Thinking of getting Vets but how to represent them?

[kenshin620]

I have these ideas in my head
-SM Vets
-SM Vets Mk II
-BT Sword Bretheren
-Assault Marines
Which box set should I use?

[Baron Spikey]

Really depends on how you want to equip your veterans. All those box set would be cool to represent veterans but personally I'd get the 'SM Vets' box and inter mix them with some heavily kitted out tactical marines which you've built to look like veterans. That way you've got the versatility (and relative cheapness) of plastic marines plus the sheer coolness of the metal vets.

Any leftover marines from the tactical box set can then be used bulking out other squads in your army.

[Captain Slow]

EDIT: arg beaten to it. what Spikey said.

depends what you want to do with them really.
but if your after whats coolest, the sword bretheran, and the vets MKII have to be at the top of list, both are very cool.

[masterofweirdness]

MK II vets are even playable tt wise... (at least... last time I checked my codex, I can't use just one Lighting Claw... or plasma pistols... sadly).

They are cool though...

I would just get a box of Space Wolf Blood Claws and buff them up with tones bitz and stuff...

Its the cheapest option...

If you want lighting claws... use a termie pair... thats what my friend did (he borrowed mine). It looks a bit weird... but it works.

[Templar Mikeel]

I recommend the Assault Squad box along with a few other Sergeant and Chapter specific bits. If you do a kit bash, rather than buy the metal models, you can choose what they're armed with, and it's more fun to assemble them. Check my (unupdated) wip blog for pcis of my kit bashed Sword Brethren.

[Warmaster Romulas]

Originally Posted by Templar Mikeel

I recommend the Assault Squad box along with a few other Sergeant and Chapter specific bits. If you do a kit bash, rather than buy the metal models, you can choose what they're armed with, and it's more fun to assemble them. Check my (unupdated) wip blog for pcis of my kit bashed Sword Brethren.

customuze them
after all they are your veterans
i got bitz from my buddeis to act as trophies
plus dont forget to ding up their armour

[Lord Commander Erus]

Why do Vets need dinged up armor? Doesn't make sense to me why everyone assumes Veterans need to be torn and ragged... You'd think the opposite would happen given their seasoned status, so I would surmise.

[Baron von Lexus]

I build my vets as heavily kitted out troopers with lots of purity seals and medals and such. I mean all space marines are pretty seasoned so you really need something to set them apart. I choose little things to flush out the characters.

But if you're set on getting a boxed set I'd go with the Sward Brethern or the Vets MKII. Those guys are cool.

BvL

[Warmaster Romulas]

it just for me i think after a century or 2of combat
there would be a dent or 2 in the ceramite
just what i think its not cannon or anything

[SSGBIGFOOT]

The SM Vets are just awsome looking, but you could go for regular marines and then add the Black Templar upgrades. I use The BT Terminator shoulder pads on one shoulder for my vets. Mainly the ones with all the purity seals on them, then add fancy metal colors on the outlines and this makes even normal marines look like vets.

[Lord Commander Erus]

Originally Posted by Warmaster Romulas

it just for me i think after a century or 2of combat
there would be a dent or 2 in the ceramite
just what i think its not cannon or anything

True... but don't they do their own armor upkeep, as well as the techmarines? (just poking about, not trying to provoke an argument)

[Captain Slow]

I suppose its all about preferance, as SM's do keep thier armour in shape, but theres nothing to say that the Vets arent still in battle, or they've been modeled as if there snap shots of the battle, rather than clean cut and freshly painted.

[Warmaster Romulas]

i get what you are saying
no arguement here at all
im with you
but since we moved away from the "EAVY METAL" way of painting
bright and new armor on every one
we have been modeling wear and tear
(dirt on treads, faded edges)
so im just saying that a vet would have considerable more
wear on their armor

[Lord Commander Erus]

True.. I prefer the more parade ground, burnished, fresh from the forge look... Can't say why. It's just, most of the time the battle damage I see is WAY ott and so much focus is put on it, the model looses its place. A few nicks, or a bullet hole or two per model is cool, but the GW blokes liek to chew up shoulder pads, slice up weapons, etc.. It's just a bit too much.

[SteveBerenyi]

but then there are some who just put a few dents and scrapes on and i think it adds more to the model. BUT!!!! that should always be done post factory.

[Torquemada Coteaz]

Haha, Erus I guess it depends on skill then?
I've seen some (technically) really OTT armies and they looked amazing nonetheless.
Others aren't even that full of "battle damage" and already don't look too great.

Also, if the battle damage looks like it has a "story" that the viewer can imagine (say, strafe run craters on a big model's base, for lack of a better example) it can look great as well.

[Baron von Lexus]

I always seem to paint my marines pretty clean and awsome looking while I seem to beat the hell out of my Imperial Guard. I weather vehicles pretty heavily for both though. But I agree vets to me would seem to get more attentio nand have better looking gear.

[Lord Commander Erus]

Vehicles I could see being weathered (damage wise) as bit... But to me.. It should all be done in a very moderated sense.. Not GW style where 1/2 the marine is missing his armor.

[iNsOmNiAc'S dReAm]

Well I guess the over all point would be to stylize your vet to suit your personal taste. Weither He be war torn and battle damaged.. or in Shining, well polished ornate armour.. The point would still go across.

You just want him to be different from the others and to look, well, like a veteran =P. Simple ways to achieve that would be..

You could add trophies from past battles. Maybe he took a knife or something from a slain foe. Or maybe he has the heads/helmets of killed warriors hanging from his belt. Or he might keeps a tally of the total number of kills hes earned, by either marking his armour, or keeping a book of names or something o.O.

He might wear an older style of armour than his younger brethren, or perhaps peices of older armour ( no doubt parts would eventually have to be replaced over time ). Or due to his higher rank, he would propably have greater access to the armoury and would carry much more ornate, or sophisticated weaponry.

Another simple way to identify him from the rest of the squad would be to model him helmetless, that is if everyone else is wearing a helmet. Or you could give his helmet ' special ' markings to identify his higher rank.

You could even model him in a much more dynamic pose then the rest of his brothers.

In all truth the possibilities are endless and just require a bit of imagination.. The answer could be as simple as just giving your veteran a NAME painted on somewhere.