# Sergeant Banners?



## Mighty (Jun 8, 2008)

Hello everyone just had a quick question. I know that Captains seem to have personal banners, but would sergeants of a tactical squad or a devastator squad have a personal banner? I know it would most likely not be as elegant as the captains but would they still have them or not? I was just wondering because a friend of mine and I were talking about it after I got some Veteran Sergeants and it came with a little pole with chain mail on it. Which made us wonder if they would have just little stuff like that (pole with chain mail), or banners with their last name on it since the squad is usually named after the Sergeant's last name, or both for that matter?


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

It depends on the Chapter. Some Chapters prefer to let their foes know who's about to beat them into a bloody pulp in the name of the God-Emperor, while others like to be all quiet-like about it. For example, the Imperial Fists wear bright yellow and heavily ornamented armor-- they WANT to be seen. Sergeants probably have banners depicting Rogal Dorn's triumphs, personal heraldry, or whatever, and they WANT the enemy to see it. The Raven Guard, on the other hand, somehow manage to sneak around in power armor. How they manage that is totally beyond me-- even wearing black, you'd see 'em coming a mile away, so to speak. All the same, they probably don't want to have a gigantic flag or honorific stuck to an already large profile if they're going to be crawling through rubble, brush, or whatever. 

Now, personally... I like back banners for sergeants. It's a spot to do some freehand, and it makes picking the sergeant out on the table easier for my opponent. I don't believe in trying to model things so my opponent doesn't notice them to gain an advantage on the table-- I prefer that everybody's clear what everything is, and where it is. Being able to glance at one of my tactical squads, see its banner, and know immediately what the unit has both as far as what the sergeant is armed with and what special weapons and other options it's been given without really taking a good look at the models means you can focus on other things besides worrying about where unit A is when a lot of models look a lot alike.


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## bigstu (Jun 7, 2008)

In some of the older editions I think most sgts came with banners, so I don't think there is any thing to say you can't use them.

Personally though, I don't like to put banners on any of my models, even the captains, it just seems that it would be totally unrealsitic that they would go into war with such an item. Chapter banners and company standards carried by dedicated standard bearers are different and I do like them


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## EndangeredHuman (Feb 20, 2008)

I'm currently in the processes of banner-fying all my sargeants. I adore the idea of the sheer badass of them saying "I'm here, Emperor damn it! Come and KILL ME"

One of the best badass creeds in any game.


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## Corporal Chaos (Nov 27, 2007)

I do not usually put them on but I do use them at times. Depends on my mood while I am modeling. I do not they detract from the model and as far as what would be tacticaly sound in real life it has no bearing on my choice to use them or not. Sometimes they just get in the way other times it is good to see where the sgt is and it does add to the model when done right and well.


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## Mighty (Jun 8, 2008)

Thanks all the reply's guys


> Now, personally... I like back banners for sergeants. It's a spot to do some freehand, and it makes picking the sergeant out on the table easier for my opponent.


 I agree it shouldn't be a pain for my opponent to find my sergeant and yea it does add for a little bit of creativeness.


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## Druchii in Space (Apr 7, 2008)

This is one thing I always go for with Marines, will do again as it reminds me off the models when I first came into the hobby, where every Marine sgt and his dog had a cool banner, and for Son of Horus has it spot on about the chance to do some freehand, and so your foes can see you coming. 

Hell I still like the idea of giving Apothecaries, Techmarines and Chaplains back banners where possible, which few seem to do these days.


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## Son of mortarion (Apr 24, 2008)

if you strictly adhere to the codex astartes ( the big book of "how to be a space marine, by Robert Williams) not only would a squad sergeant have a back banner to identify him as such, but the squad leader (next in command of the squad, leads the half that the sergeant does not when split into combat squads) would also have a banner, so would librarians, chaplains, And members of the apothecarion.


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## LeeHarvey (Jul 25, 2008)

I like the look of banners but the practicality of such a thing keeps me from putting them on my models. I don't have a single banner on any infantryman in my army cause' let's face it, they are basically like a big neon sign that says "Shoot Me". I know 40k has only the loosest basis in reality, but I personally prefer to have my army reflect common sense as much as possible and having a giant flag on your back in a real combat situation would be a tactically dumb move for many, many reasons.

I'm not saying that somebody is dumb for putting banners on their models, do what you want with your army. This is just my opinion.


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## Son of mortarion (Apr 24, 2008)

personally I only use them to show off my modeling skills.


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## LeeHarvey (Jul 25, 2008)

They *are* useful for that. For me, that's where a Standard Bearer comes into play,
or mounting flags and pennants on Vehicles and Dreadnoughts. 

It's just the infantry I can't let myself use banners on. It just makes no sense to me. I guess I'm just wierd like that.


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## Syph (Aug 3, 2008)

I started back in 2ed so my Sgts, Chaplains, Librarians and Captains (and even Dreadnoughts) had banners. I never really liked them, I never liked the red bolter cases and I always thought gold would make a better trim colour. I stuck with it during my dabble towards the end of 3ed, and since coming back for end of 4ed and 5ed, I notice all those changes were implemented! 

Seeing as I'd already painted a good chunk of models, I'm buggered if I'm going to change to the 'new' style now, but it's a total pain trying to get banner poles for some of my models. Thank god for eBay!


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

As another older gamer, I'm a fan of banners. There were all over in 2nd, but they were there even in RT days. There was quite a strong Japanese theme running alongside the more traditional "space-knights" in the early days I thought, and therefore back-banners made a lot of sense. 

Just generally, it's more heraldic; SMs aren't "soldiers", they're knights or Samurai. Their identity is _important_. Their friends, and their enemies, need to know who they are. They can't inspire or terrify if they can't be seen.

That said, not all of my sergeants by any means have banners. My goal is eventually that they will all have them (maybe excluding Assault Squad Sergeants, I can't see that working somehow). But 1st Company sergeants... definitely. These are the best leaders of the hardest warriors that there are. If they _belch_ it's recorded in the Chapter's histories. Their every action is important. How could they _not_ have a massive flag that screams *look at me!*

:heraldic cyclops:


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## Lord Reevan (May 1, 2008)

Strangely enough I Only have one HQ with a banner and that's my terminator captain. The majority of my sergeants have them, Have to get round to the other ones soon. I was thinking about putting them on my assault squad sergeants but I'm not sure if that'd look decent. Anybody try it?


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## dirty-dog- (May 14, 2008)

it depends if they have jump packs or not.

i personally don't have anything on the back pack unless its for an hq choice.

im going to put a banner on my dread but have to come up with a name for him.


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