Warhammer 40K 11th Edition Starter Guide: Detachments, Army Building & More
New editions of Warhammer 40,000 tend to spark the same kind of excitement every time: list builders refreshing their tools, veterans re-checking what changed, and everyone—whether you’re brand-new, returning after a long break, or already knee-deep in 10th edition events—trying to figure out how detachments and army-building rules will shake out. No matter how long you’ve been playing, it’s back to the rules, the clarifications, and the “does this actually work like that?” edge-case conversations, with Codex releases looming for everyone at the same time.
If the hype around your local store has you tempted to jump into this huge (and yes, pricey) tabletop hobby, the hard part is figuring out the starting point. Do you begin with the books? The starter box? Or do you commit immediately with what amounts to a whole trolley of Space Marine kits—stuffed into your collection like Roboute Guilliman in a Thunderhawk? Either way, by the end of this guide you should have a clearer idea of where to begin.
Introductory Set: a low-commitment entry point
Games Workshop packages a bunch of kits together for new players, and Warhammer 40k 11th edition’s Introductory Set follows that same approach. The real question is whether it’s a good value for you, which depends on what you’re trying to get out of the hobby.
The Introductory Set is pitched as the ideal choice if you’re unsure whether you even like Warhammer 40k as a hobby. Inside, you get six Space Marines and six Orks you can build and paint, plus cardboard terrain, a paper playmat, dice, a ruler, six pots of paint, and a brush. It’s essentially a complete “first session” bundle, paired with a simplified ruleset so you can start playing right away.
One practical option is splitting the contents with a friend. You can each take the faction you’re interested in—either the poster “super-soldiers” or the xenos greenskins—while sharing the rest to test whether you enjoy every part of the Warhammer loop, from assembly to painting to actual games. Buying everything separately can still be more cost-effective in the long run, but only if you already know what you want; for instance, you’d typically get more for your money elsewhere in terms of bigger paint pots, a higher-quality brush, extra miniatures, and even plastic terrain. If you’re still deciding whether you’re going to stick with the hobby, though, this box covers the basics without demanding extra purchases immediately.
The main sticking point for me is the paint assortment. Green, blue, black, gold, silver, and brown are enough to get started with the included Ultramarines and Orks, but I would have liked to see the three core colours as well as white. Games Workshop’s white paints aren’t anything to write home about, but they’re still serviceable for beginners who want to mix up a highlight. It would also have been nice to include options like Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil, but washes are generally a step up in technique—so I understand why they weren’t included.
Overall, the Introductory Set is a solid place to begin if you’re uncertain about the hobby. It gives you a basic version of the main elements, and you shouldn’t need to buy much more to get going. Clippers and glue are optional thanks to the push-fit style of the minis, but if you enjoy what you see, your next buys will likely be a couple more boxes of models.
Getting Started Boxes: bigger sets for building an army
If you’re already leaning toward “I want to actually play,” the Getting Started boxes are larger and aimed at people who intend to begin building an army. You can choose a Combat Patrol for either Orks or Space Marines, and the box also includes the paints and brushes needed to get those models up to tabletop standard.
Paint-wise, the selection is improved compared to the Introductory Set, with 11 paint pots included along with a shade. There’s still a limitation: unless you’re willing to get creative beyond the product’s presentation, you’ll mainly be painting the minis in the same colour schemes shown on the box art.
Combat Patrol as a concept is described as a deeply flawed version of 40k, but the box contents still manage to provide relatively balanced forces and a decent starting point for either a Space Marines or Ork army. The Ork option is especially noted for its variety: regular Boyz, tricky Gretchin, and a roster of characters that bring a lot of colour and personality to the table. That said, the writer admits they may be biased by personal fatigue with Space Marines at this point.
If you decide to go with the Imperium’s most famous poster faction, you get new Vanguard Veterans and a Land Speeder, plus new character sculpts. You also receive five standard Intercessors, which are positioned as the kind of unit that can form the backbone of a larger force.
Bottom line: if you’re committed to starting an Ork or Space Marines army, these are not bad entry points. On the other hand, if you want more control over your army composition or your painting plans, buying individual units directly is still a valid route.
Armageddon: the official starter set for 11th edition
The Armageddon box is the official starter set for 11th edition, but it’s not really designed for absolute beginners. That said, if what you want is a big bundle of cool Orks or Space Marines models along with the rules for playing properly, it contains what you need to get started.
With a price tag that lands at nearly $300, it’s a serious commitment. The suggestion to make it more manageable is to trade with a friend: swap the army you don’t want, which can either reduce the effective cost or at least help you double up on the items you do want.
One drawback is that the physical rulebook feels a bit redundant. Some rules are only available online, and while the online rules can be downloaded for free, the writer personally prefers flipping through a softcover book rather than scrolling on a phone.
Armageddon doesn’t include any paints. The upside is that it gives you freedom to pick whatever colours you want for your minis. And for anyone buying that many models to start the hobby, choosing your paints is framed as one of the more enjoyable “extra” expenses you’ll be adding to your overall shopping list.
If you want to begin with an army that isn’t Space Marines or Orks, official starter sets are basically off the table. Still, your local gaming store staff can likely provide guidance, and the aggressive pushy sales tactics that used to be common are said to be mostly gone. The argument here is that you’ll get more value out of human advice and community discussion than from buying a prefab box alone or reading a random online article—even with the writer still encouraging readers to stick around.
Personal recommendation is also clear: despite a love for Mechanicus, it’s not advised as a starting point. The reason given is that their models are fiddly to build, paint, and play. Unless you’re similarly devoted to the Omnissiah, starting with a simpler army is suggested. The writer also encourages reading some lore first to see which armies or characters genuinely stand out to you.
Finally, there’s a quick tour of “if you like X, you might like Y” lore angles. Necrons are said to have excellent novels, while T’au are described as offering high-tech, Gundam-like vibes for people who want that aesthetic. The writer jokes that maybe they’ll need to create an accompanying beginner lore primer later—implying there’s more to cover, including the Guilliman x Thunderhawk joke referenced earlier, which they expect readers will understand in time.
