Red Guns?

[captain sox]

Hey folks,

 

Started the re-painting of my DA and just a question about the red guns in the Codex... is there any reason why they are red or did GW just go through a phase where red was the new boltgun metal? I've seen it in other Codex, but in my eyes it looks weird.

 

Any insight?

[Xyon]

I dunno why they chose red, I've seen black bolters in the codex too, and prefer it on my dark angels over the red.

[Bryan Blaire]

The Dark Angels have had red bolter bodies since at least 2nd Edition. It's the other colors that have actually been less represented. As to why, I don't think there's ever really been an explanation, but it may have been a way to honor the red Chapter icon and red helmet stripe of the Rogue Trader Dark Angels.

[Brother dean]

or did GW just go through a phase where red was the new boltgun metal? I've seen it in other Codex, but in my eyes it looks weird.

 

It's colloquially called "the red period" otherwise known as "Most of 2nd edition and part of 3rd..."

 

All armies had red on them at some point during this period. I blame Blanche.

[Grand Master Belial]

The above is most accurate as well as Red is the Contrasting color for Green according to color theory. The weirdness factor could be that they need to be of a similar shade to look good. The Old paint line had the reds becoming bright and vibrant while the greens were subdued to avoid them looking like Salamanders. Both needed to remain dark to look good and to avoid the dreaded Christmas Angels look. Oddly enough, adding the browns tended to do a good job of keeping the Christmas look at bay.

[Plastic Rat]

As Belial said, I think it has the most to do with color theory and what colors look good together. I've tried other colors for bolters and weapons and found that the model just doesn't pop as nicely on the tabletop. I love my red bolters and with Mephiston red being a more vibrant red than Mechrite, I think it's going to look even better.

 

I don't think it has anything to do with some form of meaning or remembrance at all, unless it was retconned later.

 

Color theory, it does the job.

[Bryan Blaire]

I don't think they've ever actually said why, the remembrance thing was just my own personal idea as a maybe for in-universe explanation, I don't think the DA were thinking "Now what color should we paint our bolters to complement our new green armor instead of plain boltgun metal like they were when we wore black armor?"

 

As far as color theory, that's true, but during the same time frame, the Ultramarines also had bright red bolter bodies, when they should have been darkish orange to be complementary, so I'm not sure that's the full reason for the choice for Dark Angels. I agree with Brother dean that in the end, we can probably just blame Blanche and the time period's obsession with bright primary colors.

[Brother Immolator]

Personally i find them distasteful.I had my turn of painting red and black bolter casings both.Black are too dark to complement and red are just funny.Christmas angels indeed plus.My inspiration (or down right theft whatever you call it) came from the codex cover.Grey.

 

I find they complement great with the general colour scheme.

[Brother-Sergeant Bohemond]

I happen to love the red look. I paint mine in a darker shade of red, so, the Christmas look is not there, it looks, to me, sinister and deadly. I also paint in a darker shade of Green, no highlights, which adds to the overall theme of 'darkness' which helps avoid the 'Christmassy' look I feel.

[Cactus]

The GW studio's 'red period' (look at the fantasy Chaos armies from that era, the goblins with red spear shafts or these Blood Bowl models!) is, I think, the most plausible reason. Personally I've never thought of them as 'Christmas marines' and it's a term I've only ever encountered here. Maybe it's because my family use liberal amounts of gold and silver to decorate our tree. I agree that the darker the red the better it looks and my older models had their boltguns repainted a few years ago. Sadly I still can't maintain a consistent colour and my red highlights occasionally creep back towards that mid-nineties shade.

[whiteraven17708]

personaly i cant stand the red bolters i know color theory says red but that just looks like santas 40k army just my 2 bits

[Brother Immolator]

no highlights, .

 

Finally,someone else!But why red bolters ;)

 

personaly i cant stand the red bolters i know color theory says red but that just looks like santas 40k army just my 2 bits

 

Santa Claus is gunning,the town :) (we need a singing emoticon)

[Grimdarkness]

Black or silver never ever ever red.

