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TLDR? Do you like the grey ones, the bronze ones, or do you think I should try something else out?

Alrighty, I've been working on some other projects, so my marines have kind of fallen by the way-side. But I want to keep on working on them, when I get the inspiration. To that effect, I tried out a new color scheme and thought I'd share it with Dakka. I don't mind the idea of running a multi-chapter strike force, but I don't want my army to look too rag-tag. As it stands I have some tacticals, scouts, a rhino, and a few other odds and ends painted up as shadow knights (there's a link in my signature). The next image will give you the gist:


They look good in the right light, I particularly like the battle damage as it is a new thing for me, but in a poorly lit room they kind of wash out (highlighting and detail in general)

And so you have the shadow knights. The next images are of a test model for what i'm tentatively calling the Brazen Templars. They're bronze with red, and silver chips and scratches rimmed in black.









Compared to the subtler SK's, the BzT guy really pops from the table. The base (same as SKs) is a better contrast. Both schemes are pretty similar in amount of time involved, and I love both for different reasons, so I thought I'd ask you guys what you think. If I could come up with something else, I wouldn't mind painting that for the bulk of my forces either, but these are the best schemes I've sorted out to date. Do you guys think one of them is clearly better? Are they both so 'meh' that you think I should continue trying things out? Every test model I work through is one or more finished models (and possibly several if I go back and repaint what I've already done for the new scheme) that I could have painted instead, so I'm hesitant. Thoughts? Comments and criticisms greatly appreciated (the Brazen Templar guy is done, but I did him quick for the purposes of testing, and stole his base from another marine (note the white spot that was under the first guy's boot!). Thanks for looking

P.S. there are a lot more pictures of the shadow knights in gallery, and a couple more of the templars, if you wanted to see what the schemes look like on vehicles (SK only) and terminators (SK, and WIP BzT).

Alright, so far, some pretty overwhelming support for the established shadow knights then! I'll just bump this once with a couple of side-by-sides in different lighting and let it be. Of course any specific criticism is more than welcome.




Thanks for voting

I like the grey a lot better than the metallic, but I'm a big fan of grey to begin with so I might be a little biased.

I'll agree with the others: I like your grey a lot better.

I like the grey too. I think with this overwhelming support I shall have to stick to my guns and keep the shadow knights coming.

Definately the grey.

However it is pretty much exactly the same scheme as the Relictors including the inverse pads

The bronze scheme might look better with a darker bronze maybe?

Its really similar, I'm not going to lie. I basically took my initial salamanders test scheme and swapped grey for green (black in the same places), which is fairly similar to the relictors.

They are a bit different than either though, as I've done the (separate piece) knee pads and all of the elbow pads in black. As well as the back pack, instead of just shoulder pads and weapon casings. This makes them closer to 1/3 black instead of just the off-bits.

So yep, really close, but there are a lot of established chapters that are somewhat close.

I like the bronze, I think maybe the red isn't the right shade, or is washing out too much.

I think go the shadow knights, they generally just look more appealing to me.
If need be, and you find that you can't leave the Brazen Templar's alone, try and use them as an allies or something?

Yep, that's the basic plan. I may even devote 5-10 marines with a rhino and that old GW wolf priest to a tiny SW contingent just for fun some time. They'll be the same or a very similar grey, hate baby blue swolves, love dark grey alt-schemes.

for what it's worth: metallic base colored marines never sit well with me. it seems ostentatious in the extreme. which is why it works with Sanguinius...pretty boys need to be sparkly.

The Shadow Knights look like the just take care of business without all the flash and shine.

looking at the codex example, it seems the Relictors have a much lighter grey as their base color.

i like the idea of using a small force of Brazen Templars for allies...the disparate color schemes would really set apart who is Varsity and who is JV.