Why each Legion wears its color

[Indefragable]

Random musing:

 

Is there any fluff as to why different Legions paint their armor the colors they do?

 

Realistically it’s because GW wanted to sell more paint back in the day so having different chapters be different colors makes sense (whether that was a direct or indirect reason). But I’m curious if there’s ever been any in-universe reasons or backsplaining done.

[Syrakul]

Well the heraldry of the space marines take a lot from medieval knights and such, which had plenty of color variation. Really most points in history with organized warfare it was a necessity and source of pride to display you side's colors.

 

If all space marines were the same color it would be rather bland both from a thematic point, and form the point of organizing your toy soldiers on a gaming field. Look back on GW around the time of rogue trader to 2nd edition, and not only space marines, but all armies were a rainbow of colors.

 

Sure they wanted to sell paints, but with the limited painting techniques common back then you could better pick out details with more colors.

[Indefragable]

Well the heraldry of the space marines take a lot from medieval knights and such, which had plenty of color variation. Really most points in history with organized warfare it was a necessity and source of pride to display you side's colors.

 

If all space marines were the same color it would be rather bland both from a thematic point, and form the point of organizing your toy soldiers on a gaming field. Look back on GW around the time of rogue trader to 2nd edition, and not only space marines, but all armies were a rainbow of colors.

 

Sure they wanted to sell paints, but with the limited painting techniques common back then you could better pick out details with more colors.

 

I do not disagree. As i mentioned, whether directly or indirectly, they had lots of color paint...why not spread things out a bit? Not criticizing that point. 

 

But I am curious if there's any in-setting reason the Imperial Fists are yellow while the White Scars are....well....white. 

 

We can extrapolate certain thematic reasons ("midnight blue" for Night Lords, Lizard-y green for Salamanders, Ninja Black for Raven Guard, etc...) but I am just curious if there's any official Imperial lore on the matter. 

[Brother Tyler]

The black books explain why/how different legions adopted the colors that they did. Sometimes the explanations are a bit feeble and clearly contrived after the fact, merely serving as in-universe rationales for the real world colors that GW chose years ago.

To say that GW chose the different colors jus to "sell paint" is a gross oversimplification that is quite unfair. Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniatures wargame, part of a large hobby that involves painted miniatures. While historical games have historical precedent to draw upon, fantasy and science fiction games are wide open (except where the IP dictates certain things, such as Empire-era storm troopers being white, Gandalf wearing grey and later white, etc.). With the Games Workshop games, while GW established certain levels of "canon" one of the main draws of the game was the ability for players to make their models their own. There are certain aspects of factions that might be established, but there is often considerable freedom for creativity in terms of sub-factions. For example, Space Marines don't have a single color scheme (which would be boring). Instead, different sub-factions of the Space Marines have their own color schemes. Moreover, the freedom for players to make up their own sub-factions and mesh them into the setting means that almost anything is possible. Players are free to make up their own Chapters, warbands, craftworlds, etc. and give them a scheme that suits them. With the Legiones Astartes, GW established a variety of color schemes. They covered most of the spectrum (admittedly, they focused a lot on black, red, and blue and omitted a few colors) with the main sub-factions (the First Founding, main Tyranid hive fleets, main craftworlds, etc.).

[Indefragable]

The black books explain why/how different legions adopted the colors that they did. Sometimes the explanations are a bit feeble and clearly contrived after the fact, merely serving as in-universe rationales for the real world colors that GW chose years ago.

 

 

Trying to recall these parts of the Black Books. Anything come to mind? 

[Sandlemad]

Some of them do, I think not all.

 

Dark Angels: Crusade says they adopted the black after their time at the edge of the Solar reclamation, which I took to be something at least thematically connected to the black of the void, the first star-faring astartes. There was also the symbolism in older background of black being the colour of direct servants of the Emperor, which was applied to chaplains and Sigismund, and which kind of dovetailed with this nicely even if it's not current, as such. The later green was then of course the green of Caliban's forests.

