Brainstorming Custom Counters/Markers For My Deathwatch

[Masked Thespian]

Hey, everyone.

 

With the recent release of the Deathwatch Codex for 8th Edition, I'm getting more into the idea of getting my Deathwatch army all glued up and painted up.

 

Something that I've always wanted to do is model and paint a custom set of counters and markers for my armies, but I've never really committed to doing so in the past.  I'm very much invigorated by the Deathwatch and would like to finally do so for them, but I've been having a few problems with coming up with enough ideas to do so, so I'm turning to the PCA to see if anyone is willing to help me brainstorm ideas for these.

 

To begin with, I'm hoping to create a set of the following custom counters and markers:

 

• 6 numbered objective markers (to go on the battlefield),
• 6 Deathwatch-specific Warlord Traits plus 3 Deathwatch-themed Warlord Traits from the core Rulebook (to be placed upon my army list/Warlord's separately printed datasheet as a reminder of which Warlord Trait he has),
• A number of identical Deathwatch-/Inquisition-themed counters to use for Commander Points (as a physical reminder of just how many I have remaining),
• (Maybe) 6 markers representing each of the Deathwatch's Relics (that I can place on separately printed datasheets for Characters in the army as a reminder of exactly which models have which Relic/s),
• (Maybe) Wound markers (perhaps with a slot in them to house dice to denote the exact number of wounds remaining),
• (Maybe) Mission Tactics Markers (to represent which Mission Tactic I'm currently using), and,
• General markers and counters for play (things like "Deployment Zone Markers", "Victory Point Counters", general status effects, etc.).

Here are some of the ideas I've come up with so far, along with some commentary on them.

 

Objective Markers (6)

 

These will be modelled on 40mm round bases, the rims of which will be painted a mid-blue in colour.  I would like to represent a number of different types of objectives on these markers.  Generally, I've thought that there are usually three general themes to objective markers: "hold location", "retrieve item/captive/friendly", and "destroy location".  I'm interested in having a mix of these themes, rather than them all being the same, and I'm interested in having them each represent different Xenos enemies rather than a single one.  That does mean that the objective markers won't be terribly well themed together (such as if I did all six being Eldar-related, or Ork-related) or against any specific army, but it does fit in well with the Deathwatch in general.

 

The ideas for specific objective markers I've come up with so far are as follows:

 

• An Eldar Titan torso wedged in a rock face after the titan's destruction, with a dead pilot visible (theme: hold location (for excavation)).  Thoughts: A little while ago I purchased an Eldar Revenant Titan torso second-hand, as well as an Eldar War Walker Pilot to go at the top of the neck, and came up with this as an idea for an objective marker.  Unfortunately, the torso is significantly bigger than a 40mm base, meaning that I'd likely have to carve it up in order to fit it on the base, which means that I may have to shelve the idea in general.
• A Dark Eldar Hellion Skyboard is crashed, but intact (theme: retrieve item).  Thoughts: I bought a Hellion Skyboard for this.  It's an okay idea but it seems a little...  I dunno...  lacklustre?
• A crashed Corvus Blackstar pilot, a Deathwatch Techmarine, is injured and in need of extraction (theme: retrieve friendly).  Thoughts: I can kitbash an injured "Deathwatch Techmarine" out of bits, and maybe use the "Lucius Pattern Escape Pod" from the Sector Imperialis Objective Markers kit to represent his ejection from his Corvus.  Overall, I like this idea as it goes well against any enemy army.
• A set of strange alien (Necron) glyphs have been uncovered on stones/metallic outcroppings and the site needs securing for further investigation (theme: hold location).  Thoughts:  I bought a number of bits for this, which are mostly parts from the Necron Tesseract Vault, to create an interesting looking scene.
• An Eldar Webway Gate stands proud, with a number of melta-bombs attached to it.  A dead Deathwatch Marine with a detonator lies nearby (theme: destroy location).  Thoughts: With the recently announced Eldar Webway Gate, you'd think that this would be an easy one to do.  But the new kit would be way too big to fit on a 40mm base, even a single side of it (looking at the box art, you can see that (by comparing it to the Harlequins) you'd probably need a 150mm round base for a single side).  I could buy the kit and chop it up for this, but that seems...  inefficient.  Not sure what to do about this.  I could buy the Webway Gate and mount the two parts on appropriate bases (which would also allow me to use them for their "intended purpose" with my own Eldar/Harlequin army), and count them NOT as objective markers or terrain (essentially, just as "window dressing"), but have them nearby the actual objective marker: the dead Deathwatch Veteran with the detonator.
• A Xenos Stasis Crypt holding a specimen is in need of retrieval (theme: retrieve item).  Thoughts: This is just the Xenos Stasis Crypt from the Sector Imperialis Objective Marker Set, possibly mounted on a tracked unit I can easily scratch build from bits.
• A dangerous Ork Kontraption is in need of destroying (theme: destroy location).  Thoughts: would need to buy bits to make this happen, likely from the Traktor Kannon and/or Big Mek in Mega Armour kits.

