GW has dropped a lot of ancient lore over 30+ years. Here are a baker’s dozen cool hobby tricks to RETRO-ize your army to impress the newbs and the vets.
Astartes Field Police
Yes, in Rogue Trader they had Space Marine helmet and shoulderpad markings for Field Police (see above pics). Then, 25 years later, Forge World clarified what that was all about. So dress up a couple of your models with the diagonal yellow and black stripe on their helmet, the symbol on a pauldron and know that you can tell the Chaplains to take the day off.
Marine Lieutenant-Commanders
SAY WHAT? Indeed, there are ranks just below the Captain, (Lieutenant, who are back in a big way, but were missing for twenty years), and Chapter Master (Lieutenant Commander) who can help the big guys out. Just apply the rank insignia to the helmet and forearm and have a model who can let the boss take a coffee-break. You can see echoes of the Lieutenant Commander in the 30K Legion list with Praetors.
Rogue Trader-ize your Imperial Army
Don’t settle for any plain boring Inquisitor leading your Marines/Astra Militarum. Say he’s a badass Rogue Trader and add his fleet’s logo to all your Astartes and AM units. This is just the thing for a theme army using all those Rogue Trader, Elucidian Starstrider, and Voidsmen minis.
Special Weapon Icons
I bet you didn’t know there is an official logo for many types of Marine Special weapons to paint on their shoulderpad to mark them out as a specialist. Yes even Graviton guns – and yes this is all from 1988! So throw a little detail on your special weapon dude’s pauldrons.
I could use an understudy.
Apothecary In Training
What a cool way to dress up an otherwise ordinary squad. Just paint up a trooper’s one shoulderpad and arm in white and you know who’s taking over when the official Apothecary gets stepped on by a Stompa. Someone’s got to step up in the next battle, and the cycle of Apothecary life continues.
You there – take over. I’m pooped
Chaplain Acolyte
Give any lowly marine in your army a black helmet, single shoulderpad and arm, and TADA. Guess who gets the Crozius when the the current dude runs out of grimdark-sermons.
Beastmen Attack Squads
This one goes out to the Astra Militarum folks. Bring back some retro AWESOME from Rogue Trader with an Imperial Beastmen squad in your army. Back in the day they could be armed with shotguns (counts as Veterans), or Shields (mount 2-3 per base as Bullgryn), or Flamers (counts as Special Weapon Team). Just grab a unit of Age of Sigmar beastmen, or grab a bunch of Blackstone Fortress or Kill Team Chaos Beastmen and get to work. It’s a big galaxy out there!
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Commissar Training Squad
Oh yeah, even the commissars have to start somewhere. Ten guys in black peaked hats, long coats with lasguns and a CCW – led by an attached regular Commissar. Your best bet once you have the models is probably a counts-as Scions. Deploy them in an all black Taurox with red trim to really do it up. Half of being a successful Commisar is the style!
Cult Limos
Just count it as a Goliath (sedan) or Ridgerunner (coupe) depending on your Magus’ automotive taste and go for the most stretched low and badass looking mob-boss ride. Red Skull, ahem I mean the Patriarch approves!
Anvilus Pattern Powerpacks
It turns out these are also for loyalists. The “Anvilus”pattern marine powerpack has enhanced stabilising thrust vents to help with void based operations, but weaker rad-shielding than normal packs. While associated with Chaos Marines, due it falling out of favor with the Imperials after the Heresy, you could always dress up any squad of regular marines with these old units just for coolness points. Especially if the theme of your squad is these are for ship-board/naval specialists.
Badab War Schemes
Long forgotten, the insane camo schemes listed in 1988 White Dwarf for many famous chapters in the Badab War are out of this world. I suggest making one unit of your marines use them to mark them out as veterans of the Badab War. A perfect talking point for table side! Note the Salamanders (lowest row, middle) and the Red Scorpions, (middle row, left). Painting up an accasional piece of CSM Red Corsairs power armor still in their original Tiger Claws scheme is super style points! Have fun.
Eldar Corsair Schemes
Eldar Corsairs are back after decades in the latest Aeldari index. But waaaay back in the day of the late 1980s, they had a bunch of super cool warbands, color schemes and logos. These predate the entire Craftworld armylist by years and are in effect the “original” Eldar. Grab some of those new Corsair minis and give one of these a whirl! Alai Mercenary Corps – I dare ya!
Medics & Apothacary Schemes
Last but not least, add some Rogue Trader charm to your tabletop lifesavers with any of these schemes. I LOVE the Ultramarines, and Dark Angels schemes! Heck, you can even try to shoehorn some of these into some of your Leagues of Votann units, just for cool points.
~What other units and markings from the days of yore did we miss?
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I started BoLS Interactive in 2006. I’m a lifelong tabletop & RPG gaming enthusiast, and internet publisher working to entertain and inform my readers every day.
I’ve been playing RPGs and Tabletop Games since the 1970s. I’m been playing and covering Warhammer and Warhammer 40K for over 35 years.
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