This simple tabard or overcoat is decorated in distinctive colours and heraldry and is worn over the top of a suit of armour to allow the wearer to be easily identified on the field of battle. Skilled warriors in a noble’s army may wear a tabard displaying their master’s heraldry, while members of a knightly order may all wear a common design. Nobles or ranking offices often display a more ornate version of their personal heraldic design, to allow them to remain distinct from their subordinates whilst being identifiable as part of the same army. Of course there are times when an army or an officer does not wish to be so easily recognised, in which case the heraldic tabard is simply removed and hidden in a bag.[1a]