Age of Sigmar

Warhammer Age of Sigmar — Your Complete Guide to Getting Started

Warhammer Age of Sigmar is Games Workshop's epic fantasy miniature wargame, set in the mythical Mortal Realms — a universe born from the shattered remains of the World That Was. Gods walk among armies of warriors, great beasts tear through battlelines and sorcerers hurl devastating magic across the field. It is a game of grand fantasy battles fought with beautifully detailed plastic miniatures, combining deep strategic gameplay with the creative hobby of assembling and painting your army.

At Colours of Warriors, we stock the full Age of Sigmar range — from Spearhead starter sets and faction boxes to battletomes, terrain and painting supplies. Visit our store in Pilsen, Czech Republic, or order online with delivery across the EU.

The Mortal Realms — Setting and Lore

The Mortal Realms are a series of interconnected magical planes, each aligned with one of the eight Winds of Magic — Aqshy (fire), Ghyran (life), Shyish (death), Chamon (metal), Hysh (light), Ulgu (shadow), Ghur (beasts) and Azyr (heavens). The forces of Order, led by the god-king Sigmar and his legendary Stormcast Eternals, battle constantly against the forces of Chaos, Death and Destruction for control of these realms.

The setting is rich with narrative possibilities — from the frozen plains of Shyish haunted by the Soulblight Gravelords to the savage jungles of Ghur where Orruk Warclans clash with Seraphon temple ships descending from the stars.

Factions and Armies

Age of Sigmar is divided into four grand alliances, each containing multiple playable factions:

Order — the forces of civilisation and hope. Includes Stormcast Eternals (the iconic golden warriors of Sigmar, ideal for beginners), Lumineth Realm-Lords (elegant and powerful aelves), Fyreslayers (fierce duardin mercenaries), Cities of Sigmar (diverse human armies) and many more.

Chaos — the corrupting forces of the Dark Gods. Includes Slaves to Darkness (versatile and lore-rich warriors of Chaos), Blades of Khorne (brutal close-combat specialists), Disciples of Tzeentch (unpredictable magical tricksters), Maggotkin of Nurgle (resilient and disgusting), Hedonites of Slaanesh and more.

Death — the undead legions of Nagash, Supreme Lord of the Undead. Includes Nighthaunt (ethereal ghosts with a stunning ghostly aesthetic, very beginner-friendly to paint), Soulblight Gravelords (vampires and skeletal armies), Ossiarch Bonereapers (disciplined constructs of bone) and more.

Destruction — the forces of primal energy and chaos. Includes Orruk Warclans (orruks in all their savage glory), Ogor Mawtribes (giant hungry warriors), Sons of Behemat (literal giants) and Gloomspite Gitz (quirky fungus-obsessed grots and troggoths).

How to Start Playing Age of Sigmar

The fastest way into Age of Sigmar is the Spearhead format — pre-selected army compositions with simplified rules designed specifically for beginner games. Spearhead boxes contain a complete ready-to-play army for the format, with no army-building decisions required. It's the single best starting point for anyone new to the hobby.

For two players starting together, the boxed starter sets include two armies and everything needed to play your first game immediately. The core rules are also available as a free download from the Games Workshop website.

Once you're comfortable with the basics, pick up your faction's Battletome for the complete rules, allegiance abilities, warscrolls and lore. The General's Handbook provides matched play points values and seasonal rules updates.

What Makes Age of Sigmar Different from Warhammer 40k

Both are Games Workshop miniature wargames but they feel very different on the table. Age of Sigmar is set in a high-fantasy universe — magic, dragons, gods and mythical creatures — while Warhammer 40,000 is science fiction set in a dark future. AoS uses round bases and has a more dynamic, action-oriented ruleset; many players enjoy both games and the skills of assembling and painting transfer directly between them.

If you prefer smaller skirmish games, Warcry uses Age of Sigmar miniatures in fast-paced warband battles — an excellent companion game to AoS.

The Hobby Side — Assembling and Painting

Age of Sigmar miniatures are among the most impressive plastic models Games Workshop has ever produced — the detail and dynamism of modern sculpts like the Stormcast Eternals or Nighthaunt are remarkable. Models come unassembled on plastic sprues and require clippers and plastic glue to build.

For painting, the core method is Base → Shade → Layer. Many factions also work beautifully with Contrast or Speedpaint one-step paints — Nighthaunt in particular can be painted to a stunning standard with a single coat of Nighthaunt Gloom Contrast over a white primer. We stock a full range of paints, brushes and modelling tools from Citadel, Vallejo, Army Painter and Scale75.

Age of Sigmar at Colours of Warriors

We're a specialist hobby shop in Pilsen, Czech Republic, stocking the complete Age of Sigmar range — Spearhead boxes, faction army sets, individual units, battletomes, terrain and all the hobby supplies you need. Our store at Zbrojnická 116/2 is open Monday to Friday 13:00–18:00 and features a gaming area and Paint Zone where you're welcome to try painting before you commit to a purchase. We ship across the Czech Republic and the EU.

Questions? Reach us at obchod@coloursofwarriors.com or +420 737 281 727.

Frequently Asked Questions — Age of Sigmar

What is the best starter set for Age of Sigmar?
For a single player choosing their first faction, a Spearhead box is the ideal entry point — it contains a complete pre-selected army for the Spearhead format with no army-building required. For two players starting together, the boxed starter sets include two armies and everything needed to play immediately.

Which faction is best for beginners in Age of Sigmar?
Stormcast Eternals are the most recommended faction for new players — they have the widest range of tutorials, the most comprehensive starter support and a balanced playstyle that teaches the fundamentals of the game. Nighthaunt are an excellent alternative if you prefer a darker aesthetic — their ghostly robes are exceptionally beginner-friendly to paint using Contrast colours.

Do I need a battletome to play Age of Sigmar?
The core rules and basic warscrolls are freely available from Games Workshop. A battletome gives you the complete rules for your faction including allegiance abilities, artefacts, grand strategies and full lore. It's not required to start, but recommended once you're ready to play beyond beginner games.

What is Spearhead in Age of Sigmar?
Spearhead is a streamlined format using pre-selected army compositions — no army building, no points calculations. Each faction has a defined Spearhead roster and the games are faster and more accessible than full matched play. It's the fastest way to get playing and is fully supported with its own competitive scene.

How long does a game of Age of Sigmar take?
A Spearhead game typically takes 45–60 minutes. A standard matched play game (2,000 points) takes approximately 2–3 hours. Spearhead is ideal for an evening game; full matched play suits a longer dedicated session.

What's the difference between Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000?
Age of Sigmar is high fantasy — gods, magic, dragons and mythical creatures in the Mortal Realms. Warhammer 40,000 is science fiction — Space Marines, alien races and futuristic weaponry in the 41st millennium. The gameplay and hobby experience are similar but the aesthetics and rules are quite different. Many players collect both.