Pre-Heresy Alpha Legion Colors

[Honda]

Ok, I'm doing some prep work for a future AL Pre-heresy army and I didn't want to steal anyone else's thread. I'll most likely build to the BoLS list as posted, but I also want to work up a test model or so.

 

Which leads me to painting and the color scheme. So when I look at the IA article and see the PH scheme, I see a "blue". When I look at the cover of "Legion" I see something else. Abnett states multiple times, "purple with silver trim". I think Abnett's an accomplished enough author to know the difference between purple and blue.

 

I know, their my figs and I can do whatever I want. However, I am intrigued by his very clear description of purple which in my mind has a lot more red in it than the existing examples of "blue" we've see before. BTW, I have already done a post-Heresy AL army using dark blue/green highlights with silver trim.

 

Is anyone else bothered by that or are they just assuming that "purple" means blue?

 

Cheers,

[Cyrox]

Until I read Legion i always looked at the IA and thought it was blue

 

It doesnt look purple to me

[Death Guard-ian]

I havent really seen/noticed it at first, but yeah he does seem to say "purple" a lot. And even the cover has a power armoued alpha in purple armour. Abnett does seem like an author who wouldn't put "purple" and mean "blue".

 

The only question to ask yourself is:have you seen any other form of pre heresy alpha legion armour that contradicts this? And if so, then where? It is a reputable site?

 

But i would say, go with the purple with silver trim. Some people may disagree with the ideabut hey, its your army.

 

My only marine army is my 2K pre heresyy death guard and they are *white* with green trim. And my nurgle friend HATES it. He complains every time i play him. That my army isnt painted right. he says it has to be *grey* and green not white. But on the cover of both flight of the eisenstien and galaxy in flames has the death guard as white and green.

/rant

 

So yeah, do what you want

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Its worth noting that all the Traitor pre-Heresy colour schemes were different from their post-Heresy ones (like Red Thousand Sons :P ).

What's the problem with doing a colour scheme like that on the cover of Legion? The dark blue colour scheme applies to post-heresy.

[Noserenda]

Gah, prior to Legion it was all nice and obvious! While the IA Article was very ambiguous looking, all of the HHCCG art had them in Blue armour, and with the evolution post heresy to Blue armour with green bits it seemed obvious. Then Abnett starts saying Purple! ARG :P

 

Needless to say, being halfway through an army I ignored Abnett :)

[Playa]

Hey,

 

I ignored Abnett

 

Purple Alphas are just one among countless reasons to ignore BL "fluff" in its entirety (Does Dan's Evil Twin sport a sinister goatee?).

 

All of the 40k examples I've read are best veiwed as "Imperial propaganda" - ESPECIALLY anything to do with Chaos.

I view the BL books about 40k to have been authored by comic book writers that may *never* have played 40k.

That seems the proper mindset for appreciating 'efforts' like Legion to "expand the 40k universe".

 

Not least because it's true . . .

 

If Dan said preheresy Alphas wore purple, it could have been for no more complex a reason than "he forgot".

Maybe he was confused by another Legion illustration he saw somewhere, but it doesn't matter why.

It doesn't matter 'why' he wrote anything. In fact, it doesn't matter what any BL author writes.

 

Because nothing they write changes anything on the table top.

 

If they can manage to expand canon background without clumsy retconning or cartoonish plotting, fine.

That makes an enjoyable read for me, and I'd count Flight among the 'good' 40k examples from BL.

But when someone has to ask if they should paint their Alphas purple, Dan has crossed a line.

 

That line is at the intersection of Ignorance and Apathy in the town of Editorial, BL.

 

 

Playa

[Cyrox]

Piant them blue with a slight drop of purple ^_^

[meta-ridley]

I'd call this purple TBH:

 

PH alpha legion

[blood_raven_240]

I'd call this blue, to be honest...

 

PH alpha legion

 

From Alpha Legion's Lexicanum Page:

 

...Colours: Silver, blue and green...

[Honda]

Ok, first off I don't want anyone thinking that this is one of those "hand wringing" moments in life, where the fate of Western civilization hangs in the balance. It's not, this is just a discussion about a game.

 

What intrigued me is who mentioned it as much as what was mentioned. Dan Abnett is definitely one of those authors that I believe can be compared to any other respected author and gives nothing up to anyone in the matters of style, storytelling, or imagination. I've read a number of his books prior to Legion and I've always thought of him as someone who expands canon vs. conflicts with canon. For the most part, what he describes in his novels translates to general game play fairly well, for the most part.

 

And that is what intrigues me about his description of the AL colors. He strikes me as someone who does his research. I am quite certain that he made the choice of purple because he wanted to, not because he "forgot". In the PH example provided, I would definitely consider that a blue, an indigo or dark blue, but not a purple. To my untrained eye (i.e. I've taken plenty of art, just not a professional), purple has more red in it. <shrugs>

 

The reason I started this topic is to see if others (i.e. AL aficianados) noticed and it caused them to pause and think. When I get to the painting part of this project, I am going to go with "purple". I really like the figure on the cover and will be striving to reproduce that image on my figures.

 

Anyway, I like the fact that there isn't a consensus on the PH color scheme. I think that's just one of things that makes the AL what they are, and for that I am glad.

