Black Armored Space Wolves

[slmellon]

I have been wanting to paint my SWs black lately, mainly because I suck at painting and black is so easy, and well really because GW is so inconsistant with their paints that old pots don't match new. Anyways, I haven't done it because I felt I needed a reason to do it. I know the Wolf Lords are all independant and can paint their company's armor whatever color they want, but I felt like there had to be a reason for black...

 

So here is the thought...

Let's just say that when Russ and the boys went to Prospero they took something, lets say some tome that was very important to the Sons. This looted item was then brought back to the Fang and stored in the Looted item vault. Then the Battle of the Fang happens and the Sons take this tome back, (This being the actual reason for the invasion). So if the sons want this thing so bad we need to get it back so we send a company to get it. Say this is a secret, clandestine mission that only the higher eschelons of the Wolf know about. They go through secret rituals, paint the armor black and go forth into the Maelstrom to retreat this book. Maybe they can even paint protective runes on the armor.

 

Anyway just a thought.

[Valerian]

Sure, why not? This has fallen out of vogue long ago, but there used to be "campaign colors" for Space Marine forces back in the RT days. Essentially, Marine forces might repaint their armour in specific campaign designs. Sometimes there would be specific campaign badges too.

 

V

[Beef]

Hell yeah go for it, its your army and black SW can look quite cool

[Marshal Rohr]

It would make you look more like the Emperor's Favorite Chapter.

[Simo429]

The main disagreement I would have with what you have said is the statement

black is so easy

it really isn't, I would say that only white and yellow are more difficult to get a consistent paint job with. You can't just slap on a wash and let it deal with the shading for you with black.

[Grimtooth]

Black is extremely easy.

 

A well shaded and defined black is extremely difficult.

 

:lol: :lol:

 

That being said, I have pondered over a full black SW army with only leadership and wolf guard being a whitish grey to make them stand out as elders. Rune, wolf tails, and wolf tooth necklaces would absolutely POP on black armor. The problem lies in the shading and blending of the black to define the armor versus just looking like blobs of black.

[red_starrise]

I like the idea, when 4th Ed came out & I was playing alot of kill team I had my space wolves painted up in black armor, I called them my shadow wolves, it's a way to really make them different. However, I will agree that black may be easy to lay down, but it's not easy to make it look good.

[the Fell Hand]

I think black SW would look awesome go for it!

 

I am painting most of my Wolves in very dark grey, and possibly painting the most veteran models black to denote the status.

[Hyaenidae]

It would make you look more like the Emperor's Favorite Chapter.

 

Yeah, they would look like Raven Guard...

 

 

 

 

:P

[Schertenleib]

Was thinking about the same thing. Thought maybe a unit that prefers nighttime or predawn attacks. Call them the Night Stalkers or some such.

[Wulfebane]

I think black SW would look awesome go for it!

 

I am painting most of my Wolves in very dark grey, and possibly painting the most veteran models black to denote the status.

 

Aside from black (with shading) is perhaps 2nd to 3rd difficult in painting under yellow/white, like others have said, I have a concern regarding this quoted comment.

 

Black armor is given to Wolf Priests to denote their status, so an entirely black SW army, to me, would suggest (under the fluff you've provided) that they are a more religiously-zealous sect of Wolves, guided by the priests moreso than a wolf lord.

[LPetersson]

It could work, but black is bitchingly hard to paint so it looks good.

Unless you really put the effort in, it will look like you just undercoated them and left it at that.

Look at some BT painting guides for how to do black.

 

If you want easy to paint wolves, look up the painting tutorial on Beasts of War on how to paint their own chapter. Stone Templars I think.

They are exactly the right shade of Dark Grey that suit wolves, IMO, and is easy to paint...

[hendrik]

Then the Battle of the Fang happens and the Sons take this tome back, (This being the actual reason for the invasion).

with all the current fluff i'd say this is a stretch too far. why not make it a great company that find itself on a campaign that lasted longer then expected and their wolf lord got hit pretty badly, his fate still undecided wether morkai will claim him his or not. as a sign of grief the company could repaint their armour untill their wolflord returns or a new one is elected

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

Other than the Battle of the Fang bit, I really like it. The protective runes would be great, especially if you take lots and lots of talismans, as well as the psychic blocking staff on the Rune Priest.

[Small Far Away]

Sounds pretty viable to me.

[old git]

I painted my Lone wolf black with some dark red detail to represent the concept of death and blood (and not at all khornate). The death of his pack and that of the enemies to come, and the blood spilled by his pack and that of the enemies to come. Perhaps your wolves are fulfilling some kind of company wide oath of vengeance. I used charadon granite as a base with a couple of badab black washes + highlights. It turns out very dark but not entirely black.

[LoneWulfen]

Just a suggestion but why don't you do your characters and such black and your troops a really dark grey??

[the Fell Hand]

I think black SW would look awesome go for it!

 

I am painting most of my Wolves in very dark grey, and possibly painting the most veteran models black to denote the status.

 

Aside from black (with shading) is perhaps 2nd to 3rd difficult in painting under yellow/white, like others have said, I have a concern regarding this quoted comment.

 

Black armor is given to Wolf Priests to denote their status, so an entirely black SW army, to me, would suggest (under the fluff you've provided) that they are a more religiously-zealous sect of Wolves, guided by the priests moreso than a wolf lord.

 

I considered this very thing, but then two more thoughts sprung from it:

 

1) SW's don't GAF about tradition

 

2) It will look awesome and fits my fluff

 

BUT, just now thought this:

 

3) Damn you....I LOVE the idea of the religiously-zealous Wolves! You just stopped my army faster than rolling all 1's. Now I have more thinking to do haha! :)

[LakotaWolf]

I paint my space wolves armor black with a shadow gray shoulder pads and a antique gold trim.............I say its your army do what you want...........you dont have to have a reason why they wear black in your vision of space wolves all of them wear black

[spartanhwt88]

I was actually thinking of doing this exact thing. So I asked DV8, in my opinion one of the best painters on these forums. This is what he told me to do...

 

DV8: Really simple. Just basecoat Chaos Black, and then edge highlight with Codex Grey and then Fortress Grey.

 

 

Here is his blog so u can see what he is talking about.

 

http://furinkazan.blog.com/category/warhammer/

[Spacefrisian]

No black (as in just black) aint easy, its just lazy. Like iam when i just do black and state they are fighting in a cave or in the night.

 

If you think GW paints are inconsistant you might wanna know that its paint for beginners or not very good painters like myself, try vallejo or p3 for something different.