[Kotobuki]

Always red. But my guys are black.

 

Definitely a hold-over from the "red period". I think EVERY model that came out of the 'Eavy Metal studios was required to have red on it somewhere. For some models (space marines and their bolters) it works. For other models (vampires) not so much.

[Vazzy]

I happen to love the red look. I paint mine in a darker shade of red, so, the Christmas look is not there, it looks, to me, sinister and deadly. I also paint in a darker shade of Green, no highlights, which adds to the overall theme of 'darkness' which helps avoid the 'Christmassy' look I feel.

 

Same here brother, My bolters are a Scab red, and my Marines are DA Green only, complements nicely....so color theory is my explanation.

[elmo]

I like black and/or red.

 

But I started with red and will keep it going that way. No real reason just don't want to repaint everything B)

[shabbadoo]

I am in the same camp as Brother-Sergeant Bohemond. I paint them red, but a slightly darker red. The 2E era 'Eavy Metal painters used very bright colors for most of the 40K armies, such that the models looked more toy-like, a look I really do not prefer. Here are mine:

 

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e245/btmcrae/Dark%20Angels/DATS1.png

 

I used a flash for that pic, so the weapon casings actually look a bit darker than that. I think the darker green armor helps them get away from the "Christmas look" too. Now, can you imagine Salamanders with red weapon casings? I wouldn't want to. B)

[Interrogator Stobz]

I knew your DA would be sharp as a tack shabbadoo, your shading/HL is very tight. OT: Your red casings look great -This is not always the case though and I usually prefer black.

 

<_<

stobz

 

EDIT: For clarity

[Chaplain Lucifer]

I go with red to break up the cold tones of armour.

The old DA had red because maybe they only had one tone of red at the time.White basecoating also gives a neon-like red. I prefer darker more sobber tones. Space marines are knights in space... they care not for camoflage!

[march10k]

boltgun metal might be acceptable if darkened up a bit. I don't like the red, and use black. Not so concerned with the "Chris-marine" syndrome, I just didn't like the variety of the color scheme that you then get if you put robes on them...Green and black looks suitably somber, and they both contrast well with bone robes...but when you get green, red, and bone all going on the same model...it starts looking like a neon sign!

 

I actually don't have a problem with red/white/green (erm, the reiksguard color scheme!), I use scaly green (long since OOP), red gore, and skull white on my tau, and it looks fine. It's just not right for how I think DA should look.

[Brother dean]

I painted one squad in red and have regreted it ever since. The rest are black.

[Aegnor]

Not to go too off topic, but Shabbadoo's marines look awesome.

 

My brother did DA back in 2nd Ed (I was all xenos back then) and did a mix of red and dark-silver. Don't mind either so long as they're done with an eye to the shade.

[Droma]

Red/Green is hard to get looking good without making it christmassy. For most people it will be easier to go black. I went for a slightly modified pre-heresy look to my DA's armor so I use bright red a lot as an accent on ornamentation to offset the black and bone. It really depends on the personal look you are trying to achieve with your models.

[d@n]

fluff wise, alot of people paint there bolters red, in pre heresy armys as they were made by the machanicm.

[Tamwulf]

I went with black, and I think it looks better then red. You have this overall dark green model, and then this bright red Bolter in the very middle. It's jarring and distracting to me from the rest of the model. Complimentary colors are meant to compliment each other, not distract. You also have a composition issue with only one red item on the the model (no triangle for symmetry). Using black means the weapon blends into the dark green, but you will now see the rest of the model and not the big, bright red bolter, which thanks to perspective and the way we see colors, is perceived to be bigger then it actually is!

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Tamwulf/Sq2.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Tamwulf/Sqaud1.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Tamwulf/AssaultSq.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/Tamwulf/Deathwing.jpg