Warhammer manifests in various forms, such as tabletop wargames, books, and video games. At its core, however, Warhammer is a range of miniatures. Miniatures are Games Workshop’s primary source of income, and all other manifestations of Warhammer stem from these miniatures.
The essence of Warhammer is thus fundamentally visual. In this visual universe, colours play a major role. While miniature sculpts have undergone significant aesthetic evolution since the 1980s, the colour code has barely changed at all. Orks are green, Khornites are red, and Ultramarines are not only blue but are even named after the colour they wear. The proverbial ‘Grim darkness of the far future’ of Games Workshop’s flagship, Warhammer 40K, is itself a reference to light, hence to colour. While one of the main points of collecting miniatures is to paint them oneself, and thus give them any colour scheme one chooses, there is remarkable consistency in Games Workshop assigning one specific colour to each faction, especially in box art or licensed products such as video games.
This paper explores how Games Workshop’s colour coding aligns with or diverges from established colour codes, using Michel Pastoureau’s ‘History of a Colour’ series as a framework. Pastoureau’s work delves into the cultural, social, and economic history of colours, providing a robust lens for analysing Warhammer’s colour usage. Focusing on Warhammer 40K, particularly the Imperium and Chaos factions, the analysis shows how colour coding explains the setting and helps newcomers navigate the hobby through familiar colour associations. By examining official art, miniatures, and licensed products, this paper highlights the consistency and significance of colour coding in Warhammer’s visual communication.
Author bio
Joachim Besson has been a Warhammer enthusiast since childhood. He studied philosophy and political science at the universities of Berne and Lausanne, and has a keen interest in literature and political philosophy. He lives in Strasbourg, France.
