Crimson & Cobalt & Gray

Cobalt (medium, vivid — the Prussian infantry blue — the most vivid and the most immediately identifiable military blue in European history) and Gray (perfect neutral — the Prussian gunpowder, steel, and field equipment — the most industrially specific neutral in military history) create the most distinctively Prussian and the most militarily authoritative cool-neutral pair. Against Crimson's passionate Austrian hussar warm, this creates the most specifically Central European military history palette.

The palette is the visual world of 18th-century Central European military conflict — particularly the Seven Years' War (1756-1763 — the most globally significant military conflict of the 18th century — the first 'world war' in the sense that fighting occurred simultaneously on four continents — Europe, North America, South America, and Asia — involving Prussia, Austria, Russia, France, Britain, and their respective allies and colonial territories). The Central European military palette: the deep vivid crimson of the Austrian hussar uniform (the characteristic vivid crimson-to-scarlet of the most legendary Austrian light cavalry unit — the Esterhazy Hussars and the Kinsky Hussars — whose dramatically vivid crimson dolmans and pelisses were the most immediately striking and the most internationally admired cavalry uniforms of the 18th century); the medium vivid cobalt of the Prussian infantry uniform (the iconic medium, vivid Prussian blue — Preußischblau — the specific cobalt blue that was the defining color of the Prussian military machine — introduced in the early 18th century under Frederick I of Prussia and maintained through the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 as the most immediately recognizable and the most internationally famous military blue in European history); and the perfect medium gray of Prussian military materiel (the specific neutral, balanced gray of Prussian-manufactured gunpowder, the cast-iron artillery, the burnished steel of the Prussian bayonets — and ultimately the gray that became the German military uniform color in WW1 — Feldgrau — 'field gray' — reflecting the continuing Prussian military tradition).