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So! I need some advice on my guardsmen, im planning to give the sergeants different coloured helmets or shoulder pads to represent rank but im unsure on which colours would work with my scheme, painting symbols is something i struggle to do with shaky hands so i opted for a simpler ranking system.

Pic is of my first squad, (thank god for contrast paints making it quicker)

First of: really neat looking paint scheme, I like it.

Second: Thats my personal preference, but what do you think about a dark violett? On the one hand, it would stick out enough, for the guys up close, while simultanously not screaming "Shoot me!" to any sniper around. So more from a fluffy point of view really.

Pyroalchi wrote:
First of: really neat looking paint scheme, I like it.

Second: Thats my personal preference, but what do you think about a dark violett? On the one hand, it would stick out enough, for the guys up close, while simultanously not screaming "Shoot me!" to any sniper around. So more from a fluffy point of view really.

I did pick up some of the new contrast paints today, Shyish purple, Ilanden yellow, and leviathan blue, As i did have an idea of the blood angels style of helmets, however i'm not planning on allying in marines (unless i need more psykers for the psychic phase) so the purple might work with your suggestion...

If you are interested you can take a look in my gallery since I'm also using different colors to differentiate because I'm not good at fine numerals and symbols.

I use different headgear colors for troops types (beige for infantry, violett for veterans, turquoise for SWS) and let sergants/officers stand out with one single different colored shoulder plate.

Regarding contrast I found Terradon Turquoise to look really good on white as well as on Retributor Armor (Gold)

They look very effective and by the looks of it you'll be able to smash out a ton of these chaps in no time. Handy, given you're playing Guard!

Rather than coloring the whole helmet/shoulder pad, I'd try a thick stripe. White would probably work best, and yellow could look good as well. I know it's freehanding, but it's not too tought. I've got shaky hands as well, but bracing them against the desk fixes it.

My soldats have silver Aquila on their helmets, Serzhants and higher ranks get red Aquila instead. Much subtler 'shoot-me' symbol that's still very obvious on the TT.

If you're running these guys as loyalists, won't the Sergeants be differentiated by the fact they won't have a lasgun?

 Excommunicatus wrote:
My soldats have silver Aquila on their helmets, Serzhants and higher ranks get red Aquila instead. Much subtler 'shoot-me' symbol that's still very obvious on the TT.

If you're running these guys as loyalists, won't the Sergeants be differentiated by the fact they won't have a lasgun?

The sergeants are in my current batch to build, as i didn't realize they can't carry a lasgun, but the aquilla color idea sounds interesting, as i just got ahold of some grey knights silver and retributor gold...

Logically speaking, differently colored helmet screams "SHOOT ME FIRST!" like nothing else. Painting a subtle stripe or rank insignia on right shoulder pad would have the same effect while looking reasonable.

Speaking of experience, the fact the sergeant does not carry a lasgun, but a pistol and a chinsword is usually enough to easily identify them. A simple head-swap works too.

Each squad I have has right shoulder pad painted in different colors (red, blue, green, tan, purple, brown, etc... easier identification when you have plenty of guardsmen occupying a tight space), along with rank insignia. Usually single chevron for a private, two for a corporal, three for a sergeant and so on...