The God Emperor Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I was thinking about making my Wolves more culturally diverse by introducing other skin tone such as Asianic, African and Middel Eastern in appearance etc. I hit a snag when I went back through all the fluffs and found some startling contradictions, they're all Scandinavian and Viking-ish in fluff depiction. Is it still possible to model asian space wolf without being called out as unfluffy? I just want to paint different skin tone because painting pale white, pink, whitish skin is getting boring. Imagine asian and african space wolves fighting side by side, while the asian one inflicts a lot of wounds in close combat but cant hit targets at range. My my, why am I making fun of my own race?!? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatus Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Well, on the one hand it is a sci-fi universe, so you would expect a certain diversity on all of the human worlds. But on the other hand some GW armies are clearly themed after historical or contemporary cultures, and in case of Space Wolves that is a distinct northern europe and viking theme. All GW artwork or models of Space Wolves are usually northern european in appearance. And though GW will probably never make a statement like "all Space Wolves are caucasian", that very clearly seems to be their theme. You can do with your Space Wolves whatever you want, but a lot of people might find it to be somewhat dissonant with their theme. (I would be one of those people btw.) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039043 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vassakov Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 The problem with this theory (biologically speaking) is that skin pigmentation is a reaction to the environment - the darker skin tone is due to more UV light in the native environment. With Fenris being a cold, ice bound hell the majority of the time (IIRC, Season of fire lasts a lot less time than the winter) so they will naturally be more Caucasian than black/asian. Of course, this is Science Fantasy where men with two hearts fight space elves using chainsaws, so do what you like - it's your army and science is routinely kicked in the head. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039059 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skalver Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 If you just want to use different colours on the faces then you could do some camouflage colours, or some blackout-night ops paint (the scouts in the salamanders land speeder storm on page 100 of this months White Dwarf use that to great effect). Some sort of tribal face paint kind of like you see in the Braveheart movie could also look pretty cool on Space Wolves as well as fitting pretty well with the background. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039066 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Mage Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 So heres the thing- at one point Fenris sported an advanced civilization of colonists of terrand descent. They were almost wiped out, with but one island maintaining anything of the "old way". However how long theyve been that way, how long human evelutionairy drift has been upon them is uncertain. So it is possible that their would be different skin tones with the wolves. I have to admit I find it unlikely for the most part, for the same reasons Vassakov has stated. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039068 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhydin Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 You know... To be honest... I've never seen a Marine, Guardsmen, or anything ELSE with a dark skin tone... Not even in the fluff. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039096 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatus Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I have. The 3rd Edition Codex Armageddon had a few dark skinned Salamanders and Storm Giants. The current Codex Space Marines has all Salamanders Marines with a rather inhuman jet black skin tone (instead of simply "dark skinned") and red eyes. The 3rd Edition Codex Catachan had a few dark skinned Catachans. And for them it made sense, since they were themed after US military forces the likes you might see in a vietnam action movie. If 40K was a straight "humans in the future" universe you would probably expect a lot more dark skinned people. But the human forces are often modeled after a certain historical culture. Space Marines are generally knightly order themed, not US Marines in heavy armour themed. Ultramarines are inspired by historical romans, Space Wolves by vikings, Dark Angels and Black Templars by knights of the temple or the cross. I find it forgivable that the members of such a themed force are usually of an ethnicity one would associate with that particular source. Also, the game is made in england and those involved (painting pretty pictures of sci-fi action heroes or inventing rules about how to play with them) are probably all a bunch of geeks. ;) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039113 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalodon Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 In the fluff for the Wolves it says that; as Space Wolves get older their skin becomes more tanned and leathery. I've decided to represent this bit of fluff in my army. The following flesh colors from left to right will represent Blood Claws, Grey Hunters and Long Fangs. My Wolf Guard will use a mix of all three tones. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v673/EasyEight/paint001.jpg So I see absolutely no problem using darker skin tones on Wolves, in fact if done right it would be completely fluffy. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039148 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Dammit Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 In the fluff for the Wolves it says that; as Space Wolves get older their skin becomes more tanned and leathery. I've decided to represent this bit of fluff in my army. You just beat me to it :lol: Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039192 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatus Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Well, I am no expert, but I assume there is a limit for "tan". :lol: Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039221 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megalodon Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Well, I am no expert, but I assume there is a limit for "tan". <_< The boom line is it's his army paint 'em any way he likes! :P Being as all human colonies are presumed to have come from earth it's not too far fetched to believe any skin tone would be viable. