Your first Warhammer 40K army is a big commitment — financially, creatively, and in terms of hobby time. Get it right, and you'll be painting and playing with it for years. Get it wrong, and you'll have a half-finished grey army gathering dust while you envy someone else's Orks. This guide runs through every major faction with honest assessments of playstyle, difficulty, and cost to help you choose wisely.
Before You Choose: Three Questions
How do you want to play? Aggressively in your opponent's face, at range picking off targets, or a flexible combined arms approach?
How much time do you want to spend painting? Some armies are technically demanding to paint well; others look great with simple techniques.
What's your budget? Some armies are naturally cheaper to build than others due to model count and unit costs.
Keep these answers in mind as you read through the factions. The "best" army is the one you'll actually finish building and enjoy playing.
Space Marines
Lore: Genetically engineered superhuman warriors, humanity's greatest defenders. Organised into Chapters, each with distinct history, colours, and character — Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Dark Angels, and dozens more.
Playstyle: Versatile and resilient. Marines are tough, capable at range and close combat, and supported by a vast vehicle pool. They can be played aggressively or defensively. The broad range of Chapter supplements means you can tailor the playstyle significantly.
Painting difficulty: Low to moderate. Basic Space Marines look good with simple base colours and washes. Chapter-specific schemes can be elaborate, but the standard blue/red/black schemes are beginner-friendly.
Cost: Moderate. Marines are mid-cost per model but you won't need enormous quantities of them. A 1,000-point army is achievable for £150–£200.
Verdict: The best starter army for most new players. Excellent support, huge range, forgiving to learn with. Browse the Space Marines range at Access Models.
Chaos Space Marines
Lore: Former Space Marines corrupted by the Chaos gods. Split into four dedicated warbands — World Eaters (Khorne), Death Guard (Nurgle), Thousand Sons (Tzeentch), Emperor's Children (Slaanesh) — plus the broader Chaos Space Marines faction.
Playstyle: Aggressive and unpredictable. Chaos armies often excel at close combat and can debuff opponents. Each god-aligned faction has a distinct playstyle: World Eaters charge everything; Death Guard grind opponents down with resilience and mortal wounds; Thousand Sons cast powerful psychic abilities.
Painting difficulty: Moderate to high. Chaos models have more skulls, chains, and organic corruption details that reward careful painting. Death Guard in particular looks spectacular when painted well.
Cost: Moderate. Similar to Space Marines in price per model.
Verdict: Ideal if you prefer the dark aesthetic and want flavour baked into your army rules. Death Guard and Thousand Sons especially suit players who want a distinct gameplay identity.
Necrons
Lore: Ancient robotic beings who slept in stasis for 60 million years and are now waking up to reclaim the galaxy. Cold, implacable, and utterly alien in motivation.
Playstyle: Durable and relentless. Necron Warriors have a "Reanimation Protocols" ability that lets them return from the dead. They play a grinding, attrition-based game — hard to shift, methodical, dangerous at range.
Painting difficulty: Low to moderate. Metallic warriors look excellent with a simple silver/gold scheme plus a dark wash. Glowing green power sources add visual drama with minimal technical skill.
Cost: Good value. Necrons come in efficient box sets and the Indomitus starter set (when available) includes a strong Necron force.
Verdict: Excellent choice for beginners who want a forgiving army on the table and a forgiving army to paint. The aesthetic is striking and distinctive.
Orks
Lore: A self-reproducing fungal race of war-obsessed greenskins who believe anything can work if they're convinced it does. Ramshackle, loud, and brutally effective through sheer numbers.
Playstyle: Horde army — you'll have more models than your opponent and push them across the table as fast as possible. Orks are unpredictable and great fun to play, though less reliable than some factions due to random elements in their rules.
Painting difficulty: Low. Green skin, brown leather, rusty metal — Orks look fantastic with quick, dirty techniques. The aesthetic actively benefits from messy washes and dry brushing.
Cost: Higher total cost due to model count — you'll need 50–100 infantry for a competitive force. Individual models are cheap but you need a lot.
Verdict: Best for players who want a casual, fun game experience and enjoy painting lots of characterful models. Challenging to play competitively but enormously enjoyable.
