Lack of uniforms

[antisocialmunky]

I imagine the best way to tell is facing. You didn't run around like an idiot, you stayed with your buddies. The enemy would be facing you. It's not like you'd run into the ranks of the enemy. That'd be suicide.

Unless you're the HBO Titus Pullo.

[Mi Fhein]

many soldiers wore simple coloured cloths round their chest, neck or arm. during the time of the Spanish, French and English naval wars soldiers wore coloured caps so people in the rigging with the rifles would be able to tell friend from foe.

[cmacq]

Right, Titus Pullo.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xODx3UJ7W7I

[russia almighty]

There is something badass about the British redcoats .

[CirdanDharix]

Beyond watchwords, there's the language barrier. If you're supposed to be helping the Romans kill Gauls, odds are the people yelling in what seems to be Latin are on your side, and the guys yelling in some Gallic language are on the other side. Problems start to arise if you're a "friendly" Gaul, of course, since the Romans will have trouble telling you apart from the foe. Of course, that's an old problem--during the Peloponnesian war, the Athenians had trouble distinguishing their Dorian allies from their Dorian enemies, because they both sung their battle hymns in Dorian.

[Cyclops]

... Of course, that's an old problem--during the Peloponnesian war, the Athenians had trouble distinguishing their Dorian allies from their Dorian enemies, because they both sung their battle hymns in Dorian.

Good get, I was thinking of the same episode: Dorian Allies of Athens outside Syracuse IIRC, singing the paean.

Generally soldiers knew on another as part of a polis, kinship group, tribe whatever.

They definitely rallied around standards and known leaders.

As mentioned flankig scenarios (and I suppose night battles) were quite terrifying affairs with every shape looming out of the mist a potential foe.

There's an hilarious scene in Asterix the Legionary where Caesar and Sciopio's men mill around in battle. By the time of the civil wars it would'vebeen a real problem in melees, but the romans were pros and no doubt they came up with badging or colour solutions.

Friendly fire was a massive problem down to today. At Shiloh the New Orleans arty unit wore resplendent French-style blue uniforms but they had to turn them inside out to show the white lining so their grey and dun reb pals would stop gunning for them. Lemon Lips Jackson bought a friendly ball in the leg at Chancellorsville.

The C18 UK had green uniforms (light inf), bluejobs, rainbow coloured cavalry. The French were the whole dice and box, so were the Russians. There were some regular rank and file colours (eg prussian Blue for Prussian line inf) but the cav in particular were flamboyant/variable in the extreme. There was a Napoleonic French cav tactic to ride up along the enemy line through the smoke of battle in column as though they were friendly; ordinary inf would think they were just another fancy-dress cav unit, and they weren't attacking so they must be friendly. They'd slip in behind the line and wallop. Don't know if it ever worked though.

[Sakkura]

Friendly fire was a massive problem down to today. At Shiloh the New Orleans arty unit wore resplendent French-style blue uniforms but they had to turn them inside out to show the white lining so their grey and dun reb pals would stop gunning for them. Lemon Lips Jackson bought a friendly ball in the leg at Chancellorsville.

Was? It still is. Not too long ago a few Danish soldiers died in Afghanistan from what turned out to be British fire.

[wumpus]

... If you're supposed to be helping the Romans kill Gauls, odds are the people yelling in what seems to be Latin are on your side, and the guys yelling in some Gallic language are on the other side. ...during the Peloponnesian war, the Athenians had trouble distinguishing their Dorian allies from their Dorian enemies, because they both sung their battle hymns in Dorian.

Yes, that's plausible enough--up to a point. In playing RTW/XGM and EB, units shouting in Greek and those in Latin sound very much the same to me. I can't distinguish one tongue from the other because I don't speak either of them. Now, if I am Celtic or something, allied to the Latins and fighting Greeks, I would just slash any foreign-sounding warrior near me, just to be on the safe side. So I think it's both the language thing and something else--like your commander and unit standard keeping you in one solid group and slash, stab, or shoot anything and anybody in front of you. And, of course, your side must also have distinctive plumes, sashes, ribbons, shield emblems, etc. Don't count on knowing how your friends' faces look like--they'd likely to be covered by their helmets anyway. And maybe your side dresses differently than the other side's people. Hawooh.

[mrdun]

monastry, anyone?