Warhammer Beginner's Guide: Everything You Need to Get Started

Warhammer has been pulling people in for over 40 years — and it shows no sign of slowing down. The combination of painting, building, storytelling and strategic gameplay makes it genuinely unique: it's a hobby that rewards as much investment as you choose to give it, and is equally enjoyable for the person who paints one model every three months and the person who fields a fully painted army at tournaments.

But the entry point can feel overwhelming. Starter sets, core rules, battletomes, paints, primers, allegiances, points values — it's a lot. This guide exists to cut through all of it and give you a clear path from "I'm curious" to "I'm playing my first game."

Access Models has stocked Warhammer products since the early days, and our team in Newark-on-Trent has helped hundreds of new players find their feet. This is the guide we wish existed when we started.

👉 Browse our full Warhammer range

What Is Warhammer?

Warhammer is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop. The game is played on a table with physical models — typically plastic or resin miniatures — that you build from sprues and paint yourself. Players take turns moving their models, declaring attacks and rolling dice to resolve combat, following a ruleset that governs how the game is played.

It's one part chess (strategic positioning, list-building), one part arts and crafts (building and painting miniatures), and one part collaborative storytelling (the background lore, called "the narrative," is vast and deeply detailed).

Crucially, you don't need to paint to play. Many players use unpainted or partially painted models, particularly when learning. Painting is its own deeply satisfying hobby within the hobby — some players never actually play the game, they just build and paint. Both approaches are entirely valid.

The Two Main Games

Games Workshop currently produces two distinct Warhammer settings, and choosing between them is your first decision.

Warhammer 40,000 vs Warhammer: Age of Sigmar

Warhammer 40,000 (40K)

Warhammer 40,000 is set in a grimdark science-fantasy future: the 41st millennium. Humanity is locked in an eternal war against alien races, demonic forces and internal corruption. The aesthetic is gothic, brutal and deliberately over-the-top — power-armoured Space Marines, insectoid alien swarms, ancient robot warriors, daemonic forces of chaos.

Who is 40K for?

Players drawn to science fiction, military aesthetics, heavy metal aesthetics
Those who prefer combined arms warfare (infantry, tanks, aircraft, monsters)
People who enjoy richly detailed lore — 40K's background is enormous and extensively supported
The most popular Warhammer game globally, with the largest player community

Key factions in 40K:

Space Marines — humanity's elite genetically engineered warriors; the most popular and well-supported faction; excellent for beginners
Chaos Space Marines — fallen Space Marines corrupted by the Chaos Gods
Necrons — ancient skeletal robot warriors awakening after millions of years of sleep; very good for beginners due to straightforward rules
Orks — green-skinned alien warriors fuelled by violence and surprisingly brilliant primitive technology
Eldar (Aeldari) — ancient, elegant alien race with psychic powers and a declining civilisation
Tyranids — alien swarm organisms that consume all biomass in their path

Warhammer: Age of Sigmar (AoS)

Age of Sigmar is high fantasy — magical realms, gods made manifest, supernatural warriors and ancient dark forces. Think more Lord of the Rings than Aliens. AoS was introduced in 2015 as the successor to the original Warhammer Fantasy Battles, and has developed into its own rich setting.

Who is AoS for?

Players drawn to fantasy, mythology, and magical settings
Those who prefer the aesthetics of knights, monsters, spirits and sorcery
Players who want a game that's slightly easier to learn at the beginner level
Those who like building creative, narrative campaigns over tournament play

Key factions in AoS:

Stormcast Eternals — armoured warrior-gods of lightning; the Space Marines of AoS, and the recommended starting faction for most beginners
Nighthaunt — ghostly undead spirits; exceptional miniature range and very atmospheric
Orruk Warclans — fantasy orcs in various flavours, from brutal to shamanic
Lumineth Realm-Lords — elegant elven warriors with magical and martial excellence
Ossiarch Bonereapers — constructed skeletal warriors of bone and dark magic
Slaves to Darkness — mortal warriors dedicated to the Chaos Gods

Which should you choose?

Honestly, choose the setting you find most compelling. Both games are well-supported, actively developed and have strong player bases. If you're torn, go to a local gaming club and watch a game of each. The miniature range you find most attractive is often the best guide — you'll be spending a lot of time building and painting these models.

