# The Grey Knights who weren't Grey



## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

Currently I'm thinking about my next army, and with GK on the horizon they seem like something i could be interested in.

My only issue is, I want something I can build some personality into, make my own colour scheme etc etc, and as far as i'm aware, the GK's are lacking in that area.

I appreciate that I _could_ paint them yellow and pink and still play them, but i don't want to completely rape the fluff.

So is there anyway I can play a non-grey grey knights army without tossing the fluff completely out the window?


----------



## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

Pre-Heresy their Armour was Black, but other than that I've got nothing other than saying 'paint it what you like'...I've seen orange GK's before on a board at a Battle Bunker:shok:


----------



## XxDreMisterxX (Dec 23, 2009)

You could say that they are your 1st company vets or something. Elite is their name so incorporate them into a chapter as the best. Like the Sanguinary Guard of the Blood Angels kinda thing.


----------



## wombat_tree (Nov 30, 2008)

You could try having them primarily grey but with red shoulder pads or something similar.


----------



## Son of mortarion (Apr 24, 2008)

HOBO said:


> Pre-Heresy their Armour was Black, but other than that I've got nothing other than saying 'paint it what you like'...I've seen orange GK's before on a board at a Battle Bunker:shok:


? how did a chapter that didn't exist pre-heresy have pre-heresy color scheme?

You can stay with fluff and paint them mostly grey, and add extra plates to their shoulders,knees and groins, and add personal heraldry(where you are free to use almost any color) in those places.

You can add contrasting colors on the shoulder pads, black and red trim would look good. 

adding extra purity seals, either in clusters or in a line across various parts of their body will also allow you to break up the grey. 

Paint them grey, and take a toothbrush and splatter black and white over the plates and it will give it a granite look, then combine the other things I mentioned, and they will both be grey and have a lot of personality, without risking anyone having a wtf moment.


----------



## C'Tan Chimera (Aug 16, 2008)

The-Previously-Grey-But-Decided-To-Have-a-Change-of-Fashion-Knights.

You'll be the talk of the game club for weeks to come!


----------



## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

Son of mortarion said:


> ? how did a chapter that didn't exist pre-heresy have pre-heresy color scheme?


Pre- something anywayk:...a mate just shouted it in my ear when he showed me the 'Index Astartes' book...there's a picture of Grey Knights in there that are painted with black armour.


----------



## Karak The Unfaithful (Feb 13, 2011)

Well you have the actual grey on their armour then you have the little red and black bits here and there, how about you just change that so the grey knights are still grey but more personalised.


----------



## Son of mortarion (Apr 24, 2008)

HOBO said:


> Pre- something anywayk:...a mate just shouted it in my ear when he showed me the 'Index Astartes' book...there's a picture of Grey Knights in there that are painted with black armour.


Are you sure they weren't deathwatch, as they have armor that is black except for one shoulderpad is the member's original chapter colors, and the other is silver.

Was the article originaly from wd 259? It is listed as being for both, which is probably where it came from.


----------



## Alexious (Apr 13, 2009)

What I am sure Hobo is referring too is the original picture of GK which is indeed almost black. In the dim past, things like chainmail and silver were our choice of colour or black... the grey knights were almost a black back in the day.


----------



## GrimzagGorwazza (Aug 5, 2010)

Play a counts as army using The Exorcists. 
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Exorcists
They're a little bit different but were designed to fight against deamons so you wouldn't be fluff raping. Also you get to pick between 2 different colour schemes.


----------



## the-ad-man (Jan 22, 2010)

chemes ive seen done well are: crimson (very nice and inquisitorial looking), matte black (like ninjas) and ACTUAL FUCKING GREY! haha, by that i mean grey, not silver.


theres an idea try non-metal-metal aproach to them so they look almost chromed, since in fluff i remember their armour had this ability to hide them in plain sight or something (i may be mistaken)
nice tutorial here: http://www.heresy-online.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18787


----------



## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

View attachment 11569


This is the Index Astartes picture...looks like black to me. Definitely second founding though, not pre-heresy.


