This pretty much sums up the method, but I want to add that when I initially got the idea, I used an image map (wild camouflage pattern of colors you need) to color the population and 'projected' it through an extra camera. I still prefer this (and it might be good for others to know it works), as you can have a folder full of different tiles, choose one and most importantly, change the size and direction of projection onto the population. Just copy the population coordinates to the camera, then up the Y, and set the angle X to -90 degrees. Higher camera broadens the tile (of course, set the image map to repeat). The camera and image map can be set up outside the object, and used for several populations. Even by hanging a color adjust under the image map shader and link to that in another population.
Hopes this helps.
---Dune