The following ideas are a little less fleshed out than the above, some being more generic ideas rather than specifics:

• Kill an injured Xenos leader or psyker
• Retrieve alien tech (maybe, specifically, Necron Warscythes)
• Destroy an awakening Necron Monolith (as per stage one of the Necron base in Dawn of War: Dark Crusade)
• Rescue Ordo Xenos researchers
• Kill/capture Imperials consorting with Xenos
• Destroy a Genestealer Cult statue (four-armed Emperor?)
• Kill Genestealer-infected Imperials (especially Space Marines?)

That's what I have so far.  I'm a little disappointed I haven't really come up with a Tau idea (the only one I could think of was "capture an Ethereal" and the current range of Ethereal models doesn't led itself well to this idea).  Some of the ideas are a little "out there" but still doable, I think.  I wonder if there's some way of making them more generic, so that they'd work well against any enemy army rather than against the specific armies I've outlaid above.

 

Warlord Markers (9)

 

Again, these would be modelled on 40mm round bases, painted with a different-coloured rim (to indicate that they're not models) but not blue (like Objectives).  Ideally, I'd add a rectangle of plasticard to the rear of the marker with a custom transfer applied to it detailing the specific rules of that Warlord trait as a reminder.  As these markers are "off the table" then I don't need to worry too much about these matching the opponent's army.

 

Bane of Monstrosities: A large pile of decapitated Tyranid Monstrous Creature heads, with a sword sticking out of the Hive Tyrant's head at the top of the pile.  Thoughts: As this trait gives the Warlord rerolls against Monsters and Vehicles, a pile of dead Monster heads makes sense.

 

Lord of Hidden Knowledge: An open book lies atop a lectern on a pedestal, lit from above in an otherwise dark room.  Thoughts: This represents a repository of information located within ancient tomes at the Watch Fortress.  I'm not 100% sure that I'd be able to pull off the "lit from above in a darkened room" as a paint scheme but I'd certainly give it a go.  The book would be the large one off of the Dark Angels Ravenwing sprue (which I have spares of) and I can scratch build the lectern/pedestal.

 

Castellan of the Black Vault: An ornate relic blade lies atop a cushion within an obsidian display case.  Thoughts: This represents one of many ancient relics available to a Watch Master.  The relic blade will be made from the Vanguard Veterans box and the case made from Cities of Death bits.

 

The Watch Eternal: This is actually one I haven't yet got a great idea for.  I've had a couple of ideas as below:

1. A pair of injured Deathwatch Marines continue to fight on, despite grievous wounds.  Thoughts: As this trait gives all models within 6" a chance to avoid losing their last wound, it makes sense to show multiple Marines fighting through their injuries.  Unfortunately, the Space Marine Casualties pack is no longer available (and goes for upwards of £60 on eBay) which means I'll have to convert them up myself (the shooting one from that pack would have otherwise been perfect for this).
2. A statue of a Deathwatch Marine stands proudly atop a small column.  Thoughts: A 40k equivalent of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, representing the constant need to watch over the Imperium despite casualties.

Vigilance Incarnate: Five pedestals, each with a different alien's head atop it in a stasis field.  Thoughts: This one is a little more symbolic.  Rather than representing each of the different Mission Tactics, having a different alien's head instead represents the differing tactics required to deal with them.  I have the bits to do this, including a Necron Warrior head, an Ork Nob head, a Dark Eldar head, a Tau head, and a Tyranid Warrior head.  Not sure I can paint the stasis field effect (which I'm imagining as overbrushing a light blue and then drybrushing white over the top of that) but I'll give it a shot.

 

Nowhere To Hide: This is another one I don't really have great ideas for.  Denying cover bonuses to an enemy seem kind of hard to convey.  My ideas so far are:

1. A Tau Pathfinder is surrounded by/escaping from burning foliage, with multiple red dots (from laser sights) on his armour that he hasn't noticed yet.  Thoughts: Don't own any Pathfinder models, so would have to buy bits for this.
2. Three Gretchen are fleeing from burning foliage.  One is on fire, the second is just fleeing in panic, and the third (in the lead) has just had his head exploded by a Bolt from a Boltgun.  Thoughts: Similar to the above, but telling a bit more of a story, with some inherent humour therein.  Unfortunately, current Grot models don't really lend themselves to being in a running pose.

