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I've been trying to read up on my fluff but I'm seeing two different explainations here...

In the codex astartes book (which I don't have) it says that raven guard use the trim of the right shoulder pad to denote what type of squad it is (red for assault, green for tactical, yellow for devestator) and the trim of the left shoulder pad stays black. Furthermore they use the kneepads to say what squad they belong to and veterans paint bits of their armour white.

In all the pictures of the GW studio models, they've painted all of Shrikes company with a red trim. Shrike being the captain of the 3rd company. The 3rd company all having red trim according to codex space marines.

So which is it? I think its far too confusing to paint each squad type with a different colour. And to add more confusion into the soup I read somewhere that the Raven Guard have been known to change their squad designation colour just to confuse the enemy.

Now I'm really confused!

But I do want to paint raven guard so if anyone has any input please share!

Paint them however you like.

GW F'ed it up in the latest Marine Codex.

At least, that's how I'm going to play it.

I'm going with the 'original' Index Astartes version.

So yes, this Marine:



is in a Tac Squad.

I'm probably going to have a lot of marines in Pre-Heresy squad markings too:



"Modern" Raven Guard:





This French Guy here has similar ideas on how to paint 'modern' Raven Guard:



So, Veterans get white shoulders and arms, sergeants get white helmets, and veteran sergeants get both.



I don't really like the black stripe on the captain, and for me, everyone veteran sergeant or above will get white shoulders/arms and helmets, with higher ranks getting 'personal heraldry' on their shoulder pads to help denote their advanced rank.

And this:



is how I'll be painting up my Terminators.

Also, Raven Guard Librarian in Terminator Armor:



LOVE this scheme, so I'll be using this too!

Random Raven Guard pics from the web:

Pick a method and apply it to the whole army, as long as the system is consistent and you're happy with it then where's the problem?

Bullfrog wrote:Pick a method and apply it to the whole army, as long as the system is consistent and you're happy with it then where's the problem?

I wholeheartedly agree, however...

In terms of fluff the Raven Guard are a Codex chapter, so shoulder trim should be in the company colours, but I repeat the sentiment that as long as the army ties together visually it's up to you.

Whatever you decide, throw up some pics when you're done

Reaper6 wrote:

In terms of fluff the Raven Guard are a Codex chapter, so shoulder trim should be in the company colours, but I repeat the sentiment that as long as the army ties together visually it's up to you.

No, not quite!

Although, as previously shown, it depends on what source you want to use, and to trust!

Alpharius wrote:No, not quite!

Curious ! Current publications clearly place the chapter as Codex, one example being the entry on p25 of Codex:Space Marines with others being the sergeant on p112 and the Assault Marine (markings just visible for squad type) on p113 of said codex clearly sporting a red trim, whilst the Assault Biker on p117 is marked as 4th company (green trim) so if you know of a differing CURRENT source please enlighten me so I can add it to my collection (And I mean that sincerely, NOT sarcastically btw)

Current, no.

Better, yes.

Seriously!

The 'current' Space Marine Codex is full of errors, missing background and is, by most accounts, rather inferior.

Raven Guard are 'codex' in regards to following most of the Codex Astartes' strictures, but they also, as a Founding Legion, do things 'their own way' too.

The Index Astartes articles are, aside from the rules which no longer apply, still 'current' enough in terms of background.

Of course, as has already been noted, paint them up how you like!

I'm currently working on a Shrike conversion for my brother's sweet 16, so all of those pictures you posted Alpharius are very helpful! Thank you. I also agree that as it's your very own army, you should do whatever you want with them!

I got the impression that the slight switch in trims was adjustments to the Codex. So RG are just an old enough chapter/legion that they still follow the original prototype one?

Morgrim wrote:I got the impression that the slight switch in trims was adjustments to the Codex. So RG are just an old enough chapter/legion that they still follow the original prototype one?

Sounds like a good enough reason to me, among others.

But really, anyone who has been with GW for more than one edition knows that GW sorely lacks 2 things (among others, of course!): playtesting and editors.

Just go look up the mess they've made of the Relictors' history!

And really, the Index Astartes version of the Raven Guard is a much more varied, original and fun way to paint them up!

Of course, if you want another reason to add variety to your RG markings, it has been said on another site that Company Commanders are "...encouraged to regularly review and alter their squad markings to stay ahead of enemy intel."

Ok, now I grant I have no idea what source the poster got this from (if anyone knows please PM me), but it sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

All I was pointing out in my original response was the perspective of the most recent material published which I know, as someone who's been in this since the launch of RT, is subject to change whenever one of GW's "brianiacs" has a mindfart of any description .

GW's miserable record of continuity has at least provided RG players with multiple options re: markings & heraldry to select from.

Thank you all for your input. Raven Guard seem to be at a really interesting point right now, with some folks thinking they're full codex astartes based, and some folks thinking they're fully independant of all those structures.

I like to play that the captains are in charge and they carry the troops in their company that will get the job done.

I'm pretty sure of what company I'm going to paint up now. Thanks so much for those pics. I'll start a wip thread once I get some good pics taken!

If I remember correctly from the Index Asartes article they did years ago, the trim denoted the type of Marine it was. Red trim for assault marines, green for tacticals and yellow for devastators. Though, knowing GW they changed that.

That said, paint how you like to, that is just the old fluff.