ixzion Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 As a long time player of Space Marines of different forms and shapes I am finally starting to look at the more squishy and puny humans of the Astra Militarum. I have bought some infantry but I have yet to start painting them. I'm still deciding on the uniform and I am also running into new questions that I haven't really encountered before; how do you recognize which regular Joe belongs to which unit or even to which infantry platoon? I am interested to hear if you have some kind of system to mark infantry squad troopers out as belonging to a specific squad, a specific platoon and a specific regiment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pounder Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Hey ixzion, I organize my platoons by giving the model a coloured stripe on the shoulder pads, for sergeant and special weapons within the squad I put the platoon colour on the helmet too. Then each squad is numbered. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kierdale Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Most of my infantry have two numbers painted in white on the underside of their bases. For example: 1-2 is a member of the second squad of first platoon. 2-1 is a member of the first squad of second platoon. 1-p a member of the 1st platoon's command squad. That's how I differentiate between them in an Out Of Character (to use the RPG term) way. In Character use coloured stripes on hats, helmets, shoulders and trousers to indicate squad type (command = yellow, support = blue, line = red, assault = green. Based on old RT-era IG markings). I intend to add numbers to shoulder pads to indicate squads and platoons (akin to the under-base markings I mentioned earlier). Company and regiment markings are saved for company command squads, banners and command tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
march10k Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 My original paint job on my metal cadians had 3 digit squad numbers on the non-aquila shoulder pad for line squads (no rhyme or reason to the numbers, a platoon might consist of squads 369, 343, and 662), two digits for platoon command squads, and a skull for company command. When I repainted them five years ago, I left the numbers off, they just look better that way. Anyway, numbers under the base is a good way if you care to keep them that well organized...with 223 of them, I've long since given up...cleanup consists of slotting sergeants and special weapons per squad, then filling in riflemen. /edit/ Also, I'm probably influenced by the real world...I've never seen uniforms marked with any unit designation below regimental level! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
our_baz Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Personally I dont, give my guard squad markings. Rank and file all the same regardless of squad type / platoon. Exceptions models of rank, sarg have white rank markings and senior officers have a more formal uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrkul Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I base each of my platoons(cadians) of infantry different so i can tell units apart, i also have color markings on the left shoulder to signify platoons(more personal fluff reason then practicality). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilofix Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I have platoon (first number) and squad (second and third numbers) on the left shoulder pad. And company insignia on the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixzion Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Thank you! You are gving me great ideas how I will do my troops. I was worried that during play I would accidentally mix up which guy contained to which unit in the case of two or more infantry squads running close together. But of I add some kind of squad marking then I should probably be able to keep the squads apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorFish Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 It's not as bad as you think, I don't have any squad markings on my troopers and I have no problems identifying who belongs where. Having squad markings will help and looks cool, but it does limit you on model use which is my problem with it. None of my armies have squad markings for this reason, so I can put any model in any squad :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
our_baz Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Also if we are going to be a little fluffy. The average guardsman lasts about 15mins in the field, I can imagine the Adeptus Minisratum being pragmatic and not bothering with markings on a guardsman uniform, with such a high turn over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scatmandoo Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I have no markings on my units, just plenty of variety. Means that one game they cam be a Vet, CCS, normal infantry or even a Conscript if I as supreme commander of operations deems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmo Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I have gone down the decal route. on the LH pauldron is the unit number from the IG decal sheet. Once I run out of those I will have to start chopping them up for more variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isiah Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 For quickness and to save painting on the actual models, what about applying some kind of colour coding marks on the rear face/edge of the base? They won't show from the model's front but you'll see them as you look down on them from behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixzion Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 Thank you fellow commanders for some xcellent ideas and suggestions. Commander Scatmandoo makes a really good point of not having squad markings as it is then possible to mix and match units. What I think I will do is to add squad markings on regular troopers but leave the special weapons and sergeants without so they can belong to any squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander_Moustache Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I have a colourd stripe (denoting company in fluff, but on the tabletop it it denotes weather they are BS4 or not, desreguarding the officers) then a number between 1-9 to denote platoon (again, in fluff, just to break up squads on TT) and then a secound number below that one 0-9 to denote specific squad (with 0 being an officer squad). And finaly to really show off the difference between my regular guardsmen and my veterans, the Veterans ALL have backpacks (again, disreguarding officers) So for example a guardsman with a Yellow stripe with a 2 above a 1 would mark him as a member of 5th (veteran) company, 2nd platoon, 1st squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raulmichile Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I also don't distinguish regular dudes because 1: I mostly play Catachans these days, so no place in the model to put stripes and the like, and 2: when it is their time to die they all die in the same gory way so why bother trying to recognize Bob from Tommy? Don't worry. I have found that during a game it us not so difficult to discern who belongs where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnvilofFenris Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I use a three digit shoulder number for my squads - company,platoon,squad e.g 113 is 1st company, 1st platoon, 3rd squad. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd platoons are infantry squads, 4th platoon is veterans, 5th are special weapons and 6th are heavy weapons. That allows me to 'attach' special weapons to different squads as and when I need them, while heavy weapon teams to attach to infantry squads or be deployed as full squads, and I can still tell who belongs where! ( I'm a bit particular that way!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeGrunt Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 No differentiation between squads here. I simply organise Guardsmen based on what equipment they're carrying, and dole them out to the ranks that way. So, say, my Platoon of two squads of ten would be assigned two Laspistol/CCW Sergeants, two Flamers, potentially a Vox Caster, and the rest just generic Lasgun-wielding Guardsmen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sviar Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I have a different paint scheme beetween vets and regular troops. But amongst the regular troops, I don't mark them. If anything, I will probably do as Kierdale and put something underneath the base, or on the "backside" like I do with my O&G. The average guardsman lasts about 15mins Isn't it 15 hours like the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoffeeGrunt Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 My Veterans wear Fire Warrior armour to differentiate them, but that's because I'm a filthy heretic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teetengee Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 My Veterans wear Fire Warrior armour to differentiate them, but that's because I'm a filthy heretic. OUT OF LIIIIKKKEESS. For my khorne berzerker units I painted a bone line across a shoulder pad in one of 4 orientations for each squad and then a black line of half the length in one of eight on each member of each squad to keep them differentiated when they all rush in. EDIT: Came back with likes to spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixzion Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 You have given me a lot to consider. Perhaps I should add that I'm planning to do Death Korps and the models look very similar to one another. But perhaps it's not as big a problem as I first had expected. I should probably start painting them and worry about unit marks and the like later :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrik Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 with death corps especially i would not bother with numbers, due to the lack of space. perhaps a coloured stripe on their sleeve, at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilofix Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 My Veterans wear Fire Warrior armour to differentiate them, but that's because I'm a filthy heretic. You're even a heretic to us Heretics, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorFish Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Well said Kilo, something we can agree on :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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