longer required to wear a uniform under any condition. The core concept being that ability and rank are reflecting in uniform. So those who have exceeded even the highest tests are no longer held to a uniform. By going past the perceived limits of the standard elite they can no longer be pidgeon held by appearence. Seem logical? Thanks
You seem to be focusing on things that don't matter. Someone on here once said, building worlds and drawing pictures and planning outfits are just ways one delays writing. The uniforms aren't important. At all. Even if it's important to your characters to set them apart and show their status, you can make them however you want. You don't need to follow a guideline or imitate real military branches or ask for approval because it's a story. It's a different world. No one is going to read your story and think, "Well, those uniforms suck/aren't accurate." Stop worrying about commissioning drawings and what your uniforms should look like and what people think of what you might do and actually do it. Write. You have so many books planned, yet you worry about the most mundane things. Stop focusing on the trivial, and put a pencil to paper.
Nope. It does not seem logical. Not from a real military standpoint, anyway. Differently colored uniforms based on who does what gives the enemy color-coding for who to kill and who to ignore. Brown = medics? Don't waste your bullets/rounds/magic spells on them. You might even want to keep them later. Blue = combat troups/soldiers/wizards? Fuq those ones up with extreme prejudice. And uniforms that equate to officers, that can be seen and distinguished from far away? No thanks. Not if I'm an officer. That's a "KILL ME" uniform.
Fair point. Oh but don't military also have like "combat" gear and "formal dress" gear? Would that be a way to make the distinction? lol I mean not all military gear is built for hiding is it? Reminds me of like America's revolutionary war and the British red coats. lol So do you think then super elites no longer being given any form of uniform is a logical conclusion? Sniffles. Sniffles. Yeah I suppose you make a point. Funny enough before here more people cared about the art then the writing. I am bad at mentally picturing art. So I like getting it done so I can see it better. Plus seeing one of my characters alive in art. It drives my passion! Plus I think there is some value in world building. An assumption I make now may make a plot point later. Plus a break from the hard core stuff and moving to the softer angle. It is so much fun. If that makes sense? Like my Avatar is one of my girls. Makes me smile every time I see it. Plus I have made some good progress. This year alone I have written full drafts of two books and am working on a third. Also one piece of art was made to go in a book, being a screen shot. There is some value in that I think. Right? Thanks for sharing everyone.
It's exactly the reason. It's also the reason that modern troupes have rank insignia that isn't flashy or metallic or reflective in combat. Nothing that can be easily seen by the enemy from a distance. The big fancy colored uniforms of yesteryear are long gone because they get you killed in combat. It's also the reason that under typical, normal conditions, there is no saluting of officers in a combat zone. It's like a signal to the enemy: "Kill that one! He's in charge!"
That is a good point. Thank you. Though it is still true isn't it that there is a formal dress/combat zone outfits right? Because that would be a easy fix. That formal dress medical officers are identified by brown. Which doesn't conflict with the combat situation. Right?
Remember that back before the First World War, war was more like a game between feuding family members. (Look at Europe in the run up to the Great War... All the major players were related) In Napoleonic times, when the first great global conflict really occurred, uniforms were all about pomp and show, and glitz and glamour. It was about wearing tall hats that made you seem scarier and lots of gold braid to indicate the wealth and the pride of the nation you fought for. Then the mechanisation of warfare came along, and the French marching across no mans land soon learned a harsh lesson in the new etiquette of war attire. Settling down into the mud and the sludge for years against cannon and sniper meant drab colours and blending in. You're right that there are still parade uniforms. And officers still indicate their rank. be it from epaulettes, shoulder stripes, a mark on the helmet or a few pips. Leadership and respect are the order of the day on a battlefield. you need to know who to follow. US officers in the Second World War had their rank indicated on the front of their helmet despite the risk of snipers. Wearing plain clothes at high rank doesn't really make sense in a military setting as I would imagine the burden of responsibility requiring more people to know who you are and what you do. With the anonymity of plain clothes, it strikes me as an abandonment of duty. Have you tried doing your own drawings? I'm a major world and lorecrafter. It might be advantageous to learn it yourself that you can design things precisely how you want them.
Ah corporal, nice to see you again. Hang on, there was a glint in the trees, allow me to salute you. No you don't salute corp- *snap* *distant crack* Never did like that corporal....
