Warhammer Guides

Whether you are brand new to Warhammer or looking to sharpen your competitive edge, our guides cover everything you need.

Getting Started

What Is Warhammer 40k? — Complete introduction
What Is Age of Sigmar? — Complete introduction
How to Play Warhammer 40k — Beginner’s rules guide
How to Play Age of Sigmar — Beginner’s rules guide
Best 40k Starter Sets — 2026 buyer’s guide
Best AoS Starter Sets — 2026 buyer’s guide
Warhammer 40k on a Budget — How to start cheap
Kill Team Beginner’s Guide — Getting into Kill Team
Age of Sigmar Spearhead — Rules & best boxes

Army Lists

Warhammer 40k Combat Patrols

Age of Sigmar Spearheads

Unit Guides

How to Use This Hub

Welcome to the Warhammer Guild Guides Hub, your central resource for navigating the vast world of Warhammer tabletop gaming. This page serves as a starting point for finding the guides and resources you need, whether you are taking your first steps into the hobby or looking to refine your skills as an experienced player. We have organised our content into clear categories so you can quickly locate information relevant to your interests and experience level.

Use the links and sections on this page to explore our guide library. Each section provides an overview of the topic and links to our most popular and comprehensive guides. If you are not sure where to start, our recommended reading paths below will point you in the right direction based on your experience level and interests. Remember that you can always use the search function to find specific topics, and our navigation menu provides quick access to all major sections of the site.

New to Warhammer?

If you have never played a tabletop wargame before, welcome! The Warhammer hobby is an incredibly rich and rewarding pursuit that combines creative expression, strategic thinking, and community engagement. It can also feel overwhelming at first, with its vast range of products, rules, and lore. That is perfectly normal, and we are here to help you navigate the learning curve with confidence.

The most important piece of advice we can give new players is to follow your enthusiasm. The Warhammer hobby has many facets, from painting and modelling to competitive gaming to lore exploration, and there is no single correct way to engage with it. Some hobbyists focus primarily on painting and never play a game. Others are passionate gamers who field unpainted armies. Many enjoy a balance of all aspects. Discover what excites you most and lean into it.

Our beginner guides are specifically designed for people with no prior experience. They explain concepts from the ground up, avoid assumptions about existing knowledge, and provide step-by-step instructions for every major milestone in your early hobby journey. We cover choosing your first game system, selecting your first army, buying your first supplies, assembling and painting your first model, learning the rules, and finding a community to play with.

Do not feel pressured to learn everything at once. The hobby is designed to be enjoyed at your own pace, and most long-time hobbyists will tell you that they are still learning and improving after years or decades in the hobby. Start small, enjoy the process, and your collection and skills will grow naturally over time.

Choosing Your First Army

Choosing your first army is one of the most exciting and important decisions you will make as a new Warhammer player. Your choice determines the models you will build and paint, the strategies you will employ on the tabletop, and the lore you will immerse yourself in. With dozens of factions available across Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar, the choice can feel overwhelming, but we are here to help you narrow it down.

The single most important factor in choosing your first army is visual appeal. You will spend far more time building, painting, and looking at your miniatures than you will spend playing games with them, so it is crucial that you genuinely love the way your chosen faction looks. Browse the Games Workshop website, visit a local store, and look at painted examples online. The faction whose models make you most excited to sit down and start hobbying is almost certainly the right choice for you.

Beyond aesthetics, consider the following factors: Playstyle describes how the army performs on the tabletop. Some factions are aggressive and melee-focused, others are defensive and shooting-oriented, and many offer a balance. Think about what sounds most fun to you. Complexity varies between factions. Some armies are straightforward and beginner-friendly, while others have more complex mechanics that reward experience. Model count affects both cost and painting time. Horde armies field many cheap models, while elite armies use fewer, more expensive units. Cost varies between factions depending on the models required and whether good starter or value boxes are available.

