[shakhak]

I want something different for my Reptus standard bearers so I came up with the idea of straping a Sashimono to their backs. This will stick with their oriental/asian feel, and will look great when their totem of battle is on the field.

A sashimono is a battle flag that a samurai straps on their back, apparently it was used for a primary source of identification among troops, sometimes each soldiers was different, but I'm going to bend the rules and use them for Troop moral.

So any ideas on how to make a couple?

Or where I could pick up several for cheap?

[shakhak]

This is what I would want it to look like.

[shakhak]

http://images.google...6lr%3D%26sa%3DG

Well... I found one to purchase, but I would still be intrested to hear how you guys would create one, or if you think it would be a cool idea.

Or if you find cooler ones to buy.

[ecs05norway]

It's actually fairly simple.

How you'll do it mostly depends on whether or not you can paint your banner image freehand, or want to do it on the computer.

How I did mine:

Lay out the image in the graphics program of your choice. I used Adobe Illustrator.

It will look something like this:

_|_|__    _|_|__
|    |____|    |
|    |____|    |
|    |____|    |
|    |____|    |
|    |____|    |
|    |    |    |
|____|    |____|

So you basically have a 'front' and 'back' of the banner, connected by thin strips of paper, with a couple of 'tags' on the top of each.

There are two ways to add graphics.

#1: Add them in the program. Print it out and assemble.
#2: Add them freehand. Paint the paper white before doing it, this will give it a more clothlike look.

Then construct an 'L' shaped frame for it (probably out of toothpicks), and wrap the banner around it. The strips connecting the two pieces should become the loops around the vertical staff, while the tassles on top become the loops around the horizontal staff.

[shakhak]

Thanks that sounds sweet. Is that going to handle ok on the game table? After some gloss and clear coat I assume it won't just come off.

[ecs05norway]

It should, yeah. You'll want to buy the nice thin toothpicks, and you might want to drill a hole for the end to be glued into.

And use white glue to put the paper together -- it'll help with the cloth effect, especially if you're printing a design instead of freehanding.

[ixminis]

I'd add the request for one into the "Minis I'd like to see thread"... I know I've considered scratch-building 'em for various army's I've got... but have never quite found the time...

I know I *could* find the time to pin some on my figs...

[ecs05norway]

I still have (somewhere) the Illustrator file I did for my Clan Scorpion army; I'd be glad to dig that up and post it for reference.

Also, Japanese dictionary and language-tutorial websites are a great place to dig up hiragana and katakana lettering, plus appropriate kanji. Use the graphic interface on the WWWJDIC and do a search on the words/concepts you want to get stuff for.

[Sergei]

A really good site for back banner is the samurai achives, you can't download most of the designs but it does give you some good ideas.

http://www.samurai-archives.com/