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I am no psychologist, but when I look at an army, if something stands out I think it is more of a threat, so my idea is that if you paint your army in a way that makes your less-threatening units or bullet sponges stand out then you enemy is more likely to shoot at these less-threatening targets?

No amount of paint is going to make, say, Gaunts stand out more than a Carnifex, Tyrant, Trygon, or the like.

Even the best painted bullet sponges aren't going to physically or psychologically stand out more than the big 'uns.

ShadowPug wrote:
I am no psychologist, but when I look at an army, if something stands out I think it is more of a threat, so my idea is that if you paint your army in a way that makes your less-threatening units or bullet sponges stand out then you enemy is more likely to shoot at these less-threatening targets?

I think this is true. If I knew how I'd take better advantage of it. After a couple of games vs them they will learn though.

 Platuan4th wrote:
No amount of paint is going to make, say, Gaunts stand out more than a Carnifex, Tyrant, Trygon, or the like.

Even the best painted bullet sponges aren't going to physically or psychologically stand out more than the big 'uns.

Maybe not a carnifex, but maybe smaller units, for example normal marines standing out more than devastator squads, maybe paint all models in the tactical squad who have special equipment in a special colour?

I love this idea ... that's some really sneaky thinking

ShadowPug wrote:

 Platuan4th wrote:
No amount of paint is going to make, say, Gaunts stand out more than a Carnifex, Tyrant, Trygon, or the like.

Even the best painted bullet sponges aren't going to physically or psychologically stand out more than the big 'uns.

Maybe not a carnifex, but maybe smaller units, for example normal marines standing out more than devastator squads, maybe paint all models in the tactical squad who have special equipment in a special colour?

Still, painting, or really making the physical appearance enhance the perceived threat of a model will definitely alter how I direct my fire and if I play as aggressively as I should in a given situation.

Take Tyranids for example, they have what? 20 different monsters with unrecognizable grizzly names, each with different rules and more or less niche battlefield roles. I have no way to remember those or keep track of their rules, eventually I just point my guns at the scariest looking one and hold back till they stop moving towards me.

I’ve had people overlook my camo painted scouts in cover. Then again, there have been times I forgot to shoot them myself because I forgot they were there.

I think the mood of your dice is going to have more impact on the game then any mind tricks you want to pull by painting your models. Sure, it might have some impact on some opponents, but probably not enough to be statistically relevant.

Leave your bullet sponges plastic grey I.e unpainted and your opponent will be so cross they will focus all fire on the ugly models.

Hazard stripes will make the enemy fear you:

I’ve managed to net a victory with a unit of kroot that was a wip green that managed to be the same color as a hill they were standing on. :p anyway it’s pretty cheesy to do so but if you had to go with nature super bright colors on the chumps neutral colors on the actually dangourous stuff. It’s probably not going to do anything though

I left my Eldar scouts in a building once for the whole game because I had camo'ed them too well and placed them too deep....forgot they were there.

That's about the extent of my paintwork impacting the game.

Perhaps not so much painting but modeling could perhaps be more of psychological incentive: modeling some units in dramatic poses with dead models at their feet might subconsciously trick your opponent into thinking that said unit is a more valuable and dangerous unit than your real heavy hitters.

 Nevelon wrote:
I’ve had people overlook my camo painted scouts in cover. Then again, there have been times I forgot to shoot them myself because I forgot they were there.

My gaming buddy did this, entirely forgot about his SM Scouts because they were so well camouflaged in the ruins they were cowering - sorry, taking cover - in. Until I killed them with my Heldrake.

I painted some red stripes on some gaunts to make them go faster and be seriously terrifying.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Had a WHFB Bretonnian force this worked well for though, Grail Knights got the extra time spent on them, and as a result always got the focus of the enemy, despite being the cheapest and least effective block of knights in the army (as they had no character support)

Distraction knights so to speak.

It can work, but needs the models to be similar then more visible tactical markings on some units just naturally draws the eye.

Its likely a marginal edge though, more something to adapt to if you notice it in game with an opponent than to plan for

 Giant Moth wrote:
Hazard stripes will make the enemy fear you:

Those bad boys do inspire the fear