Decals and Markings... What do you use?

[captain sox]

Hello friends!

 

 With the completion of my first ever Guard squad, a question came up. Do you decal and mark your squads? If so, is there anything specific you do (I assume all units in a platoon will have the same numbers) or do you even bother? Do HQ have a different marking? What about Special and Heavy Weapons teams and Vehicles? Do Chimeras from Platoon A have the same number and markings as Platoon A, or am I thinking too much?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Sox

[Frater Cornelius]

I bother. A lot. In my 1500, 1850 and 2k list are only 32 infantry models, 2 of which are psykers. For the 3x 10 Veteran Squads I use SM markings (I bought a FW Ravenguard transfer sheet). Each one has their respective squad number on the shoulders and their transports is marked accordingly. Other than that, I use decals only on tanks and big models to represent my House by putting context sensitive marking on the apropriate areas (like the raven symbol for my House) and some I do free hand (like a the gothic letter 'R' for Ravenholdt). My main HQ is a tank. He has some more extravagant markings but the difference mainly comes from the conversions, making him look unique. Same goes for my secondary infantry HQ for other lists.

Furthermore, Every chassis has their own colour scheme. Taurox is light, mainly silver, with black and sepia markings. The LR are mainly black with a light marble (white + sepia) effect and a few highlights. I have not decided on the Chimera chassis yet (Wyvern and Hydra) but I will probably tend in the Taurox Direction.

Then there is the Knight. My Warmachine Judicator just arrived and is stuck in customs because it is from the U S BLOODY A. Gotta pick it up tomorrow. That thing will be the single greatest conversion I have ever done and certainly the most unique in my army and probably most vanilla Knights around. He too will have marking like the 'R' the raven and the Saint whos shrine is on the world.

I do this because I care about every individual model on the battlefield and I do not regard any of those expendable (the reason I dislike platoons and infantry spam). I only posses around 2.5k points worth of units. That is enough for tournaments and several friendly lists as my unit are either allrounders, magnitized or have a lot of options. This also gives me the time to make each model unique and give them their fluff. If you have 10k points, then I do not know how well that is going to work^^

[WarriorFish]

Technically everything has a squad marking, down to command and transports. Who is to say that your regiment follows this completely or even at all though? My troopers all bear the regiment's number on their left shoulder pad, but no more than that. It fits the regiment's attitude and saves me from messing around with models too much before a game :)

 

Tanks are the same, but with the addition of a "chassis number" - so Hellhounds and variants are numbered separately to Russ tanks, Demolisher (AV11 rear) tanks etc.

[captain sox]

Any photo examples either of you could share?

[Kilofix]

For vehicles I have Regiment marking on the left hull (XX) and unit marking on the right turret (1,2,3,etc.):

 

For infantry, I have Regiment marking on the left shoulder (XX), company marking as the first two numbers of the right shoulder (also 20) and unit marking as the third number of the right shoulder (like 201,202,203, etc.):

[Kilofix]

Sorry, photos aren't ideal in providing a profile shot of shoulder pads:

[Kierdale]

In my case units are marked primarily by their role. Yellow trim for command (a nice telltale for the enemy snipers!), blue for support, green for assault and red for line units. The colours are taken from old RT-era IG material. In the case of models that combine two roles, two colours are present: for example company command squad are marked with yellow, platoon command squads are yellow trimmed with red, and an infantry squad sergeant has red trimmed with yellow.

Other examples: a special weapons squad with sniper rifles is a support element thus has blue from to their shoulder pads and a blue line across the helmet, while a SWS with flamers, melta or demo charges would have green markings in the same places.

A few exceptions would be conscripts (white, as per Cadian Whiteshields) and penitents (black).

Plenty of examples in my army thread :)

 

I have not yet started putting decals on my models but intend to soon (both GW ones and others. You can get some excellent ones designed for super detailing Gundams and other mechs and repurpose them).

 

I do not yet have (numerical) regiment/company/squad markings on units but intend to 'when the army is done' (and we all know that that means! ;) ).

[march10k]

I have hull numbers on my vehicles, but the current incarnation of my guardsmen has done away with squad numbers...When I originally did them up in 1998-2001, each squad had a three digit number, and it was painted freehand on the non-aquila shoulder pad...which helped out when they were deployed so close together that it was hard to tell where one squad ended and the next began, but gave me no end of cranial excruciation when it was time to sort models back into the case...now I just line up any special weapons and the sergeant at one end of the row and fill-er-up!  Life is better without squad numbers when your squads cost 50 points base....

[Kierdale]

One thing to add:

I do paint, in Roman numerals, each infantry squad's platoon and squad number on the underside of bases.

I-I for 1st platoon, 1st squad...

I-IV for 1st platoon, 4th squad, etc.

 

That's how I keep track of squads when they're placed close but separately. I chose not to mark the miniatures themselves as, depending on the game/mission/edition of 40k, I may want to mix and match minis from time to time. The numerals help me remember their 'standard' organisation.

[Idlem]

I follow the basic pattern that Cadians are supposed to be marked for their squads. I use a 3 digit number above 199 for my normal trooper 10 man trooper squads. 0-199 are marked for Elites and Veterans. A 2 diget number with a skull in the middle like, 77, for my command squads. Chimeras that are dedicated troop transports get their squad number put on the side. (Squad 551 goes in Chimera 551)

My vehicles follow squad numbers and company colors. My Hellhound will be marked say 50, and if I squadron it, the next will be 51, etc. I haven't added company stripes (Found on the front track side) to my vehicles yet, but will do once I actually put them in squadrons. So Hellhound 50-53 will have a 3 bar stripe of my company.

So for example, my PCS is 82. He has three squads of troops under him. 551, 206, 445. I have different squad numbers for my troops because Cadians have to have a different number for every 10 dudes, and a command squad has to have that little skull thing in the middle.

If you're making up fluff though, number them however you like. If you're sticking to established companies, then getting them as close to as intended really rewards you with a great looking army for the effort.

[WarriorFish]

I'm not sure when I can get some pictures, but it's nothing special. The 144 decal on left shoulders and left sides of turrets, and the tank number on the sides of the hull. That's it! :)

[Frater Cornelius]

I can show the House symbols soon but am still trying to come up with the symbol of my church. I can not take the Ministorum one because it is not the imperial cult but a variantion on it..

[captain sox]

I follow the basic pattern that Cadians are supposed to be marked for their squads. I use a 3 digit number above 199 for my normal trooper 10 man trooper squads. 0-199 are marked for Elites and Veterans. A 2 diget number with a skull in the middle like, 77, for my command squads. Chimeras that are dedicated troop transports get their squad number put on the side. (Squad 551 goes in Chimera 551)

My vehicles follow squad numbers and company colors. My Hellhound will be marked say 50, and if I squadron it, the next will be 51, etc. I haven't added company stripes (Found on the front track side) to my vehicles yet, but will do once I actually put them in squadrons. So Hellhound 50-53 will have a 3 bar stripe of my company.

So for example, my PCS is 82. He has three squads of troops under him. 551, 206, 445. I have different squad numbers for my troops because Cadians have to have a different number for every 10 dudes, and a command squad has to have that little skull thing in the middle.

If you're making up fluff though, number them however you like. If you're sticking to established companies, then getting them as close to as intended really rewards you with a great looking army for the effort.

How would you mark Heavy and Special Weapons squads?

[Idlem]

They're the exception to the 10 man cap, but they're still a 3 diget number above 199 since they're not veterans.

[captain sox]

Thanks!