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What determines the color of any given Titan?

The army using it

MA.

This is actually a question I've been wondering as well. I know that there are/were Titan Legions at the time of the Horus Heresy and they had/have specific paint schemes.

The part I'm really curious about is if it would be acceptable to paint a Titan in the colors of one of the nine Chaos Legions, or if it should be painted in a Titan Legion paint scheme and just said to be associated with said Chaos Legion?

The Titan Legions are, in fact, not gone. They still exist and have specific paint schemes.

Now, the Traitor Titan Legions seem to be a weird story. They seem to just paint their Titans however they damned well please. They'll be in the colors of forces they accompany, specific Gods, etc.

You'll, apparently, at times see Warhound Titans repainted with a kind of 'camouflage' if they're operating in areas where the terrain can feasibly support hiding something that big.

Titan legions have their own heraldry. It can actually be of any colour, scheme, art, etc. Usually, the forge world of origin of the titan legion uses the same heraldry and colours on its skitarii forces.

Traitor titan legions also had their own colours, before the HH. However, since the Great Betrayal, it seems that there has been less and less standardization of colour and heraldry among the traitor titans.
We can encounter many different colours among the titans of a single legion. Some will be jet black, others will be entirely covered in blood red paint. In many cases, a traitor titan will bear the symbols of the Chaos Gods he is devoted to.

The only traitor astartes legion known to field titans is the Iron Warriors Legion. On several occasions, imperial forces have encountered Iron Warriors forces fighting alongside titans bearing the same insignia and heraldry. Thus, it is thought that these titans are now permanently attached to this traitor legion.

Kanluwen wrote:The Titan Legions are, in fact, not gone. They still exist and have specific paint schemes.

Now, the Traitor Titan Legions seem to be a weird story. They seem to just paint their Titans however they damned well please. They'll be in the colors of forces they accompany, specific Gods, etc.

You'll, apparently, at times see Warhound Titans repainted with a kind of 'camouflage' if they're operating in areas where the terrain can feasibly support hiding something that big.

Laodamia wrote:Titan legions have their own heraldry. It can actually be of any colour, scheme, art, etc. Usually, the forge world of origin of the titan legion uses the same heraldry and colours on its skitarii forces.

Traitor titan legions also had their own colours, before the HH. However, since the Great Betrayal, it seems that there has been less and less standardization of colour and heraldry among the traitor titans.
We can encounter many different colours among the titans of a single legion. Some will be jet black, others will be entirely covered in blood red paint. In many cases, a traitor titan will bear the symbols of the Chaos Gods he is devoted to.

The only traitor astartes legion known to field titans is the Iron Warriors Legion. On several occasions, imperial forces have encountered Iron Warriors forces fighting alongside titans bearing the same insignia and heraldry. Thus, it is thought that these titans are now permanently attached to this traitor legion.

Outstanding answers you two. Thanks.

This is good stuff, thanks guys. Any idea of a listing of Titan Legions and colors? Or when I finally scratch-build my Warlord Titan should I just make up a color scheme for the sake of ease?

You might want to check out this: http://z15.invisionfree.com/The_Great_Crusade/index.php?showtopic=1220

It gives some nice examples of legion colours (both loyalist and traitor titans). The models are old, but the fluff is still cannon.

I found this site http://www.astronomican.com/showthread.php?10138-Titan-Legion-Colour-Schemes

That black and red for Legio Destructor sounds pretty sweet. And I like their lore.

Depends on the fluff you follow. I have old white dwarfs where the Howling Griffons space marine chapter had it's own titans painted in the same paint scheme. Its a cool article. It shows you why you paint titans with icons low on their legs, so that infantry can see it. It also shows what markings you are supposed to put on the top of vehicles, so that the titan crews can see what kind of vehicle it is.

Although not as cool as what others have posted I found this .pdf awhile a go that gives the colours and some other information

Each Titan Legion has its own heraldry



Warhound titans are often painted in camo as they are the one titan class that can actually benifit from it. the others are just too huge for that to work.

Titans are also often painted with vast paintings of legendary battles the titan has participated in, noteworthy kills, decorative motifs...