How important is your army paint scheme?

[Parfs]

Hi guys,
Just thinking about getting back in to the hobby but this time for playing as well as the painting.
Not decided yet on an army to actually go with for fighting (I have several Tau and Eldar which I purchased purely for painting years ago).

I wanted to understand the importance of painting the figures the right colour to match the game as I have received criticism for painting models the wrong colour before now.

Anyone help out with tips around this?

 

[MAXXxxx]

I don't think there is a wrong color for an army, but there are lot's of bad looking color schemes that don't follow basic color harmony.

An example would be a CSM army of a friend, who painted them pink-neon green - black. It was painful on the eye. It would have been ok if it had one or two of the colors and the rest swapped out based on a color wheel, but he never wanted to do that.

I think knowing the army and at least the main color you want to paint them would be needed for any constructive advice.

 

[ekipage]

Parfs, the only real rule about this is really just for tournaments and that is your models must be completely painted with three colors on them and bases must be finished (to some that is just painting the base). If just playing with friends or at the FLGS then most probably won't have an issue with whatever color you decide to go with as they will probably be happy that you actually have a painted army (or mad that your army is painted and theirs isn't). Know though that there are probably going to be some sticklers for Canon that complain you didn't paint your Ultramarines (for example) in Blue/Gold/White colors. I would say depending on where you play you may want to check with people there before you start painting to see if they have any "in-house" rules covering this. But like MAXXxxxx said, probably best if you follow some color harmony going on vice just throwing three colors on the army but really choice of color is really up to you.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Ultimately it’s up to you, but because there is so much 40K background/lore, some color schemes have “meaning” to die-hard enthusiasts. As MAXXxxx mentioned, it might help to know what army or colors you are considering...

 

[shallowswerve]

Its down to the individual. There is no right or wrong answer on this 1.

 

[Dragonsreach]

I wanted to understand the importance of painting the figures the right colour to match the game as I have received criticism for painting models the wrong colour before now.

Anyone help out with tips around this?

As everyone has said paint as you want them, there is no ‘hard and fast rule’.
My Sisters of Battle are in a bone/tan colour scheme never had anyone hinge at me about them.

The only ‘gripers’ You might get are limited vision fanboi’s who can’t imagine anything outside of a GW ‘official’ colour scheme for marines.

 

[Sik Willy]

As others have stated, painting them how YOU want and how YOU like them is definitely the way to go. However, I want to add on this. The only time I can really think of that someone might look at you funny or gove you grief is if you paint the army as a known faction with specific rules and play them as another, ie you paint marines as Salamanders and when you’re at the gaming table you say oh I’m using the ultramarines chapter tactics. That might raise an eyebrow. Personally I would t care but there are those that might. For this reason I typically like to paint my Armies, most specifically my Xenos factions, as something entirely different than those known in GW lore. That way I can play them as a sub faction of any known faction with corresponding rules in 8th. This allows me to experiment with a bunch of different list builds, unit types, faction tactics, etc. for instance, my Nids are black and bright green. I have lists for hive fleets gorgon, Kronos, and behemoth. I’m basically playing them as a splinter of one of the main hive fleets. The same idea can be applied to any faction in 40k really. So that would be my only advice aside from paint how you like em. But for the most part most people shouldn’t care if your ultramarines are red gameplay wise. As long as everything on the table is clearly represented or disclosed pre game you should be good (so long as you’re opponent isn’t a D)