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Okay, so in a codex Chapter of Space Marines, we all know that a sergeant leads a squad of (ideally) ten Space Marines, which can, when the occasion calls for it, divide into two five man fire teams or combat squads. Now, I'm going on the assumption that the fire teams would usually be the same two groups of guys. So, my question is this: what do you call the guy who leads the second combat squad? Is he also a sergeant? Would you make him distinctive in any way, or would he just be another guy? I'm working on one of my Salamanders tactical squads, and while I've already identified the two different combat squads with differing iconography, I was wondering if (for flavor and my own benefit) I should identify who leads the secondary squad, and if so, how to make him stand out. Any thoughts?

Corporal maybe, I don't know where it would be in the fluff but that is just the traditional rank

@DiRT: I woulda said half track, not full track, but hey.

@OP: I'd be careful marking him differently and going through all that effort, you wouldn't want to forget he is the same as his buddies for game purposes.

But whatever your squad marking on the blank shoulderpad is, I'd say just add a half formed star/outline of a drake head/whatever to his pad above the number, and have the sergeant with a fully formed/filled in drake head/whatever. Does that make sense?

A sergeant leads a squad, but it doesn't mean you couldn't have another subordinate sergeant in the squad that leads the other fire-team. As noted above, just be careful that you can differentiate between the squad sarge and the other guy. Other naming alternatives would be team or section leader or 2IC.

Corporal sounds good, but I never read of one in the books.

You could paint the sergeants helm (INSERT COLOR) and only half of the Corporal's helmet (INSERT COLOR) to make them stand out.

Don't SM Sergeants tend to train their replacement?
It could be his replacement in training...

kronk wrote: You could paint the sergeants helm (INSERT COLOR) and only half of the Corporal's helmet (INSERT COLOR) to make them stand out.

I paint my leader of my combat squad with a different color on the balls of his backpack this lets him stand out in a subtle way and I also paint my sarge with that as well

Jimsolo wrote:Okay, so in a codex Chapter of Space Marines, we all know that a sergeant leads a squad of (ideally) ten Space Marines, which can, when the occasion calls for it, divide into two five man fire teams or combat squads. Now, I'm going on the assumption that the fire teams would usually be the same two groups of guys. So, my question is this: what do you call the guy who leads the second combat squad? Is he also a sergeant? Would you make him distinctive in any way, or would he just be another guy? I'm working on one of my Salamanders tactical squads, and while I've already identified the two different combat squads with differing iconography, I was wondering if (for flavor and my own benefit) I should identify who leads the secondary squad, and if so, how to make him stand out. Any thoughts?

From my experience in the military he'd be an assistant patrol leader/ corporal/ essentially a team leader and the sgt would take over control of everyone, and possibly thered be another team leader. So 2 teams and 1 squad leader.

In the second edition, a squad use to have a sergeant, a squad leader and 8 marines. They even had their on banner pole like a sergeant all though armed with a standard bolter still. And when you split a squad into combat squads, you couldn't have the sergeant and squad leader in the same combat squad.

I guess the same still applies.

endlesswaltz123 wrote:In the second edition, a squad use to have a sergeant, a squad leader and 8 marines. They even had their on banner pole like a sergeant all though armed with a standard bolter still. And when you split a squad into combat squads, you couldn't have the sergeant and squad leader in the same combat squad.

I guess the same still applies.

The 2nd Edition Ultramarine codex described the Codex markings for rank within squads. The second in command (what would be called an assistant squad leader in the US Army) was called a squad leader, and would command the other half of the unit when they split into combat squads. While the sergeant was proscribed to have an Iron Skull (red skull), the squad leader had an Iron Halo (red halo). Note this was just a painted in symbol, not a force field/invulnerable save.

The Codex Astartes is described as saying these markings can vary between chapters, but in all GW pictures, Ultramarine sergeants and squad leaders were always depicted with their rank markings in the center of their chapter insignia on their left pauldron (shoulder pad).

That's the nitty gritty of it. I'd use it loosely as a guide if you're doing any other codex chapter, because I'm sure few outside the Ultramarines are anal enough to use that exact iconography. For example, in my friend's Crimson Fists army, squad leaders sometimes display green laurels, while sergeants always have a red metallic skull somewhere on their helmet or chest.

Thanks Calgar! I appreciate the assist.