Outgrowing a company

[Burni]

I’ve been slowly collecting and building a Primaris only force of Ultramarines 4th company.

 

I pickup a lot of the generic Primaris box sets as they usually offer the best value so I’ve ended up with a lot of units.

 

This has meant I’m actually running out of squad numbers. I’m already doubling up on squads for different roles (so I have squad 3 battleline and squad 3 fast attack for example).

 

As I look ahead to 10th and the extra units likely coming my way, I find myself being indecisive and I’ve stopped painting as I don’t know if I should carry on with just 4th and not worry about it as long as same unit types don’t overlap squad numbers, start an additional company or just start a new chapter for a new edition (like Crimson Fists where I don’t have to worry about such things!)

 

Is this an issue other fraters have run into?  Did you just not worry about it and keep going with your company?

[Vardus]

So are you saying that you have or are approaching 20 squads for your company?

 

If not then you still have room to add in extra units but if you are then you could still continue with Ultramarines and have the new squads come from the reserve companies. 

You could also start a new Ultramarine company if you want to keep the same colour scheme, don't forget that you have an entire chapter to build up to 

 

Also changing chapter can give you a break in colour scheme, maybe choose a Ultramarine successor?

[WARMASTER_]

As Terminators are getting new sculpts you could add a 1st Company detachment for your 4th Company? 

[Marshal Reinhard]

I feel the natural thing to do is do another company as soon as the first one fills up. As others have pointed put terminators are first company only anyway

 

Multi company forces arent uncommon. For a given campaign the most senior captain would take overall command if the chapter master wasn't present

[Burni]

7 hours ago, Vardus said:

So are you saying that you have or are approaching 20 squads for your company?

 

If not then you still have room to add in extra units but if you are then you could still continue with Ultramarines and have the new squads come from the reserve companies. 

You could also start a new Ultramarine company if you want to keep the same colour scheme, don't forget that you have an entire chapter to build up to 

 

Also changing chapter can give you a break in colour scheme, maybe choose a Ultramarine successor?

 

I believe I have a least a 3 man unit from 1-20 now yes. Goes to show just how many Primaris unit types there are now - only need one or two of each and you run out of squad numbers quickly!

 

I've been thinking about it all day and I have to say I do enjoy the mini support for my company and chapter. I have my company Captain, Chapter Master and Primarch as modern plastic characters. So I'm going to stick with Ultramarines. Decision made!

 

6 hours ago, WARMASTER_ said:

As Terminators are getting new sculpts you could add a 1st Company detachment for your 4th Company? 

 

5 hours ago, Marshal Reinhard said:

I feel the natural thing to do is do another company as soon as the first one fills up. As others have pointed put terminators are first company only anyway

 

Multi company forces arent uncommon. For a given campaign the most senior captain would take overall command if the chapter master wasn't present

 

I'd completely forgotten that Terminators are 1st company only so that helps answer that! I've already done my Vitrix Guard with white trim but the initial Bladeguard I have painted are 1 squad - 4th company, and with the other veteran looking units coming, it was a big part of my thinking about starting another company. Otherwise it would be a lot of white helmets in 4th company. Too many really.

 

So yeah, I think another company makes the most sense. I think I'll definitely have some 1st company as it looks like a lot of veteran type units are coming our way. Maybe I'll paint up the inevitable Terminator Captain as Agemman.

 

I guess I might also look at re-trimming my Phobos units as blue rims for 10th company, with the possibility of new scouts on the horizon. Have fraters been treating their Reivers as 10th company? How about Suppressors?

 

Doing those two additional companies will open up a lot of squad numbers for 4th, which can remain my battleline company.

 

Thanks for helping me come to a decision 

[BrainFireBob]

I have a full 2nd Company, full 1st Company, half a 3rd Company, half a 4th Company, an oversized 10th company, and am ready to start doing grey trim. I'm also putting my Primaris Intercessors into a nearly full 6th or 7th once I decide between orange and purple. 

 

My 3rd is a Razorback borne mechanized assault company. My 4th, a drop pod assault force. My 2nd is a fully magnetized all-the-options I-started-there force. My 1st is a "Terminators are cool and someone-help-me-I-can't-stop" force. 

 

Embrace the chapter. It is your destiny.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by BrainFireBob

[Marshal Mittens]

Paint up units from the reserve companies which would logically augment your Battle Company? 

[Nephaston]

You can repeat squad numbers. The second 8th edition codex mentions that a regular 10-man squad can spilt up to cover multiple roles, like three 3-man squads and an invictor pilot, or a squad of hellblasters, an outrider squad and an ATV.

 

The only issue about that is that you can't really represent that on the tabletop 1-to-1 since they all have mandatory Sergeants.

[mertbl]

On 4/2/2023 at 5:14 PM, Nephaston said:

You can repeat squad numbers. The second 8th edition codex mentions that a regular 10-man squad can spilt up to cover multiple roles, like three 3-man squads and an invictor pilot, or a squad of hellblasters, an outrider squad and an ATV.

 

The only issue about that is that you can't really represent that on the tabletop 1-to-1 since they all have mandatory Sergeants.

I was going to say that. The same 10 guys that are intercessors today were hellblasters yesterday and aggressors tomorrow. 

[Marshal Reinhard]

On 4/2/2023 at 11:14 PM, Nephaston said:

You can repeat squad numbers. The second 8th edition codex mentions that a regular 10-man squad can spilt up to cover multiple roles, like three 3-man squads and an invictor pilot, or a squad of hellblasters, an outrider squad and an ATV.

 

The only issue about that is that you can't really represent that on the tabletop 1-to-1 since they all have mandatory Sergeants.

Problem with this, if you start repeat squad numbers you'll be limiting yourself to what combinations of troops (unless you don't mind that the intercessors and hellblasters you brought to the game are both squad five... that is sort of starting to defeat the purpose of numbering them to begin with though)

[Arkangilos]

On 4/7/2023 at 5:29 AM, Marshal Reinhard said:

On 4/2/2023 at 4:14 PM, Nephaston said:

Problem with this, if you start repeat squad numbers you'll be limiting yourself to what combinations of troops (unless you don't mind that the intercessors and hellblasters you brought to the game are both squad five... that is sort of starting to defeat the purpose of numbering them to begin with though)

Unless you say they are squad five from another company. Or your squads aren’t full 10 man squads (for example a 7 man hell blaster squad and a 3 man aggressor squad).

 

Though this is why I myself tend not to number squads or give company markings, lol.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Arkangilos