30YW armour colour

[moncholee]

Hi, I am about to paint some armoured pikemen for 30YW and I wolud like to know if that armour is black, as that of cuirassiers, or has the usual "metal" colour. Thank you!

[vsolfronk]

Most armor is described as "blackened"- a coat of paint or tar to cover it to keep it from rusting, soften the edges, or to decrease visability. Of course how much of the metal peeped through probably varied widely according to application. Of course blackening wasnt universal either, esp. officers who had servants to shine the metal and better quality armor. Generally for the lower order troops (such as pikeman) I use a gun metal black. For officers and cavalry for variety, I use a majority of blackened armor but with unblackened and bronze armor thrown in.

[moncholee]

Thank you! Very useful answer.

[hazelbark]

Also blackened is often an expression that does not mean black. But sort of more tarnished as opposed to shiny metal.

[Spartacus]

I now always black undercoat and drybrush with 1 part vallejo silver to 2 parts Vallejo gunmetal, It might be rubbish but I like it

[moncholee]

I also use gunmetal over a black undercoat, followed by some lights with silver. I think it finishes well enough Thank you everybody.

[footslogger]

I was looking at blackened armors in the museum in nuremberg earlier this year. They ranged from really black to something I'd describe as graphite, a darkish metallic gray. The black looked either like flat black paint or metallic black. Most of them were 16th century though some did go a little later.

[Guest]

Photos of various types of black armour can be found here

http://www.vikingsofbjornstad.com/GrazArmory.htm

http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=270695