 

Cheers,

[Noserenda]

Hehe, exactly... Its been a topic "hotly debated" on other forums at least. Personally id suspect both are true. Damn those sneaky Alphas!

[Death Guard-ian]

I'd call this purple TBH:

 

 

 

As would i....at least in the lighted areas. In the shadows it looks like dark blue, in the light however, it looks to be purple.

[SamaNagol]

It's indigo.

[Dyp100]

My only marine army is my 2K pre heresyy death guard and they are *white* with green trim. And my nurgle friend HATES it. He complains every time i play him. That my army isnt painted right. he says it has to be *grey* and green not white. But on the cover of both flight of the eisenstien and galaxy in flames has the death guard as white and green.

/rant

 

So yeah, do what you want

 

The PH DG were actually marble with green, so white is closer to marble then grey, its more a bone-white kinda colour...Like Skullwhite and bleached bone mixed togheter...Sorry, rambling.

 

 

ANYWAY, I'd paint them a blue, and purple wash/ink them, since the cover is kinda a blue purple, not too deep purple.

[Firenze]

To finish this I say it is a pearlescent Dark BLUE with PURPLE HIGHLIGHTS.

[Reyner]

I'd call this purple TBH:

 

PH alpha legion

Agreed, heck I'm colour blind with blues and purples near each other but if even I can see it :lol:

[Honda]

Hehe, exactly... Its been a topic "hotly debated" on other forums at least. Personally id suspect both are true. Damn those sneaky Alphas!

 

Noserenda, do you have any links to those topics you could provide? I'd be interested in at least reading what others have discussed. Hopefully it is beyond:

 

Poster1: Blue

Poser2: Purple

 

Poster1: Is not

Poster2: Is

 

:)

 

Cheers,

[Daeothar]

Anyone remember the cover of an old WD, where the art was the same as that of the later 3rd ed DA codex? On that particular cover, most likely due to printing, the DA's weapons' casings all looked decidedly blue (instead of the grey shown on the codex cover) and this prompted me to paint all my weapons' casings Enchanted Blue. Looks cool, although I get some reactions at times when fielding them. At least they don't look like Christmas Marines now... :)

 

I can imagine Dan Abnett getting himself some reference material for the AL and stumbling upon the aforementioned and -shown purplish AL marine; the examples he used may have been such misprints/discolourations like the one I used as reference for my DA.

 

Midnight Blue is more of a indigo or dark purple too btw...

 

And lastly; I always envisaged the AL having armour that changed colour depending on the light falling on it, like an oil slick. Iridiscent I believe it's called in English? This would have their armour range in colour from pink to purple to blue to green, so each painted AL marine would be a snapshot of him in a particular pose; the same guy in another pose would seem to have a completely differently nuanced paintjob i.e. they constantly shift colours (within a limited palette).

 

That would actually fit their nature pretty well as would it their background. Also, isn't the Hydra an oceanic creature with scales? Like fishscales, their armour could then very well have some oily qualities to it?

[Honda]

And lastly; I always envisaged the AL having armour that changed colour depending on the light falling on it, like an oil slick. Iridiscent I believe it's called in English? This would have their armour range in colour from pink to purple to blue to green, so each painted AL marine would be a snapshot of him in a particular pose; the same guy in another pose would seem to have a completely differently nuanced paintjob i.e. they constantly shift colours (within a limited palette).

 

That would actually fit their nature pretty well as would it their background. Also, isn't the Hydra an oceanic creature with scales? Like fishscales, their armour could then very well have some oily qualities to it?

 

Very. Intriguing. Idea...hmmm

[Magos Explorator]

I was going to paint mine using Hormagaunt Purple, highlighted by mixing in Mithril Silver, and then washed with Asurmen Blue (and more if necessary). Vaguely based on the cover to Legion. I wish we had more examples of schemes like this to work from!

[Honda]

I was going to paint mine using Hormagaunt Purple, highlighted by mixing in Mithril Silver, and then washed with Asurmen Blue (and more if necessary). Vaguely based on the cover to Legion. I wish we had more examples of schemes like this to work from!

 

Wow, I really like the idea of starting with Hormagaunt Purple...like it a lot. When you get some pics, please do post them up.

[Noserenda]

Noserenda, do you have any links to those topics you could provide? I'd be interested in at least reading what others have discussed. Hopefully it is beyond:

 

Poster1: Blue

Poser2: Purple

 

Poster1: Is not

Poster2: Is

 

Nah, unfortunately it does descend into the above, as theres no real evidence either way aside from pictures that are ambiguous. Plenty of art shows Blue armour, Abnetts text says Purple. That IA picture shows both to different people ;)

[Magos Explorator]

I was going to paint mine using Hormagaunt Purple, highlighted by mixing in Mithril Silver, and then washed with Asurmen Blue (and more if necessary). Vaguely based on the cover to Legion. I wish we had more examples of schemes like this to work from!

 

Wow, I really like the idea of starting with Hormagaunt Purple...like it a lot. When you get some pics, please do post them up.

 

Will do. ^_^ Actualty I got my idea from Doghouse, who painted some Hormagaunt Purple. Although my intentions differ from his, because of the aforementioned metallics and blue wash.