09-11-2003, 02:46 PM
Shiny or not, the base colour is what is important. Blued armour, is.......blued! A satin finish on metal is a lot different in <strong>colour</strong> than blued/blackened armour, which is the point here. It's the artistic depictions which must be taken into account, as well as the literary. Go back and read the references to the sources; not one mentions anything to do with black, or blued armour.<br>
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You don't see the gladius blades being kept black from the forge do you? As per sander's reference:<br>
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Onasander, 28<br>
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<em>Menelèmenon d'estoo tooi strategooi lampron ektattein to strateuma tois hoplois, rhadia d' hè phrontis hautè parakalesanti ta xiphè thègein kai tas korythas kai tous thoorakas smèchein: deinoteroi gar hoi epiontes phainontai lochoi tois toon hoploon aithygmasi, kai polla ta di' opseoos deimata proempiptonta tais psychais tarattei to antipolemon.</em><br>
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'It must be imperative for the general to deploy the army <strong>shining through its arms</strong>, an easy matter by ordering to <strong>sharpen swords and to clean the helmets</strong> and the body armours: for the advancing units appear more terrible by the <strong>shine of arms</strong>, and the intimidating sights that strike preemptively in their minds shock the enemy'<br>
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C'mon guys, a little common sense goes a long way here. I have more than a shadow of doubt, that a battle being fought at a time of day when there is little light, or overcast conditions, that blackened or blued armour, regardless of it's finish, will "Shine".<br>
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<br>
You don't see the gladius blades being kept black from the forge do you? As per sander's reference:<br>
<br>
Onasander, 28<br>
<br>
<em>Menelèmenon d'estoo tooi strategooi lampron ektattein to strateuma tois hoplois, rhadia d' hè phrontis hautè parakalesanti ta xiphè thègein kai tas korythas kai tous thoorakas smèchein: deinoteroi gar hoi epiontes phainontai lochoi tois toon hoploon aithygmasi, kai polla ta di' opseoos deimata proempiptonta tais psychais tarattei to antipolemon.</em><br>
<br>
'It must be imperative for the general to deploy the army <strong>shining through its arms</strong>, an easy matter by ordering to <strong>sharpen swords and to clean the helmets</strong> and the body armours: for the advancing units appear more terrible by the <strong>shine of arms</strong>, and the intimidating sights that strike preemptively in their minds shock the enemy'<br>
<br>
C'mon guys, a little common sense goes a long way here. I have more than a shadow of doubt, that a battle being fought at a time of day when there is little light, or overcast conditions, that blackened or blued armour, regardless of it's finish, will "Shine".<br>
<p></p><i></i>
