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New editions of Warhammer 40,000 are always greeted by a fierce buzz of excitement. Whether you’re a complete newbie, a lapsed veteran, or a stalwart of the 10th edition with a dozen tournaments under your belt, changes to list building and detachments put us all on a level playing field once again. No matter how long you’ve played the game, we’re all reading the rules, clearing up misconceptions and edge cases, and waiting for Codices the same.
If the buzz at your local gaming store has you wanting to dip your toes into this expansive (and expensive) tabletop game, though, it can be difficult to know where to start. The books? The starter box? A trolley full of Space Marines boxes packed in like Roboute Guilliman into a Thunderhawk? You’ll get that joke, and have some understanding of where to begin with the hobby, by the end of this article. Promise.
Introductory Set
Games Workshop does a good job of packaging up a bunch of kits and advertising them to new players, and Warhammer 40k 11th edition is no exception. But are they actually a good deal? It depends on what you want and/or need.
The new Introductory Set box for Warhammer 40,000 offers the perfect intro if you don’t know whether this hobby is actually for you or not. You get six Space Marines and six Orks to build and paint, some cardboard terrain, a paper playmat, dice, a ruler, six paints and a brush. This is basically everything you need to start playing with the included simplified ruleset.
You could do a lot worse than splitting this box with a friend, picking the supersoldiers or xenos beasties, and sharing the rest to see if you both enjoy each element of Warhammer. It offers a significant saving over buying all these things individually, although you’d get more for your money elsewhere—bigger paint pots, a better quality brush, more miniatures, plastic terrain, etc. If you’re still deciding on whether this hobby is for you or not, though, you don’t need any of that.
My one qualm here is the paints offered. Green, blue, black, gold, silver, and brown are enough to get the basics on the Ultramarines and greenskins that are included, but I would have liked to have seen the three primary colours represented, as well as white. Games Workshop’s white paints aren’t great, but they’re decent enough for a beginner trying to mix a highlight. Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil would have been a nice addition, too, but washing is a slightly more advanced technique, so I understand its exclusion.
Overall, this is a good starting place if you don’t know whether the hobby is for you or not. It offers a basic version of every element of the hobby, and you don’t need to buy much more in order to get started. Clippers and glue are optional (but nice-to-have) with these push-fit minis, but it will be your next purchase along with another box of minis if you like what you see.
Getting Started Boxes
If you’re more certain about getting stuck in, Getting Started are bigger boxes aimed at players intent on starting an army. You can opt for a Combat Patrol of either Orks or Space Marines, and also get the paints and brushes required to get them to tabletop standard. I’m pleased to say that the paint selection is upped to 11 pots here, including a shade, but—unless you get really creative with the selection—you’ll still only be able to paint these minis the same colours as the box art.
Combat Patrol itself is a deeply flawed version of 40k, but these still offer relatively balanced forces and a decent start to a Space Marines or Ork force. The latter especially offers a fun selection of regular Boyz, cunning Gretchin, and colourful characters, but maybe I’m just bored with Space Marines at this point. If you do choose the Imperium’s poster boys, you’re treated to the new Vanguard Veterans and Land Speeder alongside new character sculpts and five standard Intercessors which will form the backbone of any force.
Again, if you’re intent on starting an Ork or Space Marine army, there are far worse options than these. However, if you want a little more control over your army composition or how you paint it, then buying units outright is a valid option, too.
Armageddon
The Armageddon box is 11th edition’s official starter set, but it’s not really aimed at beginners. That said, if you’re looking for a ton of cool, you guessed it, Orks or Space Marines and the rules for playing the game properly, then it’s got everything you need. Running at nearly $300, it’s no small commitment, but swapping the army you don’t want with a friend will either cheapen the deal or give you doubles of all the stuff you do want, which makes it more worthwhile.
Unfortunately, the physical rulebook is a little redundant, as some rules are only available online. The online version is free to download, but I much prefer flicking through the softcover pages to scrolling on my phone.
You don’t get any paints with Armageddon, but that means you’ve got the freedom to choose what colours your minis are. And, let’s face it, if you’re committing to picking up this many models to get started in the hobby, choosing your paints should be one of the more fun expenses you’re adding to your proverbial basket.
If you want to start an army that’s not Space Marines or Orks, you’re out of luck when it comes to official starter sets. However, the staff at your local gaming store will be more than happy to offer advice, and the pushy sales tactics of yesteryear are mostly gone these days. You’ll get more out of it than buying a prefab box or reading a random article online—although I do appreciate you sticking around here—and you might find a community of other like-minded players to join.
My personal recommendation? Despite my love of all things Mechanicus, I wouldn’t advise starting there. They’re fiddly to build, paint, and play, so, unless you too, have a devout relationship with Omnissiah, you’ll be better off with a simpler army to begin with. Read some lore, see which armies or characters stand out to you.
The undying Necrons have some great novels, and the T’au offer high-tech Gundam vibes if that’s your jam. Perhaps I need to pen an accompanying beginner lore primer to go alongside this. I guess you’ll have to wait until then to understand the Guilliman x Thunderhawk joke from the intro.
