Unit markers for the various Battleline

[DobbyKroket]

I've recently picked the hobby back up again, and am currently working through some old style cadians to get some basic battleline units done.

With the current state of the index it seems likely that I'd sometimes want to run two or more different types of our battleline at the same time. All the models I'm using are similar sculpts, and I'd like to be able to be flexible with the models I have, so I'd prefer not to lock any of them in to a specific battleline type.

 

It could be simple enough to distinguish them by painting the base rims a different colour, but I'd like to not have to pull out a paintbrush every time I want to change things up.

The solution I'd thought of is to make some kind of "unit markers" on 25mm bases that I'd place with each squad to mark their type.

 

What do y'all think of that idea, would it work, or would it still be confusing for my opponent? Would you be willing to play against someone who uses something like that?

If you also use the same models for different types of battleline, how do you distinguish them?

[DemonGSides]

I try not to use similar sculpts whenever possible just to avoid such a concern. If they've got attached command squads I think the standard bearer is a great place to introduce an obvious marker for what is what.

 

If you're planning on painting them the same, then I think painted bases is probably a good compromise; you don't need to repaint them, just when explaining to your opponent what your army is you can say "Red squad are Cadians, Blue squad are Death Korp" or whichever, and then the next game you can make whatever choices you want even if they both end up as Cadians or whatever. 

[DobbyKroket]

My main issue with things like that, as well as marking the squad on the model itself (like a squad number on the shoulderpad or something) is the hassle when swapping out special weapons, which is especially relevant when swapping between the different sorts of battleline units.

Though I assume there is no simple "silver bullet" and I'll just have to suck up some kind of hassle at some point.

[DemonGSides]

You could look into something akin to the base size upgraders to wrap around your models; they're made to help close the gap of the base changes that have happened over the years, but if you have a bunch of guardsmen on 28mm instead of 25mm that's fine, and then you could have them in a couple colors to denote which one is which, and they also are removable so you could do those swaps like you said.
 

something like this; https://www.ebay.com/itm/174594566352
 

Just paint them different colors, put it on a few of em; wouldn't even really need EVERY model with one, just enough to make it obvious.

Edited July 12 by DemonGSides

[mertbl]

THere is a company called squad marks that make exactly what you want. It's a little plastic rim that clips onto the bases.