In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to paint The Blooded, the Traitor Guard from Kill Team: Moroch (or Blackstone Fortress). The flexible paint scheme is easily adaptable to Chaos Cultists like the new Accursed Cultists that are up for preorder today, and to loyal Astra Militarum Guardsmen as well. I made use of a lot of the new Contrast and Shade paints to get a better feeling for them and sneaked in a few Scale75 Instant Colours as well, so this is gonna get interesting.

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This tutorial assumes you know the basic grips of painting Warhammer miniatures. Step-by-step I explain all the paints and techniques I used. I have a rather eclectic paint collection, so when I use a paint that is not from Games Workshop (or out of production), I’ll try to provide you with suitable alternatives from the current Citadel paint range [in brackets]. However, if you want to achieve exactly the same result as shown, I recommend expanding your paint collection. You’ll find a list of all the paints used in this tutorial at the end of the post.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - featured image

How to paint Traitor Guard

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 1

Spray the model with Corax White primer, then paint over any areas the spray paint didn’t catch.

Corax White primer is now OOP. You can also use White Scar primer, which will produce a lighter result for some of the Contrast colours, or, if you want to follow the tutorial more closely, apply a two thin coats of Corax White over the white primer.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 2

Paint the texture of the base with Mechanicus Standard Grey. Pick out the rocks with Warpaints Ash Grey, then wash them with 1:1 mix of Ratling Grime with Contrast Medium. Drybrush the base with Corax White, then wash the sand with Ratling Grime.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 3

Mix Nighthaunt Gloom 1:1 with Contrast Medium and apply it all over the uniform. I prefer two thinned coats over a single undiluted one, as the result will be more even.

ToP Tip: When applying Contrast and Shade paints / washes, you’ll get the smoothest result when you apply them generously, let them settle for a while, then soak up any excess with a damp brush, before you leave them to dry.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 4

Give the uniform a wash of the new Drakenhof Nightshade to add some more definition.

ToP Tip: If you still use the Citadel Shades with the old formula, I recommend adding a little bit of Lahmian Medium or Scale75 Dispel Magic. You can read more about the differences between the old and new Shade paints in our review.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 5

Give the uniform a gentle drybrush of Vallejo Model Color Dark Blue Grey* [or a mix of Thunderhawk Blue and Grey Seer or Corax White] to pick out the folds and hems.
* Dark Blue Pale on older labels, it’s number 70.904

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 6

Wash the fur pelt with Reikland Fleshshade.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 7

Mix Fyreslayer Flesh about 1:1 with Contrast Medium and give the fur another wash, omitting some of the areas you washed with Reikland Fleshshade to build up a brown gradient.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 8

Add another wash with Scale75 Instant Colors Rage Brown [or Cygor Brown mixed 1:2 with Contrast Medium] to the centre of the fur.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 9

To add some definition, highlight the light fur strands you washed with Reikland Fleshshade in step 6 with Pallid Wych Flesh.


Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 10

Wash the armour and boots three times with Scale75 Instant Colors Shadow Black to build up a deep black [you could also use a single coat of Black Legion, which would be even faster, but Shadow Black has a slightly blueish tint which I really like in combination with the faded petrol of the clothes].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 11

Emphasize the highlights created by the washes of the previous step with a quick highlight of Formula P3 Greatcoat Grey [or Eshin Grey if you used Black Legion]. For the armour, aim for an irregular, chipped look.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 12

Add another, even finer edge highlight with Warpaints Uniform Grey [or Dawnstone], adding a few small scratches and dents to the armour as well.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 13

Finally, add dots of Vallejo Ghost Grey [or Corax White] to the rivets and corners of the armour only.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 14

Basecoat the mask with Warpaints Uniform Grey [or Dawnstone].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 15

Wash the mask with Nuln Oil.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 16

Add a few soft highlights with Celestra Grey.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 17

Wash the lenses and hoses with Striking Scorpion Green. Once dry, add another layer to make the green pop.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 18

Highlight the lower third of the lenses and the hoses with Vallejo Game color Livery Green [or a mix of Moot Green and Dorn Yellow]. Also add a few tiny dots to represent bubbles.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 19

Apply two tiny small dots of Vallejo Model Color White [or White Scar] to the upper left corners of the lenses.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 20

Wash the wooden gun casing with Wyldwood.


Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 21

Highlight the wood with Gorthor Brown, following the edges and the pattern of the wood grain.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 22

Basecoat the leather with Bugman’s Glow.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 23

Apply three coats of Scale75 Instant Colors Rage Brown to build up a strong, reddish brown [or use a single coat of Cygor Brown with a little bit of Contrast Medium mixed in].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 24

Highlight the leather with Tuskgor Fur with a stippling technique to add some texture.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 25

Add a final highlight of Warpaints Topaz Skin [or Cadian Fleshtone], adding a few scratches to build up a cracked leather texture.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 26

Basecoat all the metal with Vallejo Mecha Color Dark Steel [or Leadbelcher].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 27

Wash the steel with Nuln Oil.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 28

Gently drybrush the edges of the metal with Scale75 Thrash Metal [or Iron Hands Steel].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 29

To add soot to the flamer, wash about two third of the nozzle with Agrax Earthshade. Once dry, apply another two but only to the front third to create a gradient.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 30

Gently drybrush the nozzle with Scale75 Thrash Metal [or Iron Hands Steel] once more.


Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 31

Basecoat the details you want to be copper with Hashut Copper.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 32

Wash the copper with Targor Rageshade.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 33

Mix a little bit of Vallejo Model Air Steel [or Stormhost Silver] into Hashut Copper and use the mix to highlight the copper details.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 34

To paint the skin, mix Scale75 Instant Color Spectral Wolf about 2:1 with Contrast Medium and apply it over a Corax White basecoat [if you don’t have Spectral Wolf mix Stormvermin Fur with Contrast Medium to a wash-like consistency and apply two coats].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 35

Apply soft highlights with thinned Reaper Master Series Leather White [or Pallid Wych Flesh].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 36

Basecoat the blades with Vallejo Model Air Steel [or Stormhost Silver].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 37

Mix Gryph-charger Grey about 1:1 with Contrast Medium and apply it all over the silver.

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 38

Finally, drybrush the silver blades with Vallejo Model Air Steel [or Stormhost Silver].

Tutorial: How to paint "The Blooded" Chaos Traitor Guardsmen - step 39

Paint the trim of the base with your preferred colour, I used Warpaints Matt Black.

Once the paint job is complete, seal the model with a coat of matt varnish. I used japanese brand Mr Top Coat Premium Flat, which is my favourite spray matt varnish. A while ago I compiled a list of my favourite matt varnishes (spray, airbrush & brush-on) for every budget, check it out here.


Finished model & paint list

Traitor Guardsman with Flamer from Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress, front view, painted by Stahly

Here we have the finished Traitor Guardsman from my tutorial. As I mentioned at the beginning, this scheme is easily adaptable to Chaos Cultists (check out our review of the new set here) and even regular Astra Militarum guardsmen. Also check out Garfy’s tutorial for a more classical approach to painting Chaos Cultists:

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Warhammer Quest players might know that this Traitor Guardsman model comes actually from the Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress set and is now out of production, but The Blooded Traitor Guardsmen kit from Kill Team: Moroch follows the same aesthetics and comes with all available special weapons such as a flamer, grenade launcher, meltagun, plasma gun, and sniper rifle. I’m sure The Blooded will soon get a separate release, probably alongside Kill Team: Into the Dark. It’s a really amazing Traitor Guard kit with lots of assembly options and over 40 (!) heads to choose from.

Traitor Guardsman with Flamer from Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress, back view, painted by Stahly

If you can’t wait for a separate release and want to have your own squad of Traitor Guardsmen, the Kill Team: Moroch box set should still be available from our partner stores Wayland Games, Element Games and Taschengelddieb with up to 20% discount at the time of writing:

Paints you will need for this tutorial:

If you need to expand your paint collection to follow the tutorial, check out our partner stores Wayland Games and Element Games, which offer an amazing range of paints at a discount.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If so, leave a comment or reaction below, and if you got any questions, leave them here so I can answer them for you.

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