diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs
index 7dfdea53e4..746962132f 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Text;
 using IjwFramework.Types;
+using System.Drawing;
 
 namespace OpenRa.Game
 {
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 	{
 		const int logLength = 10;
 
-		public List<Pair<string, string>> recentLines = new List<Pair<string, string>>();
+		public List<Tuple<Color, string, string>> recentLines = new List<Tuple<Color, string, string>>();
 		public string typing = "";
 		public bool isChatting = false;
 
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			if (isChatting && typing.Length > 0)
 			{
 				Game.controller.AddOrder(Order.Chat(Game.LocalPlayer, typing));
-				AddLine(Game.LocalPlayer.PlayerName, typing);
+				AddLine(Game.LocalPlayer, typing);
 			}
 
 			typing = "";
@@ -37,9 +38,26 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 				typing += c;
 		}
 
-		public void AddLine(string from, string text)
+		static readonly Color[] paletteColors =
 		{
-			recentLines.Add(Pair.New(from, text));
+			Color.FromArgb(228, 200, 112),
+			Color.FromArgb(56, 72, 125),
+			Color.FromArgb(238, 0, 0),
+			Color.FromArgb(198,97,0),
+			Color.FromArgb(28,109,97),
+			Color.FromArgb(153,76,53),
+			Color.FromArgb(76,101,60),
+			Color.FromArgb(133,113,101),
+		};
+
+		public void AddLine(Player p, string text)
+		{
+			AddLine(paletteColors[p.Palette], p.PlayerName, text);
+		}
+
+		public void AddLine(Color c, string from, string text)
+		{
+			recentLines.Add(Tuple.New(c, from, text));
 			Game.PlaySound("rabeep1.aud", false);
 			while (recentLines.Count > logLength) recentLines.RemoveAt(0);
 		}
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
index f21d274ebf..21f1d271e2 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			var chatpos = new int2( 400, Game.viewport.Height - 20 );
 
 			if (Game.chat.isChatting)
-				RenderChatLine(Pair.New("Chat:", Game.chat.typing), chatpos);
+				RenderChatLine(Tuple.New(Color.White, "Chat:", Game.chat.typing), chatpos);
 
 			foreach (var line in Game.chat.recentLines.AsEnumerable().Reverse())
 			{
@@ -138,11 +138,11 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			}
 		}
 
-		void RenderChatLine(Pair<string, string> line, int2 p)
+		void RenderChatLine(Tuple<Color, string, string> line, int2 p)
 		{
-			var size = renderer.MeasureText(line.First);
-			renderer.DrawText(line.First, p, Color.Red);
-			renderer.DrawText(line.Second, p + new int2(size.X + 10, 0), Color.White);
+			var size = renderer.MeasureText(line.b);
+			renderer.DrawText(line.b, p, line.a);
+			renderer.DrawText(line.c, p + new int2(size.X + 10, 0), Color.White);
 		}
 
 		string currentTab = "Building";
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs b/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs
index 795427c9c4..43b49d29a3 100755
--- a/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ using System.Linq;
 using IjwFramework.Types;
 using OpenRa.Game.GameRules;
 using OpenRa.Game.Traits;
+using System.Drawing;
 
 namespace OpenRa.Game
 {
@@ -99,30 +100,30 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 				}
 			case "Chat":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName + ":", order.TargetString);
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player, order.TargetString);
 					break;
 				}
 			case "ToggleReady":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is " + order.TargetString );
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player, "is " + order.TargetString );
 					break;
 				}
 			case "AssignPlayer":
 				{
 					Game.LocalPlayer = order.Player;
-					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now YOU.");
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player, "is now YOU.");
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetName":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now known as " + order.TargetString);
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player, "is now known as " + order.TargetString);
 					order.Player.PlayerName = order.TargetString;
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetRace":
 				{
 					order.Player.Race = order.TargetString == "0" ? Race.Soviet : Race.Allies;
-					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now playing {0}".F(order.Player.Race));
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player, "is now playing {0}".F(order.Player.Race));
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetLag":
@@ -130,24 +131,24 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 					int lag = int.Parse(order.TargetString);
 					if (Game.orderManager.GameStarted)
 					{
-						Game.chat.AddLine("Server", "Failed to change lag to {0} frames".F(lag));
+						Game.chat.AddLine(Color.White, "Server", "Failed to change lag to {0} frames".F(lag));
 						return;
 					}
 
 					Game.orderManager.FramesAhead = lag;
-					Game.chat.AddLine("Server", "Order lag is now {0} frames.".F(lag));
+					Game.chat.AddLine(Color.White, "Server", "Order lag is now {0} frames.".F(lag));
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetPalette":
 				{
 					int palette = int.Parse(order.TargetString);
-					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "has changed color to {0}".F(palette));
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player, "has changed color to {0}".F(palette));
 					order.Player.Palette = palette;
 					break;
 				}
 			case "StartGame":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine("Server:", "The game has started.");
+					Game.chat.AddLine(Color.White, "Server", "The game has started.");
 					Game.orderManager.StartGame();
 					break;
 				}