Choosing Your First Army

Once you've chosen your setting, picking a faction is the most personal decision in the hobby. A few guidelines:

Follow the aesthetic. Genuinely. You will be more motivated to paint an army you find visually compelling, and motivation matters enormously when you're three hours into edge highlighting a cloak at 11pm.

Don't optimise immediately. The competitive meta changes frequently. An army chosen because it's "tier one" this month may be nerfed in the next points update. An army chosen because you love the look of it will always be enjoyable to collect and paint.

Consider the complexity. Some factions have relatively simple rules (Space Marines, Necrons, Stormcast Eternals) — good for learning the fundamentals. Others (Thousand Sons, Harlequins, Kharadron Overlords) have highly complex rules and interaction-heavy playstyles — best approached after you know the game well.

Consider the cost. Some armies are infantry-heavy (lots of cheap models, high unit count) and others are elite (fewer, more expensive models). An infantry army might cost more in total; an elite army requires more attention to individual model quality since you have fewer of them.

Start small. You don't need a full army to start playing. Many starter sets and combat patrol boxes give you enough models for an introductory game. Play with what you have before buying more.

Starting Sets and Where to Begin

Games Workshop produces several entry points, and it's worth knowing the difference.

Starter Sets (e.g. Leviathan for 40K, Dominion for AoS) — these are large boxed sets containing two armies, a rulebook, dice, range rulers and everything needed to play immediately. They represent significant value but are a large initial investment. Often better bought as a group with a friend — you each take one army from the box.

Combat Patrol / Vanguard Boxes — single-faction boxes containing a curated selection of models at a discount versus buying individually. Designed to give you a small playable force. Excellent starting point if you don't have a friend buying in simultaneously.

Getting Started Boxes — smaller, inexpensive entry sets with a handful of models plus a primer booklet. Good for testing whether you want to commit before spending more. Often include a small paint set.

Individual kits — specific units bought separately. Once you know what you want, this is the most targeted way to build your army.

For absolute beginners, our recommendation is a Combat Patrol / Vanguard box for your chosen faction, a set of core paints (see below) and the full rulebook for your game. This gives you models to build, paint and play with, at a manageable upfront cost.

👉 Browse Citadel paints and hobby supplies

Essential Tools & Paints

You don't need much to get started — but the right tools make the difference between a frustrating and an enjoyable experience.

Tools

Plastic clippers (side cutters) — essential for removing models from sprues without damaging them. Do not try to pull models off by hand. Buy a proper pair.

Hobby knife (e.g. X-Acto or similar) — for cleaning mould lines from models before painting. Mould lines are faint raised lines left by the casting process; removing them dramatically improves the final painted result.

Plastic model glue — Citadel Plastic Glue or similar. Polystyrene cement bonds plastic parts chemically (dissolves and re-fuses the plastic) for a stronger joint than superglue for plastic-to-plastic connections. Use superglue (cyanoacrylate) for resin-to-plastic or metal-to-plastic joins.

Fine files and sandpaper — for smoothing joins and removing stubborn mould lines.

Painting handle or cork — hold your model while painting without touching the model itself; prevents fingerprints ruining your work.

Wet palette — keeps your acrylic paint workable for far longer. A game-changer once you start blending or wet-blending.

Paints

Citadel (Games Workshop's own paint range) is the most widely used and the most extensively supported with tutorials, painting guides and Warhammer TV video content. All paints in the Citadel range are designed to work together.

The key paint types to know:

Base paints — high-pigment, opaque paints for laying down the initial flat colours over primer. Apply first.
Shade paints (washes) — thin, ink-like paints that flow into recesses and shadow areas, adding depth and definition with minimal effort. Agrax Earthshade (brown) and Nuln Oil (black) are indispensable for beginners.
Layer paints — thinner paints for building highlights on top of base colours.
Dry paints — chalk-like consistency used for drybrushing — a technique that quickly adds highlights to textured surfaces. Very effective on fur, hair, stone and rough clothing.
Contrast paints — single-coat paints that shade and highlight simultaneously. Excellent for painting quickly and effective for large areas. Not a substitute for learning proper technique, but a very capable shortcut for certain applications.
Technical paints — specialist effects like cracked earth, blood effects, snow and rust.

