Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I've recently decided that I will use my plastic "Betrayal at Calth" miniatures for a Minotaurs army that I've planned in the past. I would like to use the chapter specific pauldrons produced by FW, and rather than buying the full set directly from them, I bought a few from a bits seller on eBay, both the ordinary trooper pauldrons and those intended for Indomitus Terminators. The trooper pauldrons in particular appear to fit well on the Calth MKIV models, but having no previous experience collecting Space Marines (despite having played 40k on and off for more than 15 years), I do not know what's the established custom is.

Which shoulder would be appropriate for the chapter emblem pauldron, if I'm only going to give one to each of my Marines?

I'm guessing the right shoulder would be the most correct, that's the arrangement used for the Indomitus Terminators (with the embossed cross on the left shoulder), and the Deathwatch Marines also wear their chapter emblem on the right shoulder. I suppose the left shoulder is where the designation or rank insignia should go, similar to how in real life such insignia is always worn on the left arm, while flags and/or badges are worn on the right arm.

I would also like to use the FW Terminator shoulder pads in my army (to take advantage of the uniquely detailed parts), but I've decided to use the Calth Cataphractii Terminators I already own. I've compared the Marine pauldrons to the resin Indomitus Terminator pauldrons, and the Terminator pauldrons are only marginally bigger. So I've been thinking of using the Terminator shoulder pads for characters, to make them stand out more. I will not be using the shoulder pads with the embossed crosses, they're obviously a Terminator designation and not applicable.

I appreciate any advice and input, in particular the use of said Terminator shoulder pads on conventional Marines, which I've been unable to find reference photos of on the Internet.

With most Codex Chapters the Chapter Icon is on the left pauldron (shoulder pad), and the squad designation is on the right Pauldron.

With Terminator armour the Chapter Icon is on the right, and the Crux Terminatus is on the left.

Check out forgeworld and see how they put theirs on the pictures.

also i believe 90% of the time its the left side.

exceptions would be the new deathwatch guys since the I is on the left.

You're both right, I don't know why I overlooked that in most illustrations, the left is the designated chapter emblem shoulder. Even in the illustrations in IA 12.

For some reason, FW doesn't have any photos of completed miniatures using the shoulderpads (they may have disappeared with the site redesign last year), nor did they put any photos of them in IA 12. And the majority of the photos I've found through image search, do not utilise FW parts.



This is the only photo available of them on the FW website, and as you can see 2-4 of them are clearly intended for the right shoulder (due to the position of medallions, seals, etc.), while the remainders could be used on either the left or the right. I was thinking I could have used the 10 shoulder pads for 10 miniatures, but I'm not considering that anymore, at most this set will provide enough shoulder pads for 8 miniatures. I've also concluded that I'm unfortunately unable to use the Terminator pauldrons. They do no fit well on the left shoulder, so there's little point in trying, and asymmetrical armour with an emphasis on the right shoulder looks really weird. Marines are all right-handed, which means the left side of their bodies is more exposed, thus the left shoulder should be getting the extra protection, and not the right.

 Zingraff wrote:
You're both right, I don't know why I overlooked that in most illustrations, the left is the designated chapter emblem shoulder. Even in the illustrations in IA 12.

For some reason, FW doesn't have any photos of completed miniatures using the shoulderpads (they may have disappeared with the site redesign last year), nor did they put any photos of them in IA 12. And the majority of the photos I've found through image search, do not utilise FW parts.



This is the only photo available of them on the FW website, and as you can see 2-4 of them are clearly intended for the right shoulder (due to the position of medallions, seals, etc.), while the remainders could be used on either the left or the right. I was thinking I could have used the 10 shoulder pads for 10 miniatures, but I'm not considering that anymore, at most this set will provide enough shoulder pads for 8 miniatures. I've also concluded that I'm unfortunately unable to use the Terminator pauldrons. They do no fit well on the left shoulder, so there's little point in trying, and asymmetrical armour with an emphasis on the right shoulder looks really weird. Marines are all right-handed, which means the left side of their bodies is more exposed, thus the left shoulder should be getting the extra protection, and not the right.

The chapter symbol is worn on the opposite shoulder if you're using the studded pauldrons (which are intended for the left shoulder), which I assume you will be if you're using mkIV armor.

Yes, I would like to incorporate the studded pauldrons, because I think it would add a lot of character to my models. So that's a valid point, thanks.