Best Warhammer Army for Beginners 2026
Picking the best Warhammer army for beginners is genuinely difficult — not because the choice doesn't matter, but because there are so many good options and no single "correct" answer. The right army depends on three things: what's easiest to paint, what you enjoy the look of, and what won't drain your wallet in the first month. This guide covers the top five armies we recommend to brand-new players in 2026, with honest advice on what each one is like to build, paint, and play.
The Honest Beginner's Framework
Before we dive in, here's the framework we use when recommending an army:
- Ease of painting — fewer colours, simpler schemes, and Contrast/Shade-friendly designs
- Cost to start — a Combat Patrol box should give you a playable force for under £50-60
- Availability of tutorials — YouTube paint guides, starter guides, community support
- Fun factor — does the army look cool to you? If you don't love the look, you'll never finish painting them
1. Space Marines — The Evergreen Beginner Pick
If someone tells you to start with Space Marines, they're not being lazy — they're being right. Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000) are the beginner army for very good reasons:
Why Space Marines?
- Simple colour scheme — most chapters are one or two colours. Ultramarines are blue and gold. Imperial Fists are yellow. Dark Angels are green. Pick a scheme, slap on a basecoat, shade, highlight edges, done.
- Excellent starter sets — the Space Marine Combat Patrol is packed with value. You get a Captain, Intercessors, Infernus Marines, and a Dreadnought. That's a legal list right there.
- Mountains of tutorials — type any chapter name into YouTube and you'll find dozens of paint guides. Citadel's own website has step-by-step colour recipes.
- Forgiving on the table — Space Marines are tough, have good stats, and are forgiving for new players learning the rules.
- Pick your chapter, pick your vibe — Blood Angels if you love red and gothic horror, Space Wolves if you want Norse warriors, Salamanders if you fancy green and fire.
Cost to Start
The Space Marine Combat Patrol retails around £50-55 and gives you a solid playable force. Add a Start Collecting box or a second Combat Patrol later to expand. Your total startup cost for a game-ready army: £80-120.
Browse our Space Marine range here.
2. Necrons — The Easiest Army to Actually Paint
If "easiest to paint" is your primary concern, Necrons win. Full stop. Here's why:
Why Necrons?
- Metallic basecoat — drybrush Necrons silver, wash with a dark shade, pick out the glowing green energy effects. That's a complete, good-looking army with minimal effort.
- Forgiving details — their robotic design means imperfect blending or messy edges look fine. They're supposed to look worn and ancient.
- Contrast paints work brilliantly — slap Contrast paints over a silver/bone basecoat and the shading does itself.
- Satisfying results quickly — beginners finishing their first squad of Necron Warriors feel genuinely proud of the result, which keeps motivation high.
Cost to Start
The Necron Combat Patrol is excellent value — Warriors, Immortals, a Plasmancer, and Scarab Swarms. Roughly £50. A complete beginner army (500-750 points) will cost around £80-100.
Check out our Warhammer 40,000 collection for Necrons and more.
3. Death Guard — For Those Who Love Grim and Gross
Death Guard are the bloated, plague-ridden traitor Space Marines of Nurgle, and they're an absolutely brilliant beginner army if the aesthetic appeals to you.
Why Death Guard?
- Designed for Contrast paints — Death Guard have masses of texture, pustules, rust, and organic detail that Contrast paints sink into beautifully. You can paint 10 models to a genuinely great standard in an evening.
- Colour scheme is incredibly forgiving — dirty off-white with rust, green, and brown. Mistakes look intentional. Weathering hides everything.
- Great value starter — Death Guard Combat Patrol is one of the best-value starter sets in 40K, with a Daemon Prince, Plague Marines, Poxwalkers, and a Biologus Putrifier.
- Unique playstyle — slow, tough, and terrifying. If you want an army that grinds the enemy down, Death Guard delivers.
Cost to Start
Combat Patrol: ~£55. Expect to spend £90-130 for a full beginner army.
4. Orks — For Players Who Want to Have Fun
Orks are, objectively, the most fun army in Warhammer 40,000. They're also surprisingly beginner-friendly for a specific type of hobbyist.
Why Orks?
- No such thing as a mistake — Orks are green, brown, metal, and rusty. Mess up a highlight? It's battle damage. Wrong colour? Some Ork painted it wrong on purpose. The hobby forgives everything.
- Loads of character — every model has a unique face, weapon, or pose. Painting 30 Boyz is never boring because every one is different.
- Horde army — Orks need numbers, which means a higher model count than other armies. This is a con for your wallet but a pro for painting practice.
- Lore and personality — if you can't enjoy painting Orks, you might not enjoy painting full stop.
Cost to Start
Ork Combat Patrol gives you a Warboss in Mega Armour, Boyz, Deffkoptas, and Gretchin. About £55. Budget £100-150 for a game-ready force given the model count.
5. Tyranids — Alien Horror Done Right
Tyranids are the alien swarm army of 40K — every model is a chitinous, bio-organic horror, and they're fantastic for beginners who want something visually striking that's also easy to paint.
Why Tyranids?
- Colour blocked scheme — carapace colour (purple, bone, red — your choice), skin colour, and claw/talon colour. That's it. Three colours, done well, looks amazing.
- Contrast paints are game-changing here — a bone basecoat with Skeleton Horde Contrast, a purple carapace with Shyish Purple Contrast, a quick drybrush. Genuinely fast to paint.
- Fantastic Combat Patrol — Termagants, a Winged Tyranid Prime, a Psychophage, and Ripper Swarms. Excellent range of units in one box.
Cost to Start
Combat Patrol: ~£55. Full starter army: £100-120.
Shop our full Warhammer 40K range and Age of Sigmar collection.
What About Age of Sigmar?
If fantasy battles appeal more than sci-fi, Warhammer Age of Sigmar is the alternative. Beginner-friendly picks for AoS in 2026:
- Stormcast Eternals — the fantasy equivalent of Space Marines. Golden armour, easy to paint, strong on the table.
- Nighthaunt — ghostly undead with a phenomenally simple colour scheme. White spray, Nighthaunt Gloom Contrast paint, done. One of the fastest armies to paint in any Games Workshop game.
- Flesh-eater Courts — ghouls and undead with lots of skin and bone, perfect for Contrast paints and easy highlighting.
Browse our Age of Sigmar collection.
Painting Supplies for Your New Army
Whatever army you choose, you'll need paints and tools. We recommend:
- Citadel Colour paints — designed specifically for Games Workshop miniatures
- Hobby tools — clippers, files, hobby knife, plastic glue
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest Warhammer army to paint for beginners?
Necrons are widely considered the easiest. A metallic basecoat, a dark wash, and glowing green energy effects are all it takes. Death Guard are a close second thanks to their forgiving texture and Contrast paint compatibility.
How much does it cost to start a Warhammer army?
A Combat Patrol box (£50-55) gives you a playable force. For a full beginner army ready for casual games, budget £80-150 depending on the faction.
Should I start with Warhammer 40K or Age of Sigmar?
Choose based on setting: 40K is science fiction, AoS is high fantasy. Pick whichever aesthetic excites you — you'll paint more models if you love the look of them.
What is a Combat Patrol and is it worth it?
A Combat Patrol is a faction-specific starter box giving you a small but legal army list straight away. They're excellent value compared to buying units individually and include a variety of unit types to learn with.
Ready to start your army? Browse our full Warhammer 40,000 range at Access Models with fast UK delivery.