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039271 Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPetersson Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Your army, do what you want... As long as you're reasonably consistent :-) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039477 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valerian Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 "Melanchrome. The pigment organ. A Space Marine's skin colour is photo-chromatic, and reacts almost instantly to the strength of sunlight. The Melanehrome protects the skin and provides limited protection from radiation." Problem solved, Valerian Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039573 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beef Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 FLuff wise if you read the SW books you will see varying degree of skin tone. (though obviosuly not black) Rememeber people tan even in the snow as it reflect more sunlight hence people who go sking in the alps have tan. The mountains are closer to the sunlight and the snow reflects it even more. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039720 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMcL63 Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 A Space Wolf army themed as other martial cultures from human history would be brilliant. What would make it work for me would be if you got rid of the wolves and replaced them with appropriate other animals, eg. lions for African 'Wolves'. This has already been done with tigers; although Tiger Raja's army is vanilla the point is there. So I'd say just do it. ;) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039764 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keercrevlis Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 For a little diversity my scout WGPL has a darker skin tone. Looks good, pic will be added later. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2039900 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ragnarok Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 When I first started in the hobby(04) I had the grand idea of adding diversity to my wolves in just this manner. I theorized that the colonists were diverse but when stuff hit the fan, and Fenris degenerated, they adopted this current culture. So although racially diverse they followed the same culture. (kinda like present society in many areas). I unfortunately was too "chicken" in the face of the overwhelming fan focus on "vikings", which never had an African appearance. One thing to note about the colds of Fenris, remember, Fenris is known for a very harsh environment not just very cold. Fenris gets very close to the star at some point in the year and it gets unbearably hot. I think there is also more volcanism, due to the closeness to the star and the gravitational pull on the planet. This creates even more of a fiery hell. I think one thing which would be cool is depicting african based SW's with matty dreadlocks. Would fit in nicely with matty, Nordic, unkempt look. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2040835 Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-wrex Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Culture =\= Race One can follow a viking/roman/temple knight/mongol way of life without being of the skin tone that the humans responsible for it were. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2041137 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaveriK Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 The only thing that really matters is that the blood of Fenris flows through each and everyone of us and in your warriors! so it really does not matter what skin tone you want to do up, just as long as they are a SON of RUSS! and follow ways of Fenris :lol: Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2041157 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhydin Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Culture =\= Race One can follow a viking/roman/temple knight/mongol way of life without being of the skin tone that the humans responsible for it were. Lies, Romans valued lighter tones, the Knights Templar valued White Christians, all other races where massacred, the Vikings and Mongols where pretty much the same, in that they hated the civilized peoples, and anyone who spoke their language... So you'd never find a Black Viking, or a White Mongol. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2041179 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ragnarok Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 You may be right, but we are not talking about those old times. We are talking about the time before the Age of Strife during the Dark Days of Technology. Thousands of years post Viking invasions and Roman conquering. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2041675 Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-wrex Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Lies, Romans valued lighter tones, the Knights Templar valued White Christians, all other races where massacred, the Vikings and Mongols where pretty much the same, in that they hated the civilized peoples, and anyone who spoke their language... So you'd never find a Black Viking, or a White Mongol. Except that as Lord Ragnarok said, I wasn't referring to the old days. I'm well aware that old civilizations in ancient history were biased and culturally closed, but in the nightmare future of the 41st millenium, we have new and better things to direct our ire at, like xenos and daemons, than skin tones amongst marines. Whatever color he is, an Astartes is an Astartes, and above such petty concerns as skin tone. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2041705 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marek Grimfang Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Just do them a tan colour and use the SW rules. Migsula did a "Something Jackals" chapter a few years back using a SW specific decal. Looked fine to me. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2041728 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMcL63 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Just do them a tan colour and use the SW rules. Migsula did a "Something Jackals" chapter a few years back using a SW specific decal. Looked fine to me. This was the kind of thing I was thinking of. :P Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2041766 Share on other sites More sharing options...
slmellon Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 If current mixed race marriage trends continue, the mixing of the races will eventually cause a darkening/browning of the skin, not to mention global warming (if you believe in all that crap) will cause the melatonin in our bodies to darken our skin to adjust to the extra UV. So by the time we end up in M41 we will all be mulatos and it will be a matter of rolling the dice. My half black friend married a white girl and has a blue eyed blonde haired daughter. Rolling the Dice. You could say in your story line certain darker skinned marines come from a certain island chain on fenris, near a volcano, make them look like pacific islanders. Just look at the skin colors of earth, mountains/snow=white, dessert=swarthy, island=reddish brown, or whatever Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/172525-african-wolves/#findComment-2078428 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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