Need vehicle heraldry help ... confused

[Helias_Tancred]

Hail Brothers!

 

 

I'm getting ready to paint my Dark Angels Vehicles (Land Raider, Deathwing Land Raider Crusader, 2 Predators, 2 Vindicators, 2 Repulsors, Stalker, 3 Rhinos, 2 Razorbacks, Stormraven, Dark Talon, Nephilim).

 

... and I'm confused.

 

In our codex it states that Dark Angels vehicles are identified by name. Okay.... I have some nice micro art pens to put names on each vehicle scroll ;)

 

But then I've seen pictures with gothic numerals on them, company badge on them, etc.

 

I need help! I'm looking to make my vehicles as per our chapter lore and how they are officially supposed to look.

 

Thanks :)

 

 

[Helias_Tancred]

After re-reading our codex, it appears its only predators, vindicators, stalkers, whirlwinds, etc that are identified by name only.

 

So I'm assuming Rhinos, Razorbacks, Repulsors bear company vehicle number, insignia of the company, and .... maybe the squad they transport?

[shabbadoo]

What is "official" isn't really nailed down. The decals have not changed over time, but the people who have put them on the models have. Sadly, there is not a unified rhyme and reason as to how they have done so. As to what I personally consider to be the most official version of decal placement, as the decals have not changed over time, we must look to the past when the decals were designed to see the most official use of them (i.e. the folks who designed them kinda know why they were designed to be as they are, and how they are to be used). Pic of Dark Angels Vehicle decal sheet: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lHoAAOSwjfBcU03p/s-l640.jpg

 

Going back to older sources, I'll explain where the decals go on a Rhino/Razorback.

 

Looking at the Rhino/Razorback chassis from the front, the Company Badge should be placed on the lower area of the right track guard. The Squad Number should be placed centered over the Company Badge. On the lower area of the left track guard should be placed the Army Badge. There are a variety of Army Badges to choose from, but a common one is a red triangle with a white skull over it; sometimes the skull has black wings to either side. Another is a red lightning bolt with black wings. Looking at the tank from the rear, the positioning of the decals should be the same, meaning that when looking at the tank from the rear the Company Badge + Squad Number decals should be on the lower area of the right track guard and the Army Badge on the lower area of the left track guard.  The Top Doors off the Rhino should have large Squad symbols on them, meaning the double ended arrow for Tactical Squads, the crossed double-ended arrows for Assault Squads, and the explosion for Devastator Squads. The orientation of those symbols should be how they would normally look on a shoulder pad if you were looking at these doors by standing the tank on its back end with the front end up.

 

This pic shows much of this, but on a Predator: http://i.imgur.com/YClup7g.jpg

 

Another, even older, Predator pic showing similar placement: http://www.solegends.com/citcat1998/1998P412-00.htm

 

Another pic of an old Whirlwind (note the white circle with black number on top of the hull, which denotes vehicle number within a Squadron): http://www.coolminiornot.com/pics/pics7/img41a9f37b83d7f.jpg

 

Newer tanks show different decal placement, though I reason this is due to simple ignorance on the part of newer modelers as to how the decals were intended to be used. To play devil's advocate for these later modelers though, perhaps changes were consciously made for the markings to be less Codex compliant, though to that end the decals should have been changed completely, but never were. As an FYI, these decal configurations are actually Codex Astartes adherent. Dark Angels differ in some things from Codex Chapters, but not in this particular thing...unless you want them to. If you decide to change the decal placement, then come up with your own system and stick to it. This will create a unifying look to your force; especially among vehicles of the same hull type.

[Helias_Tancred]

Thank you Shabbadoo. That was exactly the guidance I was in need of.