When a DeathWatch Marine returns to his chapter

[Growler67]

With respect Valerian, the armor is still paited DW black which would seem to indicate that the marine still serves in the DW Company rather than the past tense. It appears to me that the "Veteran" isn't being used to indicate the current coloquialism of "having served". If that were the case then the Space Wolf would have his armor returned to his Chapter colors, correct?

 

As stated I haven't come across much in the way of "official" to indicate precisely what the protocol would be once a Marine returns to his Chapter or great Company. As I stated, it seems logical and apparently the standard for Astartes to display the insignia for the Company one currently serve in on the left side, be that Ultra or Deathwatch. Along the same lines, once one returns to ones Chapter or origin, that insignia should be displayed on the left side. The honor of the gifted DW Pad can be displayed on the right side to indicate having served and to display such a distictive recognition. The armor is restored to Chapter colors as well and like any honors, awards and decorations would be displayed as testament to ones battle legacy.

[RamrodMC]

Another explanation is that he's a veteran from the Space Wolves (so a Wolf Guard) who's been seconded to the Deathwatch. Either way, he's pretty obviously still in the Deathwatch. He still has the entire Deathwatch silver left arm, his armour is still black, and he still has the modified boltgun.

[Kronk]

Thanks guys.

 

I put together three models last night using the metal GW Deathwatch bits, Black Templar Bits, and some of the new Grey Knight PA bits (love that box!). One with Bolt Pistol and Power Weapon, one with the metal Deathwatch Bolter, and one with a Meltagun. I'm going to "sprinkle" these DW vets in my Black Templar army (no more than one per squad), and possibly make a couple of more. I will be painting their armor as my standard Black Templars, but the DW shoulder Paldron will go on their left shoulder and be painted silver. All of their guns will be painted red per Deathwatch color scheme as I'm assuming that they kept the weapon(s) they used as a member of Deathwatch.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

Edit: What about terminators? Would the Deathwatch employ Terminator Armor?

[RamrodMC]

According to the RPG rulebook, they do. There's a Terminator shoulder pad (I think in both the CC and ranged kits) that is basically just a Termie version of the Command Squad/Commander DW pads. In any case, you can buy the Termie DW pad individually from lots of bitz suppliers on the web.

[Kronk]

I see. I have a box of the Grey Knights Terminator Armor. I can use one of those Shoulder Pads, I think.

[Growler67]

The Deathwatch have access to all the Astartes do and more. Yes theyemploy Terminators and Special individuals even wear the ancient Artificer Armor of heroic marines who have served the Imperium and the Deathwatch in times past. As stated, the Terminator DW pad is available from bits dealers like TheWarStore or occasionally on eBay.

[RedMoon]

back when we worked for GW all the stores in an area were given a marine chapter name. we were the blood angels. all the stores were once told to paint a former deathwatch marine for some army that never got done in HQ. we were told to paint them with the whole left arm and shoulder pad silver like the deathwatch. it was spos to be some GW army but after we all sent ours in they gave up on it lol. anyway think thats pretty official as well so you could do left shoulder pad or left shoulder and whole arm.

[Valerian]

With respect Valerian, the armor is still paited DW black which would seem to indicate that the marine still serves in the DW Company rather than the past tense. It appears to me that the "Veteran" isn't being used to indicate the current coloquialism of "having served". If that were the case then the Space Wolf would have his armor returned to his Chapter colors, correct?

 

No problem Brother Growler. If you look at my initial post in this thread, you will see that I also remembered it that a "veteran of the Deathwatch" would simply keep his DW shoulder pad and revert back to original Chapter colors. However, when I found the IA picture, I reassessed my position.

 

However, that being said, it is very likely that the guys responsible for the IA armour scheme examples just got it wrong, showing a current DW member and a previous DW member as having the exact same scheme, accepting their Chapter-specific right shoulder pad. I believe this is a likely mistake based on the fact that they also show the Grey Knights in Black armour, vice the modern polished silver scheme that they've had for over a decade now, and in the Space Wolves IA they show separate pre-Heresy and post-Heresy armour schemes, when they have no such distinction in their fluff (unlike, say, Dark Angels).

 

Based on at least 3 problematic pictures, I would surmise that they did intend for that pic to represent a veteran of the DW, but just got it wrong.

 

Best regards,

 

V

[Growler67]

Well until such time arrises that the ambiguity is dispelled, I will respectfully disagree. I maintain my position as I have outlined it and it fits into my deductions of what I know of the 40K Universe. I am not as scholarly adept as you are nor have I ever claimed to be. I continue my reading through the offerings of the BL and if I happen upon anything that changes my conceptions, I will adjust. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/tyggrr65/Gifs/search.gif The confusion, be it intentional or not, persists by the hand of GW. They alone can clear things up if they so choose. Perhaps that is why this facet of the Space Marines is still so enigmatic.......they purposely intended mystery until such time that they deem it otherwise. Perhaps with the RPG that day may soon be upon us.......we shall see.

 

I can agree to disagree with no ill will. As is said by many and repeatedly.....it's your Army, paint them how you like. I guess the same woulsd apply to modeling them as well. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/tyggrr65/Gifs/tiphat.gif

[Valerian]

Well until such time arrises that the ambiguity is dispelled, I will respectfully disagree. I maintain my position as I have outlined it and it fits into my deductions of what I know of the 40K Universe. I am not as scholarly adept as you are nor have I ever claimed to be. I continue my reading through the offerings of the BL and if I happen upon anything that changes my conceptions, I will adjust. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/tyggrr65/Gifs/search.gif The confusion, be it intentional or not, persists by the hand of GW. They alone can clear things up if they so choose. Perhaps that is why this facet of the Space Marines is still so enigmatic.......they purposely intended mystery until such time that they deem it otherwise. Perhaps with the RPG that day may soon be upon us.......we shall see.

 

I can agree to disagree with no ill will. As is said by many and repeatedly.....it's your Army, paint them how you like. I guess the same woulsd apply to modeling them as well. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/tyggrr65/Gifs/tiphat.gif

 

I actually think we are in agreement! I concur that it should be just the DW shoulder pad (and perhaps silver arm?) as that makes the most sense. I think the IA guys screwed up (again).

 

As you say, however, the OP should do what seems most appropriate to him.

 

V

[Prathios]

Just a quick point too, the chapter master has the final say in all of this. The marine must follow whatever rules the chapter master commands with regard to the heraldry on his armor. The chapter masters are under no obligation to honor anything that the deathwatch has done or honored the unit with. So to be totally fair there would likely be no completely uniform design for this honor. I've racked my brain for specific places I've seen this done before and sadly the one place I can think of for sure was Scout Sergeant Cyrus from the Blood Angels in DoWII. Which for all intents and purposes doesn't really count.

 

I would agree with some of the above posters though, the most logical way of showing this status would be the left shoulder.

 

(I would imagine some chapters, like the Ultramarines, are so anal about everything that they would kick you out of the chapter for not wearing a standard blue color scheme... "The codex does not allow for such abhorrent alterations to a power armor pauldron!!! Banish him!")

[Kronk]

First model here

 

When the humidity drops, I'll prime the next few I made.

[RamrodMC]

Valerian, the IA diagrams are probably correct, if you ask me. I think it is more likely that only the text of the IA picture is wrong (a typo is more likely to sneak past the proofreaders, not an entire illustration), but even then I wouldn't count on it. Personally, I just think your interpretation of the word "veteran" is too strict. Veteran does not only mean "former member", it can also mean "highly experienced current member" which, considering the fact that the Marine is illustrated in full Deathwatch livery, seems to me the most likely case.