WW1 Blue sits in the blue family: dark in tone, muted in saturation, cool in cast. It builds a smooth gradient with Russian Blue underneath and Dark Admiralty Grey on the highlights, all in the Humbrol line. This color is somewhat distinctive: 2 brands offer a strong same-finish match, Two Thin Coats Faust Blue closest at 83 percent. Cross-brand swaps are adjust-on-model territory here, useful as a starting point rather than an exact replacement.
WW1 Blue equivalents in other ranges
WW1 Blue is awkward to replace. Treat the matches below as starting points for a mix rather than straight swaps.
Closest Two Thin Coats equivalent: Two Thin Coats Faust Blue, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.5).
AK Interactive's closest color: AK Interactive Rlm 83, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.0).
Nearest in the P3 Paints catalog: P3 Paints Gravedigger Denim, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.2).
Best Tamiya option: Tamiya Field Blue, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.4).
Worth knowing before you swap: Two Thin Coats Faust Blue runs slightly warmer and more muted, which shows most where the paint thins over raised detail.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Two Thin Coats
AK Interactive
P3 Paints
Tamiya
Scale75
The Army Painter
Citadel
Revell
Green Stuff World
Vallejo
Monument Pro Acryl
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Humbrol WW1 Blue?
The closest same-finish match is Two Thin Coats Faust Blue at 83% color similarity.
Is there a The Army Painter equivalent of WW1 Blue?
Yes. The closest The Army Painter option is Thunderous Blue at 75%, a same-finish match.
What color is WW1 Blue?
WW1 Blue is a dark muted blue with a cool undertone (hex #3B4E5D).
What do I highlight and shade WW1 Blue with?
Highlight WW1 Blue toward Dark Admiralty Grey and shade it down into Russian Blue, both Humbrol paints in the same finish family.