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These are the closest I've seem to good looking Camo marines, and even then they aren't fully camouflaged.



Fact is, on space marines as with all models, painting real camo patterns is usually a bad idea. Camo works by breaking up the outline and eliminating detail of a person. Do this to a model, and you end up with a formless green-brown blob. Not very good looking.

Superhuman abilities come with superhuman arrogance.

GCMandrake wrote:These are the closest I've seem to good looking Camo marines, and even then they aren't fully camouflaged.



Fact is, on space marines as with all models, painting real camo patterns is usually a bad idea. Camo works by breaking up the outline and eliminating detail of a person. Do this to a model, and you end up with a formless green-brown blob. Not very good looking.

Love those models, especially the ammo packs and equipment

Cheese Elemental wrote:Space Marines don't need camo. They're eight-foot-tall killing machines wearing light tank armour and carrying .75 caliber machineguns that fire high-explosive bullets. They can survive wounds that would kill a normal human three times over and are each the equivalent of a dozen trained soldiers in combat.

When you're a Space Marine, you don't need camo at all.

Except of course they are fighting other 8 foot tall killing machines; giant aliens; Terminators er ancient killing machines with ray guns; things that can't exist in the material world; and space elves with more death ray guns and brightly colored clothing.


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GCMandrake wrote:These are the closest I've seem to good looking Camo marines, and even then they aren't fully camouflaged.



Fact is, on space marines as with all models, painting real camo patterns is usually a bad idea. Camo works by breaking up the outline and eliminating detail of a person. Do this to a model, and you end up with a formless green-brown blob. Not very good looking.

You know I never actually thought of putting all the packs on the chests and shoulders like that. In a camo or darker pattern that indeed looks quite good.


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Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Space Marines are an entry level army
often played by kids who are also learning (hopefully) to paint the figures rather than have them running grey plastic nakee over the table-top.

Bright blue is good cos it is easier to paint

painting camo is for later when you (hopefully) get really good at painting minis.
By the time you are adept at painting tiny dots on polychromatic schemes, then your eyes are knacked from all the squinting.

So you think it! I'll just paint the little fekkers bright blue!

Actually camo is easy to paint decently. Any mistake is just a camo pattern.

I doubt a moving bush thats screaming "FOR THE EMPEROR!" would work too well.

Actually, what few people realize, is that Space Marines do indeed use camo. Camo is only used in dire situations outlined in the Codex Astartes, to use camo any other time is not only unfaithful but a heresy in its own right. They're shock troopers and thusly are meant to be seen, aside from the scout forces obviously.

There's mentions of this in older books and in the Red Scorpions fluff from whatever volume. Don't ask me for quotes though, I'm not looking.

Indeed.
The original RT 'splodey armour diagram mentions it incorporates a mimetic layer that can adjust colours for 'parade ground' or terrain or anything in between.
Maybe the AM has just forgotten how to coax the armour's spirit into doing it anymore.

This is what I still use in mine. My SM are not "knights', they are the enforcers of His Imperial Majesty's Policy, his bully-boys - shock troops and a 'terror weapon'.

Cheese Elemental wrote:Space Marines don't need camo. They're eight-foot-tall killing machines wearing light tank armour and carrying .75 caliber machineguns that fire high-explosive bullets. They can survive wounds that would kill a normal human three times over and are each the equivalent of a dozen trained soldiers in combat.

When you're a Space Marine, you don't need camo at all.

Cheese said it.

Those are really cool models up there.

Camoflage is the colour of cowardice.

Also, its hard to be camouflaged when you are hurtling down from the sky in a drop pod. They are going to see where you land.

Likewise with the assault marines. Hard to stay hidden when you are flying with what equates to a rocket on your back.

Actually, it just struck me that this query solves the issue of where all the SMs are.

We know there simply aren't enough SMs around to do the job they are meant to do.

I always assumed there are a lot more SMs than Imperial propaganda makes out. If we assume that the extra SMs are hard to spot because they are wearing camo, then it solves all the difficulties of not seeing them.

GW wouldn't be able to sell as many because we couldn't find them. Problem solved

I have always understood that camo wouldn't matter anyway because most of their significant opponents have ways (like senses or technical devices) to detect them nevertheless, and most of the ones who don't have such means are not enough of a threat to them for them to need it.

I think the Cityfight book, either the latest or the previous one, mentions this (but I am not entirely sure, it could be another book).

I think you can assume that as detection systems advance so do the camouflage systems.

However what matters on a model is what is visible to the human eye.

Insignium Astartes and Index Astartes I and II has good background information about why the Space Marines eschew camo etc. and embrace heraldic colours, the Imperial Fists for example, use the bright yellow of the their armour as a symbol of pride of being a part of the chapter.

Kilkrazy wrote:Actually, it just struck me that this query solves the issue of where all the SMs are.

We know there simply aren't enough SMs around to do the job they are meant to do.

I always assumed there are a lot more SMs than Imperial propaganda makes out. If we assume that the extra SMs are hard to spot because they are wearing camo, then it solves all the difficulties of not seeing them.

I like it. Similar to ninjas. You see the trail of bodies left behind, but never the ninja himself. Must be damn good camo.

