Re: Nea Rhomaioi was ...Re: Communication and Travel

At 15:41 11/06/98 -0500, you wrote:
>You wrote: 
>
>>	Thats me (or one of them is me, was me and will be me again by 
>the sounds >of it). So what is the deal? BTW I still have all our past 
>discussions on >file if you need a copy.
>
>Hrm.  Had a stack o' questions and comments.  First, what color are 
>uniforms?  I mean, the ground forces will wear some sort of earth tones

>(actually I picked dark grey) in combat, but for ceremonial purposes 
>and 'Class As'?  Next--how frequently did Varangians take the field?  
>I've got 'em translated into a Power Armored Infantry division, which 
>would be most useful as an orbital insertion force--were they used to 
>'spearhead' amphibious operations on any occasions?  I've also bought a

>pack of axes to use--figure Varangians with axes count as causing 
>terror in Stargrunt.  :)   Also:  Rank insignia.  Was there such a 
>system?  'National flag' (insomuch as there was any such thing) was 
>blue with gold cross?	What, if anything, did they name ships after?  
>
>John M. Atkinson
>
>
Colours-	not a lot to go on here for the Byzatines out side of
the palace
guard units of various sorts. Blues for the Hetaereia (Imperoal staff
IIRC)
white for the Basilokoi and scarlet and/or purple for the Varangian
guard.
Themata are probably in whatever the home region produces cheaply and
for
the Tagmata you might go back to the late Roman uniforms of white with
various trim (red or purple historicaly) to represent various
specialisations (infantry, armour, artillery). If you can get a look at
any
Austrian uniforms for last century that might have some good ideas in
it.

Varagians-	take the field whenever the Emperor is about. Probably
assigned
to which ever sector or campaign is regarded as particularly critical.
Only
go out if the Emp is there or if it is REAL important target. Don't no
about amphib ops but they once cut their merry way into the heart of
Norman
army whilst the rest of the Byzatines ran away. The all kept fighting
and
died of course so the spearhead idea fits. Must be a high priority
target
though.

Insignia-	again no real system. Colour of helmet crest or of
surcoat worn
over any armor might have been used. For SG I have no idea what you do
(although a PA coversion with a horsehair crest would look interesting.

Flag-		I think I said before at some stage that their scared
standard was
an image of the Virgin Mary. Christian mongram (XP) would also have been
used. If you don't like those steal the double headed Imperial eagle but
do
it in gold rather than black.

Ship Names-	anything you bloody like I think. More probably
Christian in
nature. Use the Spanish ships of the Nepolionic period as ideas.

	Tony.
	twilko@ozemail.com.au