Victorian mercenary uniforms

[former user]

Yes exactly
however no harm in using historical examples to get the feel of the period better
which leads me to captain Nemos crew who are described as somehow uniformed, though very briefly

another interesting lead could be the Chinese armies of the Warlord Era, though not technically Victorian

[Plynkes]

This is the VSF page, not real history

True, but the original poster was asking about real history, which is why we have been discussing it. To do otherwise would have been to not answer his question.


I don't really think there is an historical analogue to what he is proposing during this period. So I think we are back to "go with what appeals to you."

[Will Bailie]

Don't forget the filbusters like William Walker, or adventurers like John Harlan, Prince of Ghor (a possible inspiration for Kipling's "Man who Would be King") or James Brook, the "White Rajah of Sarawak".  

I'll second mysteriousbill and recommend a mix of civilian and military gear.  Since you're going with VSF you can look at fictitious sources for inspiration - see the troops of Dr Loveless in Wild Wild West, or William Walker's companions from the strange Ed Harris film Walker.

[Red Orc]

Much of the discussion has been around the idea that 'given that there weren't really any 'mercenaries' as such in the late Victorian period, what's the closest parallel to the notion?' - and I think as non-nationals fighting for a state, organised into a regiment, that the Foreign Legion is the closest, as well as having a fairly distinctive uniform.

But in the end the justification will have to come from the fluff - whether that's 'x-power, which recruited the aliens first, gave them these uniforms' or 'they're currently fighting for y-power so they're wearing these uniforms' or 'the first humans they defeated were from z-power and the aliens looted these uniforms from them', or whatever.

[Froggy the Great]

"Easy to paint" then.  I'm good with that.
Thank you all!

[Red Orc]

 

Yeah there's always that justification!