Mark IV and all things HH

[SM1981]

If people tell you that you can't play your miniatures because they don't approve of the paint job you should tell there where to go.

 

This is a hobby / game for FSake. They are your marines, paint em any colour you want, and if someone gets bent out of shape over it, find someone else to play with.

 

I mean if that argument was accepted the first time any of us took a paint brush to a model would also have been the last. No one gets its perfect first time round, and telling someone they can't use their kit because you don't think the paint is up to scratch / official enough / in line with lore is monumentally arrogant.

[Arkangilos]

It's not an argument of being able to play, it's more of a personal "historically accurate" argument.

[Frater Antodeniel]

historically speaking, i don't remember having read anywhere that within a legion, chapter's were without some "distictives" signs/color.

 

By this way, we can imagine that, at some moment of the Horus Heresy, chapters found themselves in situation to change small things, A white shoulder in commemoration of some losts ? a Darker shade of red in penitence sign ?....etc

 

In the time of the Horus Heresy many things change. The Second Fondation chapters weren't created "in spirit" after the Heresy, nor Before, but in the Heresy time.

 

Nasser Amit leaded his 5th Blood Angels Chapter during the Horus Heresy, as he lead it after the Heresy.....and i'm sure that many chapter and their first masters followed the same scheme of tought.

[SM1981]

If anything the scale of the 30K Legions would dictate a need for variety among the chapters and companies within. At any given point a squad of marines could be grabbed from any component of the Legion and seconded off to a mission as and when the War Master / Primarch / Commander saw fit. All of these events would leave idiosyncrasies on the squads / companies / chapters differentiating them from the stock uniform (think battle patches for current time military). Whose to say that your paint scheme doesn't represent a particular moment in a particular collection of marines history when this occurred? It may not be the scheme used by the masses, but it's certainly justifiable as a scheme used by your marines.

[Michaelus_Raphael]

One further question; we all know that the BA use symbols on the right knee pad to denote the squad number and blood drops on the shoulder pad to denote company number but was this also the case during the great crusade/heresy or did they use more conventional numerals and markings?

[Xenith]

One further question; we all know that the BA use symbols on the right knee pad to denote the squad number and blood drops on the shoulder pad to denote company number but was this also the case during the great crusade/heresy or did they use more conventional numerals and markings?

 

While those are codex company markings - they may have used similar during the GC.

 

No red crosses, though, they represent the wounds of sanguinius at the hands of Horus.

[evildrcheese]

BA are due rules in the next HH book from FW. Hopefully we'll get some colour plates which will guide in both in terms of symbol conventions and if different helm colours, which I suspect will remain in 40k and 30k will be red for everyone. I'd be really pleased if they used different helm colours for different roles as they look badass.

 

EDC

[Lord Commander Scrymgeour]

remember also that there is 10,000 years between the Heresy and the markings as described in codex BA. This is a long time where schisms can happen, idiosyncrasies can develope and symbols can change their meaning. How can we be sure that the Crimson Saltire wasn't an honour given to specific battles, or that black armour wasn't a sign of censure within one of the chapters or that in the 34th millenium the death company began to be painted black due to a terrible secret shame. Seriously, paint and model your soldiers exactly how you want. If you think they are badass then that'll do for me, and frankly I'd love to play against anyone who puts the time and effort into painting their army. It can be completely "codex compliant", or in legion livery, or a rag tag bunch of heroes. There are ten millenia of stories to be told, and not all of them are told on the battlefield. Your paint scheme, heraldry, markings and load out tell the background to your force just as much as written fluff.

Imagine

 

"Captain Agathon was a commander true to the codex astartes, and the honour and pride of the X!th Chapter Vth company weighed heavily on his thoughts. The warplate of his hundred shone crimson and gold, every single one of his post human warriors perfectly in sync, theoretical and practical, body and mind, warriors striking as one in the phalanx of the 41st millenium, Ferrus umbra bolters raised. the mark IV armour of the 1st assault squad the only concession to individuality, it being given to his honoured company's first spear on the walls of the palace by Amit himself"

 

"Yllysus of the Cruor was a savage, presiding over savages. Each warrior cult within his crusade vied for power and influence amongst every rank. The Headsmen of Reclusiarch Kleon in their black featureless helms, the Cult of the Bloody Tear in their flayed skin cloaks, the Pride and Hubris of Alastors Errants, their bikes alive in furs and banners. The arrogant Ordos and aloof Red Priests following the crusade like vultures were often scraping and bowing to him, eager to gain entry to his armouries, for there were whispers of something ancient and forbidden"