Kilkrazy wrote:I think you can assume that as detection systems advance so do the camouflage systems.

Except that the technological advancement of the Imperium is supposedly at a standstill, and regressing even.

Which is a part of the fluff, btw, that deserves it's own topic, because I am not buying the whole "they forgot how to build it" claim GW pushes upon us. Even from a standstill some form of progress and innovation inevitably follows, especially during a period of 10.000 years. I understand it is the most convenient way for GW to consistently present their 40K universe though, but it is unrealistic even when dealing with fiction.

You'll notice that the only Space Marines wearing camo are the ones who need it.

Camouflage is for sneaking up on the enemy and hence is unnecessary when you're riding in a Rhino or being dropped right on top of them. In those situations, it's better to maximize the fear factor and display bright heraldry.

TBD wrote:

Kilkrazy wrote:I think you can assume that as detection systems advance so do the camouflage systems.

Except that the technological advancement of the Imperium is supposedly at a standstill, and regressing even.

Which is a part of the fluff, btw, that deserves it's own topic, because I am not buying the whole "they forgot how to build it" claim GW pushes upon us. Even from a standstill some form of progress and innovation inevitably follows, especially during a period of 10.000 years. I understand it is the most convenient way for GW to consistently present their 40K universe though, but it is unrealistic even when dealing with fiction.

On the whole I agree.

Various science fiction books have had a religious anti-technology theme, which is supposedly the factor operating in the Imperium to restrict technological advance. It's hard to accept this would work for 10,000 years on a million different worlds. Even if it did, why would the same thing restrict Chaos technology from advancing? After all, technology is normally stimulated by war.

It's even harder to accept that neither Eldar nor Tau have a rapidly improving technology.

Cheese Elemental wrote:Space Marines don't need camo. They're eight-foot-tall killing machines wearing light tank armour and carrying .75 caliber machineguns that fire high-explosive bullets. They can survive wounds that would kill a normal human three times over and are each the equivalent of a dozen trained soldiers in combat.

When you're a Space Marine, you don't need camo at all.

+1

So by wearing camo they would multiply their effectiveness even more.

Potentially, but it can work both ways as well. If they use camo they would have to either stealth it or kill everything they come up against. Where as when you have the reputation of a space marine people are going to recognize you and gtfo. Meaning you have to fight less men on your way to your true objective, meaning less expended ammo, less potential injuries, etc.

It's also due to Space Marine Badassery.

If you choice is to stealth to the objective and win, or fight you way through a horde who have been demoralised (in theory) by your badass red armour, and then hopefully win, then I would still think avoiding the horde is a quicker and more efficient way of proceedings.

But possibly less Grimdark™.

Who needs to stealth their way to the objective?

Astartes can just launch a Drop Pod or have TDA suited Astartes teleported right to the target.

Putting it as delicately as possible:
The "mainline" Astartes(ex: the Battle-Brothers in Power Armour) don't need to hoof it to their targets. They don't need to worry about small arms fire, since they can just walk through it.

They aren't generally deployed in the kind of slugfest that the Imperial Guard are(which is partially why the Guard use camo--that and it gives the Guardsmen a smidge bit of confidence), they're the scalpel intended to be deployed in operations where the sheer terror of knowing the Emperor's Angels of Death are coming after you will be enough to quell most resistance.

Plus, as it's mentioned in the whole reason why the Deathwatch retain a shoulderpad in the colors of their parent Chapter, they don't repaint the armor for each campaign due to not wanting to risk offending the Machine Spirit of the armor.

A 40k quote:

"Camouflage is the colour of fear"

In all honesty cammo doesn't even work that well today. I am in the Army and the ACU's (Army Combat Uniform) they have us wear are only good for one enviroment, laying down on a gravel road.

Camouflage doesn't do any good indoors, or inside claustrophobic hallways of a space hulk.

If power armor gives off a massive thermal signature camouflage just would not help.

They are eight foot and and wearing armour that would be used for a tank. If they are wearing camo and the enemy does not see them i think they might hear them advancing.


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But they do not really need the camo anyway so whats the point in even making the effort.

Cheese Elemental wrote:Space Marines don't need camo. They're eight-foot-tall killing machines wearing light tank armour and carrying .75 caliber machineguns that fire high-explosive bullets. They can survive wounds that would kill a normal human three times over and are each the equivalent of a dozen trained soldiers in combat.

When you're a Space Marine, you don't need camo at all.

Ya, they're shock assault. They want you to know they're there. As for when its tactically sensible: that's when they use scouts. Those guys wear camo.
They will do it if it makes sense. The Raptors had some crazy blue white sceme but then got marooned on a death world and then painted there armour camo green.


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Retribution wrote:

GCMandrake wrote:These are the closest I've seem to good looking Camo marines, and even then they aren't fully camouflaged.



Fact is, on space marines as with all models, painting real camo patterns is usually a bad idea. Camo works by breaking up the outline and eliminating detail of a person. Do this to a model, and you end up with a formless green-brown blob. Not very good looking.

Love those models, especially the ammo packs and equipment

Ya, I think they look awesome.