How to paint Juggernauts of Khorne
How to Paint a Juggernaut of Khorne
Juggernauts of Khorne are some of the most visually striking models in the Chaos Daemons range—massive brass war-beasts with glowing heat and battle-worn metal. Getting that mix of aged bronze and internal fire right is what really brings the model to life on the tabletop.
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In Warhammer lore, these daemon engines are part machine, part daemon, forged from brass and bronze with fire running through their veins. In this guide, I’ve aimed to capture that look using layered metallics and strong red and orange tones to create a convincing, fiery finish.
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Priming Sprays:
- Steelforge Silver Spray (Amazon Affiliate link)
Paints required:
- Black Templar
- Leadbelcher
- Ironbreaker
- Warplock Bronze
- Agrax Earthshade
- Brass Scorpion
- Runelord Brass
- Retributor Armour
- Reikland Fleshshade Gloss
- Balthasar Gold
- Sycorax Bronze
- Stormhost Silver
- Skullcrusher Brass
- Mephiston Red
- Evil Suns Scarlet
- Wild Rider Red
- Trollslayer Orange
Paints Required for extra details:
- Fire Dragon Bright
- Yriel Yellow
- White Scar
- Iyanden Yellow
- Lahmian Medium
Step 1 – Undercoat
The miniature was undercoated with Leadbelcher spray. Starting with a metallic undercoat helps unify the overall finish of the model and provides a solid base for all subsequent metallic layers.
Step 2 – Painting the Iron Areas
The exposed mechanical and iron sections, such as chainmail and pistons, were painted using Black Templar. This contrast paint provides a darker, more controlled finish than a standard wash, naturally settling into recesses.
Once dry, these areas were drybrushed first with Leadbelcher, followed by a lighter drybrush of Ironbreaker to pick out edges and define the detail.
Step 3 – Basecoating the Armour Panels
The armour panels were painted with Warplock Bronze, applying two thin coats to achieve a smooth, even finish. Once dry, the panels were washed with Agrax Earthshade to deepen the shadows and enrich the tone.
Step 4 – Building the Metallic Highlights
The panels were drybrushed with Brass Scorpion, using a circular motion working outward from the centre of each panel. This creates a natural transition and avoids harsh edges.
This process was repeated with Runelord Brass, but applied more selectively toward the centre of each panel to build up a layered metallic effect.
Step 5 – Painting and Shading the Trim
The trim of the armour was picked out with Retributor Armour. Once dry, it was shaded using Reikland Fleshshade Gloss, which provides a richer and smoother finish than the standard shade.
Step 6 – Adding Variation with the Collar
To introduce additional visual interest, the collar was painted with Balthasar Gold and shaded with Agrax Earthshade. This slight shift in tone helps create focal points and ties into the established Khorne aesthetic.
Step 7 – Highlighting Details
The collar was drybrushed with Sycorax Bronze, followed by a fine edge highlight using a 2:1 mix of Sycorax Bronze and Stormhost Silver.
The armour trim was drybrushed with Skullcrusher Brass, then edge highlighted with a 1:2 mix of Stormhost Silver and Skullcrusher Brass.
The teeth were highlighted with Stormhost Silver to give them a sharp, metallic finish.
Step 8 – Painting the Eyes
The eyes were painted with Mephiston Red, then built up with progressively smaller dots of Evil Suns Scarlet, Wild Rider Red, and finally Trollslayer Orange. This creates the effect of a fiery glow, suggesting heat within the creature.
Step 9 – Painting Fiery Runes (Optional Detail)
For Juggernauts with carved runes, these were painted with Mephiston Red and then built up using thin glazes. Each glaze consisted of roughly 1part paint to 3 parts water, and was applied more narrowly toward the centre of each rune.
The colour progression was::
- Evil Suns Scarlet,
- Wild Rider Red,
- Trollslayer Orange,
- Fire Dragon Bright,
- Yriel Yellow,
- a 1:1 mix of Yriel Yellow and White Scar,
- and finally Iyanden Yellow thinned with Lahmian Medium rather than water.
Each layer was allowed to dry fully before applying the next to maintain smooth transitions.
Final Thoughts
Painting a Juggernaut primarily using metallics creates a distinctive finish that helps it stand apart from the rest of a Khorne army. While many Khorne units are dominated by reds, this approach emphasises the mechanical and daemon-forged nature of the creature, while still incorporating subtle heat effects through careful use of colour.
When painting an army, it is important to balance cohesion with contrast so that units feel connected while still maintaining individual character.
Related Articles
- How to Paint Blades of Khorne - Complete guide
- How to Paint Steeds of Slaanesh
Discussion
How do you approach painting metallic-heavy miniatures? Do you prefer layering, washes, or drybrushing techniques?
I would be very interested to hear what methods have worked for you, particularly when trying to create contrast across large metallic surfaces. Feel free to share your thoughts and tips in the comments.
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