 

Emperor's Children: imperial purple to convey their mission as the Emperor's emissaries and aquilifers, from Betrayal.

 

Blood Angels: blood! Presumably both literal blood, mimicking the splatter they used to have, and Sanguinius's Baalite tribe, 'the Blood'.

 

Death Guard: the jade-green was meant to mimic the Barbaran mud applied to the original mortal Death Guard's armour to prevent corrosion, confirmed in Betrayal.

 

Luna Wolves: I took this to be the white of Luna though not sure if there's an actual source. 

 

Word Bearers: can't recall, was the "traitor's red" something adopted in emulation of Argel Tal's crimson armour? Not sure why he took it in the first place though.

 

Salamanders: I presumed this was meant to mimic the scaled hide of at least some of the Nocturnian beasts but not sure if there's an actual source for this.

 

Raven Guard: the literal ravens of Kiavahr that gave them the name, probably.

[Indefragable]

Some of them do, I think not all.

 

Dark Angels: Crusade says they adopted the black after their time at the edge of the Solar reclamation, which I took to be something at least thematically connected to the black of the void, the first star-faring astartes. There was also the symbolism in older background of black being the colour of direct servants of the Emperor, which was applied to chaplains and Sigismund, and which kind of dovetailed with this nicely even if it's not current, as such. The later green was then of course the green of Caliban's forests.

 

Emperor's Children: imperial purple to convey their mission as the Emperor's emissaries and aquilifers, from Betrayal.

 

Blood Angels: blood! Presumably both literal blood, mimicking the splatter they used to have, and Sanguinius's Baalite tribe, 'the Blood'.

 

Death Guard: the jade-green was meant to mimic the Barbaran mud applied to the original mortal Death Guard's armour to prevent corrosion, confirmed in Betrayal.

 

Luna Wolves: I took this to be the white of Luna though not sure if there's an actual source. 

 

Word Bearers: can't recall, was the "traitor's red" something adopted in emulation of Argel Tal's crimson armour? Not sure why he took it in the first place though.

 

Salamanders: I presumed this was meant to mimic the scaled hide of at least some of the Nocturnian beasts but not sure if there's an actual source for this.

 

Raven Guard: the literal ravens of Kiavahr that gave them the name, probably.

 

Precisely the sort of thing I was looking for. Thanks!

 

Yes purple has long been associated with kings (I believe since purple dye was associated with the ancient Phoenician traders and thus it was a literal symbol of wealth), and thus anything associated with a king or emperor. Perhaps most famously, the Roman Praetorian Guard were associated with purple for that very reason*. So it makes a ton of sense that the Emperor's Children would have purple coloring...I'm just curious if it explicitly says so in the black books which it apparently does. Despite having read them all, I cannot for the life of me remember anything about colors being mentioned. 

 

 

*though like many parts of history, how accurate this association really was has been debated. Though historians have also debated the modern notion of roman soldiers all wearing red cloaks. Dye was expensive back in the day so while senior officers may have a bold colored cloak, it was unlikely the rank-and-file had anything more than perhaps pastel variants of a color. 

[Syrakul]

The black books explain why/how different legions adopted the colors that they did. Sometimes the explanations are a bit feeble and clearly contrived after the fact, merely serving as in-universe rationales for the real world colors that GW chose years ago.

I agree, two conversations are going on, how the designers came up with colors, and how they were explained after-the-fact in the fluff

I went digging in some old tomes, All i can tell you is that considering the fluidity of the original 16 concieved colors must have changed on aesthetic considerations (we should have a dark green chapter!, new one? naw, too many black chapters, lets just change dark angels) is my opinion

Edited January 31, 2021 by Syrakul

[Indefragable]

@Syrakul thank you for sharing and I confess I threw things off with my cynicism around GW "selling more paint" so the colors are all over the place. That's a red herring for the purpose of this conversation. 

 

My question is around the in-setting information about why different Legions have different colors. 

