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Hey everyone,

First post here and I’m relatively new to 40k (the hobby/tabletop aspect at least). I just had a question regarding battle role decals. I recently purchased the Primaris Intercessors box and I’m almost done painting all of them. I essentially split the minis into two squads; one with auto Bolters and the other with standard bolters, each having their own sergeant. The kit came with a transfer sheet containing decals for three different battle roles; “close support”, “battle line” and “fire support”. I basically defaulted to giving the squad with auto bolters the “battle line” symbols and was planning on using the fire support decals for the standard bolter squad. Honestly, I’m just kind of confused as to what the “proper” way of assigning battle roles to individual marines is/how you determine their battlefield role/how consequential the given battlefield role is in the context of playing a game. I haven’t been able to find any answers online and I apologize if this is covered in the Space Marines codex, but I haven’t had a chance to buy that. I appreciate any guidance you could provide. Thanks!

I don't have the latest Marine codex myself, but yes, any Marine codex will generally have guidelines for unit markings.

In the case of Intercessors the battlefield role is battle line, regardless of the bolter variant. Close support is for melee and short ranged troops like Reivers for instance, while fire support is for heavy weapon troops like Hellblasters.

Oh, okay - understood. If you wouldn’t mind me asking, the sheet also includes “veteran” (the iron cross looking symbol) and “command” (skull) decals - I’m confused as to what the application would be for these decals… are they meant to be placed on the right pauldron of certain marines like the battlefield role decals? I guess I wonder why the transfer sheet would have included all these other battlefield role decals if intercessors are only meant to be battle line?

That is a generic sheet included in a lot of boxes. You are not going to use most of it on a box of intercessors.

Nevelon has it. They put the same sheet in multiple boxes; it's cheaper than printing a sheet unique to each unit.

You can look at the Games Workshop website as well to see what the "official" marking is for each unit. Sometime it's not obvious. For example, I use my Aggressors in an "assault"-like role (maybe that's because those fists do a lot of damage in a Blood Angels/Flesh Tearers army), but they're officially Fire Support with the chevron.

The "veteran" decal is used for units like the Bladeguard Veterans. The "command" is used for Lieutenants and Captains and the like.

Oh for the days, pre-primaris, when battlefield role and marking was clearly defined and obvious and there weren't a million units with slightly (or greatly) overlapping tactical usage.

I think modern GW doesn't want to give the impression of painting players into a corner by being too prescriptive with how to apply decals.