Feileadh Mor tartan as camouflage?

[Damion]

The claim of tartan as camouflage goes back a lot further then the kilt. It has been debated if the Britons used tartan as camouflage or just fashion when fighting Rome. Those debates can be fun to listen to at times. I have spoken with some re-enactment groups that have tested it and found that most muted or hunting tartans do work as camouflage.

I think this leaves the question of did they use it as camouflage?

Unlikely, they also used crested helmets and bright gold and silver jewellery. Their shields were painted with bold patterns and they typically called challenges before a fight.

The only instance I can think of is an ancient German tribe called the Harii who painted their shields black, dyed their skin some dark colour and attacked at night. Harii is possibly related to the word Heer so may have been a group of warriors at the time rather than an actual tribe.

The problem with our speculating on camouflage is that we understand the concept, our modern weapons make it vitally important to do so. Much of the time our forebears engaged in warfare with barely any scouting undertaken, let alone deliberate attempts at camouflage. Overawing the enemy with bright colours and sound back when the average person couldn't afford such was a form of psychological warfare.
Soldiers wore tall hats with plumes all the way into the second half of the 19th century to make themselves look taller and more fearsome. Totally different mindset back then, much more animalistic like the duck I saw on the drive this morning puffing its feathers out to make itself look larger to warn off other ducks.