Then men that serve under you serve you loyally While your soldiers are not especially strong or smart, you have overwhelming numbers and a huge compliment of tanks and artillery at your command. You can drown the enemy in bodies and explosive shells. You are dark and twisted. Once valiant warriors, you and your army have been turned to set of depraved and corrupted values. You worship demonic entities which have granted you unthinkable and fearsome powers.
You bring terror to any enemy you face. You once ruled the galaxy. Now, you are a dying race. Your numbers dwindle while your enemies flourish. Though on the brink of extinction, you wield the most powerful weapons in the galaxy and exhibit some of the best discipline of any army. You live for thousands of year and you are quick to sacrifice a hundred enemy worlds to save just a handful of your precious soldiers. Space pirates and savage beasts, you once came from prestigious families and life blood.
Now, you harass and infiltrate as easily as you eat and drink. They have received some substantial updates in recent years, but the miniatures range is still pretty uneven. The Chaos Space Marines miniatures range is a strange mix of very up to date and completely outdated. On the one hand, recent years have seen the release of an awesome new Chaos Space Marines infantry box and a slew of other upgrades to important units in the army, as well as the terrifying Abaddon the Despoiler depicted above.
On the other hand, iconic units of the various subfactions such as a Night Lords Chaos Lord or Khorne Berzerkers are very old and look like absolute farts, so what looks cool when you browse the rules in the Warhammer 40, app rules-wise might not look good on the tabletop at all.
Chaos Space Marines box has an infantry unit, a psyker character, some special units and a scary spider monster machine the Venomcrawler and is a good place to start if you want very recent sculpts at a reasonable price.
Be aware that there are other ways of playing Chaos Space Marines, though: Some Chaos Legions have their own codexes and their own miniatures range, which you can see just below this paragraph. They are a very resilient army that will just keep going no mattter what you throw at them, with various disease-based abilities at their disposal.
Rules-wise, the Death Guard is the most up to date Chaos army. They have recently received a Codex: Death Guard for 9th edition with all the rules you need to play them. The Death Guard miniatures range is very up to date, since they were the main antagonists of the beginning of the previous edition of Warhammer 40, They have their own dedicated Space Marines in the shape of Plague Marines , as well as the zombie-like Poxwalkers, the artillery Plagueburst Crawler , their Primarch Mortarion pictured at the top of this section, and many more nauseating and fearsome miniatures.
Poxwalkers a Typhus character and a Biologus Putrifier, which makes for a very cool starting force. The Thousand Sons miniatures range is fairly up to date, being a bit older than the Death Guard, but with no very obsolote sculpts in the range.
Thousand Sons box contains a unit of Rubric Marines, a unit of Tzaangors with 2 Upgrade Packs and the Ahriman character, which, depending on how their eventual new rules will turn out, is a good starting point for a Thousand Sons Combat Patrol force. The Chaos Daemons are the daemonic manifestations of the powers of the four Chaos Gods Khorne Rage , Nurgle Decay , Tzeentch Change and Slaanesh Excess , and they can be a pretty confusing army to collect for a beginner.
They share one codex, but many of their rules are based around each Chaos God, so in this guide, I have assumed that you want to field a Daemon army specifically devoted to just one Chaos God. The Khorne range of Daemon miniatures is fairly up to date, and has the advantage of getting an update whenever the God of rage gets an update in Age of Sigmar as well.
Daemons of Khorne gives you a unit of Bloodletters, a unit of mounted Bloodcrushers and a Herald on Blood Throne to lead your force. Nurgle is the God of Decay, and his disgusting disease-spreading daemons are a mixture of zombie aesthetic and a strange silliness that makes them all the more scary.
Like the Death Guard, they are all about the slow unstoppable advance. The Nurgle Daemons miniatures range is pretty up to date since the Age of Sigmar Nurgle range got an upgrade a few years ago. Plaguebearers of Nurgle and Nurglings are some of your horde-like units, supported by characters with insane names such as Sloppity Bilepiper and Horticulous Slimux.
The most iconic Nurgle unit, however, is the hulking Great Unclean One pictured at the top of this section, which can be assembled in af few different ways. The Nurgle range is sure to be supported for years to come like that of the other Chaos Gods since they play an important part in both the 40k and Age of Sigmar universes.
Daemons of Nurgle box comes with a unit of Plaguebearers, a unit of Nurglings, a unit of fly-mounted Plague Drones and a Herald of Nurgle character, meaning you get some of your most iconic units in one box. This is perfectly embodied in the Horror Daemons, which split into smaller versions of themselves when they die, and the terrifying sorcerer bird the Lord of Change , pictured above.
Most of the Tzeentch miniatures range is up to date, but especially the Flamers of Tzeentch and Screamers of Tzeentch are in dire need of an update. The Horrors of Tzeentch are a very strange unit that basically requires you to buy two different kits: They can start out as Pink Horrors, which split into twice the number of smaller Blue Horrors when they die. In turn, the Blue Horrors split into even smaller Brimstone Horrors when they die.
