Warhammer 40,000 · Adeptus Custodes
Dread Host (Adeptus Custodes) Paint List for Warhammer 40,000
Warm gold, deep black, and crimson accents for an aggressive shield host.
Prime in black to save time in the recesses, then build the gold in thin coats before the red details.
Recommended undercoat
black
— Several priority paints in this army converge on black.
Paint list
Sorted by priorityI Must-Have
The Dread Host core trio
- Retributor Armour (Citadel) — Main armour · 2 opaque coats
- Reikland Fleshshade (Citadel) — Armour recesses · Controlled wash
- Abaddon Black (Citadel) — Secondary plates · 2 thin coats
II Core
The colours that give the scheme its warmth
- Auric Armour Gold (Citadel) — Gold highlights · Edges and raised volumes
- Mephiston Red (Citadel) — Plumes and seals · 2 thin coats
- Runefang Steel (Citadel) — Blades and tips · Small highlights
Painting order
Recommended steps
1
Prime the whole model in black.
2
Block in the armour with Retributor Armour.
3
Apply Abaddon Black to the secondary panels and deepest visible gaps.
4
Shade the gold recesses with Reikland Fleshshade.
5
Paint the plumes and seals with Mephiston Red.
6
Pick out blades and metal points with Runefang Steel.
7
Highlight the armour with Auric Armour Gold.
Tips
Hints for this army
1
Leave black visible in the gaps so the model keeps contrast without another all-over wash.
2
Auric Armour Gold works best as small sharp highlights, not as a broad drybrush.
3
Keep the red secondary by concentrating it on plumes, seals, and gems.
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