Beginner’s Guide to Warhammer 40,000 Armies (2025 Edition)
Beginner’s Guide to Warhammer 40,000 Armies (2025 Edition)
Starting Warhammer 40,000 can feel like stepping into a galaxy of options. This beginner’s guide breaks down the major factions—what they’re like to play, how hard they are to paint, rough model counts, and clear first‑steps—so you can choose an army that fits your style, your schedule, and your budget. Whether you want elite super‑soldiers, swarming hordes, or high‑tech railguns, there’s a faction for you.
How to Pick an Army (Fast Decision Framework)
- Playstyle: Do you prefer durable units and straightforward gameplay, or tricky mobility and finesse?
- Model Count: Fewer elite models = faster to paint and transport. Large hordes = spectacular table presence and board control.
- Budget & Time: Elite forces often cost more per model but need fewer purchases. Hordes are cheaper per model but require more painting hours.
- Hobby Feel: Do you want clean, sci‑fi armor panels, ornate gothic detail, or organic chitin and claws?
- Expansion Path: An army with many unit choices grows with you—great if you like trying different lists without changing factions.
At‑a‑Glance: Beginner‑Friendliness by Faction
| Faction | Playstyle | Model Count | Painting Difficulty | Beginner Ease |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Marines | Durable all‑rounders | Low–Medium | Easy–Medium | Very High |
| Necrons | Durable, simple game plan | Low–Medium | Easy | Very High |
| Orks | Aggressive melee, hordes | Medium–High | Easy–Medium | High |
| T’au Empire | Shooting & mobility | Low–Medium | Medium | High |
| Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) | Combined arms, tanks | Medium | Medium | High |
| Adeptus Custodes | Elite few models | Low | Medium (metallics) | High |
| Grey Knights | Elite psychic marines | Low | Medium | High |
| Chaos Space Marines | All‑rounders with spikes | Low–Medium | Medium | High |
| Tyranids | Board control, swarms | Medium–High | Easy–Medium | Medium–High |
| Aeldari (Craftworlds) | Fast, finesse | Low–Medium | Medium–Hard | Medium |
| Genestealer Cults | Ambush tricks | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Leagues of Votann | Durable shooting | Low–Medium | Medium | High |
| Adepta Sororitas | Close‑range faith & fire | Medium | Medium (iconography) | Medium–High |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Shooting & synergies | Medium | Medium–Hard (details) | Medium |
| Drukhari | Glass‑cannon raids | Low–Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Chaos Daemons | Melee and tricks | Low–Medium | Easy–Medium | Medium–High |
The Imperium (Humanity’s Armies)
Space Marines
Why beginners love them: Tough, forgiving units and a little bit of everything—infantry, tanks, dreadnoughts, and solid characters. You can try multiple playstyles within one collection.
- Playstyle: Flexible. Hold objectives, shoot efficiently, and counter‑charge with elite units.
- Model count: Low–Medium. You’ll field fewer, sturdier models than horde armies.
- Painting: Smooth armor panels are easy to batch; chapter colors make your force feel personal.
- First steps: Start with a core of troops, a character, a dreadnought or tank, and one fast element (jump or bikes). Add specialized units later.
Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard)
Why beginners love them: Iconic tanks and classic infantry platoons. Simple game plan: bodies on points, artillery/mortars for pins, and armored pushes.
- Playstyle: Combined arms and board control.
- Model count: Medium. More infantry than Marines, fewer than true hordes.
- Painting: Fast recipes: khaki/olive fatigues, armored hulls, dust and mud.
- First steps: Two infantry squads, command, a tank (Leman Russ), and a mortar team. Expand with artillery or a second Russ.
Adeptus Custodes
Why beginners love them: Low model count, elite durability, and straightforward gameplay—perfect if you want to paint fewer models to a high standard.
- Playstyle: Elite objective bullies with strong melee.
- Model count: Low.
- Painting: Metallics plus rich robes; time per model is higher, but there are fewer of them.
- First steps: Shield‑captain, 2–3 squads of Custodian Guard/Wardens, and a jetbike unit or Dreadnought.
Adepta Sororitas (Sisters of Battle)
Why beginners consider them: Powerful short‑range shooting and durable infantry, backed by faith‑driven abilities.
- Playstyle: Mid‑board control; punish at close range.
