Chaos Space Marines, also known as Traitor Marines, come in a wide variety of colors and paint schemes. Their armor is often dramatically painted and stylized compared to their loyalist counterparts in the Space Marines Chapters that remain devoted to the Emperor and Imperium of Man.
Origins of Chaos Space Marines
Chaos Space Marines originate from the original Space Marine Legions that sided with Horus Lupercal during the Horus Heresy in the 31st Millennium. When Horus rebelled against the Emperor, fully half of the Space Marine Legions joined him, becoming corrupted by the ruinous powers of Chaos. After Horus’s defeat, these Traitor Legions fled into the Eye of Terror, a massive Warp rift, where they have remained for 10,000 years.
These Chaos Space Marines typically organize themselves into warbands rather than formal Chapters like their loyalist brethren. They worship and receive power from the Chaos Gods – Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh. Their armor’s colors and heraldry reflect their devotion to a particular Chaos God or Chaos Undivided.
Common Chaos Marine Armor Colors
Here are some of the most common armor colors and paint schemes seen on major Chaos Space Marine warbands and Traitor Legions:
- Black: Black is a common color among Chaos Space Marines, representing darkness, death, and decay. Black Legion, Night Lords.
- Red: Red symbolizes blood, war and violence. World Eaters, Red Corsairs.
- Blue: Blue represents change and sorcery. Thousand Sons, Alpha Legion.
- Green: Green is tied to disease, resilience and rot. Death Guard, Sons of Malice.
- Yellow: Yellow signifies disease and cowardice. Scourged, Purge.
- White: White reflects death and bone. Brotherhood of Dust, Death Shadows.
- Purple: Purple is associated with Slaanesh and decadence. Emperor’s Children.
- Pink: Pink also represents the hedonism of Slaanesh. Flawless Host.
Most Chaos Space Marines will use a combination of black or dark colors as a base, accentuated by a secondary color reflecting their Chaos God allegiance or warp corruption. They may also incorporate skulls, daemonic faces, spiked pauldrons or other chaotic iconography into their armor paint schemes.
Traitor Legions and Color Schemes
Here is an overview of some of the major Traitor Legions and warbands and their associated colors:
| Traitor Legion/Warband | Primary Color | Secondary Color |
|---|---|---|
| Black Legion | Black | Gold |
| Word Bearers | Crimson | Steel |
| World Eaters | Red | Brass |
| Night Lords | Midnight Blue | Silver |
| Alpha Legion | Turquoise | Green |
| Emperor’s Children | Purple | Gold |
As you can see, black, red and blue are common primary colors among major Chaos factions. Secondary colors tend to include gold, brass, silver and other metallic tones.
Chaos God Affiliations
Chaos Space Marines aligned with a particular Chaos God will also incorporate that deity’s sacred colors into their armor:
- Khorne: Brass, red, black
- Nurgle: Putrid green, brown, yellow
- Tzeentch: Blue, gold, white
- Slaanesh: Pink, purple, black
For example, plague marines devoted to Nurgle may have green armor with brass trim, while noise marines aligned with Slaanesh could paint their armor a striking pink and purple color scheme.
Warp Corruption
Prolonged exposure and devotion to Chaos often physically alters Chaos Space Marines. Mutations caused by warp energy may cause their armor to fuse to their bodies or distort its shape and color. Some examples of corrupted armor colors include:
- Bone white from bleached corpses
- Rust red from blood stains
- Ooze green from suppurating wounds
- Mottled purple from warp-spawned mutations
Chaos armor may also appear weathered, rusted and ancient, or decorated with flayed skins and grisly trophies collected in battle.
Personal Heraldry
In addition to their Legion colors, many Chaos Space Marines also incorporate personal heraldry into their armor paint schemes. This may include:
- Heraldic beasts and monsters
- Trophies, bones and skulls
- Scrollwork and scripture
- Personal badges and insignia
- Weapon patterns and blood spatter
- Daemonic sigils and runes
These decorations reflect the marine’s accomplishments and dedication to Chaos. Champions may display more elaborate heraldry than rank-and-file troops.
Non-Hereticus Astartes Chaos Factions
Not all Chaos forces consist of corrupted Space Marines. Other factions display their own unique colors and heraldry, such as:
- Chaos Cultists: Drab robes and cloaks, dark ragged armor.
- Traitor Guard: Camouflage patterns, rusting armor plates.
- Daemons: Skin tones matching their Chaos God, warped armor.
- Chaos Knights: Diabolic heraldry, chains and spikes.
- Chaos Titans: Warp-corrupted Machine God icons.
Although they are not Space Marines, these troops will often adopt darker shades of their original pre-heresy colors to visually align with Chaos.
Conclusion
In summary, Chaos Space Marines utilize a wide spectrum of colors to reflect their corruption, allegiance and heraldry. Black, red, blue and brass are common badge colors, while more vibrant secondary hues denote specific Chaos Gods. Their armor also incorporates warped and daemonic imagery as a sign of their devotion. With 10,000 years to develop their own styles, Traitor Marine armor provides a stunning visual showcase of the corrupting influence of Chaos.