Citadel Layer Paints Explained: Altdorf Guard Blue vs Sons of Horus Green

Quick answer

Citadel Layer paints are not base paints with a different label. They are water-based, matt-finish paints formulated for crisp highlights and building up layers, so use them over a basecoat, thin them, and apply multiple coats. Altdorf Guard Blue and Sons of Horus Green are two examples that work best as highlight layers, not as a shortcut to a one-coat base.

Myth: Layer paints are just thicker base paints

The catalog describes Citadel Layer paints as formulated for crisp highlights and building up layers, with a smooth matt finish. That is a different job from basecoating. Treating a layer paint as a base paint often leads to uneven coverage and lost detail because you apply it too heavily.

Use a base paint first to establish the main color, then use layer paints to refine edges, pick out raised areas, and build gradual transitions. This is the practical meaning of layer vs base paint Citadel: they are steps in a sequence, not interchangeable pots.

Myth: You need special additives to thin layer paints

You do not need anything beyond water and a palette for normal thinning. Add water a little at a time until the paint flows without pooling, then apply thin coats. How to thin layer paints is mostly about patience: several thin passes give a smoother result than one thick pass.

Because these are water-based paints, over-thinning is easy to correct by adding a touch more paint. Under-thinning is the more common mistake and causes brush marks and obscured detail.

Myth: Layer paints give full coverage in one coat

Citadel layer paint coverage is intended for building up layers, not for hiding a dark base in a single pass. Expect to use more than one coat for a clean highlight, especially when going from a dark base to a lighter layer color.

This is a feature, not a flaw. Thin, buildable coats let you control the transition and keep the miniature's detail readable. If you need to block in a large area quickly, that is a job for a base paint.

Myth: Altdorf Guard Blue and Sons of Horus Green are interchangeable

Both are 12ml Layer paints with a water-based formula and smooth matt finish, but they serve different color schemes. Altdorf Guard Blue is a blue layer for highlighting blue armor and cloth, while Sons of Horus Green is a green layer for highlighting green schemes.

Choose based on the base color you are highlighting, not on which pot is closer. Using a green layer over a blue base will not give you a clean highlight; it will give you a muddy transition.

Verdicts on common layer paint claims

• Layer paints can replace base paints: False. Layer paints are formulated for highlights and building up layers, not for basecoating large areas. Start with a base paint. Keep one base paint on hand for each main armor color.
• You must buy a thinning medium: False. Water is enough for normal thinning; add it gradually and test on a palette. Thin to a milk-like consistency and apply multiple coats.
• One coat of a layer paint is enough for a highlight: Usually false. Citadel layer paint coverage is buildable; expect two or more thin coats for a clean, opaque highlight. Let each coat dry before adding the next.
• Altdorf Guard Blue and Sons of Horus Green do the same job: False. They are different colors for different schemes; pick the one that matches the base color you are highlighting. Match the layer paint to the base paint's color family.

Product facts

• Citadel Layer: Altdorf Guard Blue 12ml: 12ml pot of water-based Layer paint with a smooth matt finish, formulated for crisp highlights and building up layers. Use it over a blue basecoat to add controlled highlights without changing the underlying color.

  

• Citadel Layer: Sons Of Horus Green 12ml: 12ml pot of water-based Layer paint with a smooth matt finish, formulated for crisp highlights and building up layers. Use it to highlight green schemes; its matt finish keeps the final look consistent with other Citadel Layer paints.