Can you build a Warhammer 40,000 army? Yes! You absolutely can build a Warhammer 40,000 army. This guide will help you start strong and build a force you’ll love to play and look at.
Starting a Warhammer 40,000 army can feel like a huge undertaking. With so many factions, units, and rules, where do you even begin? This guide is designed to help you navigate the initial steps of Warhammer 40k army building, ensuring you create a beginner Warhammer 40k army that is both fun to play and a joy to paint. We’ll cover everything from choosing your first faction to planning your collection for the future, aiming for an optimal Warhammer 40k army list and a great Warhammer 40k army composition.
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Choosing Your First Faction: The Bedrock of Your Army
The most crucial first step in building your starting Warhammer 40k army is picking a faction. This isn’t just about picking the strongest units; it’s about finding a playstyle, aesthetic, and lore that resonates with you.
Delving into the Warhammer 40k Universe and Lore
Warhammer 40k army lore is deep and sprawling. Each faction has a rich history, unique motivations, and distinctive fighting styles. Before you buy a single model, spend some time exploring the different factions:
- Imperium of Man: Humanity’s vast, dogmatic empire.
- Space Marines: Genetically engineered super-soldiers, the poster boys of the franchise. They are diverse, with many Chapters having unique lore and units.
- Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard): The ordinary humans who fight against impossible odds with sheer numbers and artillery.
- Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle): Devout warriors who wield faith and firepower.
- Adeptus Mechanicus: Tech-priests and their robotic armies, dedicated to machine worship.
- Imperial Knights: Giant walking war machines piloted by noble houses.
- Chaos: The sworn enemies of the Imperium, corrupted by dark gods.
- Chaos Space Marines: Traitor legions of Space Marines.
- Chaos Daemons: Entities from the Warp, manifesting as terrifying creatures.
- Chaos Knights: Corrupted versions of Imperial Knights.
- Xenos: Alien races that inhabit the galaxy.
- Aeldari (Eldar): An ancient, sophisticated race with psychic powers and fast-moving forces.
- Dark Eldar (Drukhari): Sadistic raiders who dwell in the webway.
- Orks: Green-skinned aliens who love fighting and destruction.
- Tyranids: A ravenous swarm from beyond the galaxy, seeking to consume all life.
- T’au Empire: A technologically advanced race with a philosophy of the “Greater Good.”
- Necrons: Ancient robotic skeletons reawakening from millennia of slumber.
- Genestealer Cults: Subversive cults that infiltrate other societies, preparing for the Tyranid swarm.
- Leagues of Votann: Space-faring, clone-raising descendants of ancient human explorers.
How to research:
- Games Workshop Website: The official source for lore snippets, faction overviews, and beautiful artwork.
- Warhammer 40,000 Lexicanum: A comprehensive fan-made wiki with detailed information on every aspect of the lore.
- YouTube Channels: Many creators make excellent lore videos and faction reviews.
Consider Your Playstyle
Do you prefer to charge headfirst into combat? Do you like to control the battlefield with psychic powers? Or do you prefer a well-oiled machine of ranged firepower?
- Melee Focused: Orks, World Eaters (Chaos Space Marines), Genestealer Cults.
- Ranged Focused: Astra Militarum, T’au Empire, Necrons.
- Balanced/Hybrid: Space Marines, Aeldari, Tyranids.
- Psychic Powers: Aeldari, Thousand Sons (Chaos Space Marines), Grey Knights (Space Marines).
The Aesthetic Appeal
What looks cool to you? Do you love the grim, gothic look of the Imperium? The brutal, primal nature of Orks? The sleek technology of the T’au? The terrifying chitin of the Tyranids? The visual aspect is a huge part of the hobby, and you’ll be spending a lot of time with these models.
Starting with a Combat Patrol: Your Gateway to the Army
Once you’ve chosen a faction, the best way to begin building your Warhammer 40k army is with a Combat Patrol box. These boxes are specifically designed as a beginner Warhammer 40k army starter set, providing a small, playable force straight out of the box.
What is a Combat Patrol?
Combat Patrols are curated boxes that contain a small number of models that form a legal, playable army detachment. They are designed to be a self-contained introduction to a faction, offering a taste of its units and playstyle.
Benefits of a Combat Patrol
- Cost-Effective: Usually cheaper than buying the models individually.
- Ready to Play: Provides a balanced force for small-scale games.
- Introduces Core Units: You’ll get key units that are fundamental to the faction.
- Building Block: A great starting point to expand upon.
