Varnish or Pre-decal

Okay I realize that I have not posted in a while. That's because I am about to embark on redoing my kitchen. I am going to rip up the subfloor and prep it for tile, then new cabinets will be installed, new countertops, new appliances, and some wiring, before I will lay tile. :o)

So, I put on a coat of gloss varnish. Now I know many people do not like the really shiny armor, but first of all, I kinda do like it. To me, the space marines, being a totally martial brotherhood would keep their kit in tip top form. Plus the use of varnish allows for some neat detail, for example I have drybrushed some "dirt" (graveyard earth) around the bottom of their greaves (? armor around their lower legs?) to simulate that they have been moving about on foot and didn't just step from the shower. This "dirt" effect has not been varnished giving it not only a color contrast but also a finish difference that the keen eye might pick up.
Secondly, the gloss varnish allows decals to hide much better. i will most likely tone down the gloss with a coat of matte varnish later, but the shininess of the decal would render the illusion of the chapter symbol, and unit markings being painted onto the shoulderpad. Here are some pics.