By Jonathan Lim
Well, describing uniform colours for Mongols is very difficult - mainly because they didn't wear any. (no, I'm not talking Gaesati!!) Actually, the traditional vision one gets of Genghis Khan's ravenning horde is fairly accurate. Allow me to fill out that image:
Hat: The Mongols did wear a little furry hat - or rather, a fairly large hat with fur round the edges. This could be dyed any colour, although the fur would be light brownish. This hat concealed a face with small eyes, enormous cheekbones, a small, fierce moustache and no beard.
Coat: The Devil's Horsemen wore a fur coat of the usual Oriental colours - i.e., mainly purple or blue, or that horrid Oriental green golour one sees in kung-fu movies - or any other colour really, just don't use primary colours too much. They were embroidered with those marvellous Oriental patterns you see on Chinese plates - you know, the blue squiggles like two-armed swastikas, abstract swirls and loops. These would be in many colours - even gold thread!
Lamellar Armour: This was made of leather squares sewn together and was usually black, or very dark brown. My Mongols have armour in all sorts of colours however - it looks nicer.
Quiver and Bowcase: Those mysterious bits on either side of a Mongol are the quiver, full of arrows, and the bowcase which covers half the bow. The are painted in more oriental patterns. I painted the quiver with squarer patterns, such as concentric squares and swastika-like shapes.
Sabre: this was shaped like a samurai sword.
Lance: Only used by the nobility, I believe. This had that funny tassel near the top to soak up blood. I painted it black.
Composite Bow: The vicious and phenomenally accurate bow the Mongols used were compsite types.
Horses: Usually Mongolian ponies.
Well, that's about it. As you may have guessed, there is little that separates a Mongol - visually - from any other light horse army, except maybe the sabre and more oriental designs. Just remember the traditional view of the Mongol horde, and try to match that view. Unlike most modern conceptions of armies, it is fairly accurate.
Anonymous: Remember that these guys rode for thousands of miles across Eurasia, and are reputed to have never bathed. So they should look fairly dirty and dusty in general. As for armor, yes some of the lamellar armor was leather. Some, however, was metal, and I've read that this was polished to a high sheen.
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Last Updated: March 10, 1999
Comments, questions and additions welcome. Send them to Chris Brantley at brant@erols.com.