Popular Combat Patrols (Examples)
| Faction | Combat Patrol Name | Key Units Included | Playstyle Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space Marines | Space Marines Combat Patrol | Intercessors, Hellblasters, Outriders, Lieutenant, Redemptor Dreadnought | Versatile, good shooting and melee. |
| Necrons | Necrons Combat Patrol | Warriors, Immortals, Canoptek Wraiths, Overlord, Skorpekh Destroyers | Resilient, good shooting, tough melee threats. |
| Orks | Orks Combat Patrol | Boyz, Gretchin, Warbiker, Beastboss, Meganobz, Nob with Waaagh! Banner | Aggressive melee, lots of bodies. |
| Tyranids | Tyranids Combat Patrol | Termagants, Hormagaunts, Ripper Swarms, Neurotyrant, Barbgaunts, Screamer-Killer | Swarming, aggressive melee and psychic presence. |
| T’au Empire | T’au Empire Combat Patrol | Fire Warriors, Pathfinder, Crisis Battlesuit, Commander, Kroot Carnivores | Ranged firepower, mobile and tactical. |
Note: Specific contents can vary as Games Workshop updates its product lines.
Expanding Your Force: Crafting a Competitive Warhammer 40k Army List
Once you have your Combat Patrol and have played a few games, you’ll start to get a feel for what you like and what your faction excels at. This is when you begin to think about building a more comprehensive competitive Warhammer 40k army.
Understanding Army Building Rules
- Points System: Games of Warhammer 40,000 are played with armies built using a points system. Each unit and upgrade has a point cost. You have a total points limit for your army (e.g., 1000, 1500, 2000 points).
- Detachment Rules: Your army is organized into Detachments, which provide specific rules and stratagems. The Core Detachment is standard, but factions have unique ones.
- Keywords: Units have keywords (e.g., INFANTRY, VEHICLE, PSYKER). Your army must adhere to these keywords for rules like army-wide buffs or detachment benefits.
- HQ/Character Support: Most armies require a certain number of HQ (Headquarters) or Character units to lead their forces.
Identifying Core Units and Synergies
Every faction has units that are considered its “core” or “staples.” These are the units that define the faction’s identity and are often essential for its success.
- What are the essential units for your chosen faction? Research online forums, watch battle reports, and ask other players.
- Look for synergies: Do certain units benefit from being near other units? (e.g., a Warlord granting re-rolls to nearby units, a psychic power buffing a specific unit type).
Building Towards an Optimal Warhammer 40k Army List
An optimal Warhammer 40k army list isn’t just about taking the most powerful individual units. It’s about creating a cohesive force that works together effectively.
- Balance: Consider a mix of objective holders, ranged firepower, melee threats, and support units.
- Mobility: Can your army get to where it needs to be on the board?
- Durability: Can your units survive enemy fire and attacks?
- Synergy: Do your units support each other?
- Counter-Play: Does your list have answers to common threats from other armies?
Example of Faction Synergy (Space Marines)
- Captain/Chaplain: Can provide auras that buff nearby Space Marine units (e.g., re-rolls of 1s to hit).
- Intercessors/Tactical Marines: Provide a solid core of objective holders and reliable shooting.
- Hellblasters: High-damage anti-elite/anti-tank shooting, but fragile. Best protected by other units.
- Redemptor Dreadnought: A tough, mobile platform for both shooting and melee.
The Best Warhammer 40k Army Composition
The best Warhammer 40k army composition is subjective and constantly changes with game updates (balance datasheets, new codexes). However, general principles apply:
- Focus on Objectives: The goal of Warhammer 40,000 is to score victory points, often by controlling objectives on the board. Your army needs units that can reliably move to, hold, and contest objectives.
- Command Point (CP) Efficiency: Characters often generate Command Points. Ensure you have enough characters to fuel your stratagems.
- Anti-Infantry vs. Anti-Tank: Most armies need a mix. You’ll face hordes of weak infantry and powerful, durable tanks.
- Scalability: Can your army perform well at different points totals?
Painting Your Warhammer 40k Army: Bringing Your Forces to Life
While rules and strategies are important, the visual aspect of your Warhammer 40k army is equally rewarding. 40k army painting is a skill that develops over time, but even basic techniques can make your army look fantastic.
Essential Painting Supplies
- Plastic Glue: For assembling plastic miniatures.
- Hobby Knife/Clippers: For removing models from sprues.
- Files/Sandpaper: For cleaning up mould lines.
- Primer: Essential for paint to adhere to the models. Available in spray cans or brush-on.
- Paints: Acrylic paints are the standard. Citadel, Vallejo, and Army Painter are popular brands.
- Brushes: A variety of sizes, with at least one fine detail brush and one medium brush.
- Palette: For mixing paints.
- Water Pot: For rinsing brushes.
- Varnish: To protect your painted models.