- Model count: Medium.
- Painting: Black/white/red schemes look great with simple edge highlights and gold trim.
- First steps: Battle Sisters core, a Canoness, a Paragon or Retributor unit, and a Rhino for mobility.
Grey Knights
Why beginners consider them: Elite psykers with storm bolters and force weapons—play a low‑model, high‑impact army.
- Playstyle: Elite infantry trading and teleport tricks.
- Model count: Low.
- Painting: Silvers with blue or red spot colors—looks premium with modest effort.
- First steps: Grand Master/Librarian, two Strike/Interceptor squads, a Nemesis Dreadknight.
Adeptus Mechanicus
Why beginners consider them: Distinctive techno‑gothic look, shooting synergies, and cool walkers and servitors.
- Playstyle: Mid‑range shooting with layered buffs.
- Model count: Medium.
- Painting: Lots of details; use metallics + simple robes for speed.
- First steps: Skitarii troops, a Tech‑Priest, Ironstrider or Onager, and a second fire support unit.
Chaos (The Dark Mirror)
Chaos Space Marines
Why beginners love them: Marine durability plus spiky options—daemonic allies, melee elites, and menacing vehicles.
- Playstyle: All‑rounders with nasty melee and solid shooting.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Edge highlights + weathering and corrosion look great; forgiving for beginners.
- First steps: Chaos Lord, two Marine squads, a melee hammer (Chosen/Terminators), and a Helbrute or tank.
Death Guard
Why beginners consider them: Super‑tough infantry and plague‑ridden visuals. Slow but relentless.
- Playstyle: Durable mid‑board grind.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Weathering, rust, and grime are beginner‑friendly; sponges and washes do a lot of work.
- First steps: Lord/Champion, Plague Marines, a Foetid Bloat‑drone, and a Blight‑hauler or Terminators.
Thousand Sons
Why beginners consider them: Stylish sorcerers with durable automata and strong mid‑range shooting.
- Playstyle: Elite shooting with psychic tools.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Bright armor with gold trim—time‑consuming but stunning. Consider speed methods (contrast + trim pens).
- First steps: Exalted Sorcerer, two Rubric squads, and Scarab Occult Terminators or a vehicle.
Chaos Daemons
Why beginners consider them: Bold colors, monstrous centerpieces, and flexible god‑themed lists.
- Playstyle: Melee pressure with summoning/thematic tricks.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Inks and contrast paints excel; big models are fun projects.
- First steps: One greater daemon or two mid monsters, plus 2–3 daemon infantry units; add fast elements later.
Xenos (Not of the Imperium)
Necrons
Why beginners love them: Extremely beginner‑friendly: durable units, straightforward rules, and fast metallic paint schemes.
- Playstyle: March forward, hold ground, and shoot efficiently.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Metallic base + wash + drybrush = table‑ready fast; add glowing green OSL later.
- First steps: Overlord, Warriors/Immortals, a Skorpekh or Lychguard unit, and a Doomstalker or Destroyers.
Orks
Why beginners love them: High‑energy melee, ramshackle vehicles, and endless kitbashing possibilities. Every game is a story.
- Playstyle: Aggressive charges, close‑range fire, board flooding.
- Model count: Medium–High.
- Painting: Green skin + dirty metals + bright clan colors; very forgiving.
- First steps: Warboss, two mobs of Boyz/Beast Snaggas, one elite melee unit (Nobz/Stormboyz), and a buggy or Deff Dread.
T’au Empire
Why beginners love them: Clean sci‑fi aesthetic with strong shooting, battlesuits, and marker support.
- Playstyle: Ranged firepower, mobility, and target priority.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Smooth panels; use panel lining and weathering for depth.
- First steps: Commander, Fire Warriors, a Crisis Team, and a Broadside or Devilfish transport.
Tyranids
Why beginners love them: Swarms + monsters. Great table presence and intuitive melee pressure.
- Playstyle: Board control with fast melee and synapse synergies.
- Model count: Medium–High.
- Painting: Contrast paints excel—bone carapace + colored flesh looks amazing with simple techniques.
- First steps: Hive Tyrant/Prime, two units of Gaunts/Gargoyles, a mid‑monster (Carnifex), then Warriors or a second big bug.
