So want to get some dog tags apply for service number and stencil my home made armour up.

What is everyone running with for the Marine Surname?

Real or fictitious?

My real surname is Johnson : to me a little plain
My online handle for gaming / forums has allways been Rimwar

What's your thoughts? Have you run with your real surname or a Handel preference?

5-6 letters seem ideal for fiting on the armour chest plate and easy reading from a distance. A lot of characterss had 5 letter surnames not all.


Borrowed from another thread! MSgt Baldwin!

Personally as I have my own gear I prefer to have my name on the tape, Armour and on the dog tag.

If you go for a Bishop, Hicks, etc. replica you may consider having their names on these props.

I guess it’s a choice of 100% SA/SU or your own ideas reflected in your props and therefore also in the name.

Frank

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

I went with my own name on my ground pounder, but then started wondering what to do when I branched out into a Dropship pilot uniform as well. I ended up using my name on that one too. Hmm, maybe I'm twins!

It's really up to you though. There's something kind of fun about accumulating the various items for your fictional future self, but it could be just as satisfying to make up a last name or --as Frank said-- make a replica of one of the Marines from the Sulaco.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

Being a 3XL chest size I am not looking at trying to pull off a clone outfit of the original cast of characters ... More like the expendable Red Shirt Marine ...

More concerned with the Private Johnson ribbing connotations? Or Sargent Johnson Stand to attention... Etc etc. ( I am sure you get what I am on about ).

I think it is great when someone creates an 'alternate persona' or a comes up with a reoccurring character for their creative projects and uses that name on their gear. However, I have no such persona/recurring character, so Its real name all the way for me! Maybe I'm unimaginative or maybe I am just vein, but no one represents me quite like me!

I have never been tempted to put a screen used character name on my gear. Screen accuracy is great, but I would feel weird. It' probably silly, but it's also why I was very limited in my sports jerseys as a kid. Even if it was my favorite team's jersey, when the player on it was not my own position and style of play, I didn't want it. I just feel weird representing someone who is totally unlike me. Plus, as soon as a screen character's name is on the gear I fear I lose creative control of accessories. If the goal is accuracy, your template is set and there is no wiggle room.

Depends on the culture you'll be around while in costume.
Most people know me by a nickname (to the point where my wedding guests wondered who this other guy was that kept getting mentioned by the vicar), yet in certain cultures it's also a slang term for something else.

Johnson is easily recognisible as a surname.
I do get the connotations... but only because you mentioned it. I'd never think of it otherwise. It's not as readily mockable as SPUNKmeyer, for example!

However, think on this - In an early draft of the script and subsequent ADF novelisation, during the scene where the survivors discuss the hive, Ripley explains the facehuggers and says that "they're essentially walking reproductive organs". Hudson jests, "Sounds just like you, Hicks!".
I took that to mean Hicks likes himself a bit of Ladies' Time, in a complimentary kinda way.

On the other hand, I could make some not-funny jests about the term 'Rim-War' that would actually get me banned from this forum...!

Probably doesn't answer your question, but gives you something to consider.
Personally, I'd go with Johnson... and both Wierzbowski and Spunkmeyer look just fine on armour, IMO.

Oh... and I have two sets of tags - One with my name, the other with a film character's name.

For the USCM, I took the name Av Taylor, which I use nowhere else. The reasoning here is complicated. I consider my "actual" name to be Avvy Rude, which I've used day-to-day for over 12 years. When I joined the USCM, I shortened Avvy to Av to make it non-diminutive (like Billy to Bill or Johnny to John), and I thought having "Rude" on my armor and tags might be confusing or out of place, so I used my legal surname, Taylor. So, I guess I created a unique character name for the USCM.

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"Screen what? I wouldn't know screen accurate if it were driving a bus and ran me over during the parade."

LCpl. Av "Spectre" Taylor
Long Range Infantry Support

Use your real name, cool. (that's what I do)

Use a made up, but real sounding name, cool.

Use a game or user name handle? Unless it looks/sounds like a regular name, it just seems...akward. I've seen people do this on Marine armor, don't care for it, but it's your armor/equipment, do what you like.

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"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

Really?!?! Johnson's a great surname. I think you should embrace that 120%! If you're a big guy, play to it. And it's your family name, be proud of it!
If I were you, I'd give myself a promotion to Major cause that'd work in my favour, ribbing-wise
I'd have though RIM-war would get more ribbing over a few beers than Johnson ...


My middle name's Seymour (after my Grandfather) and I used to very embarrassed about that until I thought it through a bit more and realised what an awesome guy he was. Now I view it as kind of a badge of honour.

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Cpl Aron "septic" Williams
A10/TQ0.0.82146E1

Oddly enough, I was thinking about this same conundrum for my officer setup with my Service C and ODs. I want to do as screen accurate as possible in that regard, but if my ground pounder is a Corporal, how was I gonna justify the officer gear with the same name? Its all so easy! Brothers! "Cpl T. Roberts" and "Lt. L. Roberts" (my middle Initial). Well that's a load off my mind...

Own name and a promotion too

Cpl A McColl

Besides how many marines would there be? Thousands. If you resemble a movie character then go for that but the Aliens universe is a big one.

Yep i have had my fair Share of Rim related jibes... for some reason because its a fictitious name it doesn't bother me.

Its Stems from my old Table top BattleTech games. My major tragedy was War from the rim. so reversed it and its stuck ever since. And i know for a fact i am the only one with that world wide. (its never taken in some forum or game i play).

Anyhoo you've all got me convinced i think i will go with my Second Name and Genuine Surname.

So it will be PFC. Reginald Johnson (R. Johnson) ... Almost British sounding. Not bad for a Aussie Convict heritage!.

Thanks all for your Input and insight to what made you choose yours.

I suppose to be screen-accurate (well, world-accurate), you'd need a fake surname and your real first name

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AKA: Simon

I go with my real last name every time- Means I can look down at my right manboob or front of my armour if I forget who the feck I am.

Again.

Plus, despite the combat gear and Pulse rifle, as per my sig- I'm as Remfy as an embassy dinner-dance

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2nd Lt Jon "Jaylo" Lopez
A11/TQ1.0.72144E1
USCM Quality Assurance Division- Aerospace and Space Products- Earth
"Checklists Save Lives- No Service Stations at 30,000ft"

I use a fake name simply because my soon to be previous bosses occasionally spoke negatively about costuming/geek culture so I didn't want them to be able to Google me and have it come up.

My armour has my actual surname stencilled on, but crossed out and with "SCAPEGOAT" graffitied over it

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MSgt, UKCM 42nd Reg., 1st Batt. : Hadrian's Wall. UKCM

Wasteland Workshop
Props, cosplay pieces, upcycled ornamentation, and miscellanea;
For the discerning survivor of the apocalypse.
Steve Fletcher : Maker, Scavenger, and Junksmith.
linktr.ee/wastelandworkshop

I too use my own name.
It's worked well for me for 32 years... reckon I'll stick with it.

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"The other Gareth"

My last name is Kowal but people can't pronounce it. Add the SKI to it and they get it right every time. A buddy of mine calls me Kowalski anyway so that works for me. I figured I would stay true to the Sergeant rank I earned when I was in the ALMOST MARINE CORPS (reserves joke). So there is my character, Sgt. Kowalski. Kind of rolls off the tongue.

I'm going with my own name... The kit will be names to me with stencils etc... I'll go for stuff as screen accurate as possible - but named to me...

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A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."