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So I've recently gotten back into my old Guard, and with the release of the new Cadia rules I've decided to expand my army. However, I currently have an army made up of two rather different uniforms (due to indeciveness back in the day) which I'd like to change so that I have only one. Of course my problem with this idea is that I can't decide which one to go with, Desert world or Ice world.

Originally I made a platoon and russ with the artic theme and then jumped to desert when I made some penal legion units (back when they were a thing), painting some extra things similarly thereafter (mostly because I found a nice coloured spary at the time).

Troops

Vechicles


(Not the best photos sorry, if you'd like better/particular photos just say)

Though they are few in number currently, I have more vehicles on the way so I want to decide before painting them. My main focus is on a good, connected and themed attire for all, and I would like to be able to put markers on shoulderpads or similar to mark out units, sergeants, special weapons etc. as I have a large number of footsloggers waiting for painting now.

My question to you is what do you think is the better of these two themes, or what should I try or change to make one of them better?

I'd say Arctic, it's a very effective and distinctive scheme. It means if you ever decide to add Vostroyans, it'd be easy.
Plus, if you don't feel like repainting everything at once, you can simply snow flock and weather / ice the other vehicles and bases until you feel up to it.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snoooowwww!

Of your two schemes (both of which are fine) I think the arctic was executed a bit better and is more distinctive.

Personally i think the paintwork on the arctic is of better quality but i love a good desert scene i dont particularly like the colour of the desert vehicles though the snow is much nicer. Overall two good colour schemes, the snow is nicer but i love desert stuff so i voted desert

Thanks for your input thus far! With Artic currently winning and me leaning towards it, a few thoughts raised in my mind.

I was actually thinking about the adding of snow to the bases and then I wondered if I should do the bases different to the light grey currently on the Artic ones? Possibly the brown of the other bases and add snow like Buttery suggested?

Also, any thoughts on ideal markings on shoulderpads? On the artic ones I already have tried white numbers but they don't really stand out.

And lastly, should I add camo marks/stripes to the vechicles?

Thanks again!

I think some contrast on the bases is needed, just to avoid a blob effect on the table.
Many people rim the edges in black or what used to be Graveyard Earth. If nothing else, in mass battles it helps to visually distinguish where one base ends and another starts.
For flocking/snow/basing, consider applying grass, Earth, rocks, etc and then having the snow over it with parts uncovered or poking through.

This is a very light/melty application of that idea, but you can see how the different basing colours can be mixed (click to zoom):

Ah, good idea on the base rim too, thanks! That could really change the look/uniform/meldyness of the forces.

I quickly threw some stuff together rather crudely in Photoshop to get a general idea of basing choices and also the vehicle camo