Aeldari (Craftworlds)
Why beginners consider them: Speed, precision, and powerful specialists. Rewards careful movement and target selection.
- Playstyle: Finesse—win with mobility and damage spikes.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Bold colors and gems; can be intricate but very striking.
- First steps: Farseer/Autarch, Guardians/Avengers, a speedy element (Windriders/Vyper), and one elite threat (Aspects).
Drukhari (Dark Eldar)
Why beginners consider them: Lightning‑fast raiders with glass‑cannon melee and shooting. High reward if you like aggressive plays.
- Playstyle: Hit‑and‑run, transports, and target isolation.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Dark palettes with bright edge highlights and OSL.
- First steps: Archon, Kabalite Warriors in Raiders, plus Wyches or Incubi; add Ravagers or Talos for punch.
Leagues of Votann
Why beginners love them: Sturdy infantry and powerful ranged tools in a compact model count.
- Playstyle: Durable shooting with short‑to‑mid board control.
- Model count: Low–Medium.
- Painting: Clean panels; earthy palettes look great with quick edge highlights.
- First steps: Einhyr/HEKATON anchor, Hearthkyn squads, and a support vehicle or bikes.
Genestealer Cults
Why beginners consider them: Ambush tokens, glass‑cannon melee, and hybrid industrial aesthetics. Very thematic and rewarding if you like clever plays.
- Playstyle: Tricky deployment, multi‑wave assaults.
- Model count: Medium.
- Painting: Overalls, hazard stripes, and pale chitin; weathering sells the look.
- First steps: Patriarch/Magus, Acolytes/Neophytes, a Goliath truck, and a glass‑cannon melee unit.
First 1,000‑Point Roadmap (Works for Almost Any Faction)
- Core: 2–3 Troop units that hold objectives.
- Threats: 1–2 elite units or vehicles that force reactions.
- Support: 1 piece of long‑range fire or artillery; 1 piece of fast melee or counter‑charge.
- Mobility: A transport or jump/bike unit to swing late‑game objectives.
- Characters: 1 leader that buffs your core game plan.
Tip: Keep early purchases flexible (troops, transports, versatile heavies). Add hyper‑specialized units after you’ve played a few games and know what you enjoy.
Painting & Hobby: Fast, Good‑Looking Results
- Prime smart: Use a colored primer close to your scheme (bone for Tyranids, silver for Necrons, dark green for Marines/Guard).
- Speed layers: Contrast/Speed paints on cloth/skin; base + wash + drybrush on metals and textures.
- Edge highlight sparingly: One bright pass on armor edges adds pop with minimal time.
- Basing: Sand, drybrush tan, add a few tufts—fast and effective across any army.
Budget & Time Savers
- Start small: Play 500–750 points while learning missions; paint what you play.
- Batch paint 5–10 models: Same color across the batch; rinse, repeat.
- Magnetize: Weapons and turrets where possible to avoid duplicate buys.
- Proxy before you buy big: Try a unit’s role with a stand‑in; if you love it, purchase the real kit.
Image Suggestions
- Hero banner: Collage of Space Marines, Necrons, Orks, and T’au on a neutral battlefield.
- Faction grid: 3×3 thumbnails (Imperium/Chaos/Xenos) with label overlays.
- Hobby shot: Side‑by‑side of “3‑step paint recipe” on a Marine and a Necron.
Link to Shop
Ready to start your first force? Explore starter kits, troops, vehicles, and hobby supplies here: Shop Warhammer 40,000.
FAQs – Beginner Armies (tap + to expand)
Space Marines and Necrons remain the most beginner‑friendly: durable units, simple game plans, and forgiving paint schemes.
Start at 500–750 points to learn missions and rules. Grow to 1,000+ when you know what roles your army needs.
Low‑model armies (Custodes, Grey Knights) are cost‑efficient to complete. Necrons also paint fast, reducing time investment.
Not at all—just plan for more assembly/painting. Orks and Tyranids are great if you enjoy batch painting and board presence.
Start with your faction’s current rules and datasheets; a codex or faction book helps as you expand, but you can learn core play with a small list.
One character, two Troop units, and one “hammer” (elite unit or vehicle). Add a fast unit or transport to play objectives.
Pick something you’ll enjoy repeating. For speed: metallic Necrons, bone/contrast Tyranids, or single‑color Marines with one accent color.