 

Is there some significance attached to the color yellow on Inwit? Hence why the Imperial Fists' primary color is yellow. Etc.... 

 

@Sandlemad has provided some references in the vein of what I was seeking in answers with this thread. (Thanks!)

[Gorgoff]

 

 

The black books explain why/how different legions adopted the colors that they did. Sometimes the explanations are a bit feeble and clearly contrived after the fact, merely serving as in-universe rationales for the real world colors that GW chose years ago.

 

Trying to recall these parts of the Black Books. Anything come to mind?

Iron Warriors: They give a :cuss about looks, that's why their armor isn't painted.

Fun fact:The Death Guard wears unpainted ceramite, too, but theirs look kind of beige and IW look silver.

Must be a different ceramite. ;)

[Indefragable]

 

 

The black books explain why/how different legions adopted the colors that they did. Sometimes the explanations are a bit feeble and clearly contrived after the fact, merely serving as in-universe rationales for the real world colors that GW chose years ago.

Trying to recall these parts of the Black Books. Anything come to mind?

Iron Warriors: They give a about looks, that's why their armor isn't painted.

Fun fact:The Death Guard wears unpainted ceramite, too, but theirs look kind of beige and IW look silver.

Must be a different ceramite.

 

 

Sourced from different suppliers. 

[SkimaskMohawk]

Sandlemad the only times ravens appear on kiavahr is in George Mann's awful raven guard books. Nothing in the heresy setting talks about them, because they made kiavahr an amalgamation of Baal and a forgeworld.

[lokkorex]

Form memory of the black books:

 

Imperial fists: they wear imperial yellow to signify their bond to the emoeror, I believe? Not sure about this one. Might have something to do with them being the emperors mailed fist.

 

World eaters: inverted their colour scheme after Angron, so blue with white pre-primarch.

 

Sons of horus: wasn't their seagreen colours something from cthonia?

 

Salamanders: wore green before reuniting with Vulkan, albeit slightly darker?

[Sandlemad]

Sandlemad the only times ravens appear on kiavahr is in George Mann's awful raven guard books. Nothing in the heresy setting talks about them, because they made kiavahr an amalgamation of Baal and a forgeworld.

 

Yeah I was dicey on this one. You're right that there's nothing saying it was these specific ravens, though the general 'ravens -> black' seems reasonable even if there's nothing deeper going on... and if it sort of kicks the ball back to 'why ravens then'. Maybe a judgement thing, I wouldn't have thought they're particularly associated with liberation or stealth or the RG's other stuff.

 

@Gorgoff: Don't forget the Knight Errant and the Grey Knights, both in unpainted ceramite that also looks different! I suspect the same could be said for the Word Bearers (plain grey, only ornamented with scripture) and the Space Wolves (who were pretty utilitarian pre-Russ).

 

@Indefragable: That's exactly the symbolism, although now that I think of it purple doesn't seem to have been used all that much in art of the Emperor or his other servants like the custodes. The line is: "These standard bearers, and the honour guards that accompanied them, symbolically coloured their armour with lacquer of imperial purple to mark their rank and mission."

 

RE: some of the unsaid ones, I think your point about extrapolation is a good one. Some are so clear that the black book writers might have felt it would be trite (or more trite, if we're being ungenerous) to explain why e.g. the Ultramarines have livery of an ultramarine hue. That might be a bad example though because I find the idea of Ultramar being a development of 'outremar' - a distant kingdom across the stellar sea whose warriors wear armour that evokes the deep blue of the sea - to be one of the few examples of this sort of back-justification thing that's kind of evocative.

[Monkeychunks]

Must be a different ceramite. ;)

I always assumed that the shifting colour of ceramite was a joke about the hobby and how unpainted miniatures come in grey, white and silver depending on whether they are plastic, resin or metal.

[The Scorpion]

Random musing:

 

Is there any fluff as to why different Legions paint their armor the colors they do?