This is why this place is awesome! Focusing on the point of high ranks and plain clothing. Because I simply have no reply behind the like. In my world, magic can enhance stats, which makes elites incredible powerful. To the point I claim the strongest Earthling to be so strong that it is speculated that he could win a war by himself vs a full nation and in fact actually did threaten a nation to this end. The nation is question yielded to his demands. Not to misrepresent him. He isn't superman. He can't take 100,000 troops. Idea being how 100,000 would fight one man is so different they wouldn't be ready for him. Any unit strong enough to beat him would be too massive to catch him. Sorry for the information dump. Just the context of how to represent him or people near his strength. I am all for logical conclusions. I figured plain clothes had this value in like. How to put it. If everyone under him is in uniform then the sheer contrast of his apperance is in a sense a uniform. Does that make sense? I am all in favor of hearing what your mind thinks of how to represent that concept. Also, it is said that my art is a crime against nature. lol. So no I can't draw. lol. Thanks for your feedback.
Yeah, formal dress is a very different thing. Formal dress can be very swank and flashy and often tips a hat, stylistically, to older forms. But these are never ever seen in a combat zone. These are for times of peace or for far, far away from the fighting.
Yeah. So in the context of that, do you think the same style but different colors for divisions is a logical conclusion? Thanks again.
Certainly, though, rather than it be a plain clothes affair, it should be (as you said) a uniform of such contrast that nobody would match him; kind of how Kim Jong Un has that black suit he always wears? Well, neither can my boyfriend, but he keeps trying! This is generally what happens anyway. blue for navy, green for army, grey for airforce, things like that. Where I worked, we had gold braid on the shoulder, engineers had purple braid, and other ranks would have red, yellow, etc.
It wouldn't be impossible, but I doubt a military would employ this. The idea of a uniform, the reason for it, beyond functionality, is as a symbol to those wearing the uniform that "We are all one. We are all here for one cause. No matter where we come from, rich or poor, none of that matters. In uniform we are all Soldier."
I think it has already been mentioned but everyone should wear the same gear so the enemy doesn't know who are the officers, medics, etc. The only difference would be some symbols signifying rank. The only difference in uniform might be different branches. You might want to look at the uniforms for the different branches of the military and make ideas off of those.
People often laugh at the British army during the Zulu and Indian conflicts and that kind of time zone. The red uniforms made them easy pickings for the enemy. Well, just remember. When you are in a cloud of gunsmoke, firing old muskets and flintlocks, it might pay to be able to see your comrades easily in the chaos.
lol. Thanks this helps a lot. So you think all people of this rank would have some sort of identifiable thing in common? Though it would be secretive? Only something others of that rank would have. Or you think it would be a full uniform just people don't realize it is a uniform?
I think it should be something that indicates them as a social elite. For instance, in medieval times, there were laws against what clothes you could and couldn't wear depending on your social status. Types of fur, things like that. They should certainly have something inaccessible (through impracticality or through law) to the rest of the populace to set them apart. But it's your story, not mine!
If it were me, and I had a better handle on the power of your super elites, I would ask - is there any way of killing these elites from afar? If they were identifiable from afar? Coz in my mind, I'd go the other way. Everyone in the elite's army would wear armor and combat clothing, except the super elites. The super elites would wear shorts and go around half naked, bare footed, glowing with nigh on omnipotent power and invulnerability, their bronzed skin barely containing the lean muscle rippling within. Gods of war amongst mere mortals. Think Spartans + Xerxes in 300 vs most of the other Persian armed forces.
Though my original post didn't reflect it because I didn't realize it at the time. I was thinking more formal dress military then combat zone. In combat he would likely wear armor and or extra weapons. Yeah they are immune to damage. They have a stable or passive increase and an effort increase. Though someone strong enough to scare a nation is probably bullet proof while passive. Though if you could strike him, aware from a far, with something more powerful. Yeah, could kill him. Also if he is exhausted, his abilities, both passive and through effort weaken. So if he is exhausted enough he loses his bullet proofness. The trick is he is aware of these weaknesses. If that anwsers what you wanted to know. Thanks for your feedback.
Ah yes well personally I am big on the understated dress, but in formal engagements, the higher ups get bigger hats, more medals, more spit and polish and plenty of deference.
Changing colors based on rank is probably a no-no. But there are other reasons to do stuff. Obviously in the real world, different branches of the service have different color uniforms (Army, Navy, Air Force). In science fiction, Star Trek has a well established uniform color-coding for functions (Blue for scientific and medical functions, Red for tactical and command, yellow for engineering and other logistics). In that case, it works because everyone is inside the ship and the imperative is to be able to easily identify other team members. In your case, you have a medic, which is usually a good justification for distinctive uniform - but I wouldn't do it on rank.
