Tactical Command
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Identifiy Formations
http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1987
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Author:  furgie [ Sat Feb 28, 2004 3:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Hi guys,

I was wondering how you identify your formations for big games?

I was thinking about either a flash of colour on a shoulder pad and the matching transport, or a pannel for colour on the edge of the base and matching on the transport again.

How do other do this or is it not felt to be a concern?

Furgie

Author:  primarch [ Sat Feb 28, 2004 4:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Hi!

For marines I use shoulder pad color designations and the rhinos also have the old symbol recognitions for assault, devastator and tactical squads. That's how I keep track of them for marines.

For IG, I use three stripes of varying colors to identify units and platoon commanders.

It gets harder for non-imperial armies, but the banners of the orks can also serve this purpose.

Primarch

Author:  Legion 4 [ Sun Feb 29, 2004 5:49 am ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Yes, Primarch has got it right, again.  Plus you can use traditional tactical markings in various colors. Circles, squares, diamonds, <, >, v, ^, etc., etc. ... That is generally how we do it ...  :;):

Author:  Markconz [ Sun Feb 29, 2004 5:54 am ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

I paint the rim of should pads and the shoulder pad various colours to identify units... I like something that is reasonably easy to identify at a distance, gets important in big games.

For orks, I use the should pads, backplate and trousers.

Author:  primarch [ Sun Feb 29, 2004 10:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Hi!

Yes, I agree the ork shoulder pads serve the same purpose.

I haven't figured a good way to do it with the eldar, although you could vary the color of the guardians helmets.

Primarch

Author:  Markconz [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:35 am ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Quote (primarch @ 29 2004 Feb.,21:13)
I haven't figured a good way to do it with the eldar, although you could vary the color of the guardians helmets.

Yep, that's what I did, also the sash they have at their waist (the e40k edition ones).

Author:  primarch [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 1:40 am ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Hi!

I have the old ones, mostly, no sashes.

But thats a slick idea!  :)

Primarch

Author:  Tas [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:04 am ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

I use combinations- most have been mentioned- different kneepad or shoulderpad rim colours for SM etc

The lest difficult and easiest though, is to use different shading on different IG companies.  They still look uniform, but stadning back you can tell between the different browns you have used

Author:  Legion 4 [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 5:08 am ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Painting helmets a different color or even complete uniforms works too.

Author:  mr_mich [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

I find that to work only if you have a few formations in each uniform though, like a full battle company from each of a few chapters.  Even then, if you have a few BA tacticals, a few SW tacticals, and a few Sallie Devastators, you'll have to identify between formations.

Author:  Tas [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 12:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Quote (mr_mich @ 01 2004 Mar.,20:47)
I find that to work only if you have a few formations in each uniform though, like a full battle company from each of a few chapters. ?Even then, if you have a few BA tacticals, a few SW tacticals, and a few Sallie Devastators, you'll have to identify between formations.

I dunno-Different IG comapanies from different Regiments and thus different colour greatcoats etc.

The real fun is in developing the uniforms through battles, like Battle honours.  I had a IG Coy that once held against unbeliveable odds against an Ork assault.  That Coy then had their helmets repainted green in honour of their Victory against the Greenskins.  They kinda stand out now!  That sort of thing, including turret markings and the like, give your amry great character and individuality

Author:  stormseer [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

I painted my 40k Guardian sashes in different colours to differentiate the squads, and yeah, it works pretty well with my Epic minis too..  :)

Author:  nealhunt [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Wow, you guys must play a lot different.  I rarely have difficulty figuring out who goes with which detachment, even with nothing to distinguish them.

Currently, I have 6 SM tac formations, 3 in one pattern, 2 in a different pattern, and 1 in a third pattern.  I've never had a problem deploying them so that I could tell them apart easily.  Same for orks, and they are even more homogenous in their randomness.  I don't even separate out formations in storage.  I just pile all the nobz in one section, all the boyz in another, and all the grots in a third.  When I make a warband, I just pull out whatever.


I used to mark everything up separately, but mostly I found it made set up and tear down rather fiddly and was just not needed, so I just quit.

Author:  Falesh [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 10:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

If you don't want to paint the units differently, how about painting numbers on the underside of the base. Then you could say Boyz 1-14 are in this Warband, 15-22 in that one, etc, so you can check if you do get confused as to who is who.

Author:  primarch [ Mon Mar 01, 2004 11:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Identifiy Formations

Hi!

Under the older epic systems you needed to keep tabs on units for break points. While most of the time its easy what happens when you have a big free for all melee? It can get confusing.

Thus the color coding.

Primarch

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