Tips for New Warhammer 40k Hobbyists

Key Takeaways

• Warhammer 40k has a large, dedicated fan base, with tabletop gaming evolving into a worldwide competitive obsession.
• Collecting a 40k army is a time and financial investment, with various factions to choose from based on personal preference.
• The hobby includes painting miniatures to a high standard, learning the game’s rules, and joining local or online communities for support.

With Space Marine 2′s widespread success, fans are now discovering the tabletop hobby behind the hit game. Warhammer 40k has been around since the late eighties, amassing a large and dedicated following. 40k has gone from being a cult tabletop wargame to a worldwide competitive obsession, with multiple international tournaments held each year.

However, playing the game is only a small part of the hobby. Many fans never truly play the game and are more interested in the lore, collecting a display army, or painting miniatures to a high standard. While some hobbyists only play for fun, others delve deep into the competitive world, learning all the stats, strategies, and tactics to win matches. Warhammer 40k is a fulfilling and addictive hobby that can be great for meeting new people, learning new skills, and competing against like-minded hobbyists.

7 What to Collect

Numerous Factions To Choose

When starting a Warhammer 40k journey, one of the first things new or returning hobbyists must decide is which army to collect. While some enjoy buying miniatures of various armies, many enjoy collecting a specific faction. The setting is rich in lore and history and has numerous factions players can collect.

From the swarming monstrous Tyranids, the agile and ornate Aeldari, the sinister Genestealer Cults, or the highly advanced Tau, 40k has a varied and detailed range. Creating a 40k army is a significant time and financial investment, and the best armies for competitive play constantly change. Whether taking miniatures to competitions or collecting to paint, the best way to choose a faction is the rule of cool. From the lore to the appearance of the models, if one army speaks to the player, that is the army for them.

6 Painting

Improve Quickly

For many, painting is the hardest and most fulfilling part of Warhammer 40k. Any online search will reveal countless miniatures painted to extremely high standards. The world’s top miniature painters win numerous competitions and inspire new hobbyists to improve their passion. However, reaching this standard takes hours of practice over many years.

When new to the hobby, painting can be very daunting. However, with modern techniques and countless online tutorials, players can now improve very quickly. Some of the best painters in the hobby have successful YouTube channels that break down how they paint and offer great advice. New painting techniques like dry brushing or contrast painting create great results with little effort. Miniature painting is now more accessible than ever and is the perfect way to relax, learn a new skill, and have something to show off when finished.

5 On the Tabletop

Learning the Game

Warhammer 40k is a complex game that takes a few sessions to learn fully. The game has numerous rules, as does each faction. A full game of 40k requires mission cards, around 500–2000 points of miniatures, several dice, a tape measure, and a large board with several pieces of terrain. Not to mention any rule books and army index cards.

For new hobbyists, the best way to learn the game or see if you want to pursue the hobby further is to book a session at the nearest Warhammer store. Most shops will offer tutorial games, learning everything from painting to the rules of the game, and will often supply everything you need. In addition, there are simplified versions of 40k available. Combat Patrol and Kill Team are fun small-scale games that don’t require as many miniatures and are great introductions to the setting and the game style. In addition, there are numerous online tutorials and battle reports where new hobbyists can easily watch full games of 40k.

Making Friends

Warhammer 40k is not only a fun hobby to enjoy at home, but also a great way of meeting new people and building friendships. From local hobby shops to wargaming clubs, most areas will have an established community that is welcoming and ready to help new hobbyists get started.

Due to our busy lives, many people won’t have large groups of friends willing to learn an expensive and complex game. Local wargaming clubs are great for players wanting to improve and have fun games of 40k. There are often members willing to help new players learn the game and give further advice on the hobby.

A Worldwide Hobby

With the release of several successful video games and a dedicated player base, Warhammer 40k has become a hugely successful franchise, with new fans discovering the setting every month. Online, the hobby has become a huge community, with numerous pages dedicated to gaming, fan fiction, lore, art, and painting.

For those new to the hobby, there is an abundance of content waiting to be discovered. From engaging lore videos on YouTube and faction-specific communities on Reddit to thousands of memes, model conversions, and unique color schemes, the online world is a great source of hobby inspiration. For new fans, the online community is often welcoming and willing to answer any hobby questions.

2 Collecting an Army

A Big Investment

In a full game of Warhammer 40k, most players will have miniatures of around 500–2000 points. Collecting a full 2000-point army can be extremely pricey, as well as time-consuming. While the Warhammer store is the first port of call for many new hobbyists, it is also one of the most expensive.

New hobbyists should find plenty of online stores selling miniatures for a lower price than Games Workshop. In addition, the second-hand market is thriving, with numerous sellers on eBay selling models for cheaper than retail. Joining a local gaming club’s social media will also present great opportunities for finding cheap miniatures in the local area.

The Hidden Cost

It is undeniable that Warhammer 40k is an expensive hobby to start. On top of the miniature collecting, there are several tools and items that new hobbyists should consider buying to make life a lot easier. Organizing a dedicated hobby space with plenty of light is highly recommended. To store numerous paint pots, cheap paint racks can be purchased from independent sellers on sites such as Etsy.

In addition, new hobbyists should consider items like a painting handle, a hobby knife, small sprue cutters, and a paint palette. Small magnets are very useful for transport, as well as changing the weapon loadout of miniatures. For gaming, players should be ready with a set of dice and a tape measure, as well as any faction-specific rules to hand. The Warhammer 40k app is also very useful, as it contains all the rules for the game and an army list builder. Warhammer 40k is one of the most fulfilling and enjoyable hobbies around. While the hobby can be expensive, with gaming, painting, and collecting all involved, starting a 40k journey is a great decision and well worth the time and effort.