Our faction guides provide detailed breakdowns of every playable army, including their playstyle, complexity, beginner-friendliness, and approximate cost to build a standard army. We recommend reading the guides for any factions that catch your eye to help inform your decision.

Game Formats Explained

Warhammer 40,000 (now in its 11th Edition) and Age of Sigmar (4th Edition) both offer several game sizes. Knowing them helps you pick the right game for the time and models you have.

Combat Patrol / Spearhead: the smallest formats, built for quick games of around an hour. Combat Patrol is the Warhammer 40,000 version and Spearhead fills the same role in Age of Sigmar. Both use fixed forces based on specific boxed sets, so there is no list building, which makes them ideal for learning the rules. Experienced players like them too for a fast, casual game. See our Spearhead guide and the Combat Patrol guides above.

Incursion / 1,000-point games: in 40k 11th Edition, an Incursion game is 1,000 points, and you get 2 Detachment Points to spend on detachments (or a single 3 DP detachment as your only one). Age of Sigmar matched play battleplans are designed for 1,000- or 2,000-point games. At this size you build from your faction’s full range, so you have more freedom than in Combat Patrol or Spearhead while keeping model count and game length manageable.

Strike Force / 2,000-point games: the standard size for competitive and most organised play. A 40k Strike Force game is 2,000 points with 3 Detachment Points, and 2,000 points is also the standard size for Age of Sigmar matched play. Expect a full game to take a few hours. Most tournaments use this size. Our Detachment Points guide explains how 40k army building works at each size.

Bigger games: both systems can be played above 2,000 points by agreement, which is popular for narrative events and big club battles. Check the current core rules and app for the officially supported sizes before you start. Larger battles need large collections and a long day at the table.

Building Your First List

Army list building is the process of selecting units and options for your force within a points budget. It is one of the most engaging aspects of the hobby for many players, as it allows you to express your strategic preferences and explore the tactical possibilities of your chosen faction. Here are some tips for building your first army list:

Start with the rules: Before building a list, familiarise yourself with your army’s rules by reading the relevant codex or battletome. Understanding what your units do and how they interact is essential for making informed list-building decisions. Pay attention to faction abilities, detachment rules, and any restrictions on unit selections.

Build around a core: Every army needs a solid foundation of reliable units that form the backbone of your force. Identify the units in your faction that are consistently effective and build your list around them. For most factions, this means including a mix of durable objective-holding units and offensive units that can apply pressure to your opponent.

Balance your roles: A well-rounded list can handle a variety of situations. Ensure your army includes units that can deal with different threats: anti-infantry firepower for dealing with hordes, anti-tank weapons for destroying vehicles and monsters, and fast units for controlling objectives and flanking your opponent. Overinvesting in any one role leaves you vulnerable to armies that exploit your weaknesses.

Consider your budget: Your army list should reflect the models you own or can reasonably acquire. There is no point building a theoretically optimal list if it requires models you cannot afford or do not have time to build and paint. Start with the models in your starter set or first purchases and expand your list as your collection grows.

Not sure which army to collect? Answer 7 quick questions and get matched to your faction.

Take the army quiz →

Use list-building apps: The official Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar apps, and community builders such as New Recruit, make list building much easier by automatically calculating points, enforcing army construction rules, and presenting unit options in a clear format. Whichever you use, check that it reflects the latest Munitorum Field Manual or Battle Profiles, because points change through the edition.

Competitive vs Casual Play

The Warhammer community encompasses a wide spectrum of play styles, from highly competitive tournament play to relaxed narrative campaigns and everything in between. Understanding where you fall on this spectrum helps you set appropriate expectations and find like-minded opponents.

Casual play prioritises fun, narrative, and social interaction over winning. Casual players build armies based on the models they like, play with friends for enjoyment, and are less concerned about optimising every aspect of their list. Casual games often incorporate narrative elements, house rules, and a relaxed attitude towards rules mistakes. If you are new to the hobby, casual play is the ideal starting point.

