New to Warhammer: Guide for beginners

How to Start with Warhammer — A Complete Beginner's Guide

Warhammer caught your eye but you're not sure where to begin? You're in the right place. This page walks you through everything you need to know before your first purchase — which system to choose, what to buy first, how to paint your miniatures and how much it will cost. No jargon, no assumptions.

Colours of Warriors is a specialist hobby shop in Pilsen, Czech Republic, focused exclusively on Warhammer and miniature gaming. We're happy to advise in person at our store on Zbrojnická 116/2 or online — but first, work through this guide so you arrive with a clear idea of what you want.

Step 1 — Read This First: What Is Warhammer?

Warhammer isn't one game — it's an ecosystem of games from Games Workshop, each set in its own universe with its own rules and aesthetic. Before choosing a faction or buying your first box, it's worth understanding what each system offers and how they differ from each other.

Step 2 — Choose Your System

Games Workshop offers several distinct games. For beginners, we recommend starting with one of these:

Warhammer 40,000 — the world's most popular miniature wargame, set in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium. Space Marines, Chaos, Orks, Tyranids and dozens of other factions battle for survival in a dying galaxy. Ideal if you're drawn to science fiction aesthetics and epic large-scale battles.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar — the fantasy counterpart to 40k, set in the mythical Mortal Realms. Stormcast Eternals, Nighthaunt, Orruk Warclans and many more. Perfect for players who prefer fantasy aesthetics and a more dynamic action-oriented ruleset.

Kill Team — a small-scale skirmish game for two players, ideal as a first step into the hobby. You only need a team of 6–12 miniatures, games take around an hour and the entry cost is the lowest of all Warhammer systems.

Warhammer: The Old World — the return of classic fantasy Warhammer with square bases and formation battles. A great choice for veterans of the old Warhammer Fantasy Battles and newcomers who prefer a more tactical, manoeuvre-focused wargame.

Horus Heresy — the prequel to Warhammer 40,000, set during the great galactic civil war of Space Marines. A more complex game suited to players with at least some miniature wargaming experience.

Step 3 — What to Buy First

Regardless of which system you choose, your first purchase will look roughly the same across all of them:

A starter set or Combat Patrol — a box with miniatures designed specifically for your system and faction, with everything needed to start playing included.
→ Warhammer 40k Starter Sets | Age of Sigmar Starter Sets

Basic paints — we recommend starting with a Citadel Colour starter set or Army Painter Speedpaint, both designed specifically for Warhammer miniatures.
→ Citadel Paint Sets | Army Painter Sets

Brushes — a basic set of 3–4 brushes is enough to start.
→ All Brushes

Plastic glue — essential for assembling plastic miniatures.
→ Glues

Clippers — for removing parts from the plastic sprues.
→ Clippers

Step 4 — Learn to Paint

Painting miniatures is an integral part of the Warhammer hobby — and anyone can do it. The standard approach follows three steps that every beginner should know: Base (apply a solid foundation colour), Shade (apply a thin wash that flows into recesses and creates shadows) and Layer (highlight raised surfaces to bring out detail). These three steps are enough to paint any miniature to a great tabletop standard.

Not sure which brushes to choose? Our guide to choosing the right brush has everything you need. And for a quick overview of tips that will immediately improve your results, read our 5 painting tips for beginners.

Step 5 — How Much Does It Cost?

A complete starter package including miniatures, basic paints, brushes and tools typically costs:

Kill Team: from approx. €100 (team + Core Book + basic paints + tools)
Warhammer 40,000: from approx. €120 (Combat Patrol + paints + tools)
Age of Sigmar: from approx. €100 (Spearhead box + paints + tools)
The Old World: from approx. €140 (starter set + paints + tools)

For a detailed breakdown of costs for each system, see our article How much does it cost to start playing Warhammer?

Not Sure? Come and See Us

At Colours of Warriors in Pilsen we're happy to help you choose your first army in person. Our Paint Zone lets you try painting miniatures on the spot before you decide — we'll lend you brushes, paints and a demo miniature. Come and see us at Zbrojnická 116/2, Pilsen, open Monday to Friday 13:00–18:00.

Or get in touch online — obchod@coloursofwarriors.com or +420 737 281 727.