----------



## Son of mortarion (Apr 24, 2008)

Fair enough, typos and whatnot happen, and since the article was for both, I thought that one picture might have been mistaken for the other, but you're right, they have? black armoured? _grey_ knights. Bit weird to me.


----------



## Major Strombardt (Feb 22, 2009)

I would have to say that Grey Knights have to remain Grey at all times. Variation and contrast colour break up the base colour very nice. 
Are the Ultramarines gonna let slip thier livery for the sake of looking different? Orks are green...I painted some Orks brown once when I very young...wanting to be different. I still have them...but they don't look like Orks.
My vote is for Grey Knights to remain Grey.
Cheers.


----------



## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

when i was a young chap they were almost 50/50 silver/gold with a bit of red.

but i like them in white, inquisitors back in my day also liked purple, its not used much these days but there were alot of purple models back in the day, i blame Mace Windu for making it uncool.


----------



## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

You could paint them red and model them on the Emperors Guard from Star Wars.

I bet Darth Vader could be represented as a Grey Knight Grand Master.


----------



## OrdoMalleus (Apr 24, 2009)

HOBO said:


> View attachment 11569
> 
> 
> This is the Index Astartes picture...looks like black to me. Definitely second founding though, not pre-heresy.


My old GK are BRIGHT silver, so as a change I am going to paint my new ones on that Index Astartes article. I found these on the net which I am using as inspiration (although obviously mine wont be as well painted! )


----------



## Caratacos (Aug 26, 2008)

Paint them the way you want, and say that the "Grey" part comes from The Shrouding and not the colour of their armour.


----------



## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

I think an off-white as the primary colour could work out well, since I know you're good enough of a painter to pull off the light colours haha.

That way, they're still _grey-ish_ knights


----------



## Karak The Unfaithful (Feb 13, 2011)

> I think an off-white as the primary colour could work out well, since I know you're good enough of a painter to pull off the light colours haha.
> 
> That way, they're still grey-ish knights


yeah, as long as it looks even slightly grey


----------



## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

Paint them gold and play them as Custodes?


----------



## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback guys, some good ideas (particularly the exorcists idea), but ultimately I think I have my answer, and it's a resounding no 



> I would have to say that Grey Knights have to remain Grey at all times. Variation and contrast colour break up the base colour very nice.
> Are the Ultramarines gonna let slip thier livery for the sake of looking different? Orks are green...I painted some Orks brown once when I very young...wanting to be different. I still have them...but they don't look like Orks.
> My vote is for Grey Knights to remain Grey.


It's not so much the colour that bothers me, it's more that i'm a lot more constrained with fluff as opposed to any other army. With anyone else you can say they come from this made up planet, or this made up warband/chapter and away you go. With GK's the options do seem rather limited.

I was hoping there might be a way around this, but it would seem not, and it seems GK's probably won't be my next army.

so, When's the sisters update?


----------



## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

About the same time Firefly is back on TV.


----------



## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

Varakir said:


> Thanks for the feedback guys, some good ideas (particularly the exorcists idea), but ultimately I think I have my answer, and it's a resounding no
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm not saying this is even a possibility but maybe there will be some colour variations/different colour schemes in the new Codex...maybe Palladins will have some differences to normal GKT for example.

Just saying...wait and see, you never know:biggrin:


----------



## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

Oh, there's still hope. You could paint them like 'formal' grey knights.

Dark grey base, with light grey pin-stripes!

. . . Isn't every ghoul crazy for a sharp dressed knight? 


Cheers,
Kreuger


----------



## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Stephen_Newman said:


> About the same time Firefly is back on TV.


When that happens...

...I'll be in my bunk

*moment of silence for Firefly*


----------



## 5tonsledge (May 31, 2010)

black armor


----------



## Akhara'Keth (Nov 20, 2010)

Looking forward to paint Banana-Knights :biggrin:


----------



## chromedog (Oct 31, 2007)

I've seen blazing yellow-orange ones called "Fire Knights".
I've seen white ones with different unit heraldry (as befitting the justicar of the squad fluff) called "the white knights".