Tyranids
Lore: An extragalactic swarm consuming all biomatter in its path. No individuals — only the Hive Mind directing an endless wave of evolved biological weapons.
Playstyle: Aggressive horde or elite monster-heavy lists. Tyranids reward players who enjoy controlling large numbers of units and syncing their abilities. Monster-heavy builds (multiple large creatures) offer a different, more elite approach.
Painting difficulty: Moderate. Chitin and alien flesh can be achieved quickly with washes over spray undercoats, but the range of options means more experienced painters can produce extraordinary results.
Cost: Moderate to high. Multiple monster models (Carnifexes, Hive Tyrants) are expensive, though they provide significant gameplay impact.
Verdict: Suits players who enjoy the alien aesthetic and don't mind tactical complexity. The visual impact of a fully painted Tyranid swarm is spectacular.
Tau Empire
Lore: A young, rapidly expanding alien empire built on cooperation between multiple species, driven by the philosophy of the Greater Good. Technologically sophisticated.
Playstyle: Shooting army. Tau excel at ranged combat and suffer in close quarters. They use layered firing lines, drones for protection, and mobile Crisis Suit teams to dominate mid-range. Very strong in competitive play.
Painting difficulty: Low to moderate. Clean armour panels with smooth gradients look great and suit methodical painters. Less organic texture than most factions.
Cost: Moderate to high. Tau army efficiency depends on Crisis Suits and vehicles, which are individually expensive.
Verdict: Excellent for methodical players who enjoy planning turns in advance. Not ideal for those who like close combat. Painting suits those who prefer clean lines over organic textures.
Aeldari (Eldar)
Lore: The dying remnants of an ancient spacefaring civilisation. Psychically gifted, fragile but extraordinarily skilled. Every death is an irreplaceable loss — making them ruthlessly efficient in combat.
Playstyle: Elite, fast, and precise. Aeldari units are individually fragile but hit hard and move fast. The faction rewards experienced players who can position carefully and exploit speed. High skill ceiling.
Painting difficulty: High. Aeldari models have fine details and smooth armour panels that highlight imperfections. Gemstones, wraithbone, and freehand squad markings take time to execute well.
Cost: Moderate to high. Elite model counts keep numbers manageable, but individual kits can be expensive.
Verdict: Recommend for experienced players who want a technical challenge. Not ideal for beginners — both the gameplay and the painting demand prior experience.
Combat Patrol Boxes: The Smart Starting Point
For any faction, the Warhammer Combat Patrol boxes are the best-value entry point. Each contains a curated selection of units that function as a complete small force, typically saving 25–35% against buying the same models individually. They're designed to play as a self-contained 500-point game out of the box.
Starting with Combat Patrol lets you try the playstyle before committing to a full 2,000-point force. Browse the full Warhammer 40K range at Access Models, or read the Warhammer beginner's guide for the next steps after choosing your faction.
Faction Comparison at a Glance
| Faction | Playstyle | Difficulty | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Marines | Versatile | Low | Moderate |
| Chaos Space Marines | Aggressive | Moderate | Moderate |
| Necrons | Attrition | Low | Moderate |
| Orks | Horde | Low | High (numbers) |
| Tyranids | Swarm/Monster | Moderate | Moderate–High |
| Tau | Shooting | Moderate | Moderate–High |
| Aeldari | Elite/Speed | High | High |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest 40K army for beginners?
Space Marines — versatile, forgiving, and easy to paint. Necrons are an excellent alternative if you prefer the undying robot aesthetic.
What is the cheapest army to start in Warhammer 40K?
Space Marines and Necrons, especially when started with a Combat Patrol box. Avoid Orks and Tyranids as a budget choice — the model count escalates cost quickly.
Which faction wins most in competitive play?
This changes with each edition update. In 10th Edition, Space Marines, Tau, and Aeldari have strong tournament showings. But at beginner level, faction balance matters less than learning the game.
Can I build multiple factions?
Yes — many players collect more than one army. Start with one faction, learn the game, then expand. Allies rules allow some faction mixing in certain game modes.
What do I need to buy to start playing 40K?
A Combat Patrol box for your chosen faction, the 40K Core Rules (free download), and the faction Index card for your army (available separately). That's enough to start playing immediately.