 

Realistically it’s because GW wanted to sell more paint back in the day so having different chapters be different colors makes sense (whether that was a direct or indirect reason). But I’m curious if there’s ever been any in-universe reasons or backsplaining done.

 

These are the ones I know of.

 

Dark Angels: returned from their campaigns in the outernmost edge of the Sol sytem with their grey armor replaced by a "deep and impassive black".

 

Emperor's Children: were awarded the right to wear purple alongside the Palatine Equila after they saved the Emperor's life from an assasination attempt with Vortex missiles on a non-compliant world.

 

Imperial Fists: Dorn wanted to make them gold. The Emperor said gold was the exclusive regalia of the Legio Custodes. Dorn, always obedient and practical, made them the yellow instead. It is the closest color to gold, and the legion already used yellow markings before Dorn's rediscovery.

 

Blood Angels: Made red by Sanguinius, who also made their heraldry beautiful.

 

World Eaters: Angron flipped the war hounds color scheme, but I have no idea on how the War Hounds color scheme came to be in the first place.

 

Ultramarines: Made blue by Guilliman.

 

Death Guard: Mortarion ordered to remove the Dusk Raiders herealdy and go back to grey. After the legion's firsts campaigns under his command, the residual polution on the unwashed armor plates made them bone white, the rest of the new heraldry followed from there.

 

Thousand Sons: Made red by the legion commanders when they realized it was their Primarch's color.

 

Sons of Horus: The Luna Wolves got their white armor after the conquest of Luna that gave them their name. The change to green came sometime after Horus was named Warmaster.

 

Word Bearers: Their name and color were chosen by the Emperor at their creation, colchisian stuff was added with Lorgar. When the legion walked into damnation, blood red followed with it.

 

 

[Sandlemad]

 

Thousand Sons: Made red by the legion commanders when they realized it was their Primarch's color.

 

This one is hilarious.

 

"See dad? Like you! Like your, uh... skin and hair..."

 

"I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time my son."

[Pacific81]

Out of game-universe, and to reference what Brother Tyler mentioned, I read an interview with Rick Priestly recently where he said that they deliberately originally left lots of unlabelled marine chapters (and that figure of there being thousands of them) so collectors could come up with their own ideas and colour schemes. Think they realised that freedom of creativity, and the hobby of painting and modelling, go hand in hand and were going to be very important for the game. This was a very important distinction from historical-based wargaming where for the most part you are limited to representing real-life camo, colour schemes etc. 

 

I do find it interesting how the conception of Marines and colours changed from Rogue Trader to subsequent editions. I think as the marines were changed (initially from chemically hardened, Sardakur-like ruthless soldiery) so did their representation. This is why early RT-era marines had camo, which was a concession to what is regarded as the most important defensive factor since probably the end of the 19th century: avoid being seen. As the concept of marines changed to almost a kind of Knights in space idea (and actually more fantastical) it has become more aligned with an almost feudal/medievil concept of warfare, where Knights proudly carry their colours and heraldry. It's definitely quite an interesting transition from one to the other, and has been extending further as time has gone on, to the point that looking at Rogue Trader and those marines in camo they don't seem like the same game any more. 

[Kizzdougs]

Regarding the Emperor's Children:

 

"Owing also to their singular character and mien, the Emperor also used members of the IIIrd Legion as aquilifers and equerries in situations of hazard and utmost danger, a responsibility the Legion was proud to carry. Bearing the palatine eagle standard of the Emperor, members of the IIIrd Legion accompanied diplomatic missions and emissaries as bodyguards and agents into the heart of the foe, and in battle bore the standard and commanded the armies of the newly conquered as instruments of the Emperor's will and judgement if needed. The sight of the Emperor's symbol carried by one of his favoured warriors was enough to keep many a wavering new ally in line. These standard bearers, and the honour guards that accompanied them, symbolically coloured their armour with lacquer of imperial purple to mark their rank and mission.

