How to paint Raven Guard in Space Marine 2

А small part of how to make lore accurate raven guard

Introduction

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Raven Guard regularly change their markings to confuse the enemy. Whatever you do is basically fine.

There are three official sources of info, and then guesswork. As briefly as possible, I will explain those sources and then you can make your own mind up.
Raven Guard specifically have a huge caveat GW keeps repeating: “they change their markings regularly to confuse the enemy”. Take that for whatever it’s worth, I think it mostly confuses us fans, but it basically means whatever you do is fine

In the old days, long before Primaris Marines were introduced, White Dwarf magazine featured a series of articles called Index Astartes, which explored various Space Marine Chapters. The article on the Raven Guard provided a great explanation of their unique markings, which deviated somewhat from the standard Codex guidelines

There will be several paint options, the first “like old times” and the second on the 8th edition codex

Before Primaris Marines

• Only colour the right pauldron trim, not both
  
• The colour represents unit type, rather than company
  
• Sergeants have white helmets
  
• Veterans have white arms, from pauldron to fist

Colours used:

NULN OIL
MEPHISTON RED
WHITE SCAR
WARPSTONE GLOW
AVERLAND SUNSET
CORVUS BLACK

Raven Guard

Sergeant

Tactical

Assault

Devastator

Veteran

Veteran Commander(DLC)

Veteran Commander(DLC)

8th Edition

We were now basically codex compliant, the only real difference being that we painted only one shoulder trim (the right on everything except phobos, who only have a left) rather than both. But the colour was definitively the company colour, not unit type. Also we still have white helmets for sergeants rather than red.

Notably there is no mention here of white arms for veterans, and several places they state that First Company should have silver trim and not white arms.

That said, in the actual models GW displays in the various codices from 8th edition onwards, the veterans do still retain their full white arms, and officers have white arms and black shoulders with company colour trim.

So even though it’s not in the heraldry spread, with what we know from before, and what we can see in the models, we have I think pretty clear rules:

• Basic armour colour is black, with a white raven on the left shoulder, white unit type on the right, white squad number on the left knee and a silver aquila
  
• Company colour is depicted on one shoulder trim, left on phobos armour, right on everyone else
  
• Veteran Sergeants have white helmets
  
• Veterans don’t have white helmets (except for Sergeants) but instead have fully white arms and shoulders (with the shoulder icons in black)
  
• Officers have white arms but black shoulders with company trim
  
• Captains have white helmets and no yellow bar on the right shoulder

Helmet

Colours used:

NULN OIL
STORMHOST SILVER
MEPHISTON RED
WHITE SCAR
MEPHISTON RED
CORVUS BLACK

Battle-Brother

Sergeant

Veteran

Veteran-Sergeant

Lieutenant

Captain

Right shoulder - Ranks

Colours used:

LIBERATOR GOLD
CORAX WHITE

Sergeant

Veteran-Sergeant

Lieutenant(DLC)

Captain(DLC)

Right shoulder - companies

Colours used:

1st IRONBREAKER/STORMHOST SILVER(DLC)/CELESTRA GREY(DLC)
2nd LIBERATOR GOLD
3rd MEPHISTON RED
4th WARPSTONE GLOW
5th IRON HANDS STEEL
6th BRONZE/HASHUT COPPER(DLC)/FULGURIT COPPER(DLC)
7th we dont have purple color
8th IRON WARRIORS/CORVUS BLACK
9th MACRAGGE BLUE

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

Left shoulder - chapter identity

Chapter icon

Left knee

Squad number

Tribute

other “guides”

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3442448822
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3359481463
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422834169
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3430839384
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3434447451
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3437606124
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3464304687

DLC needed

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2792150/Warhammer_40000_Space_Marine_2__Ultramarines_Cosmetic_Pack/
and
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3274400/Warhammer_40000_Space_Marine_2__Raven_Guard_Cosmetic_Pack/

[Brother Williams]

like "insignium astartes"

[Brother Williams]

I think need look in pre-Primaris versions of the space marine codex

[Benk]

Yeah, i just try to be the closest possible to the "lore friendly" depiction. Do Raven Guard lieutenant corvus helmet exist ? because i can't find any for inspiration...

[Brother Williams]

brother, as GW say, you are free to make/color your space marine however you want. and you can piant a white helmet and a black stripe

[Benk]

Thanks for the fast answer, i did a sniper lieutenant, so right shoulder lieutenant icon and white arms but for the helmet i did like other chapter veteran sergeant and did a white helmet with a nuln oil strip from top to the eyes has you can't have the lieutenant making on a corvus helmet sadly and i try to be the closest possible. (But maybe it should be black helmet and white " beak" idk.)

[Brother Williams]

Thank you, brother!
About you question, RG LTs and Champs as far as I know, it may be more to personal taste, and LTs are obviously veterans, so get the white arms.
Yeah, theres a problem that you cant paint a Corvus helmet like a mk10 LT

[Benk]

Great guide however, i'm a little confused about what would the color be for a corvus lieutenant helmet ? And talking on Reddit some say that captain have wings with a skull on their right shoulder. If i do a assault with the white corvus helmet and white arms (and the dlc right shoulder) it seem i do a veteran sergeant. What are your tought about it ? Thanks.

[Autumnchain]

Oh well. Thanks for trying. I wish you luck in further guides.

[Brother Williams]

Brother, I understand what you talking about, but the sheet wont let me fully realize it
I hope you ll understand

[Autumnchain]

It's awesome that you added DLC tags. Small nitpick, but could you give a small update to be specific of which DLC?