Colour isn't really an issue for them (although hot pink ones will just make me want to gouge out my own eyes). colour doesn't determine the army, the codex does.


----------



## Mursaat (Sep 20, 2010)

To individualise mine i swapped the Red shoulder pads and capes to liche purple and made my fluff up to be that they were a secret purification squad with top notch tech dispatched to cleanse demon filth.


----------



## Talos (Aug 4, 2008)

I only have a few Grey Knights I brought just to paint ages ago. I was not a fan of the gunmetal look or grey. So I painted mine with White armour, gold details and Purple loin clothes/capes etc. I really like the look, going to pick up one of the new GK to paint up in this scheme to see if it still works.

At the time I did not think about the fluff as they were just a painting project.


----------



## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

You could always go for gold and red, then call them custodes?

I see no issue with painting them what ever colour you prefer. There must be some way to make up some background that would fit.


----------



## SGMAlice (Aug 13, 2010)

Just wait for the new Codex. May be it will provide a few new schemes.
Or go Custodes.

Being not so much bothered by fluff i'm going to be putting Purple on mine somewhere 
Always with the Purple XD

SGMAlice

Edit: Had a look through the various resources i have and have come across these:










Red Armored Grey Knights and Black Armored Grey Knights.


----------



## Varakir (Sep 2, 2009)

chromedog said:


> Colour isn't really an issue for them (although hot pink ones will just make me want to gouge out my own eyes). colour doesn't determine the army, the codex does.


I appreciate that, and although I want a playable army just in case i get a game sometime this year, I'm mainly just looking for a painting/fluff project.

I'm not so much interested in painting them different colours, i'm looking for a decent way to explain why they are different colours.

I guess i am being a little closed minded though, the SM system of 'make up any chapter you like' panders very well to the creative process. i think i need to think outside the box a bit more.

Thanks for the encouragement chaps (and alice) :victory:


----------



## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Varakir said:


> I appreciate that, and although I want a playable army just in case i get a game sometime this year, I'm mainly just looking for a painting/fluff project.
> 
> I'm not so much interested in painting them different colours, i'm looking for a decent way to explain why they are different colours.
> 
> ...


I can't see GW leaving it with just 1 paint scheme, I'd really recommend waiting for the Codex to come out to see what is what.


----------



## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

John Blanche's illustrations pretty much set the tone for 40K.

If red armored Grey Knights is good enough for him, they're good enough for me.


----------



## Champion Alaric (Feb 17, 2011)

Varakir said:


> I'm not so much interested in painting them different colours, i'm looking for a decent way to explain why they are different colours.


Mebbe they are doing what Deathwatch does and are having some brothers from different chapters getting some cross training fighting demons?


----------



## Son of mortarion (Apr 24, 2008)

Champion Alaric said:


> Mebbe they are doing what Deathwatch does and are having some brothers from different chapters getting some cross training fighting demons?


Why bother giving them a codex if, in order to do so, they have to make them just another chapter, or in this case, just a daemon hunting version of another chapter. 

From the leaked codex, however, it isn't likely, as it is written based upon the idea of them being grey knights due to inherent abilities and training, and not just due to training. Everything in the codex that is grey knights or their vehicles is a psyker, which seems to indicate that cross trianing with other chapters is a difficult proposition at best, due to the low amount of psykers throught the many chapters of the astartes.

I think that they are best with minor variations, with each marine being slightly different from each other. Maybe having a major component that differs from the standard uniting the whole company, such as an arm in a different color, adding checker patterns on trim, having their helmets in a different color, or the like. if you add enough heraldic elements, the grey on the armor will be minimal, but enough to stick to fluff. plus, there will be very good modelling opportunities.


----------



## Master WootWoot (Oct 17, 2010)

Red and blue heraldry?


----------



## Scathainn (Feb 21, 2010)

Baron Spikey said:


> I can't see GW leaving it with just 1 paint scheme


*cough* Space Wolves *cough*


----------

