Flags vs Crests

[BobDaBuilder]

Seen a few bits and pieces in regards to this topic, but I'm quite curious which out of flags or crests do you prefer when representing countries?

For me, personally I like flags and the topic of vexillology, which I believe can tie both maps and countries together to make the complete picture, while adding more detail to regions, but I believe that crests can tell their own story if done correctly.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

[Falconius]

I don't know they are so interrelated that I'm not sure how preference really comes into it? Is the question "do you prefer shields with symbology, or flags with symbology?" Or is the question something else? I think the use of either really boils down to the history of the thing it demarks.

[Azélor]

If I understand correctly, these are 2 different things that are part of a coat of arms. https://flagspot.net/flags/vxt-dvc9.html#crest

Taking the arms of Canada as example, the crest is the lion atop the helm. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_of_Canada
The shield, to avoid confusion is sometimes named escutcheon https://flagspot.net/flags/vxt-dvs2.html#shield

[Falconius]

I thought the crest was the shield as well as the things around it.... Looking it up, the whole ordeal is actually referred to as an 'achievement' and the crest is, as the name suggests, the thing that goes on the helmet of the coat of arms (which is a part of the entire achievement, but also what one thinks of generally, so the supporters and motto and helmet etc.).

In my mind this all falls under the topic heraldry which intersects with flags in quite a major way, so much so as I don't really see them as separate things, hence my misunderstanding of the question.

[Gamerprinter]

Flags were used from the Napoleonic Era forward, for the most part using shields applies to medieval comparative maps. For something more modern using flags is proper. So even if your map is fictional is it inspired or compared to medieval or late Renaissance forward. I generally use heraldic shields and never flags, but then I don't prefer anything more modern than medieval, unless we're talking futuristic. Anything close to now is outside my interest.

[Ayradel]

I think it depends more upon where you want to go and what story you want the symbols to tell. I don't think it's entirely inaccurate to represent a world in both crests and flags but you'd need to have a good story to tell as to why you're using both. Typically heraldry, crests, achievements, ETC. are more useful when a country has a strong hereditary power structure, with a royal family or a nobility system. A monarchy or an oligarchy would be great places to use heraldic symbols, whereas I feel it would be inappropriate to use anything other than a flag for a republic or a democracy absent of a nobility.

[Propaganda Bot]

I believe that crests can tell their own story if done correctly.

Because I DM mostly fantasy settings this is definitely my favourite aspect of the difference between the two.

[Naima]

Flags were used from the Napoleonic Era forward, for the most part using shields applies to medieval comparative maps. For something more modern using flags is proper. So even if your map is fictional is it inspired or compared to medieval or late Renaissance forward. I generally use heraldic shields and never flags, but then I don't prefer anything more modern than medieval, unless we're talking futuristic. Anything close to now is outside my interest.

What would you use for something more ancient than medieval?
May be Vexilla or Standards ?