[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-/guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":154,"date":155,"description":156,"extension":157,"heroImage":158,"intro":159,"lastUpdated":155,"marketEditions":160,"meta":161,"navigation":160,"noShopFooter":162,"path":163,"related":164,"seo":167,"shopSearch":168,"stem":169,"tags":168,"__hash__":170},"guides/guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners.md","Warhammer 40k for Beginners - How to Get Started",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":146},"minimark",[9,13,18,32,35,70,74,77,81,85,98,110,114,122,126],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Warhammer 40,000 can look impenetrable from the outside - a wall of armies, models and jargon. But getting started is straightforward, and you can be assembling and painting your first squad within a day. This guide covers the hobby side: picking an army and getting models painted. (For rules, your starter set's booklet and the official app are the place to go.)",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"step-1-pick-an-army-you-like-the-look-of","Step 1: Pick an army you like the look of",[10,19,20,21,25,26,31],{},"The single best way to choose a first army is simple: ",[22,23,24],"strong",{},"pick the one you think looks coolest."," You'll spend far more time building and painting than playing, so visual appeal matters most. Browse the ",[27,28,30],"a",{"href":29},"/factions","faction painting guides"," to see the signature look of each - and how hard each is to paint.",[10,33,34],{},"Good first armies tend to be ones that are forgiving to paint and quick to assemble:",[36,37,38,50,60],"ul",{},[39,40,41,44,45,49],"li",{},[22,42,43],{},"Necrons"," - metallic, drybrush-friendly, fast to a tabletop standard. See ",[27,46,48],{"href":47},"/factions/necrons","how to paint Necrons",".",[39,51,52,55,56,49],{},[22,53,54],{},"Space Marines"," - clean armour panels, the classic learning canvas. See ",[27,57,59],{"href":58},"/factions/space-marines","how to paint Space Marines",[39,61,62,65,66,49],{},[22,63,64],{},"Orks"," - forgiving, characterful, mess is a feature. See ",[27,67,69],{"href":68},"/factions/orks","how to paint Orks",[14,71,73],{"id":72},"step-2-get-a-starter-set","Step 2: Get a starter set",[10,75,76],{},"A boxed starter set is the cheapest, easiest entry point - you get models, paints, a brush and the basic rules in one box. From there, add a Combat Patrol or boxed unit for your chosen army.",[78,79],"box-products",{"ids":80},"orks-warhammer-40-000-starter-set,orks-warhammer-40-000-introductory-set",[14,82,84],{"id":83},"step-3-build-and-paint","Step 3: Build and paint",[10,86,87,88,92,93,97],{},"Assemble your models (clippers, mould-line removal, glue), then follow ",[27,89,91],{"href":90},"/guides/how-to-start-painting-miniatures","how to start painting miniatures"," for the basecoat-wash-highlight process. Pick your army's colours in the ",[27,94,96],{"href":95},"/tools/scheme-generator","scheme generator"," to get an exact paint recipe.",[10,99,100,101,105,106,49],{},"For the gear you need, see the ",[27,102,104],{"href":103},"/guides/miniature-painting-starter-kit","starter kit checklist",", and to buy below RRP, check our ",[27,107,109],{"href":108},"/retailers","discount retailers list",[111,112],"accessory-products",{"ids":113},"army-painter-precision-side-cutter,citadel-tools-mouldline-remover,tamiya-extra-thin-cement-40ml,army-painter-super-glue",[10,115,116,117,121],{},"Like your grimdark even grimier? The same skills transfer straight to ",[27,118,120],{"href":119},"/guides/trench-crusade-painting","painting Trench Crusade",", the mud-and-rust Great War skirmish game.",[14,123,125],{"id":124},"tips","Tips",[36,127,128,134,140],{},[39,129,130,133],{},[22,131,132],{},"Buy the army you find coolest"," - motivation beats meta when you're starting.",[39,135,136,139],{},[22,137,138],{},"Start small"," - paint one squad well before committing to a whole army.",[39,141,142,145],{},[22,143,144],{},"Use the tools"," - a scheme recipe and a faction guide take the guesswork out of your first models.",{"title":147,"searchDepth":148,"depth":148,"links":149},"",2,[150,151,152,153],{"id":16,"depth":148,"text":17},{"id":72,"depth":148,"text":73},{"id":83,"depth":148,"text":84},{"id":124,"depth":148,"text":125},"Getting Started","2026-06-28","A beginner's guide to getting into Warhammer 40,000 - picking your first army, what you need to start, and how to assemble and paint your first models.","md","/images/guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners.webp","Picking an army, what to buy, and getting your first models painted",true,{},false,"/guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners",[165,166],"how-to-start-painting-miniatures","miniature-painting-starter-kit",{"title":5,"description":156},null,"guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners","vgsp5tOK4I32EmrpPx7VhYEm0KVs-SvJf2A-4OtL2zs"]