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Hey guys, hoping you could help with some input on a new Imperial Guard Painting Scheme.

I'm normally a chaos guy, and have about 3000 points of Black Legion with some Thousand Sons and Death Guard allies. I have a nice little allied force of Primaris Marines from the Dark Imperium Boxset now, and always wanted to get into Tyranids when I could find a decent army on Ebay.

So where this leaves me is figuring out what to do with my new 8th edition army I am starting, the Imperial Guard. Basically I'm looking for a theme that would look good enough on them so the models could easily be swapped as either Guard/Lost&Damned/Genestealer Cults while still looking the part. I would have Sergeants and Command units come directly from either Forgeworld Renegades or converted Genestealer units when playing those armies to better fit the part. I also magnetized all the Aquilas and other symbols on my Leman Russ to easily swap out for a Chaos star or Genestealer symbol when needed, and would do things like that throughout the army.

I was thinking of doing something heavily weathered and worn down, but can be persuaded to try about any other scheme you guys can think of. Of course, if you have some pics of your guys I would love to see 'em!

Thanks!

Black and red?
If you dont convert the imp guard too mutch into the traitor guard(aka keep them human looking but whit like you said swappable icons) it could be used for both sides.
and the same black and red could be used on the genestealers.

I went for an urban scheme on my IG.
https://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/images-38888-41159_Armies%20-%20Imperial%20Guard.html
It is quite bland, and it is the special models that I paint up to give them character.
I'll drop more pics in there later, as I've been lax on that side.

There is a functioning khorne worshiping society with a highly organised army. I think it's called blood pact. So just paint your guard red and make swappable banners/icons so you can choose between khorne iconography and aqilas.

Well, the key to making the Guard blend in with all your forces is to get down to the core basics of the colours you're using in your forces. Mine actually wound up clicking with my conversion to the Alpha Legion by unintended providence, but I digress.

You have Black Legion, you say - Core colours are Black and Brass.
Death Guard - various icky shades, but you can take a slightly rotten flesh shade from this.
Thousand Sons - maybe give their optics a slightly arcane look?

You mention two other armies - Marines and Tyranids, and these are a bit ambiguous on colours, but I have suggestion for the blending:

Go with something like Raven Gaurd for your Marines, or a similar black-based scheme. Could even go straight for the throat and have them as Heretics turning Black Legion. A few nods to their previous concerns as Imperial Marines.

Your Tyranids could have a tie-in to Nurgle if you really wanted - give them bettle-like black carapaces or similar, and a rotten flesh look on the fleshy bits.


So from there we have the following ideas for colours.

Black, Brass, and a Rotten Flesh shade. Take the armor, do it in black. With units like Scions and other elites, add some brass accents. Clothing in that rotten fleshy-grey shade, maybe hit it with some Agrax or Nuln for some extra depth.


This is just the musings of somebody who's in a similar process, and is entirely just a suggestion.

Grey or light-brown scheme. Converting something like Savlar Chem Dogs will make guards looks close to rebels or cultists