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Hey Guys,
I hope I haven't used up my quota for n00b questions

As a new (-ish) painter I started mainly with Ultramarines. i just love the little blue guys. With a birthday coming up, the little woman pitched in and got me an assault squad and the Space Marine Commander.

As I looked through the spruces for the Commander deciding which options to go for, I noticed that there are few shoulder pad. My question is which ones can I use if I want to make a "proper" Commander? From what I can see, one shoulder pad is an Umtramarine symbol with a skull - obviously it's going on the left shoulder . The others are a Crux Terminatus (aren't they just for Terminators?), an eagle of sorts - I'm guessing it's an Imperial Eagle which could go on the right shoulder and raised shoulder pad which kinda looks like something used by Inquisitors?

Thanks for the help

If your chapter is Codex-compliant, then his left shoulder will have his chapter symbol and his right will have other heraldry that he has earned; the eagle or Crux Terminatus can go on his right shoulder, it's up to you.

The Inquisition pad is a Deathwatch pad, it shows that your commander is a Veteren of the Deathwatch, having served them and returned to the chapter.

If you place this pad on your commander (I'd look into them if you haven't already - very cool group of marines) then it actually goes on the left and the chapter badge pad switched to the right,

Also, traditionally th terminator honours badge is also worn on the left shoulder pad - Look at termies and sternguard for reference, though the termies it is the crux which is the energy shield. some times this can be in place of the chapter badge shoulder pad as the iconography may be elsewhere on the Armour or even on a backpack standard or the chapter badge can again switch to the right.

The only really solid fluff thing is that the deathwatch pad, if you have it, is always on the left, the rest is a bit more open.

That helped a lot guys, thanks. I haven't really explored the whole Deathwatch thing so lets just put a pin in that for now. guess it's between the eagle and the cross - leaning towards the eagle

endlesswaltz123 wrote:
The Inquisition pad is a Deathwatch pad, it shows that your commander is a Veteren of the Deathwatch, having served them and returned to the chapter.

If you place this pad on your commander (I'd look into them if you haven't already - very cool group of marines) then it actually goes on the left and the chapter badge pad switched to the right,

Also, traditionally th terminator honours badge is also worn on the left shoulder pad - Look at termies and sternguard for reference, though the termies it is the crux which is the energy shield. some times this can be in place of the chapter badge shoulder pad as the iconography may be elsewhere on the Armour or even on a backpack standard or the chapter badge can again switch to the right.

The only really solid fluff thing is that the deathwatch pad, if you have it, is always on the left, the rest is a bit more open.

Are you sure about this? The book "Blood of Asaheim" features a Space Wolf Veteran of the Deathwatch and he clearly has a Deathwatch Shoulder pad on his right shoulder. I know that when they're in the Deathwatch, the Deathwatch pad serves as their "chapter markings" so that would make it for the left shoulder during service.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1110206

Typically veterans who have returned to their chapter after serving time with the Deathwatch would maintain the Inquisition pad on the left shoulder along with retaining the silver colour on the arm. Chapter markings are placed on the right shoulder in this case.

I've my DW shoulderpad on my DA jump chaplain (dual weilding chainswords too, so he wont ever make tabletop) on his right shoulder, but that was more to do with design rather than aesthetics.

 Alfndrate wrote:

endlesswaltz123 wrote:
The Inquisition pad is a Deathwatch pad, it shows that your commander is a Veteren of the Deathwatch, having served them and returned to the chapter.

If you place this pad on your commander (I'd look into them if you haven't already - very cool group of marines) then it actually goes on the left and the chapter badge pad switched to the right,

Also, traditionally th terminator honours badge is also worn on the left shoulder pad - Look at termies and sternguard for reference, though the termies it is the crux which is the energy shield. some times this can be in place of the chapter badge shoulder pad as the iconography may be elsewhere on the Armour or even on a backpack standard or the chapter badge can again switch to the right.

The only really solid fluff thing is that the deathwatch pad, if you have it, is always on the left, the rest is a bit more open.

Are you sure about this? The book "Blood of Asaheim" features a Space Wolf Veteran of the Deathwatch and he clearly has a Deathwatch Shoulder pad on his right shoulder. I know that when they're in the Deathwatch, the Deathwatch pad serves as their "chapter markings" so that would make it for the left shoulder during service.

It was always on the left, or well use to be, maybe they have changed it over the years, when the Deathwatch first showed up it was a left shoulder pad only thing. Just so you know though, whilst on active service in the deathwatch, the chapter insignia stays, it just goes onto the right shoulder pad. To paint the whole armour a different colour (black) is seen as disrespectful/dishonourable to the machine spirit.

Thanks for all the feedback. Looking at the Crux which is awarded to veterans, it's usually worn on the left. So if I want to make a codex compliant sergeant for example, would the mini crux shoulder pad for normal armor still be worn on the left?

Ultimately, its your Army and you can do anything you like and create your own Chapter symbols, color, heritage and history (fluff).
It's quite common to take Chapter Unique Leaders (Calgar, Lysander, Vulkan) and paint them up in your chapters colors.
Yep, my Marines are currently Purple and Gold (Hawk Lords)..but I have a Purple Vulkan (kit-bashed) and play them as Salamanders (I also have kit-bashed a Lysander and a Calgar to switch out and play other Chapters on occasion).

That's the whole beauty of mini's but, I would still love to make them very chapter compliant. The apothecary's is on his right as is the standard bearers skull and laurel. Since they're all veterans then I can give the sergeant and the other marine the crux also. Just making sure it goes on the right