Daemons of Tzeentch box gives you a Burning Chariot of Tzeentch, a unit of Flamers of Tzeentch, a unit of Screamers of Tzeentch, and a unit of Pink Horrors but not the blue and crimson ones you need , as well as an optional Herald of Nurgle on Foot.
Miniatures-wise, this is one of the older sets of sculpts available in a Start Collecting! The miniatures is a disturbing range of graceful but horrifying creatures that have received a lot of updates via the Age of Sigmar storyline in recent years, and it will probably continue to do so.
The Daemons of Slaanesh miniatures range is generally up to date, with the Daemonettes of Slaanesh infantry being fairly old but still serviceable, and larger models such as the Keeper of Secrets pictured above being brand new. If you like painting huge miniatures, but you want a break from the clean design of the Imperial Knights, the chains, pikes and spikes of the Chaos Knights might be your next favorite project.
The Chaos Knights miniatures range is very up to date, and even though it might look like it to the untrained eye, only some of them are Imperial Knights with different suggested color schemes. Like the elves of J.
They live long, disciplined lives, dedicating all their energy to specific disciplines and skills to avoid their tendency to excess, which would make them vulnerable to the influence of the Chaos God Slaanesh, who devours their souls when they die. To save themselves from being devoured, all Aeldari of the Craftworlds carry a spirit stone that captures their soul when they die, and they travel the galaxy in great ships that store all these dead souls.
When truly threatened by enemies, the Craftworlds field constructs powered by these spirit stones, so that long-dead Aeldari ancestors may march to war once again as huge suits of armour. The range has some good plastic characters such as the Spiritseer , Farseer , Jain Zar pictured at the top of this section and Eldrad Ulthran , and the infantry unit Howling Banshees got a brand new plastic kit recently.
The many vehicles and constructs of the Craftworlds, such as Fire Prism or Wraithguard also look pretty good. Hopefully the range will get even more updates soon. Craftworlds box contains 5 Wraithguard, a Farseer, a Wraithlord and a War Walker, so you get a really cool army of big walkers.
The only problem is that there are no Troops units in this box I had to look this up to make sure, so thank you, Craftworldeldar. The Drukhari are the evil twins of the Craftworlds Aeldari, so to speak.
Instead of seeking control and discipline, they have gone all in on their Slaaneshian weaknesses, seeking decadence, violence and excess wherever they can. While there are still quite a few resin sculpts in the Drukhari miniatures range, it is generally in better shape than the Craftworlds range, as most of its infantry units are modern plastic sculpts. Confusingly, though, the most recent update to their Incubi warriors, which was released in a special army set during the Psychic Awakening event, are currently unavailable.
Note that while most of the essential units of the Drukhari are very coherent in style, the Drukhari range is also home to some really strange stuff such as the Cronos or the actual snake-man Sslyth. Along with the new codex , a Combat Patrol: Drukhari box is also up for the Drukhari. It contains everything you need to build a Combat Patrol force, including the Incubi that have been unavailable for a while.
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The commission earned helps maintain this site. To someone looking at 40K for the first time, that can be an overwhelming amount of choices. When I got into the game in there were around 14 Warhammer 40K armies. Still a lot, but a far more manageable amount to look through. Hopefully I can guide you a bit. My biggest piece of advice to anyone looking to get into the game of 40K is to find an army you like the look of.
Unlike other smaller gaming systems out there, WH40K requires you to buy the models, assemble them, and paint them. Definitely start by looking at armies you think are visually appealing. Once you have found some Warhammer 40K armies you like the looks of, start refining the process by looking at those that seem to fit your play style. I always like close combat in any game I play, and will always lean towards more brutish and aggressive types.
When I was getting into 40K, my play style preference meant starting with Orks. Orks are big and bulky, and most are carrying a close combat weapon of some sort. Most Ork vehicles look fast and fragile, a means to reach the enemy. If you were to look at Tau then you would notice that almost every model is carrying a ranged weapon, so they like to shoot. Glancing at Astra Militarum would quickly tell you that they use a lot of tanks and infantry. Some 40K armies, like Space Marines, have a good mix of everything as they are the generalists of the game.
The models give a pretty clear indication of what an army does on the field. Also, once you do decide on an army, check out our article on ways to save money with 40K. It will really help you get an army started at a discount. There are a lot of mechanics at play with all the armies, and describing each in detail would take a very long time.
Space Marines are generalists by nature, good at everything but seldom great at anything. As a general rule they have a good mix of infantry and armored support vehicles tanks, transports, etc. Below I will focus on their unique flavor. The only female army in 40K. They are like Space Marines power armor and bolters , but physically weaker.
Adepta Sororitas have some unique tanks and work using a faith system to gain bonuses. Sisters are weak in close combat and prefer to shoot. They have a focus on speed with some fast tanks and Assault Marines. Very capable of being an alpha strike army. Actually, they have quite a few unique units to them now I think about it, like the Sanguinary Guard, Sanguinary Priests, and a Librarian Dreadnought. Overall, Blood Angels are a Space Marines army through and through with some specializations unique to them.
