[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-/guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":138,"date":139,"description":140,"extension":141,"heroImage":142,"intro":143,"lastUpdated":139,"meta":144,"navigation":145,"path":146,"related":147,"seo":150,"shopSearch":151,"stem":152,"tags":151,"__hash__":153},"guides/guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners.md","Warhammer 40k for Beginners - How to Get Started",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":130},"minimark",[9,13,18,32,35,70,74,77,81,94,106,110],[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.",[14,78,80],{"id":79},"step-3-build-and-paint","Step 3: Build and paint",[10,82,83,84,88,89,93],{},"Assemble your models (clippers, mould-line removal, glue), then follow ",[27,85,87],{"href":86},"/guides/how-to-start-painting-miniatures","how to start painting miniatures"," for the basecoat-wash-highlight process. Pick your army's colours in the ",[27,90,92],{"href":91},"/tools/scheme-generator","scheme generator"," to get an exact paint recipe.",[10,95,96,97,101,102,49],{},"For the gear you need, see the ",[27,98,100],{"href":99},"/guides/miniature-painting-starter-kit","starter kit checklist",", and to buy below RRP, check our ",[27,103,105],{"href":104},"/retailers","discount retailers list",[14,107,109],{"id":108},"tips","Tips",[36,111,112,118,124],{},[39,113,114,117],{},[22,115,116],{},"Buy the army you find coolest"," - motivation beats meta when you're starting.",[39,119,120,123],{},[22,121,122],{},"Start small"," - paint one squad well before committing to a whole army.",[39,125,126,129],{},[22,127,128],{},"Use the tools"," - a scheme recipe and a faction guide take the guesswork out of your first models.",{"title":131,"searchDepth":132,"depth":132,"links":133},"",2,[134,135,136,137],{"id":16,"depth":132,"text":17},{"id":72,"depth":132,"text":73},{"id":79,"depth":132,"text":80},{"id":108,"depth":132,"text":109},"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,"/guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners",[148,149],"how-to-start-painting-miniatures","miniature-painting-starter-kit",{"title":5,"description":140},null,"guides/warhammer-40k-for-beginners","PJ8Bm8_qLn0HpC6-KuH55816Du1tRqXGn42B4z0vNN8"]