Mordian Blue
Base
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The quintessential Ultramarines highlight — Calgar Blue is the go-to layer for edge highlights on blue armour.
The closest Calgar Blue equivalent is Ultramarine Blue (Army Painter) (ΔE 2.2).
For the Calgar Blue equivalent Vallejo, Flat Blue (70.962) (Vallejo Model Color) (ΔE 4.7).
The best Calgar Blue Army Painter equivalent is Ultramarine Blue (Army Painter) (ΔE 2.2).
The closest cross-brand equivalent to Calgar Blue in the current local catalogue is Ultramarine Blue from Army Painter (Delta-E 2.25).
Matches are computed from the local paint catalogue with Delta-E CIEDE2000. Lower values mean a closer visual match on the miniature.
Finish, opacity, flow, and bottle format are not captured by Delta-E alone. Test the substitute if the recipe relies on a specific behaviour.
Before adopting a substitute, check these points specific to this layer paint:
Calgar Blue is a layer paint from Citadel (Games Workshop). Its specific pigment load, drying behaviour, and finish set it apart from other paints in the same category, which is why a direct substitute needs to match more than just the colour value.
The closest Vallejo option is Flat Blue (70.962) (Delta E 4.69).
Yes, Calgar Blue is currently part of the Citadel (Games Workshop) range. Check local stock or equivalent alternatives if the pot is hard to source.
Check Delta-E, finish type, coverage, opacity, and behaviour over your chosen primer. Run a full test with one shade and one highlight pass before applying the substitute to an entire unit.
The quintessential Ultramarines highlight — Calgar Blue is the go-to layer for edge highlights on blue armour.
The closest Calgar Blue equivalent is Ultramarine Blue (Army Painter) (ΔE 2.2).
For the Calgar Blue equivalent Vallejo, Flat Blue (70.962) (Vallejo Model Color) (ΔE 4.7).
The best Calgar Blue Army Painter equivalent is Ultramarine Blue (Army Painter) (ΔE 2.2).
The quintessential Ultramarines highlight — Calgar Blue is the go-to layer for edge highlights on blue armour.
The closest Calgar Blue equivalent is Ultramarine Blue (Army Painter) with Delta E 2.2. For a Calgar Blue equivalent Vallejo match, Flat Blue (70.962) (Vallejo Model Color) with Delta E 4.7 is the closest pick. The best Calgar Blue Army Painter equivalent is Ultramarine Blue (Army Painter) with Delta E 2.2.
The closest Vallejo match is Flat Blue (70.962) (Vallejo Model Color) with Delta E 4.7.
The best Army Painter option is Ultramarine Blue (Army Painter) with Delta E 2.2.
As a layer paint, Calgar Blue is designed for smooth transitions and controlled highlights. The colour sits in the deep blue range, with medium coverage and semi-transparent opacity over dessus Macragge Blue.
Layer paints are more translucent than base paints by design. Calgar Blue builds colour gradually, which means a substitute must also layer well without going opaque too quickly or requiring too many coats.
For best results, thin Calgar Blue to moderate thinning and apply in multiple passes. A substitute that dries too fast or too matte will change how the glaze settles on the model.
The deep blue tone of Calgar Blue works best when layered from a darker base. Check that the substitute blends gradually without hard edges between coats.
Calgar Blue is commonly used for edge highlights and surface detail. A substitute with different thinning behaviour will alter how precisely you can place the highlight.
Macragge Blue, Hoeth Blue, Drakenhof Nightshade and Nuln Oil are common companions to this layer. They were chosen in the original recipe because their coverage, drying speed, and finish layer in the same workflow without forcing extra corrections.
A layer paint substitute only becomes trustworthy once it survives the same primer, shade, and highlight sequence as the original recipe.
Looking at the surrounding palette matters because a near match can still push the finished model warmer, colder, or flatter than expected.
That combination of colour distance, finish, and recipe context is what makes a layer paint substitute reliable on an actual miniature.
That combination of colour distance, finish, and recipe context is what makes a substitute reliable on an actual miniature.
A paint substitute only becomes trustworthy once it survives the same primer, shade, and highlight sequence as the original recipe.
Looking at the surrounding palette matters too, because a near match can still push the finished model warmer, colder, flatter, or glossier than expected.
That is why the page keeps the recommendation anchored to painting workflow instead of treating Delta-E alone as the final decision.
A useful equivalent page should also reduce buying mistakes: the closer colour is not always the safer option if the bottle dries glossier, covers faster, or behaves differently on large armour panels.