The Sub-ordinaries

Next in importance after the honourable ordinaries are the sub-ordinaries. The sub-ordinaries are variations of the honourable ordinaries and were invented because so many different shields were needed it would have not been possible if only the limited number of honourable ordinaries were used.

Each of the honourable ordinaries has their own variations.

The Sub-ordinaries of the cross

Latin	Patriarchal	Pointed	Maltese

Potent	Formy	Crosslet	Crosslet Fitched
		These are a few of the sub-ordinaries of the cross. There are many more but all of these can be used in the shield designer. See below.
Pommel	Calvary

Some Examples
	Quarterly sable and gules a maltese cross or.
	Argent a cross crosslet gules.

Roundels
Roundels are discs and they have different names depending on their colour. The colours and names are shown below. Normally the bezants (gold), plates (silver) and fountains (blue and white wavy lines) should be drawn flat while the other roundels are shaded to give them a spherical shape. The current version on the shield designer does not do this.


Bezant	Plate	Torteau	Hurt

Pomme	Golpe	Pellet	Fountain

Some Examples
	Argent on a fess gules between three pellets three fountains.
	Azure on a bend or three torteaus.

Navigation

Useful Terms

Points of the shield

A: Dexter Chief
B: Middle Chief
C: Sinister Chief
D: Honour Point
E: Fess-point (middle of shield)
F: Nombril / Naval point
G: Dexter Base
H: Middle Base
I: Sinister Base

You can now add a sub-ordinary of the cross to your shield. First select the 'Add a charge' option then click the 'More' button at the bottom of the popup. Choose the sub-ordinary using the small shields. Select the sub-ordinary and then choose a colour, metal or fur to change its appearance. You can change any of the settings made so far by selecting the other menus.