Historical colours for Macedonians?

[j2klbs]

On the back of the "Immortal Fire" Army Companion book there is a picture of some very nicely painted miniatures including two units with the Macedonian star on their shields. One unit has blue helmets and blue shields and looks to be hypaspists. The other unit has red shields (and bronze helmets IIRC?) but appears not to be armed with pikes. Also, the picture on the front of the Xyston Alexander Macedonian army box has the hypaspists with red shields (and purple helmets).

I really like the looks of the red shields contrasting with the blue shields, but I wonder if this is wholly unhistorical. Is there any evidence that Alexander's foot companions or hypaspists painted their shields red? If not, any evidence to the contrary? Or does this fall into the area of we don't know enough about that period to be sure so just paint them how you think they will look good?

Thanks!
Jason

[pezhetairoi]

There is another Osprey Elite book that deals with the pikemen.
Some good colour info in there.

For my army (28mm) I set up some rules to help identify the troop types.
Pikemen got off-white linen armour with unit-coloured tunics. (red, grey-blue, dull yellow, dull green)
Hypaspists got tan/purple linen armour, purple tunics, and blue helmets.
Companions gut purple tunics, and yellow cloaks with purple boarders.
Thessalians have red/grey tunics, and blue cloaks with white border.
Thracians -- very mixed, no two the same.

Most men have bronze helmets, some iron mixed in for variety.
Commanders have purple cloaks with yellow trim.

[Upits1987]

Does anyone have historically sourced information on what colours to paint Alex. Macedonians? From my Greeks I have already painted Hoplites, Cretans, Peltasts and Thracians. But I know less about the rest. A few questions if anyone can help please:

- I have seen wargame figure pictures of Macedonian Pikemen with a lot of blue helms and cloaks. Was blue a common colour for Macedonians?
- What about the shields? Some people have painted elaborate faces on their shields, others have star patterns. Which is right? are both historical (hoping the faces are not, as that looks like a lot of work...)
- In the unfortunate event that teh faces are correct, does anyone make 15mm sheild transfers for them?
- I take it purple cloaks for the horse companions are correct?

thanks for any help

Scott

Good day. According to the historical sources of information that I studied and from what I found - the color scheme could suit you perfectly https://create.vista.com/colors/color-n ... ost-white/. Sun. I studied the information from the Osprey book.