Starting paint set: Aim for approximately 10–15 paints to start. You need: one or two base colours per model area (armour, skin, cloth, metal), Agrax Earthshade, Nuln Oil, and a highlight colour for each base colour. The Citadel Getting Started paint sets are curated for exactly this.

Primer

Prime every model before painting. Primer creates a surface the paint can adhere to — without it, paint rubs off easily, doesn't cover evenly and looks poor. Citadel Chaos Black spray is the standard primer for darker colour schemes. Wraithbone or Grey Seer are better starting points for brighter or contrast-based paint schemes.

Prime outdoors in dry, temperate conditions (10–25°C). Never prime in humidity or cold — the primer will craze or dry powdery.

Building & Painting Basics

Building Your Models

Plan before you glue — dry-fit parts first. Some models are easier to paint in sub-assemblies (e.g. paint the interior of a vehicle before gluing it closed; paint a model's face before gluing the arms on if they'll obscure it).

Remove from sprue carefully — cut next to the attachment point, then clean the remaining nub with a knife rather than cutting right at the model.

Clean mould lines — scrape gently along the line with the flat of a hobby knife. Takes 30 seconds per model but makes a significant difference to the final result.

Don't rush the glue — hold parts for 15–30 seconds after applying glue before moving on. Plastic cement takes a minute or two to fully cure.

Painting: A Simple Workflow for Beginners

Even with basic technique, following a consistent workflow produces solid results:

Prime — apply primer spray in thin, even coats from approximately 30cm distance.
Basecoat — apply base paints to all areas. Two thin coats rather than one thick coat; thick paint obscures detail.
Shade — apply a wash over the entire model or targeted areas. Let it dry fully (30–60 minutes) before continuing.
Layer — apply lighter highlight colours to raised surfaces, leaving the shade in the recesses.
Detail — pick out eyes, gems, insignia and special details with a fine brush.
Basing — finish the base with texture paint, static grass or other scenic materials to complete the model.

Don't attempt every technique at once. Master the basecoat/shade/layer workflow first — it produces perfectly presentable results and teaches you where paint needs to go.

Where to Play

Gaming Clubs

Local gaming clubs are the best way to get into Warhammer. Most towns of reasonable size have a club that meets weekly, welcomes new players and has members happy to teach beginners. The competitive scene is structured around Games Workshop's matched play points system; most clubs also run narrative campaigns and open play.

Search "Warhammer club [your town]" or ask at your local hobby shop. Many clubs have a WhatsApp or Facebook group for finding opponents.

Warhammer Stores

Games Workshop operates Warhammer stores in most major UK cities. They host regular gaming events, painting workshops and often welcome walk-in games. Staff are knowledgeable and the in-store painting advice is genuinely useful for beginners.

Home Gaming

You don't need a dedicated gaming table. A dining table cleared of other items is perfectly workable for most games. A 4×4 foot or 4×6 foot space is the standard for most game sizes. Terrain can be improvised with books, boxes covered in cloth, or printed paper terrain while you build a proper collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to start Warhammer?

A realistic starting budget for a small playable army is £80–£150: a Combat Patrol or Vanguard box (typically £50–£85), a primer spray (£12), and a set of 10–15 paints (£25–£40). You can go cheaper with individual starter boxes; you can spend significantly more if you jump straight to a full-sized army.

Do I need to paint my models?

No — unpainted or primer-only models are fine for casual play. However, most gaming groups prefer at least basecoated models, and fully painted armies are required at tournaments. Painting is also one of the most rewarding parts of the hobby once you get into it.

Is Warhammer hard to learn?

The core rules are simpler than many assume. A game of Age of Sigmar or 40K takes about 2–3 hours to play once you know the rules, and the basics can be learned in an hour. The complexity is in list-building, faction-specific rules and tactical decisions — this builds naturally over time.

What's the difference between Citadel and other brands of paint?

Citadel is the most widely supported for Warhammer specifically, with tutorials tied to specific paint names on Warhammer TV. Vallejo and Army Painter are equally capable paints with different ranges and sometimes better value. Any quality acrylic paint works fine for miniature painting.

How long does it take to paint an army?

Enormously variable. A 30-model infantry squad can take anywhere from 30 minutes (basic contrast technique) to 30+ hours (display quality). Most players aim for a "gaming standard" that looks good on the table at arm's length — achievable in 1–3 hours per infantry model for beginners.

Warhammer Beginner's Guide: How to Start