Baal Red vs Fire Red

How close are they?

ΔE 17.7, loose: different enough that you should pick on purpose. Fire Red is a little darker, much more muted, cooler than Baal Red. They are different kinds of paint: Citadel Baal Red is a one-coat contrast-style paint and Reaper Fire Red is an opaque base/layer paint, so they won’t behave the same on the model even where the colour is close.

Can I use Fire Red instead of Baal Red?

Not as a straight swap; see the closer alternatives below. Loose match (ΔE 18). Fire Red is a little darker, much more muted, cooler than Baal Red. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Baal Red instead of Fire Red?

The same difference applies the other way round: Baal Red is a little lighter, much more saturated, warmer.

ΔE is the colour difference between our two swatch estimates: under about 6 is close, over about 15 is loose. Real paints also differ in finish, coverage and how they thin, so test before you commit.