Basic Painting Techniques for Beginners
- Assembly: Clean mould lines with a hobby knife or file. Glue components together.
- Priming: Apply a thin, even coat of primer. This provides a base for your paints. Black, white, and grey are common choices.
- Base Coating: Apply the main colours to your models. Use thin coats to avoid obscuring detail. Two thin coats are better than one thick coat.
- Shading (Washing): Apply a dark, liquid paint (a “wash”) into the recesses of the model. This creates natural-looking shadows.
- Highlighting: Apply lighter shades of your base colours to raised areas. This makes the details “pop.” Drybrushing is a simple highlighting technique.
- Detailing: Paint smaller details like eyes, insignia, and weapon bits.
- Basing: Add texture and colour to the base of the model to represent terrain.
- Varnishing: Apply a coat of varnish to protect your hard work from chips and wear.
Developing Your Painting Scheme
- Faction Colours: Decide on your faction’s primary and secondary colours.
- Lore Inspiration: Base your scheme on the faction’s lore or a specific Chapter/Unit.
- Contrast: Use contrasting colours to make details stand out.
- Practice: Don’t be afraid to experiment! You can always strip paint and start again.
Mastering Warhammer 40k Army Strategies
Building an army is only half the battle; you also need to know how to use it effectively. Warhammer 40k army strategies are as varied as the factions themselves.
Understanding the Turn Structure and Phases
Each game turn is divided into distinct phases:
- Command Phase: Collect Command Points, start any abilities.
- Movement Phase: Move your units.
- Psychic Phase: Psychic units attempt to manifest powers.
- Shooting Phase: Units with ranged weapons fire.
- Charge Phase: Units attempt to charge into melee.
- Fight Phase: Units that charged or were charged fight in melee.
- Morale Phase: Units that lost models in the Fight phase may suffer additional casualties.
Key Strategic Concepts
- Objective Control: Always prioritize capturing and holding objectives.
- Board Control: Position your units to dominate key areas of the battlefield.
- Alpha Strike: A powerful first turn offensive designed to cripple the opponent before they can act.
- Attrition: Slowly wearing down the opponent’s army through consistent damage.
- Synergy in Action: Using unit abilities and buffs to maximize effectiveness.
- Deployment: Where you place your units at the start of the game is critical.
Learning From Experience and Other Players
- Play Games: The best way to learn is by playing. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
- Watch Battle Reports: YouTube channels often provide excellent demonstrations of Warhammer 40k army strategies.
- Join a Community: Local game stores or online forums are great places to ask for advice.
- Analyze Your Losses: What went wrong? What could you have done differently?
Showcasing Your Warhammer 40k Army
A Warhammer 40k army showcase is the culmination of your efforts. It’s a chance to display your painted models and share your passion with others.
Presentation Matters
- Clean Bases: Ensure your bases are tidy and thematic.
- Good Lighting: Take photos in good natural light or with a light box for best results.
- Clear Photos: Show your models from multiple angles.
- Tell a Story: Briefly describe your faction, painting scheme, and any special lore you’ve incorporated.
Community and Events
- Local Game Stores: Many stores host painting competitions or showcase events.
- Online Forums & Social Media: Share your work on platforms like Reddit, Instagram, or dedicated Warhammer forums.
- Tournaments: While focused on winning, many tournaments also have “Best Painted Army” awards.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: How much does a starting Warhammer 40k army cost?
A starter army, typically built around a Combat Patrol box and perhaps a character or two, can range from $70 to $150 USD, depending on the faction and specific models.
Q2: Can I mix units from different Space Marine Chapters?
Yes, you can! While each Chapter has its own unique characters and special rules, most generic Space Marine units can be fielded together. However, if you choose a specific Chapter for your army (e.g., Ultramarines), you’ll often get bonuses for fielding units that also have the “Ultramarines” keyword.
Q3: Do I need to paint my army?
No, you don’t have to paint your army. Many players start with unpainted armies. However, painting adds a significant layer of enjoyment and immersion to the hobby, and it’s highly recommended.
Q4: How do I know if my Warhammer 40k army list is competitive?
This is a complex question. A “competitive” list is one that is well-optimized for the current game rules and meta, has strong synergies, and can effectively execute a game plan. The best way to gauge this is by playing against experienced players, seeking feedback on your lists, and staying updated on game balance changes and common strategies.
Q5: What is the best Warhammer 40k army for beginners?
There isn’t one single “best” army. However, factions like Space Marines and Necrons are often recommended for beginners due to their straightforward rules, good core units, and accessible lore. Ultimately, the “best” army is the one that excites you the most!
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to building a strong, enjoyable, and visually impressive Warhammer 40,000 army that you can be proud of. Happy wargaming!