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For me, I paint every unit a different color. But most players like to have every model in the army the same color - for that unified look. Especially Space Marines and Tau!

So how can you tell, say, one unit of firewarriors (or insert other unit here) from another if they're all crunched in together? For that matter, once the model count rises, even units of different types may seem to all blend in together if all the colors are the same.

What do you do?

I paint 3 lines spaced out on the base. Its the easiest way i have found.

Easy.
I'm working on unit designators, perhaps a small stripe on one part of the armor akin to Republic Commandos.

As an Ork player, I definitely had a hard time with this for a while. When painting, you can mark your bases, but do so in a way that minimizes how much you'll have to repaint if you change your squads around: For example, for Tau, pick out 12 Firearriors, 1 that is clearly a Shas'ui, and one that could be a Shas'ui, could just be a regular fire warrior. Paint 6 of their bases all the way around the sides in a single color including the Shas'ui, the other 6 use the same color, but don't go all the way around the base (2-4 big stripes), and include the possible Shas'ui. Maybe do the same for 2 more squads, for a total of 36 Firewarriors. Now you can mark on your list "Squad 1: 12 models, all blue bases. Squad B: 6 models, solid red bases. Squad C: 6 models, striped red bases." With 36 Firewarriors done like this, you can build up to 3 squads of 12, 6 squads of 6, or some combination thereof, allowing your list flexibility without forcing you to remark the models. Use different colors for any units that might possibly be mistaken (i.e. don't reuse a Firewarrior color for a Pathfinder squad), unless you want this to be possible (a small squad of carbine toting Firewarriors that can swap in as Pathfinders, perhaps).

If you can't stand using high contrast base colors, it also helps to use uniquely posed models (perhaps the kneeling FW, for instance) to mark the last member of one squad, all models past that point would be another squad.

Each squad in my DA's has one of their shoulder pad edges painted a certain color, so a tactical squad would have their left edge Copper for the 3rd Company, and Silver, being the second squad in 3rd Company. The first squad would have copper for the Company, and Gold for the 1st squad, and so on. Same goes for the Deathwing (with over 60 termies you gotta keep em organized, especially in the apoc formation), Ravenwing where easier and I just put squad numbers on each bike and speeder.

My orks where a little more crazy, so I gave each mob a yellow mark on their back for which mob ther belonged to, so Mob 3 has 3 Yellow Slashes. The yellow slashes made it look like the Nob was markin his Boyz, so the character of the army is still there.

I tried doing squad numbers on the bases, but I felt it distracted from the feel. To each his own though.

Well, the servants of the Emperor bear the Imperial Eagle anything else is a worthless heretic or xenos.

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I use squad markings and decals for Imeprials, for Eldar I paint symbols on by hand, usually on the helmets as a rune. Tyranids, I use conversions.

PS there is an Eldar rune font out there on the internet! Very cool!

Generally with my Orks each Squad is a different clan. I have some clans repeated, of course but generally I will do some other variation as well to tell them apart/make them slightly distinct.

I do minor details on the model differently, and have lines on the bases as well. I also do them differently within each squad so I just glance at the bases for wound allocation.

Each of my Grey Knights has a colored pauldron that matches the Justicar's tabard. Creates uniformity without being too much.

Most armies are pretty straightforward.

Space Marines and Guard, the squad number is usually painted on the shoulder pad. (or kneepad for some Marines).

Eldar, if you have multiples of a given squad type (since the different types are pretty easy to tell apart ) can be easily distinguished by painting variations of the appropriate Path rune on their helmets.

Orks traditionally had a 'glyph plate' on their back, on which was painted a different glyph for each squad. A lot of the newer models are missing the plate, but the glyph can just as easily be painted on shoulder pads, helmets, or as a tatoo.

Tau bear team markings (a series of differently sized lines) usually around weapon barrels and on the edges of their helmets.

Necrons... you could paint a different symbol on each, although I've never seen anyone bother. They're supposed to be pretty indistinguishable

Tyranids are the only real problem, although I've seen people paint different broods in slightly different colours.

I've been making my orks bloodaxes. each squad has a different camo patern/belt color. They all look very different but still have a cohisive army look when side by side. the hard part is finding that many different camo patterns that I can actually paint.

Today I started painting a colored shoulder pad on all my guard. To further differentiate squads, there will be numbers or an outline of the shoulder pad.

Base rim colours.

Different colour for each unit (marines).
My assault squads have a different pauldron colour, as do the Sternguard.

For my eldar Dire Avengers, the helmet plumes are different colours (and guardians have different base rims).

There are several ways that you can do it.

But what is important is that you do it in a way that your opponents can tell them apart. I have played many a game with people who just put one dot on the back of the head of the mini, or the base so that only they know which squad is which. So it takes forever for me to unravel which squad is which for shooting, and to see what I have gotten each squad down to. I can make the argument that not having an easy way for your opponent to tell which squad is which is cheating, and lets you play a shell game with your minis, and take off different squads without your opponent knowing.

But I found out the best way is to paint a colored circle around the base and that makes it very easy for you to tell which unit is which. This method works very well with almost every army. Since there in no other way to mark tyranids, this the only way you can do it.

Also a lot of people also paint a secondary color as a way of telling which unit is which. For example painting loin cloths, or any type of secondary clothing a different color. This is good for units like kroot who have bandoliers and other knick-knacks hanging from them that you can paint a different color for each squad.

