# Tips for painting Alpha Legion...



## bixeightysix (Jun 28, 2010)

The year was 2006...it was summer. In Central Florida. Sweltering. After a brutal 10 hour shift of working valet, I decided to go cool off in a large comic book/gaming store that I would pass every day on my way to work, but had never entered. What better way to spend a hot, muggy, summer afternoon?

Little did I know, that little tangent on the way home would get me into a world of miniature gaming I never knew existed...

The minute I walked into the store, I noticed a large glass display case near the frnnt of the store. You all know what I'm talking about!!! Y'know, that huge case that has all these brilliantly painted armies...the one that us new guys can sit and drool over for strangely long lengths of time. Well from that moment, I told myself, "I don't know what in the world this stuff is, but I want in!" 

Sad to say, nearly 8 years later, I have aquired quite a little collection of Chaos Space Marines. Of course, being the n00b I was back then, I assembled models (without removing mold lines, GASP!) and I also threw gobs and gobs of paint on my models to a standard that I thought was "good". However being the perfectionist I am, it never was really good enough. Between that and moving across the country multiple times in the past 5 years, I've yet to get a good chunk of my Chaos Space Marines painted. And those that I did finish, just aren't to my liking.

After reading through a good portion of "Legion", I've decided on what legion I want my army to be painted. Now, this has been a struggle. As you can see from my plog in my signature, (which by the way has sadly not gotten an update in a while), my first CSMs were Black Legion. I didn't know any better! I then tried all kinds of other schemes that were in the Codex. I even painted up a Daemon Price who looks like he's wearing a suit that Justin Timerlake would wear to the Grammy's! My latest project was trying to paint up Skyrar's Dark Wolves. And they turned out...okay. But I didn't really enjoy them because they had little fluff.

SO I've truly decided on Alpha Legion. Of course the picture in the Codex turned me off at first because of the Scales...but I realized those aren't neccessary. So, what I ask of everyone...or anyone who reads this is : Show me your Alpha Legion, or any pictures, Ideas of how you think they would look...

And more than anything I could use some advice on techniques for painting them as well. I really want to get a fully painted army of decent quality to put on a table. The first day I bought into 40k, it was of course the fully painted armies in the cases and on the tables that drug me into the hobby...so it's time to really get to painting, and not give up.

Help a guy out! ANY advice will truly be appreciated!


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## TyphoidLmJ (May 20, 2012)

Hi. I had the exact same problem. Well, the same, only different. :laugh:
Anyway, I play thousand sons, and I have been stuck as to what to do with my dozens of obviously non-TS marines... Not mention my 10terminators, who have languished with only primer and a little trim cause i didnt think they fit with the ts, esp if they retinue abbadon, but i never liked Black legion. 
After reading the first 4 HH books, i considered a Luna Wolves scheme for ghe misfits who were not Thousand Son-like. Anyway, to make this story shorter, I loved the backstory in Legion, settled on the Hydra by chapter3. 

The scheme I settled on varies a bit from unit to unit, my Beserkers are not the same style as my Chosen, are not like my terminators, etc. But they are all done in cominations of regal blue, enchantedblue, neon ish bright green, and mettallic green(I found a 15 year old can). I like the look you find for Alpha online a lot, where a blue model will have highlights and splashes of bright green, i liked the kind of sloppy look of the greens, around the mouth grill and on other sharp edges. I know that scales are a little over my head, I could do them, even though my hands shake, but it would take me months to get one model done.
("Steady as a rock... Sure, but I paint with the other hand.")

So the whole impression, until it is unified by the metallic is (i hope) that the Legion could be green or blue armor, they dont seem to care, and arent that careful when repainting thier wargear, which would seem to fit. I mean, if you are an ultramarine one week, a servitor the next, and a Red Corsair the next, are you really going to be that exacting about your own Legions colors? My opinion, for what its worth.
Some may not, but that is what i used mostly,and covered everything with a drybrush of metallic (It covers a lot of sins:grin.

Like i said, i placed the blues and greens different based on the models type (and by what was previosly another color that needed something covered over), but the mainstay of my scheme is metallic green drybrushed over black, trimmed in blue, or met green drybrushed over blue trimmed and splashed with snot green. 

I will post some pics tommorow if you are interested.


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## bixeightysix (Jun 28, 2010)

Oh I totally know what you mean. I felt like I was lost what to do with this THOUSANDS of points of plain ol' primered Chaos Space Marines. Whether it's a Defiler, Sorcerer, Rhino, or even the simple Chainsword and Pistol lugging marine..the overwhelming "Primered" army is just getting old.

I also felt like I was sold after just the first few chapters of Legion. "I am Alpharius"

I would love to see pictures. I feel like I am most likely going to go with a similar theme that I've seen over many of the Alpha Legion I've found online. My plan thus far is to just get the Deep Regal Blue color, highlighted up to a "cobalt" blue color on the armor plates. And then the stark contrasting "green" edge highlights. I've found some decent walkthroughs on how others achieved this affect. I, too, really want to do a Scaly effect on the whole army...but I feel like it would just take forever. Once I feel happy about the overall look of the army, I may decide to try it on some vehicles, and if it works, I might try the individual marines in the future.

Thanks for the post!


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## TyphoidLmJ (May 20, 2012)

Here are a few pics of what I have going on right now. All variants on the same two color scheme. 



















The model on the left was my test to see how the colors would look. I slapped that on him real quick, hence the real crappy paint job.









Terminators:



























Khorne Beserkers:



















This is a color I was toying with a while back, but I mixed it for the 1 squad a few years ago, and now I cant match the tone for shit. I also didn't like it as much.









These are a WIP, like I said, I never did much to the Terminators, and the Beserkers used to be World Eaters. 

Let me know what you think.


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## Viscount Vash (Jan 3, 2007)

I like dark paint schemes, so this might be a little too dark for most tastes.


The basic blue green was done by painting and highlighting the blues and then painting the green on the bottom, thinning it out over the blue as I 'pulled' it up the leg/shoulder pad.
Even without the scales I added later it look pretty nice.




























There are a few more in the gallery , along with some other members cool and interesting takes on Alpha Legion.


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## bixeightysix (Jun 28, 2010)

Guys, Thanks for the responses! I like what you all have done.

@Typhoid - I really do dig the Green Armour with the Blue Edging. That really pops out to me. And I like your Berserker as well. k: but I'll tell ya, that bottom picture of that color you mixed is REALLY nice. In my opinion, that is SPOT ON for Alpha Legion. I hate when I mix a color and I can't re-mix it. Lesson to be learned - Get a notebook and write little notes to yourself about what you're doing and how you do it. And put a date on there to help jog your memory, too! :scratchhead:

@Viscount - Love em! Really! I agree about darker colors, too. My only critique about your models would be the gold trim. I feel it's a bit "warm" for Alpha Legion. But, it sure is done well...it's just a personal opinion. And your freehand is DARN good! I like the idea of scales on the tanks! Is that just Greenstuff? Great idea, I might have to steal! 

Thanks for the posts, gents! I'll post a WIP of my lone Alpharius when I get a chance...probably later tonight, or tomorrow!


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## bixeightysix (Jun 28, 2010)

Here's my WIP Alpha Legion Marine. The lighting is shit because it's not daylight out. But once I'm finished I'll take pictures during the day so the colors come out right. For now, here it is.



















Let me know what you think!


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