Color-wise this is a vivid, mid-tone red leaning warm. Within the Citadel range it ladders cleanly, Blood Angels Red for the shadows and Gryph-Hound Orange for the highlights. Baal Red is a bit distinctive: no other brand carries a strong same-finish match, though Revell Red Clear comes nearest at 84 percent. Any substitute is a mixing base rather than a drop-in, so tune it on the model.
Baal Red equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches Citadel Baal Red cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest Revell equivalent: Revell Red Clear, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.2).
Nearest in the Humbrol catalog: Humbrol Clear Red, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.5).
Best The Army Painter option: The Army Painter Poppy Red, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.7).
From Tamiya: Tamiya Clear Red, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.6).
The honest caveat: Revell Red Clear dries clearly warmer and more saturated than Baal Red, so expect recess shading and edge highlights to shift with it.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Revell
Humbrol
The Army Painter
Tamiya
Vallejo
Scale75
AK Interactive
Two Thin Coats
Green Stuff World
Monument Pro Acryl
P3 Paints
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
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Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Citadel Baal Red?
The closest same-finish match is Revell Red Clear at 84% color similarity.
Is there a The Army Painter equivalent of Baal Red?
Yes. The closest The Army Painter option is Poppy Red at 77%, a same-finish match.
Is Baal Red a one-coat paint?
Baal Red is a contrast paint, made to basecoat and shade in a single pass over a light primer. One coat drops color into the recesses and leaves the raised areas brighter; a second coat deepens the tone if you want it richer.
What do I highlight and shade Baal Red with?
Highlight Baal Red toward Gryph-Hound Orange and shade it down into Blood Angels Red, both Citadel paints in the same finish family.