Solomani Flag

[Andrew Boulton]

What does it look like? How about ship markings?

Suggestions:

 

[far-trader]

The blue looks familiar. AM6? That's my vote anyway

As to ship (and such) markings the only ones I recall offhand were just the simple "Earth" symbol without background or embellishment.

 

[Sturn]

I voted that it would be blue due to what could be seen as an evolution of the symbols of Earth/Terra. In order of OTU historic appearance:

United Nations of Terra - The modern blue and white symbol, globe of Earth with several circles and lines that make it somewhat similar to the later Solomani symbol.

Terran Confederation - A progression from the UN symbol. This is from Gurps Interstellar Wars.

Old Earth Union - Strictly my postulation for my Terran Dawn campaign. It creates a step between the later Solomani symbol and the previous Terran Confederation. The "circle and cross" is an ancient symbol of both the Earth and the Sun (Sol). It made sense that the Old Earth Union would use an old Earth symbol. The stars of the Terran Confederation have been reduced to the 8 official colonies of Earth/Terra with Earth the symbol in the center. Fills in the gap between Terran Confederation and Solomani Confederation.

Solomani Confederation - The ancient symbol of Earth/Sol with the old blue and white colors handed down since modern Earth.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Canon doesn't mention colours, and only some pics show the wreath.MTU used the blue one. The Navy recruiting film originally used the red one (Nazis in spaaace...), but I was persuaded to change it to the green one.

 

[far-trader]

I'm probably just thinking the blue looks familiar since it and the Terran Confederation symbol (pg 4 of AM6 - see below - Copyright 1986 GDW) both put me in mind of the UN symbol. The two are both quite similar to the UN symbol, one has the globe the other has the wreaths. And of course it (the Terran Confed) has it's roots in the UN.

EDIT: heh, and now (after the fact of course) I see Sturn had put up the TC symbol (in blue) earlier in the Gallery and linked it in his post above (I wonder what else I can pointlessly repeat today... )

 

[flykiller]

it's hard to make the sun cross look visually interesting in 2d - it is so primitive and passively self-contained that any ornamentation or even any color causes dissonance and distraction. it seems to look better in 3d, such as grave markers, medals, jewelry, and Andrew Boulton's little rotating symbol.

warships at least would use a swastika, a symbol just as old and widespread, and much more dynamic. likely the swastika would become the primary 2d symbol for earth. "the human race on the move."

 

[far-trader]

...a swastika, a symbol just as old and widespread, and much more dynamic.

And unfortunately saddled with all "that" baggage. It's bad enough the Solimani have this jackbooted Nazi thug image, we don't need to encourage it by adding swastika's all over the place.

But, perhaps the "earth" symbol could be tweaked a bit. Maybe something like this (quick and dirty)...

 

[flykiller]

And unfortunately saddled with all "that" baggage. It's bad enough the Solimani have this jackbooted Nazi thug image, we don't need to encourage it by adding swastika's all over the place.

it doesn't have to be, and they don't have to be, and I don't know how the solomani came to be associated with nazi's anyway, except as a convenient template. the imperium doesn't strike me as being all that freedom-loving itself.

 

[rancke]

A flag is supposed to be clean and simple (various real world examples to the contrary notwithstanding). I think the original blue version is spot on.


Hans

 

[Frankymole]

Green for the green hills of Earth - the Solomani seem quite nostalgic and Earth-centric.

Or maybe blue for its oceans.

 

[Icosahedron]

There are real-world examples of different colours for different purposes - maybe the blue symbol with olive branches for trade and exploration, the red with eagle wings for warships...

 

[Jame]

Of the original, listed choices? Blue.

Though the one that FT showed with the stars was a bit closer.

 

[epicenter00]

Of the choices shown, the blue one I think. There's a pic of a Solomani starship with pretty much that symbol, except it was a B&W artwork so we don't know what color it was.

I think that would be the Solomani national recognition roundrel that they put on their official (military?) vehicles and so on. Their flag would be different - I am thinking like the one that FT posted, white on a blue background.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

warships at least would use a swastika, a symbol just as old and widespread, and much more dynamic. likely the swastika would become the primary 2d symbol for earth. "the human race on the move."

I think that might be pushing the boundaries of taste (not to mention illegal in Germany). OTOH, they got away with this:

http://www.travellerbibliography.org/german/Abenteuer-1.html

 

[far-trader]

You noticed that one too hunh?

 

[epicenter00]

I think that might be pushing the boundaries of taste (not to mention illegal in Germany). OTOH, they got away with this:

http://www.travellerbibliography.org/german/Abenteuer-1.html

He's just swimming! Upwards. Towards the future.

Yeah.

 

[Hemdian]

The blue one looks reminisent of the United Federation of Planets (Star Trek). IMTU I've usually gone for green for the solies (red for the Imperials and blue for the zoes).

 

[FreeTrav]

This is an interesting idea; to this day, many nations on Earth have multiple 'ensigns' or 'jacks' for maritime use, and the decision as to which one to use may be different from nation to nation. There's no reason not to continue such a tradition.

 

[BlackBat242]

The various British ship flags (ensigns):

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-ensig.html

White Ensign (Royal Navy)

Blue Ensign (Merchants with predominantly Royal Navy Reserve crew & Captain)

Red Ensign (civilian merchants)

 

[Maladominus]

IMHO... if we are simply voting a flag that is most faithfully representative of the Solomani Confederation (as Marc Miller portrayed it in Classic Traveller Alien Module 6(?), then I would have to go with Andrew's "blue design".

Blue works well as an official government color. (It's the United Nations flag color as well).

Green might be used during times of peace? Or it might be used as the "civilian ensign", or used by the corporations and private interests, non-governmental.

A red flag of the same design could be used during times of war (e.g. maybe the red flag was the one actively in use during the Rim War). Or maybe it was also used during the years of the (this is vague and possibly non-canonical Sollie history) Solomani-Aslan Border Wars as described in GDW's Dark Nebula.

Last but not least.... having GM'ed a Solomani Rim campaign myself, I know that the minor Solomani states would also use their own local or regional flags, in addition to the "overall flag" of the Solomani Confederation. This is analogous to the USA flag being flown alongside of the flags of the 50 states. In California, the flag of the California Republic (our bear flag) would always fly alongside the Stars and Stripes.

The full name of the Solomani Confederation is..... "Confederation of the Free Solomani States"