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Hello all,

I've started an Imperial Guard army and encountered an issue. Guardsmen models can be any of the following:

- Company Command veterans
- Platoon Command guardsmen
- Infantry squad guardsmen
- Special weapon squad guardsmen
- Heavy weapon squad guardsmen
- Veterans
- Conscripts
- Perhaps more...

All these options have their own different squad markings/numbers (for which the transfer sheet isn't half adequate, I might add). This means that, in order to be flexible in what type of armies I can field, I can do one of three things:

1. buy and paint a million guardsmen for all those options;
2. leave off squad markings altogether, resulting in possible confusion to my opponent and myself;
3. make interchangeable squad markings.

Obviously, option 3 has my preference. The only problem is: How? I thought of making magnetic squad markings, but there's no real place to put a magnet in the models. The shoulder pads' shape prevents easy magnet usage. The only universal option is the helmet, which not even all models have. Apart from that, I could probably work a magnet in the base and do a little marking on the back of the base, which would be ok, if maybe a little hard to see for my opponents. So, basically I'm stuck for ideas here.

Summary: anyone have any ideas for / examples of making interchangeable squad markings on Guardsmen?

Everything is better with pics:





Sorry for the depth-of-field issues, I have no tripod and couldn't be bothered to make a suitable set-up.

A couple of options. Only put markings on the standard infantry. All special weapons and heavy weapons can be left without to allow them to be sprinkled liberally around. you could even have general markings for command squad special weapons and normal infantry ones if you want to keep veterans distinct.

Another option is to put a magnet on or under the base and have a bead or coloured skull or something (ork heads for green squad, tyranid heads for purple squad, etc) that you can stick to each of the abses. Again you would only really need to do the special weapons and have the standard infantry permanatly marked.

Thanks Flinty, I kinda like the 'item on base' idea, it's a little more visible than the edge of the base. The thing with the standard infantry though is that they can be both veterans or normal guys, and they need some distinction. Could use the same technique though

Pin a metric crapton of heads: squad markings on the heads, paint the bodies the way you want, and have the heads interchangable. Darn creepy, but you would end up with a piece of foam with rows of heads on rods on it that you could swap depending on what you wanted.

Hehe, that is actually a good idea too. Bonus points for being completely silly!

Edit: just realized this would still require a lot more heads than bodies in order to be able to run an infantry horde as well as a mechvet list...

Could you give the squad leaders a banner attached like a Japanese sashimono?



You can buy 28mm sashimono from various places. They could be magnetised or possibly slotted into a hole in the backpack.

That's another really interesting idea... just leaves the trouble of a big assault with multiple squads I can't keep apart due to lack of markings on each model. A combination with simple color dots on the back of the base could solve that, though. Another problem is the possible demise of the sergeants .

You can get 28 cadian heads on ebay for $3 US. Or trade with your friendly hobby center friends

I would probably say the 'certain object on certain squad' method might be best, since your army is already painted and based.

I wish I would have had the foresight when planning my army to do the same thing, I hate having to explain to my opponent where one blob stops and the other begins, or why my PCS can shoot one target while the guys right next to them shoot another.

I'd say do something simple like everyone in squad A gets some clump foliage on their base, squad B gets razor wire, squad C a bone/skull, etc etc. It doesn't completely solve the problem, but it's less you and your opponent will have to remember.

I think I'll probably go for a magnetized green-stuffed rockish thing on every base with a squad marking painted on it. Probably a colored circle with a white or black V for veterans. Seems the simplest, clearest option. A combination with the Japanese style banners is also tempting, maybe as an addition when I'm done painting the whole army. The interchangeable heads would look the most realistic, but I cringe at the thought of having to paint and pin all those heads...

Thanks for all the input everyone!

Here's another idea. Cut a set of teardrop shaped plastic sheet pieces, 25mm across the round end and 35mm long.

These when placed under the IG bases will stick out a 10mm limb on which you could paint a unit ID symbol. They would be reversible, attaching with Blu tac.