Should they dress differently?

In my story there are the soldiers of an army that can wield only a limited amount of magic as required and taught by the standard training, but there are a few willing to go even further in learning how to manipulating their lifeforce to better able to fight for their country.

The question is should they dress in a more pragmatic version of wizard robes? Less cloth but nonetheless a bit fancy and eyecatching for the battlefield.

I was thinking maybe they could wear it under the standard uniform to blend it with the other troops and when they are order to go full out Magic Knight they reveal the robes.

Why is it that they wear robes? Is there some kind of justification for it? If not, they should be in some form of armor, period. They're magnets for attack and should be treated as soft targets because, let's face it, a person, no matter how powerful, is still an easy kill. Robes on wizards just because makes about as much sense as a (classic, standard-issue) Chinese dragon flying without magic or any other form of Applied Phlebotinum flight.

Robes never really made sense. Some settings justify them as holding more enchantments, or wizards being gloried monks, but it never really made sense.

If it's a modern world, it will just look stupid. At most, robes could work as dress uniforms ONLY if magic is descended from typical greaybearded wizards.

Also, robes are a tripping hazard, and hoods cut down on visibility.

We have the Random Question Thread for this kind of questions, you know.

Random Questions is for questions that have a simple answer and won't lead to ongoing conversation or discussion. This is fine just where it is.

To answer in a sentence: not unless there are actual functional reasons for it. There should be some kind of rank insignia for the reasons we have it in real life, but there shouldn't be glaringly obvious "mage" uniforms for the reasons we don't have glaringly obvious officer uniforms (anymore) in real life. Robes as a dress uniform could work if given historical justification (like mentioned above).

Okay, that was actually three sentences, although the second and third are just elaborating on the first.

If you really want to go with a robe-like garment, give them greatcoats. It's at least more modern and realistic in the modern age. However, I'd suggest having them identifiable solely by rank, as it'll add a far greater element of tactical maneuverability.

Maybe it's just me, but I would want my War Mages to be as un appealingly eye-catching as I could possibly get. The Greatcoat idea is really the only reasonable explanation that would work, but even then you would have to justify the greatcoat with a form of rank.

I really think, armouring them would be the best idea. It points them out without really giving them away and protects them at the same time.

Well maybe the aforementioned robe only has about as much material and shape as a greatcoat.

Let's face it I got the "knight" part down I just need something that says the "magic".

Also, if you do decide to use armor, German WW1 stormtroopers◊ had a viable reference for more modern conflicts.

Give them fancy epaulets. That should work. Or pauldrons◊.

They're soldiers first and mages second. Dressing differently is supposed to be discouraged.

The most you can give them is a hat, patch, small difference in insignia, pauldrons, or other small detail, all only on dress uniforms. Unless you make a separate branch entirely for magic and magic related specialties. And even then the uniforms still have to be unobtrusive and easy to move in.

edited 18th Jul '11 12:23:38 PM by Leradny

I'd imagine that something as specialized as magic-users would constitute a separate military branch, such as marines or Waffen-SS, and be dispatched in separate units to work with larger detachments of armor/infantry. certainly, their equipment.tactics would be different enough to warrant it.

In that eventuality, you could easily justify having different uniforms. Another idea: give the least adept flashy uniforms. That way, the enemy eventually learns to associate flashy=lots of magic and it deteriorates morale, or it draws attention form the more subtle and more skilled mages. A win either way.

edited 18th Jul '11 12:26:38 PM by Morgulion

What's the difference between killing someone with a sword, killing someone with a gun, and killing someone with a bolt of lightning?

If magic workers are much more rare and powerful than rank-and-file soldiers, you may not actually want to give them distinguishing uniforms in the field, since that would make them targets. Unless they're also extra-strong.

Same difference as killing someone in a tank or on foot. Logistics are vastly different (such as lower requirements for ammunition), and depending on the power of the mages, they will be deployed differently than regular infantry, as well as have special considerations about their use (with limitations similar to weapons of mass destruction or things banned by the Laws of Land Warfare, if such a thing exists in this 'verse). Functionally, they'd be a rarer resource, and the patterns for using them would necessarily be different.

Fair point. The 'fancy uniforms' was more of a joke, anyway.

@OP: How powerful are your mages, anyway? Can they destroy a tank? A building? A city?

Fair point as well. I suppose we need to know how common these chaps are.

edited 18th Jul '11 12:54:32 PM by Morgulion

Oh yeah, I was just saying it might be different enough to make a specialty but not necessarily a branch. Unless you add Magical Defense and have people who make special resistant armor and weapons made of certain materials. Which I've actually done.

But it still wouldn't change the basic uniform. So.

edited 18th Jul '11 12:52:54 PM by Leradny

The important thing to know here is the quality/quantity of mages relative to the quality/quantity of soldiers.

edited 18th Jul '11 1:07:59 PM by TheEarthSheep

^^ It does. Otherwise, you won't distinguish between the specialized plane fighter and the navy seaman. See the uniform for the Canadian Air Force◊, versus the Army one.◊

A solution for this would be to put the magic-users in the backlines. It's more worth knowing your wizards are still alive, than to continue charging without realizing the fireworks are gone. Wouldn't the wizards become targets anyway, once they start casting?

As pragmatic as killing power goes. How much does your military value appearances over the efficiency of clothing? The robes I believe should allow for easy movement, loose-fitting cloth, while still letting the wizards run fast as any other without tripping over their toes.

edited 18th Jul '11 1:16:24 PM by QQQQQ

Depends on how overt the magic is. I suppose the range is also relevant; long enough and you wouldn't have to put them on the battlefield at all.

I meant the fact that the basic structure of uniforms are pants, shirt, and jacket, and you can't change from that to robes.

I believe it possible to fudge the uniform formula, if it allows the Magicians to practise their magic better. Robes or other loose-fit wear.

They'd still need to dodge stuff, carry water/rations over long distances, wear armor that won't shift around, and the like. Robes are easy to move in, but they catch easily in backpacks.

Then tunics shall◊ do.◊ Or you can take inspiration from the Martial◊ Arts.◊

edited 18th Jul '11 1:43:47 PM by QQQQQ

Still, depending on the time period and culture of the setting, it'd be like wearing a Western sundress to a traditional Japanese function or an Edwardian walking suit to a modern prom.