Best Warhammer Army Under £100 — Budget Starter Builds

The best army you can build under £100 is Adeptus Custodes or Imperial Knights — both require very few models. A single Combat Patrol box (£85) gives you a playable 500-point force for either faction. This makes them the most affordable entry points into Warhammer 40k for new players on a tight budget.

Getting into Warhammer 40k doesn’t have to mean spending hundreds of pounds upfront. While the hobby has a reputation for being expensive, some factions are dramatically cheaper to start than others simply because they field fewer models. If you’ve got £100 or less to spend, this guide shows you exactly which armies give you the most game for your money.

What Makes an Army Cheap to Start?

The cost of a Warhammer army is driven by one factor above all others: model count. Armies that field fewer, more elite models cost less because you buy fewer boxes. A 500-point Custodes army might need only 10 models. A 500-point Ork army might need 60+ models across 4-5 boxes. The maths is simple — fewer boxes equals less money.

Other factors that affect starting cost include:

• Combat Patrol value — Some Combat Patrol boxes give you a near-complete 500pt force. Others give you half an army that needs supplementing.
• Points per model — Elite armies where each model costs 30-50+ points need fewer total models.
• Kit availability — Factions with large multi-model kits (e.g. Start Collecting boxes still in circulation) offer better value per pound.
• Secondhand market — Popular factions like Space Marines have massive secondhand availability, driving used prices down.

Top 5 Cheapest Armies Under £100

1. Adeptus Custodes — Best Overall Budget Pick (£85)

The Custodes Combat Patrol (£85 RRP) gives you a complete, playable 500-point army right out of the box. You get a Shield-Captain, three Custodian Guard, three Vertus Praetors (jetbikes), and a Prosecutor squad. That’s it — one box, one army, ready to play.

Why Custodes are perfect for budget players:

• Each model is worth 50-100+ points, so you need very few
• The Combat Patrol is genuinely competitive at 500-point games
• Painting 10 models is far less daunting than painting 60
• Golden armour is surprisingly easy to paint with contrast paints or spray
• Expanding to 1000 points requires only one additional box (£35-40)

2. Imperial Knights — One Big Model (£85-95)

The Imperial Knights Combat Patrol (£85) gives you one Questoris Knight and two Armigers — roughly 500 points. You’re building and painting three models total. For players who love the idea of a centrepiece model rather than ranks of infantry, Knights are unbeatable value in terms of points-per-pound.

The trade-off is that Knights play very differently from other armies. You’ll have 3 models on the table against your opponent’s 20-50. It’s a unique experience that some players love and others find limiting.

3. Chaos Knights (£85-95)

Similar to Imperial Knights, the Chaos Knights Combat Patrol gives you a small number of high-value models. The playstyle is comparable but with a darker aesthetic and different army abilities. If you prefer the Chaos aesthetic, this is your budget pick.

4. Grey Knights (£85 + £35 = £120, but possible under £100 used)

Grey Knights field elite Terminator-armoured Space Marines, each worth significant points. While the Combat Patrol alone doesn’t quite make a full 500 points at competitive efficiency, buying the Combat Patrol at a discount retailer (typically £68-72) and adding a single used squad from eBay can get you under £100 total.

5. Death Guard (£85)

The Death Guard Combat Patrol is excellent value, giving you Typhus (a named character), Plague Marines, Poxwalkers, and a Biologus Putrifier. It’s a solid 500-point force that plays well and is thematically fantastic. Death Guard models are also very forgiving to paint — their dirty, corroded aesthetic means “messy” paintjobs actually look intentional.

Combat Patrol Value Rankings — What Do You Get for £85?

Here’s how the current Combat Patrol boxes compare in terms of playable points and army completeness:

Where to Buy Warhammer Under £100

Never pay full RRP if you’re on a budget. Here’s where to find discounts:

Discount Retailers (15-25% Off RRP)

Online retailers like Element Games, Wayland Games, and Goblin Gaming consistently offer 15-20% off GW’s recommended retail price. That £85 Combat Patrol drops to £68-72. This alone can save you enough to buy an additional unit within your £100 budget.

eBay and Facebook Marketplace

The secondhand market is enormous for Warhammer. Fully assembled (often even painted) armies sell for 40-60% of retail price. Search for “Warhammer lot” or specific faction names. You can often find 1000+ points of models for under £100 if you’re patient and don’t mind stripping paint.

Reddit r/miniswap

The miniswap subreddit is a dedicated trading community where hobbyists sell and trade models. Prices are typically fair, and you can negotiate. Great for finding specific units you need to round out your Combat Patrol force.

Local Gaming Store Sales

Many local game stores run clearance sales, holiday promotions, or loyalty programmes. Building a relationship with your local store can lead to discounts and first access to used models that come in.

