Decals or sculpted Shoulder Pads?

[Breakthrough]

Hello guys, again i need you help.

 

I am planning my Alpha Legion, and so it tooks that i look for the shoulders.

 

On the most Artworks, they are just seem to be painted on the models, or via Decals, not looking like sculpted ones.

 

But when i look, the Headhunter Killteam comes with sculpted shoulders, also the Alpha Legion Contemptor.

 

So it should look a little wired if i mix them :(

 

So guys what would you suggest to do?

[E_50_Panzer]

Personally, I would use the decals more. I think it would look better weathered, as well as also be easier to weather.

[Marshal Loss]

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I prefer the bulked up look of the sculpted shoulder pads. If I was on a budget, I'd happily just use decals.

[Kizzdougs]

There is nothing wrong with mixing them together. Personally I have a preference for decals, but I wouldn't have anything against mixing in a few moulded shoulder plates :tu:

[Jarl Kjaran Coldheart]

I vastly prefer sculpted pads.

[Doghouse]

Mixing is fine I think.

 

Personally I prefer decals because of how I personally see the more mass produced feel of the Crusade era and they look really nice weathered. Get yourself some Micro Sol if you can find it, it works wonders on decals and is much better than just water.

 

I think it is ultimately down to your own personal tastes, if you like the look of sculpted pads and decals on other troops then go for it. Sculpted pads are great for pointing out more senior or specialised troops such as the Head Hunters.

 

The other option is try and get some plain shoulder pads and replace those on the Head Hunters if you want to use decals, that's probably the route I would go and maybe take a look on ebay for plastic Mk 4. Failing that buy a set of the forge world pads and just use the blank ones from the set on the Head Hunters.

[k0nahrik]

There's a simple solution: decals are for the rank and file troops, as their armour is mass produced and fresh, it's relatively unadorned. The older and more experienced the marine, the more he's had his armour improved and customised - have your veterans and elites with sculpted shoulders. Best of luck!

[Joe]

I'd say that's only true in certain cases. iirc, last chapters of the Ultramarines had larger quantities of their unique patterns, as opposed to the baseline Mark IV and so on.

 

It comes down to personal taste at the end of the day. I prefer sculpted pauldrons as I struggle to apply decals to anything that isn't a flat surface.

[Allart01]

I have my World Eaters full decals, and my Dark Angels full sculpted pads.

I much prefer the relief for the pads, to be honest... but FW's decal sheets offer you a lot more than that! They look awesome on tanks, banners, and as further decoration for the armour.

[Bloody Legionnaire]

I prefer the look of decals over the sculpted shoulder pads. After purchasing the few I did I realized the flat painted on look suited my troops a lot better and was a lot easier to paint battle damage on for the more realistic look. I've decided to only use sculpted pads on my vets and hq units. 

[Cornelias]

There's a simple solution: decals are for the rank and file troops, as their armour is mass produced and fresh, it's relatively unadorned. The older and more experienced the marine, the more he's had his armour improved and customised - have your veterans and elites with sculpted shoulders. Best of luck!

yeah i use decals for the rank and file and the head hunter pads on all my HQ's, i'm not really a huge fan of the other alpha's sculpted pads (they look more like sperm than hydra, sorry haha).

Edited June 22, 2017 by Cornelias

[m_r_parker]

It really is down to personal preference. Whether it's an aesthetic / lore approach, or a modelling / painting approach, it really is down to you.

 

I prefer the sculpted pads, because it's easier for me to paint them than to apply decals. In my eyes decals are fiddly, especially on a curved surface like a shoulder pad, I can never get them to look uniform, and the always end up creased. I just don't have the patience to get them right, so having them pre-sculpted makes it massively easier for me.

[Bloody Legionnaire]

It really is down to personal preference. Whether it's an aesthetic / lore approach, or a modelling / painting approach, it really is down to you.

 

I prefer the sculpted pads, because it's easier for me to paint them than to apply decals. In my eyes decals are fiddly, especially on a curved surface like a shoulder pad, I can never get them to look uniform, and the always end up creased. I just don't have the patience to get them right, so having them pre-sculpted makes it massively easier for me.

Microset and Microsol.. the answer to all decal transfer woes. I have some testors decal solution for complex surfaces as well that I use from time to time. Make sure you're putting decals on a gloss surface. Add an additional coat of gloss on top after the decal has dried. Finish up with a coating of flat and you're done.