The Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set is worth buying if you want a compact fantasy-leaning palette with metallics built in from the start, and you are painting tabletop miniatures rather than scale models, since Game Color is Vallejo's line aimed squarely at wargaming rather than historical or automotive subjects. If you want a broader general-purpose palette for mixed projects, Vallejo's larger Model Color sets, covered on the Vallejo brand page, cover more ground for a similar bottle count.
What is in the Game Color Introduction Set?
SKU 72299 ships as 16 bottles at 18ml each, split between saturated game colors and metallics.
| Color | Category | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Elf Skin Tone | Base | Pale fantasy skin |
| Moon Yellow | Base | Bright saturated yellow |
| Gory Red | Base | Deep saturated red |
| Hexed Lichen | Base | Muted purple |
| Royal Purple | Base | Deep purple |
| Night Blue | Base | Near-black blue |
| Magic Blue | Base | Mid saturated blue |
| Jade Green | Base | Deep teal-green |
| Dead Flesh | Base | Sickly tan-green flesh |
| Plague Brown | Base | Warm mid brown |
| Dark Fleshtone | Base | Deep reddish brown |
| Charred Brown | Base | Near-black brown |
| Neutral Grey | Base | Balanced mid grey |
| Glorious Gold | Metallic | Bright warm gold |
| Hammered Copper | Metallic | Muted copper |
| Tinny Tin | Metallic | Pale tin-grey metallic |
Thirteen of the sixteen are straight fantasy-toned base colors and three are metallics, a wider metallic spread than most starter boxes from other brands manage in the same bottle count.
Coverage gaps
There is no wash in this box, so recess shading is a separate purchase, and there is no white or black among the 16, which is unusual for a starter set; Neutral Grey and Charred Brown cover the darkest end but you will want a true black and a true white early on for basecoating and mixing. There are also no green army-camo tones and only one true green, Jade Green, which leans teal rather than olive, so a nature or orc-themed army will need more greens than this box supplies.
Who this set suits
Painters starting a fantasy or sci-fi army who want metallics on day one without buying a separate metallic set will get the most out of this box. It also suits anyone already using Citadel paints who wants to add Vallejo's thinner, more consistent flow without committing to a full Model Color collection; run any color through the converter to see how it lines up against a Citadel or Army Painter equivalent before you buy duplicates.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your first project needs a true black and white more than it needs three metallics, since neither is included here. Skip it too if you are painting mostly greens and browns for a nature-themed army, since the box leans purple, blue, and red. Painters coming from Citadel who want a like-for-like starting point should check the Citadel to Vallejo conversion chart first to see which of their existing colors already have a close Vallejo match before adding this set on top.
Stock and price move on Amazon regularly, so check the current listing: Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set on Amazon(affiliate link).
FAQ
How many colors are in the Vallejo Game Color Introduction Set?
Sixteen 18ml bottles: 13 base fantasy tones and 3 metallics.
Does the Game Color Introduction Set include black or white?
No, neither pure black nor pure white is included, which is worth planning around for basecoating.
Is Vallejo Game Color the same as Vallejo Model Color?
No, they are separate lines. Game Color leans toward saturated fantasy tones for tabletop wargaming, while Model Color is a broader general-purpose range used across scale modeling and miniatures alike.
Can I mix Vallejo Game Color with Citadel paints?
Yes, both are acrylics and layer and wash over each other without issue. Check the Citadel vs Vallejo comparison for how the two ranges differ in consistency and handling.
Does this set include any washes?
No. You will need a separate wash for recess shading, from Vallejo's own wash line or another brand.