Competitive play focuses on mastering the game system, optimising army lists, and testing your skills against skilled opponents. Competitive players study the meta, practice regularly, and attend tournaments to measure themselves against the best. This approach requires a deeper understanding of the rules, more investment in models (as meta shifts may require new units), and a willingness to adapt your army to the changing competitive landscape.

Narrative play occupies a middle ground where players build armies and play games that tell stories within the Warhammer universe. Narrative campaigns, where the results of each game affect the ongoing storyline, are particularly popular and offer a deeply immersive gaming experience. Many players find that narrative play provides the best of both worlds, combining meaningful tactical decisions with rich storytelling.

There is no wrong way to play Warhammer, and many hobbyists enjoy multiple play styles depending on the occasion. You might play competitively at tournaments on weekends while enjoying casual narrative campaigns with friends during the week. The key is to communicate with your opponents about expectations before the game begins, ensuring that both players are on the same page about the level of competitiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best faction for beginners?

The best faction for any beginner is the one whose models excite them most. However, if you want a faction with straightforward rules and strong starter set options, Space Marines in Warhammer 40,000 and Stormcast Eternals in Age of Sigmar are classic beginner-friendly choices. Both have extensive model ranges, clear rules, and abundant resources for new players.

How much does it cost to start playing Warhammer?

A starter set, basic hobby supplies, and a few paints will set you back roughly the same as a new video game console, but the hobby provides hundreds of hours of entertainment across building, painting, and playing. You can start for less by purchasing a single unit and the free core rules, then expanding gradually as your budget allows.

Do I need to buy a codex or battletome?

The core rules for both Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar are available for free. However, a codex or battletome provides the full rules for your specific faction, including unit datasheets, faction abilities, and lore. Most active players consider these books essential, though digital alternatives and apps can provide the same rules information.

How do I find people to play with?

Local game stores are the best starting point. Most stores that sell Warhammer products host regular gaming nights and welcome new players. Games Workshop’s own Warhammer stores offer introductory games and painting workshops. Online communities on Reddit, Discord, and Facebook can also help you find local players and gaming groups.

Can I play Warhammer solo?

While Warhammer is designed as a two-player game, there are solo play variants available for players who cannot always find an opponent. Some players use automated opponent systems or play both sides of a battle to practice rules and tactics. The building and painting aspects of the hobby are inherently solo activities that many hobbyists enjoy as their primary form of engagement.

Where can I find the official Warhammer 40k FAQs and errata?

Games Workshop publishes official FAQs, errata and balance updates free on the Warhammer Community website’s downloads section, sorted by game and faction. These documents correct mistakes, clarify rules interactions and adjust points, and they override the printed books. Tournament players should check them before every event, as they update regularly through an edition.

How is Warhammer played?

Two players each bring an army of miniatures and take turns moving, shooting and fighting across a tabletop scattered with terrain. Distances are measured in inches and results are decided by rolling six-sided dice against each unit’s characteristics. Most games are won on victory points from holding objectives and completing missions, not just destroying the enemy.

Can you play Warhammer online?

Yes. Many players use Tabletop Simulator, which has community-made 40k and Age of Sigmar mods with scanned models and terrain, and Discord servers organise online leagues and pick-up games. If you want the setting rather than the tabletop rules, the Warhammer video games, such as the Dawn of War and Total War series, are another option.

How often are your guides updated?

We review and update our guides regularly, particularly when new editions, codexes, or battletomes are released that affect the content. Rules-focused guides get priority when the rules change. Painting and hobby guides are updated less frequently, as techniques remain largely consistent, but we do add new tips and refine instructions based on reader feedback and our own evolving expertise.

Can I request a guide on a specific topic?

Absolutely, and we encourage it. If there is a topic you would like us to cover — whether it is a painting technique, a faction deep dive, a terrain project, or a tactical analysis — please let us know through our contact page. We prioritise guide topics based on community demand, relevance to current releases, and our team’s areas of expertise. We cannot guarantee a timeline for every request, but reader input directly shapes our content calendar.