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.

Does anyone have a guide for identifying Space Marine/Imperial tank and vehicle markings (i.e - the decals that came with the 4-6th edition Marine Tank kits). I thought it was out of one of the marine codicies, but I can't find it. It could have been in a random white dwarf at some point, or maybe it was an online guide from the older, better website when it used to actually be worth a damn and had useful articles and wasn't just a webstore.


So far I've checked all marine 'dexs from 3rd to 6th edition and Guard 'dexes from 3rd to 5th. I'm gone through Insignum Astartes, How to Paint Citadel Tanks and all 3 version of How to Paint Citadel Miniatures. Imperial Armour Model Masterclass Vol 1. and Horus Heresy Model Masterclass Vol 1. books.
I'm starting to suspect that what I'm after might be in How to Paint Space Marines, which is the one guide book that I don't have a copy of. Typical, right?

I'm about to go through my not inconsiderable white dwarf collection in the hope that I blindly stumble upon something resembling what I think I'm looking for.

If anyone has any leads on Space Marine or Imperial Guard (specifically Steel Legion) tank markings It would be greatly appreciated!

I looked through How to Paint Space Marines. There wasn’t really any specific detail in there.

In general, I’ve found that 2nd edition material explains these markings well. Codex Ultramarines for example. Most of that material also appeared in the issues of White Dwarf that advertised the release of the vehicles in question. I recall Basilisk tank markings described in a 2nd edition era WD.

Or you could just post pics of the markings you want to know about; the collective brain trust here may be able to answer.

The numbering is based on 3 digits for company, squadron and vehicle. Zeros or skulls in the number sequence to indicate command units or individual vehicles. This was used as far back as the original Epic colour guides. Usually the numbering was complimented by vertical coloured bands on the film front end of each side of the vehicle. I’m not sure if the colours were fixed, or the painter could just choose their own scheme.

Most of the non-obvious (vehicle number, Chapter, Company) Marine markings were army badges.

2nd Ed Codex Imperial Guard has the information on Guard vehicle markings.

White Dwarf 509 has a good article on Krieg tank and vehicle markings.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
White Dwarf 509 has a good article on Krieg tank and vehicle markings.

I second this, read a bit of it in my not-so-local GW. Great article, if you're interested in Krieg.

Thanks for the tips everyone. 2nd Edition codexes are the few that I lack, so no joy there.

 Pariah Press wrote:
Or you could just post pics of the markings you want to know about; the collective brain trust here may be able to answer.

It was some on the bottom two rows that I was unsure of. The plain skulls and the skull roundels I'd assume just designate a command vehicle and I have some very vague and probably incorrect memory of the lightning bolt roundel in the middle designating a fast attack vehicle. The winged bolt, diamond skull and axe all on the left would seem like campaign badges. It's things like the yellow/red triangles that I have no clue about. And the Iron Warriorsesque skull half way up on the left. I assume that's something death company related as it's in among the other bloody angel icons, but it's not one I'm familiar with.

Same goes for the Imperial Guard vehicle transfers, some of them are the same as the marine ones, and the star/scythe in the box and half colour roundels are rank/position designation for tank companies. But again, things like the coloured shapes in the boxes I have no clue about.

The skull on the Marines sheet is indeed strange. It looks a lot like the Silver Skulls chapter insignia, but perhaps it also has some other meaning. I doubt that the yellow and red triangles are meaningful; they look like decorative elements to me.

The colored shapes in boxes on the Guard sheet resemble some army badges I've seen, but aren't identical. I'll poke around and see if I can find any matches in my collection of books and White Dwarfs.

The IW-type skull next to the blood drops denotes 1st company for Blood Angels.



Some of those other thing are just army and campaign badges and don't have a specific instance. I'd suspect the triangles are for making your own by layering them with some of the other transfers. A skull on top of a triangle, for example. If there's something you like, use it; it doesn't have to be attached to an existing thing in-universe. These are your dudes, so you can make them look how you want.

I found these links for the Imperial guard stuff, it was only a cursory google so you've probably seen it:

https://imgur.com/a/q0PcPqY
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/rizamd/making_sense_of_imperial_guard_transfer_sheets/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/758364024736971323/