In the pot, Runic Cobalt reads as a cool blue, mid-tone and moderate. It builds a smooth gradient with Crystal Blue underneath and Phalanx Blue on the highlights, all in the The Army Painter line. Substitutes are thinner on the ground; Two Thin Coats Elysium Blue is the nearest same-finish option at 91 percent, with 2 brands in strong-match range. Expect a close but not identical result from a swap, so check it on the model before committing a whole unit.
Runic Cobalt equivalents, brand by brand
2 of the 9 brands with a mapped match get genuinely close to The Army Painter Runic Cobalt, though none is a clone. Brand by brand, the nearest colors are:
- Closest Two Thin Coats equivalent: Two Thin Coats Elysium Blue, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.8).
- Nearest in the Citadel catalog: Citadel Hoeth Blue, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.0).
- Best Monument Pro Acryl option: Monument Pro Acryl Grey Blue, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.6).
- From Vallejo: Vallejo Pastel Blue, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.7).
- Scale75's closest color: Scale75 Sky Blue, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 5.3).
- Nearest in the AK Interactive catalog: AK Interactive Lilac, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.6).
Worth knowing before you swap: Two Thin Coats Elysium Blue runs slightly more saturated and cooler, which shows most where the paint thins over raised detail.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Two Thin Coats
Citadel
Monument Pro Acryl
Vallejo
Scale75
AK Interactive
Green Stuff World
Humbrol
Tamiya
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 2 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to The Army Painter Runic Cobalt?
The closest same-finish match is Two Thin Coats Elysium Blue at 91% color similarity.
Is there a Citadel equivalent of Runic Cobalt?
Yes. The closest Citadel option is Hoeth Blue at 90%, a same-finish match.
What color is Runic Cobalt?
Runic Cobalt is a mid-tone moderate blue with a cool undertone (hex #5079A3).
What do I highlight and shade Runic Cobalt with?
Highlight Runic Cobalt toward Phalanx Blue and shade it down into Crystal Blue, both The Army Painter paints in the same finish family.