Salamanders Livery

[ElectricPaladin]

A question for the elders and lorekeepers of the community: what is known of the livery used by the Salamanders legion during the late Crusade/Heresy era? Were different squad types distinguished, and if so where and how?

 

For whatever it's worth, I have read the Horus Heresy book, but the information there wasn't clear, at least to the point that there weren't any straightforward charts showing "this is what a tactical marine looks like, and this is what an assault marine looks like," and so on.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Carlson793]

Based on the limited information available (sidebar attached to the picture on page 127 of Massacre), it appears the XVIII^th had a very simple appearance. Saturnyne Ram as their Legion symbol on left shoulder pad. Unit designation (Tactical, Assasult, etc.) with unit number as Roman Numeral on right shoulder pad. Campaign badge on left knee.

[Kor'Vesh]

The truth is, we don't really have a lot to go on. The Salamanders are covered in book II which predates the heraldry pages forge world started doing. Carlson is correct about the pre Vulkan appearance, but we don't really have sources for the serg markings, or unit markings of the true Salamanders legion.

 

Personally though, I don't think it is too necessary. Every Salamander would have maintained and modified thier own armour, so you expect wide variation. We know from forgeworld that fire denoted experience, and nocturnean glyphs were prevalent, often denotic honorifics either informal or formal (e.g. firedrake). I think internally, markings would be subtle, using glyphs, skins, fire, coals, teeth, and some more standard terran numerals. Legionaries would know each other by their titles and experience, and their armour would tell some of this. They might use some more traditional markings in mixed legion action though - so different colour helmets, helmet stripes, or standard 'terran' legion pattern unit identifiers. I don't imagine these markings being uniform legion wide though, but campaign specific. After a campaign some may be retained, some removed.

 

So for me, I use yellow helms to denote sergeants or veterns in some cases, in others the terran helmet crest, and in others the reptillian upgrade helm. I might add some helmet stripes too. I like to think of them as individual warriors who come together in a brotherhood - not the regimented legions of the ultramarines. Their markings should reflect this difference. That awesome double paged spread in massacre showing the verteran tactical squad is my continued inspiration. I know it is not exactly what you were looking for, but I'm not sure when we'll get better!

 

Kor'Vesh