Deathwing all Terminators , and Ravenwing Bikers , set them apart from other Marines. These units have distinct rules and abilities to Dark Angels. Fluff-wise, Dark Angels are the mysterious chapter of Marines if you like that dark secretive element. Also, the Dark Angels fluff is that they came about from houses of knights.
So, they maintain that type of noble structure within their chapter. Oh, plasma. Dark Angels love plasma and get a lot of it. Death Watch are a low model count army that packs quite a punch. These are the elite of the Space Marines. Grey Knights focus on smaller more elite units.
Also, everyone is a psyker, which is rather unique to them. Grey Knights do not have a lot of units and options compared to most other armies. The great generalists of the game, as noted above. Part of that well-rounded nature is an extensive codex that offers lots of units.
It is the largest codex compared to anything else. Also, between different chapter traits, and stratagems, you can flavor the army a few different way. These guys lean more towards close combat than general Space Marines.
Space Wolves have a Viking thing going in terms of back story and appearance. I feel they are the most distinctive Marine Chapter in terms of looks. The most elite army of infantry you can field. In terms of fluff, these are the protectors of the Emperor and are created from his geneseed directly.
They are far more powerful than a Space Marine, and fall short of only a Primarch, and the Emperor of course. The background is these guys make all the Imperial military gear armor, weapons, vehicles, etc. These guys can shoot a ton and are also very fast.
What they lack in raw strength they make up for with speed and capability. They also tend to be on the fragile side, though not the most fragile army out there. Aeldari Eldar have some great psykers to top it all off as well. In fact, the army is very capable with psychic powers and have some of the most powerful psykers in the game.
In general, the army works by having specialized units. So, they have a unit for every situation. The anvil of the Imperium. These guys are your modern-day military equivalent. They focus on large infantry squads with a TON of tank options for support and fire power. Astra Militarum is a weak close combat army who prefers to pound the enemy with fire power at range.
Speaking of, they have a lot of artillery type of options where they pound the enemy at range without the need to see them. This is one of the strongest armies in 8th edition. Guard can put down a lot of bodies, a lot of fire power, and deal with anything they face. A very diverse army in terms of unit choices but generally aimed at close combat. In fact, the army has very little in the way of shooting. Daemons make thorough use of psykers.
The codex for Chaos Knights is very similar to that for Imperial Knights. In short, it will let you field an entire army of Chaos Knights. So, if you like playing with angry, stompy robots, then check this one out. Lightly armored fast vehicles and poisoned weaponry are the mainstay of Drukhari Dark Eldar. What the army lacks in punch they often makeup for in volume and ease of wounding. Very much a finesse army.
Also, Dark Eldar are one of the most fragile armies. One quality is their ability to re-roll a result through a divine blessing, or more commonly known as Miracle Dice.
Miracle Dice are a specific set of dice created by your units with the Acts of Faith ability when they do something one or more times in a phase. Then, you can use the Miracle Dice to replace the result of a single die of your choice - this could be anything from re-rolling a wound or denying psychic power.
Combined with Shield of Faith, your units can provide an impressive defence against any assault, which is pivotal when the focus is holding objectives. You have a few options when it comes to sub-factions which can generate a special trait and unique playstyle for your army. To begin with, running both Valorous Heart and Bloody Rose will give you a nice mixture of melee power and resilience in combat.
Once comfortable, you can switch into other sub-factions and create lists based on their strengths. As such, the Adepta Sororitas remain an excellent choice for your army going forward. Being able to manipulate variance is a truly unique feature and will present frustration to those playing against you. With Warhammer 40, Ninth Edition, Harlequins earned a huge amount of freedom compared to the other Eldar factions. They can either work as an allied option or operate as a fully working army on their own.
The Eldar traditionally boast mobility in their units, which remains true with Harlequins, and you'll be able to take advantage of small board sizes as a result. Packing Skyweavers with Hayfire Cannons will ensure you can deal with vehicles and large screening units with ease. With this, you can run very few special characters and you can get away with a single Battalion Detachment as your full army.
You'll want to play Harlequins differently compared to other factions. Instead of taking the lead and securing objectives early on, you'll want to take these from the enemy. The learning curve is steeper compared to other armies but offers a higher reward through experience.
Often you'll see Harlequins under the Frozen Stars masque as this adds to your close combat efficiency, which results in rolling a bunch more dice during the combat phase. Harlequins are swift, deadly and offer some of the best-looking models in the game. Led by the Death Lord Mortarion, the Death Guard march with their warped flesh and swollen bodies ignoring wounds as if it were nothing.
The Death Guard are absurdly resilient and offer something novel within the 41st Millennium. Since separating from Codex: Chaos Space Marines, the Death Guard have a bunch of new characters, vehicles and a Primarch to lead into battle.
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