Legendary Fighter (rulebook): A pile of (small) alien skulls.  Thoughts: Whereas Bane of Monstrosities grants bonuses against big Monsters, this gives a bonus attack, so is much better to be represented by a load of smaller alien skulls than by Monstrous Creature heads.

 

Inspiring Leader (rulebook): This is one I have absolutely no idea about.  Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

 

Tenacious Survivor (rulebook): Again, I have no idea how to represent this other than by something along the lines of the first idea for The Watch Eternal above.  Suggestions would be gratefully received.

 

Command Point Counters

 

These would likely be on 25mm or 32mm round bases, with a different-coloured base rim as I might have them on the battlefield to remind me to use them (maybe a bright colour to draw my attention to them).  Just a simple insignia would be best as they don't need to be anything spectacular.

 

I'm thinking of using doing one of the following for my Deathwatch:

 

1. Using the "vehicle" icon from the Deathwatch sprue (the top-most ones here) on a 25mm base.  I think the icon might be a little too small for this but I'll need to check my bits to confirm it.
2. Using the base from the recently-released Eisenhorn model, and taking a cast of it to mould several copies of it.  I'm not the biggest fan of this, as the Inquisition symbol is cracked down the middle (which makes perfect sense for Eisenhorn).
3. Using the Forge World Inquisition Rhino Back Door to take a cast to mould several copies of it.  I think I like this one the best, but it would require me to buy one of those doors first.

Relics

 

These would likely be on 25mm bases with a different-coloured rim.  Nothing other than the Relic itself needs to be on the base as it'll be off the table.

 

Banebolts of Eryxia: A handful of silver-coloured Boltgun magazines.  Thoughts: Described as being "platinum-chased", this seems to be the easiest way to represent this.

 

The Beacon Angelis: An ornate reliquary.  Thoughts: Using the Necromunda Reliquary without conversion and painted nicely.

 

Dominus Aegis: An ornate tower shield.  Thoughts: I can either use one of the plastic Deathwatch Storm Shields or a spare Storm Shield I have from the Forge World Limited Edition Boarding Marine (the majority of which I'm using for my Watch Captain), which isn't technically a "tower shield" but is nicely detailed.  Obviously, any model equipped with this would have a Storm Shield anyway.

 

The Osseus Key: Unsure what to do for this.  In theory it's a bone-coloured Clavis, but I don't fancy buying a fresh Watch Master kit for the bit.  Maybe I could sculpt a custom one.

 

The Thief of Secrets: An ornate Power Sword.  Not sure which bit to use for this, as I'd also use the same one on the model itself.  I'm thinking maybe the Power Sword off of the Mk IV plastic sprue from Betrayal at Calth, as I like the handguard of that sword and it's pretty unique.

 

The Tome of Ectoclades: A tome bound in xenos-skin.  Any book would work, with an exotically-coloured cover.

 

 

Wound Markers

 

Not really sure what to do for these.  Maybe some flat blood-red skulls on 25mm bases (different-coloured rims), some of which have a single skull, some have two, some have three, etc.  Blood drops could also work.  I could also create little "dice holders" to put dice in so that I have variable numbers for wound markers.

 

 

Mission Tactics Markers

 

Probably just a number of 25mm round bases, each with the appropriate Force Organisation Chart symbol on them, with different-coloured rims.

 

 

General Play Markers

 

This is an area I need to put more thought into, and possibly play more games before I decide.  What kind of things could do with having a reminder or marker in 8th Edition 40k?  In editions past this would have included vehicle damage results, use of smoke launchers, running, etc.

 

Off the top of my head, some things that I might need are:

 

• Deployment Zone Markers: This would be a number of old Warhammer Fantasy 20mmx80mm or 25mm x 100mm regiment bases (that I have some spare stock of), painted in the same manner as the bases of the army, with a "dashed" line down the middle (like road markings).  These I can place on the table at the start of the game to indicate my deployment zone then remove them after I've deployed my entire army.
• Victory Point Counters.  This would probably be best being some kind of dial that would let me note the quantity of Victory Points I earn throughout the game.
• "Moved" markers: to indicate that Heavy weapons get -1 to hit.
• "Advanced" markers: to indicate that Assault weapons get -1 to hit and other weapons can't shoot.
• "Fall Back" markers: to indicate which units made a Fall Back move and can't shoot or assault this turn.

I can't think of any others that I could need, but then I've only played 4 games of 8th Edition so there may well be other things that I may not be aware of that I need.

 

End

 

So that's everything I've been thinking of doing.  I'm hoping that there are still some people reading this and I'm also hoping that they'd be willing to chime in and offer advice on some of the ideas I've talked about here.