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Nine figures, all at skirmish / low-end character level. Authentic heraldry.


First up, one of the 3 samurai. This is my usual first test piece of a batch. The rest will follow over the next couple of weeks.

Mmm samurai used the swastika? I knew it was a symbol of good luck but it is nothren. I do not think it was ever Asian.

I think you wanted this one https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

Dude, you should know better than to question my research:

from Samuria archives http://www.samurai-archives.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=61633&sid=0a106d5bc73ab408ce7c215e2a470835 wrote:
166. TSUGARU NOBUHIRA 1586 – 1631 津軽信枚
(Illustrated by Evalerio)

Nobuhira was the 3rd son of Tsugaru Tamenobu and was married into the Ikeda family and the Tokugawa family. During the Sekigahara campaign he sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu along with his father and brother Nobukata, his other brother Nobutake sided with Ishida Mitsunari. The family had 1000 men at Sekigahara. A fair number of families (not direct vassals of either side) employed this stratagem to ensure the family’s survival. The Tsugaru were destined in the Edo period to suffer a number of succession arguments that required intervention by the Shôgunate. Nobuhira was Daimyô of the Hirosaki-han (Mutsu 47 000 koku) from 1607 – 1631. He was followed by his eldest son Nobuyoshi.

Banners Left – right. Ashigaru sashimono – Tsukaiban – Tsukaiban – O uma-jirushi – Tsukaiban sashimono – Ko uma-jirushi - Nobori

Although this was also specified by the client, but all he'd have had to do is:

But the guy also says the last flag is a nobori which is just a name for the flag itself..... Not really trust worthy. The only other time I seen that logo was on Pinterest.....

Those are all banners used by Tsugaru Nobuhira of various types. The sashimono here (red with the yellow omote manji) is indicative of messenger corps (which is appropriate for a skirmish game like Ronin).

Edit: Japanese heraldry, much like western european / medieval can be confusing. Different banners for different purposes that can look quite different - compare for example livery standards during the wars of the roses with the actual banner, with the actual coat of arms - all of which can vary. Usually, in European heraldry there are at least a couple of consistent features (colours, badges/emblems). Not the case always though.

There's a similar manji depicted in a C17 (contemporary) illustration of the siege of Osaka (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Osaka).

Then there's this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirosaki

Good stuff, good thread.

If I am wrong " which I probly am I apolgize for being a bother was just worried about ya getting in trouble. It is to bad nazi used a similar logo due to it being so popular in many cultures.

No worries. As you know the nazi's co-opted it (even the word swastika is derived from sanskrit). Both the left-facing and right facing manji are used in many places and it's actually the sign for buddhist shrines on Japanese maps (which I didn't know till I did some minor research on this job).

I should point out - I do this sort of research when a client gives me something to chew on - for example, I thought it'd be good to vary the banners a bit (variety is almost always good) and wanted to ensure they're authentic enough - however as they're effectively military unit designators, it's actually not that good an idea, so I'm not suggesting it to the client. I don't spend a lot of time (maybe an hour or two), just enough to get a feel for patterns, colour choices, painty stuff. I tend to skim over who married who and was the son of whoever.

Note that 'authentic enough' doesn't necessarily mean accurate - I went off piste on my personal WotR army because I didn't like the traditional vertical split on unit banners, and the badges I use although in use by the family I was representing weren't all used at the same time, or by the on particular person. Historical 'inspiration' rather than indoctrination I guess.

And then there were 3.

Very cool stuff, always nice to see some Samurai.

Hess are awesome. Makes me want to paint the mountain of perry samurai I bought then promptly put in. U storage unit and left there for 7 years...

Amazing detail. Your customer will undoubtedly be quite pleased

Moar.




And the group so far:

All done.






Fun job.

OgreChubbs wrote:
Mmm samurai used the swastika? I knew it was a symbol of good luck but it is nothren. I do not think it was ever Asian.

I think you wanted this one https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

The Swastika is universal. It was used by the Jews on early temples when they first settled in Israel, and Hindus have used it for centuries. You can even see it in Native American carvings from time to time.

Back onto the troops, they look excellent and Ronin is a great game. Glad to see others playing it.

Amazing job on all of them. Maybe I missed it, but where are these figures from?

These are the Bushi Bantai set from North Star.
http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=5452

A fine job sir!

They look really good, I love the patterns on their clothing.

Flat not on 45 degree.

The indian embassy in London has them carved on pediments.
There flat, and when flat, there the original.

The orignals thousands of years old.