 

So arrayed none could doubt that they were the chosen of the Emperor, and such was the record and esteem with which they functioned that for a time it became common for them to bear the Emperor's wishes and orders to other Legions and military forces scattered across the new-born Imperium. The Nature of the IIIrd Legion's psychology meant that they would carry the precise meaning and intent of any order without deviation and with their last breath if needed. In this role the IIIrd Legion took on the mantle of the Emperor's will - no other Legion was so honoured. Others bore his words, but at this time the IIIrd were his voice."

Page 103, Betrayal.

[Gederas]

Random musing:

 

Is there any fluff as to why different Legions paint their armor the colors they do?

 

Realistically it’s because GW wanted to sell more paint back in the day so having different chapters be different colors makes sense (whether that was a direct or indirect reason). But I’m curious if there’s ever been any in-universe reasons or backsplaining done.

Ultramarines: Made blue by Guilliman.

Didn't they already have blue though? Iirc the pre-Guilliman XIII (the "War-Born") had blue and black armour? He just made them more blue

[Deadass]

 

Random musing:

 

Is there any fluff as to why different Legions paint their armor the colors they do?

 

Realistically it’s because GW wanted to sell more paint back in the day so having different chapters be different colors makes sense (whether that was a direct or indirect reason). But I’m curious if there’s ever been any in-universe reasons or backsplaining done.

Ultramarines: Made blue by Guilliman.

Didn't they already have blue though? Iirc the pre-Guilliman XIII (the "War-Born") had blue and black armour? He just made them more blue

 

Sounds like you're thinking of the Legion's 22nd 'Nemesis' Chapter - there are no official art slates of the War-Born, only recolors of that pre-Dorn Imperial Fist.

[Gederas]

Random musing:

 

Is there any fluff as to why different Legions paint their armor the colors they do?

 

Realistically it’s because GW wanted to sell more paint back in the day so having different chapters be different colors makes sense (whether that was a direct or indirect reason). But I’m curious if there’s ever been any in-universe reasons or backsplaining done.

Ultramarines: Made blue by Guilliman.

Didn't they already have blue though? Iirc the pre-Guilliman XIII (the "War-Born") had blue and black armour? He just made them more blue

Sounds like you're thinking of the Legion's 22nd 'Nemesis' Chapter - there are no official art slates of the War-Born, only recolors of that pre-Dorn Imperial Fist.

That might be it, as on the 40k wiki it shows a blue-and-grey XIII Legionnaire as "pre-Guilliman scheme"

[Kizzdougs]

Regarding the Ultramarines, this is all that I could find. 

 

"The outward signs of this transformation were striking, the livery of the XIIIth was altered to a deep blue, chased with gold, while the symbol of the ancient 'Ultima' glyph found in the pre-isolation stellar charts of the region was adopted as its icon and seal to tie them to the newfound realm which they embodied, and with it the cognomen of 'Ultramarines', perhaps as one monograph attributed to the Remembrancer L. Amphidal suggested, "Roboute Guilliman and his Legion would vow to take the Great Crusade beyond the stars themselves if needed to see its completion."

Book 5, pages 78-79.

[Ayatollah_of_Rock_n_Rolla]

 

Blood Angels: blood! Presumably both literal blood, mimicking the splatter they used to have, and Sanguinius's Baalite tribe, 'the Blood'.

 

It is nowhere explicitly stated, but it seems implied that the name andd colour came form Sanguinius' visions:  The winged Primarch knew full well that no future was absolute, no dark fate beyond hope of repair, and with the end of the battle he declared, 'even though a darkness hangs over them, a future soaked tn blood and horror, they are angels yet. Angels of Blood'. The newly titled Blood Angels did not return... yadda yadda HH8 p. 121.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

It's by no means conclusive, but when Matt Murphy-Kane (formerly a FW studio painter) talked about the effect he used for the studio's 30k Iron Hands minis, he mentioned the iridescent effect being an attempt at making their ceramite look like it had been exposed to various acids and chemicals, so that colouration could be a result of whatever strengthening process they use that provides the effect of the 'Inviolate Armour' rule.