Since I play vintage marines, my Crimson Fists are differentiated by era of armor. One squad of Rogue Trader plastics, one squad of 2nd edition hybrid models. A second squad of either just gets a red stripe on the helmet.

My Space Wolves have different knee pads between the squads. One squad of Grey Hunters has a yellow knee pad, another has a black knee pad, and another has a blank knee pad in the same color as the armor.

My Orks are divided by 30 man squads - one of shoota boyz and one of slugga boyz. Other than that the squads are pretty easy to tell apart, as one is 'Ard boyz and one is Nobz. Oddly elite for an Ork army.

I paint my bases different colours.

I was talking to one chap who put tattoos on his Orks, which was a neat idea, but my freehand isn't good enough for that yet.

I learn the base bit the hard way though. My buddy and I got into a friendly game with a big mess in the middle. A bunch of Chaos Space Marines fighting off 90 odd Orks seemed like a really cool idea until we got to the end of combat and realized that I had no way of telling the units apart.

Solorg wrote:For me, I paint every unit a different color. But most players like to have every model in the army the same color - for that unified look. Especially Space Marines and Tau!

So how can you tell, say, one unit of firewarriors (or insert other unit here) from another if they're all crunched in together? For that matter, once the model count rises, even units of different types may seem to all blend in together if all the colors are the same.

What do you do?

lol my chapter is made up of different chapters that disbanded so I have MANY different coloured units... This may also have to do with the fact I trade a lot

I never thought of this before. Maybe I should get slip-on base covers that they use for clix games.

Depends on the army for me.

My Sisters have custom decals, and each squad has it's own decal with the army logo next to a squad number.

My Tyranids don't really have anything. Just big mobs of gaunts.

My Heavy Gear forces have each army numbered from 1-whatever, but the bases are colored differently according to squad. As they're on hex bases, some armies get creative: For example the ESE force has alternating boltgun metal and squad color on sides, while the WFPA uses solid colors. The 'big boys' like the tanks and striders don't get this treatment, but they're unlikely to have squad confusion as you rarely have multiple 'big tank' squads in Heavy Gear.

As my eyesight is not good:
Marines-left shoulder pad was a different color for every squad

IG: uniforms had three patterns of brown (brown, khaki, and brown spotted) for the overcoats. All squad members were in a particular pattern.

Demons/Nids: Taken advantage of the two types of bases in demon boxes. For the troops (bloodletters) each squad is on either a square or round base.

Eldar: No differences as troop squads were not often close together.

I can't seem to be very consistent in the style I paint my guys, it is actually very obvious though they are all painted the same.
Of course, for the less brain-damaged of us, you could always try doing conversions on each model, so that everyone kneeling is in a asquad, everyone standing up, running, etc...?
that is, unless you suck at converting, have no money, or are just too damn lazy.


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I've been wondering about this for my footsloggin' Orks. It has never really been a problem with my other armies. I've already done the first mob with triangular yellow dags, and kind of wanted to continue the theme... but making them different enough to tell apart is the stick. Still, got to finish the skins and leathers before I get that far...

My Ultra's are set up w/ three markings. Shoulder pad rim is colored for the Company (Red for third co), Right shoulder has both a decal for squad type (tac, dev, asm) and squad number ( 1-6 for tac, 7-8 for asm, 9-10 for dev). But that's the Codex for you, easy as 1,2,3.

Omega marines -Numbers on Shoulderpads

Orks - stuck some color on that squad that no other squad in the entire army had.. generally on the backplate of the boyz, or shoulderarmor of the nobz

Sisters- colored square on their backpacks

Eldar - Each squad painted the same, with a different "accent" color on the helmet or sash

Tyranid- Each brood has a different color on the back ridges

Plans for Wolves - each squad shoulderpad will have a different color, no numbers.. maybe a geometric design.

Well for the marine tactical squads I use in a typical game:

1 The bare metal squad
2 The primed plastic squad
3 The unprimed "new" grey plastic squad
4 The unprimed RTB01 green plastic squad

I now actually feel pain when looking at my unpainted masses. On a happy note, I finally picked up brush after 6 years and have the beginnings of a paint job on 2 terminator squads.

For me,

I use some little modificaiton on basing.


Or number underneath the basing.


Or - little bit variation in colors.



Or - Who needs varation? Jut pickup the models and group em!


Though - for a mass army.... might not be possible.

I built my shoota mobs so one mob is left handed and the other is right handed. For the CH/SL mobs, one mob has the left part of their face painted blue, the other the right. I can throw all 100 some odd boyz in a box and pick them out according to their mob.

My Marines, I have the squad marking as a greek letter on the shoulderpad, in a different color for different type of Marine.

My Chaos Space Marines are by the heads.

My Eldar DA's, I have different color plumes.

My Guard - Mordians have different color boots. Cadians have squad numbers on the shoulder.

Nids...I am planning on doing leaping vs non-leaping with the spinegaunts I have. My Stealers are by which armor plates I have on the arms for the extra armor.

for y new deathguard it will be different colors for each squad, as the plague can take many shades.

For orks which i use, i don't really know i haven't actually needed to yet. I usually have a mob of sluggas and a mob of shootas, but atm there are usually a lot of proxies in one shoota mob which kind of makes it obvious.

For marines, you can paint a shoulder pad a different color, or do the trim on one different. Another option is to paint the thing on top of the helmet a different color, this is what my sm friend does.

But for any army really you can paint the guns a certain color for each squad, that should be relatively easy and usable for any army.