Barbarian or Gaul???

[Wolf Knight]

I am trying to customise my barbarian and Gaulish warriors but i have, what I consider to be, a huge problem.

Maybe this will sound silly but why did playmobil had to put the purple barbarian symbol of the bull on a green belt on one of the Gaulish warriors of set 7924?

It totally mixes up the two different groups...I know the designs were meant for children and not for adult collectors/customisers but I am on a huge dillema: Where should I enlist this Gaulish klicky with the green belt???

He has the symbol but not the colors of the barbarian warriors. I think he is much better off with his Gaulish buddies but whenever i see him, my eye is fixed on the symbol and i totally mistake him for a barbarian....

I know it psychological (which goes even further with some vikings who have some common colors with barbarians) but does any one have some suggestions?

Many thanks!!!
Panos

[Gustavo]

I'd say that Gaul killed a "barberian" (whatever it may be! ), and kept his belt ... If it isn't too anachronic.

If it is, lets say that the "barberians" were descendants of a Gaul who wore that belt, and that went east (), and was one of the fathers of these "barberians" . . .

(Er .. I love to make stories! )

Good luck soving this. I hope to may have helped ...
 

Gus


Rio

[Gustavo]

(Had another idea, complementary ...)

If he is an old father of the "barberians", it'll go nicely as a ghost, with the white skin & that weird long white beard!

[Martin Milner]

I've mostly avoided buying purple barbarians as I think they are too silly for words, and never noticed the belt buckle featuring the same bull's head, i.e. it doesn't draw my eye like it does yours.

I like Gustavo's solution, that the buckle is a family heirloom or possibly a war trophy.

[AndrewL]

Hi,

The same bull's head appears one the flag included in the US mass market exclusive 5861: 30 64 7542 - Flag, rectangular, ragged, with clips

Only there it's green on a black background, instead of the other way around.

Another possible solution to your dilemma is to figure that two different people/groups developed very similar symbols: it's been known to happen. In the Middle Ages, there are at least a few instances where troops got confused by too-similar heraldic devices and wound up attacking guys who were on their own side instead of their opponents. You could figure the similarity is down to coincidence.

Personally, I think it's really because, having done the basic pattern once, the designers at Geobra like to stick with what they've already got 

Cheers,

AndrewL

[Wolf Knight]

I'd say that Gaul killed a "barberian" (whatever it may be! ), and kept his belt ... If it isn't too anachronic.

If it is, lets say that the "barberians" were descendants of a Gaul who wore that belt, and that went east (), and was one of the fathers of these "barberians" . . .

Rio

I think i love your first idea better Gus .. the second will have tremendous historical inaccuracies...not that this is an excuse for not having good fun!!!!

[Wolf Knight]

I've mostly avoided buying purple barbarians as I think they are too silly for words, and never noticed the belt buckle featuring the same bull's head, i.e. it doesn't draw my eye like it does yours.

I like Gustavo's solution, that the buckle is a family heirloom or possibly a war trophy.

I like the war trophy idea as well Martin ... and i did avoid the barbarians, but i liked their knights and bought a few of them so that i could use various parts for customisation....

[Wolf Knight]

The same bull's head appears one the flag included in the US mass market exclusive 5861:

Another possible solution to your dilemma is to figure that two different people/groups developed very similar symbols:

I think it's really because, having done the basic pattern once, the designers at Geobra like to stick with what they've already got 

True, its cost efficient for Playmobil to keep the same pattern for various fanctions....

Your solution is also interesting Andrew, having checked your thread on the use on real life symbols for knights and fanction, I believe i could go on with this one...but somehow connected to Gustavo's trophy/heirloom idea....

[Justindo]

I've mixed my Vikings, Barbarians, and Gauls all together into one large group and customized them, so their colors are all mixed up.  (The purple doesn't look so bad when it's in smaller quantities and mixed with other colors.)  I use the purple bull banner standard for the group.  Personally, the bull belt has never bothered me and I hardly notice it, but if it bothers you, I really like Gus' idea of it as a war trophy from a slain opponent.

[WarriorOfToys]

I think another idea you could use, (one that I often use for situations like these)
Is that the Green belted Barbarien is the leader of all the purple Barbariens.
All the foot soldiers are purple,
Then you deck out your green belted Barbarien in all green and keep him as your leader.
That way he is different because he is "special."