How to Stretch Your Budget Further

Start with Combat Patrol Games

Combat Patrol is a dedicated game mode designed for small armies. It uses the exact contents of a Combat Patrol box with pre-set army rules — no list building required. This means your £85 box is everything you need, no supplements, no codex purchase necessary. The rules are free online.

Buy Paints Wisely

You’ll need paints, but you don’t need all of them at once. Start with a spray primer (£12), a base colour for armour (£3.50), a shade wash (£5.50), and a layer highlight colour (£3.50). That’s four paints for under £25 that will cover your entire army to a tabletop standard. Army Painter and Vallejo offer cheaper alternatives to Citadel paints with equal quality.

Borrow Tools

You need clippers, a hobby knife, and plastic glue to build models. If you have a friend in the hobby, borrow theirs. If not, a basic toolkit costs £10-15 from Amazon. Don’t buy GW-branded tools — generic equivalents work identically at half the price.

Skip the Codex Initially

Faction codexes cost £35 each. For casual and Combat Patrol games, you can use the free datasheets available on the Warhammer Community website or through the official Warhammer 40k app. Only buy the codex when you’re ready to play full-size matched play games.

What Can You Play With Under £100?

Combat Patrol (500 Points)

The primary game mode for budget armies. Designed for exactly one Combat Patrol box per side. Games take 45-60 minutes and are a fantastic introduction to the hobby. Most gaming stores run Combat Patrol leagues specifically for new players.

Incursion (1000 Points)

Technically outside the £100 budget for most factions, but Custodes and Knights can reach 1000 points with just £120-130 of models. If you find a deal or buy secondhand, you might manage it under £100.

Kill Team

Kill Team uses small squads of 5-15 models and has its own rules system. Many Kill Teams cost only £25-35 for a single box. If you want variety, you could buy 2-3 different Kill Teams for under £100 and play multiple factions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Warhammer really that expensive?

Warhammer’s reputation for expense comes from the endgame — a fully painted 2000-point army with terrain, codex, and accessories can cost £400-800+. But getting started is genuinely affordable. An £85 Combat Patrol box gives you everything needed for complete games. Compared to other hobbies (golf, mountain biking, PC gaming), the entry cost is modest. The key is starting small and expanding gradually.

What’s the cheapest way to get into Warhammer?

Buy a Combat Patrol box from a discount retailer (£68-72), borrow tools from a friend, and use three basic paints plus a wash (£20). Total cost: under £90 for a playable, painted army. Alternatively, buy a secondhand lot from eBay for £40-60 and strip/repaint it.

Should I buy secondhand models as a beginner?

Yes, with caveats. Secondhand models save money but may need stripping, reassembly, or gap filling. If you’re comfortable with that, it’s the most cost-effective way to build an army. If you want the new-in-box experience and building instructions, buy new from a discount retailer. Either approach is valid.

Can I play Warhammer for free?

You need physical models to play tabletop Warhammer, but the rules are free. Core rules, datasheets, and Combat Patrol rules are all available for free from Games Workshop’s website. The only cost is the models themselves (and paint, if you want them painted — unpainted models are legal for play).

What about Age of Sigmar on a budget?

Age of Sigmar has similar budget dynamics. Stormcast Eternals and Flesh-Eater Courts both have excellent Spearhead boxes (AoS equivalent of Combat Patrol) that give you a playable force for £85. The same discount retailer and secondhand strategies apply.

Which budget army is best for competitive play?

If you eventually want to compete at tournaments, Death Guard and Custodes are the best budget factions. Both have consistently competitive tournament results and can reach 2000 points without enormous expense. Knights are cheaper to buy but harder to pilot competitively due to their inherent weaknesses against objective-focused play. Choose a faction you enjoy playing — you’ll improve faster with an army you love.

Which Warhammer kits are easiest to build?

Push-fit kits, like the models in Games Workshop’s starter and introductory sets, are the easiest to build because they snap together without glue and have few parts. Standard multipart kits, such as most Combat Patrol units, need clippers and plastic glue but come with step-by-step instructions. Big vehicles and centrepiece kits are best left until you’ve built a few infantry squads.

What is the cheapest 40k army to build at 2,000 points?

Elite armies with few models, such as Adeptus Custodes and Imperial Knights, are usually the cheapest to take to 2,000 points, simply because you buy fewer boxes. Horde armies like Orks or Astra Militarum need far more models for the same points. Buying discounted or second-hand stretches any budget further.

Related Content

• How to Play Warhammer 40k — Complete Beginner’s Guide — learn the core rules of Warhammer 40K
• Best Warhammer Army Under £200 — Mid-Budget Builds — explore another helpful guide
• All Warhammer 40k Factions Ranked — Tier List — see which factions rank highest