What colour for my Ruritanian Riflemen?

[Red Orc]

I agree, access to a large river (eg, the Danube) or lakes (eg the lakes of Switzerland) are quite enough to require a navy. On the other hand, Ruritania may potentially have access to the Black Sea, the Adriatic or the Baltic, I don't know.

I'm certainly interested in the idea of working up a joint Ruritanian project, only, I'm a little involved with Atlantis at the moment. There was an idea to have a 'Ruritanian' campaign after the Atlantis campaign, and that's why I ordered the Zendarian Riflemen (really, it's because I thought they were cool, but never mind). Obviously that will need a lot of background to create a (somewhat) realistic Mitteleuropa kingdom... so I'm happy to participate in the work of doing that.

Green and gold sounds good. They could be the King's household servants, but then they could be the ,,Königsjäger'' regiment, with (for instance) dark green uniforms with yellow facings; or maybe yellow jackets similar to how we think the line regiments might (?) be, but with green trousers instead of black, and possibly a different hat. Let us know as you find more details!

By the way, I've already started thinking about 'A Very Ruritanian Civil War' (based on A Very British Civil War, obviously), taking the history of the kingdom up to WWII. Retro-fitting that for Pulp and Back of Beyond gaming seems logical. Does someone want to start a topic called something like 'The History and Geography of Ruritania' or something like that, explaining what we're hoping to do?

[ushistoryprof]

Don't forget the Royal Ruritanian Aeroneff Corps!  Ruritania would be stuck in the mini arms race with their neighors just like the big powers would. Think of these in terms of the world wide naval arms race of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were everyone had to have some capital ships.  Ruritanian ships could be in light colours (the better to show them off since they wouldn't have many), crews (for landings etc.) in Sky blue jackets, dark navy blue pants with black trim.  I could even see Black Micael with his own small force with ships in dark colours and crews in Black, Dark Navy Blue and Sky Blue trim, the exact opposite to the Kings aero corps colours, as a show of power and distain.  More fire for the flames of a Very Ruritanian Civil War ( a great idea by the way)!

[Red Orc]

Maybe we should wait until we get a report back on this - http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=17026.0 - which apprently has Ruritanian aeronefs in 1907! It has pictures, so maybe we could see what someone else thinks the well dressed Ruritanian military man is wearing, only slightly after our period.

More flag designs:

the first shows a suggestion for the Royal Flag of Ruritania during the 19th century, including the Imperial Eagle, and the Rose of Ruritania, as well as the black white and gold I've been playing with; also depicted is the suggested flag of the united Republic of Ruritania post-1989, also showing the Rose of Ruritania:



this one shows the flag of the interwar Republic of Ruritania (west Ruritania only), and the flag of East Ruritania, which had been a province of the Ottoman Empire but gained independence during the late 19th century (yes it's supposed to be a lion, look I'm drawing freehand in seconds with a mouse here):



Finally the two Cold War flags of the People's Republic of Ruritania, and the Autonomous Soviet Region of East Ruritania:

[argsilverson]

In the meantime, since someone mentioned the black and gold scheme of the uniforms, I post some link, of course of another era, but clearly shows those black clad, gold trimmed fellahs:

http://soweiterleague.blogspot.com/

[Red Orc]

What a great blog that Soweiter League is! Great find there, they're obviously having great fun doing it and they have maps too! I think we can definitely take some inspiration from that...

[fastolfrus]

Some of the SYW groups are inspirational.
Especially for small central European principalities, have you seen this one :

http://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/

Apart from uniforms and flags he has some lovely map symbols.


When we get Ruritania placed on a map somewhere, I suppose we'll have to work out if it has any other distinctive neighbours (such as the Duchy of Grand Fenwick)

[argsilverson]

In the meantime some inspirational links, I have omitted the usual film links:

http://digital.library.louisville.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/macauley&CISOPTR=1339&CISOBOX=1&REC=15

http://www.silverwhistle.co.uk/ruritania/stage.html
(this is an interesting site!)

An indian version of Prisoner of Zenda!
http://calcuttatube.com/jhinder-bandi-the-prisoner-of-zenda-1961-uttam-kumar-soumitra-chatterjee-arundhati-debi-classic-watch-the-bengali-movie-online/512/
and a youtube clip:


there is some operetta called Princess Flavia, but I was unable to find anything on it.

[former user]

Ok, so it would appear we have the project running 

so, I'd fancy basing eastern Ruritania on this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molvan%C3%AEa

which I found a hilarious read
with the appropriate adaptations of course
there is a large history section in the "guide"
which I want to heavily abuse 
As for Ruritania, in my eyes @red orc has the final saying, so I would expect approval or dismissal for suggestions.
I shall happily nurse the Ruritania thread if it is OK
but there is no hurry

[Steve F]

Steve Holland's British Comics/Magazines/Paperbacks blog, Bear Alley, has just finished serialising a 1961 comics adaptation of The Prisoner of Zenda:
http://bearalley.blogspot.com/search/label/Prisoner%20of%20Zenda

He's just started posting a heavily illustrated 1971 abridgement of Rupert of Hentzau:
http://bearalley.blogspot.com/search/label/Rupert%20of%20Hentzau



If the artwork here seems familiar, that's because Rupert of Hentzau was illustrated by John M Burns, currently one of the regular artists on the Nikolai Dante strip in 2000AD.

[fastolfrus]

How about Molvania as the neighbouring territory to the southeast of Ruritania.
Gives a potential opponent for minor border skirmishes.

But next we need to work out Molvanian uniforms.....

[former user]

I started with this blueish green as a concept for the livery of the ruling house, but as long as there are no miniatures, there is hardly the need.
I have some ideas for special regiments (that I actually wanted to paint), I will post them

If anyone wants to create a Molwanian army with a standardized uniform, no problem, go ahead

[argsilverson]

Steve Holland's British Comics/Magazines/Paperbacks blog, Bear Alley, has just finished serialising a 1961 comics adaptation of The Prisoner of Zenda:
http://bearalley.blogspot.com/search/label/Prisoner%20of%20Zenda

He's just started posting a heavily illustrated 1971 abridgement of Rupert of Hentzau:
http://bearalley.blogspot.com/search/label/Rupert%20of%20Hentzau



If the artwork here seems familiar, that's because Rupert of Hentzau was illustrated by John M Burns, currently one of the regular artists on the Nikolai Dante strip in 2000AD.

Very good find, I was trying to locate something but I was unable! So, many thanks!

Although the female hussar mini, was already started to be discussed in some other thread in LAF, I feel I have to bring it here, too:
http://hinterlandminiatures.weebly.com/index.html

I think she could be part of the Ruritanian world we are planning!
I wish they were available in Europe, too!

[former user]

this is a beautiful miniature
maybe I could use it as commander in full dress uniform for the

Molwanian volunteer hungarian cavalry regiment

I think the gorillo heads from Empress SCW range fit very well, with either the cavalry from the same range or other miniatures, don't know yet

[former user]

here the
Lutenblag Infantry commander school cadet field uniform
to be created with WWI lowland scots, most of the miniatures already purchased

[argsilverson]

here the
Lutenblag Infantry commander school cadet field uniform
to be created with WWI lowland scots, most of the miniatures already purchased

What is it? a Scotsman with a red star!!!!
BTW what scots has to do in "Ruritania"?
Rudolph's (Rassenddyll the "acting" king) personnal bodyguard!