Getting Started

Okay, so you want to play 40k, but you aren’t sure where to start. There are a lot of choices to make and tasks that will need to be done, which can make it seem a little daunting. I would like to offer some suggestions that can help simplify things for you, to make it easier for you to get started. This advice goes across a broad spectrum from how to select which army you will play, to what to buy first, to how to do it without spending too much money, to painting and modeling tips for those of us that aren’t artists, and finally to how to find other people to play with.

Selecting an Army

Despite what you hear some people say, there are no armies that will always win, so just ignore it when people say that. Each army generally has a different feel, due to the combinations of weapons and armor and troops. You can find out about the feel of an army by reading stories about it, checking out battle reports, watching games and looking through the codex. You can also learn a lot about it by talking to people that play the army. There are a number of discussion groups at groups.yahoo.com that are devoted to specific armies, which can help you understand the army more quickly. On the other hand, each of the armies has different styles available, which can make it play significantly differently. As an example, let’s take the Imperial Guard. The “standard” Guard army has lots of grunts, with heavy and assault weapons in the squads. It usually also features a couple of tanks or artillery pieces and a mobile unit or two to take objectives or countercharge. On the other hand, you could drop the tanks in favor of even more grunts, with lots of heavy and special weapons. You could also go to the other extreme, playing an Armored company, where tanks are your main troop choices. Not all lists are quite as flexible, but you get the idea. Finally, if you have a friend that will allow it, proxy your possible army choices before you make those purchases.

What to buy

Okay, you’ve figured out that you are interested in a particular army, now what? There are a lot of different models that you can buy, and you’re not made of money. Start small. To play a game, you need at least 1 HQ and 2 Troops choices. Start with those first, since a bunch of other cool models will do you no good until you get your basic squads. Most armies have a limited number of choices in these departments, so that will make things easier. The basic set comes with space marines and Dark Eldar, so if you are playing one of those armies, it might be worth buying the basic set. You’ll still need an HQ choice, but you’ll have the rules and some troops and some basic equipment for playing a game. You can also buy an army deal boxed set, which includes a lot of items for the army, generally at less cost than you’d pay for them if you bought them individually. The only problem is that you might not want everything in there, which means it’s not as good a discount. It’s also a pretty good chunk of change to plunk down when you’re just getting started. You can also buy the models a la carte.< There are individual models and small boxes of troops available, which lets you buy just what you want, without too much extra. If the option you chose for getting your troops did not get you an HQ, you’ll need one of them as well. It’s not a huge deal which HQ choice you take first, since you can always pick up another model after you get a few games under your belt. In general, I’d recommend getting a fairly inexpensive HQ (point wise, at least) at first, you can always work your way up later.

Keeping costs down

Warhammer 40k is a hobby. Like all hobbies, it costs money. For that matter, like most things, if you aren’t careful, you can spend a lot of money on it. There are ways to keep your costs down, however. Sometimes local stores will offer 10 or 20% discounts on purchases, so that can really help. Local stores will also sometimes have sales on their merchandise, so if you keep your eye out and plan ahead, you can get some good deals. Sometimes, if you are careful, you can also find good deals at bartertown or ebay, though watch for shipping costs that can eat up the money you saved. Finally, you can get a boxed set if you subscribe to White Dwarf, which is a good deal if you also want the WD subscription. In addition to these ways of getting more for your money, you can help yourself even more by some personal choices. Try before you buy. If you’ve got a friend that will let you proxy some items, try out any potential purchases in a few games first, to try to get the feel for them and to see if they are what you want. Also, promise yourself that you won’t buy anything else until you’ve fully painted what you already have. The best way to spend lots of money with little or no return is to buy a bunch of stuff and not paint it, then give in to temptation and buy more stuff. The more stuff you have to paint, the less likely you are to actually do it. (At least, that’s how it works for me and everyone I talk to…) As the pile of unpainted models grows, it gets harder and harder to get up the enthusiasm to paint, and then some cool, new models come out… If you do one thing at a time, you can use that time to save up money for your next purchase and you can make sure that it is a wise investment.

Painting

Painting seems like such a daunting task. Not only do you have a lot of little figures to paint, but there is a lot of small detail and, frankly, you’re not Rembrandt. (Well, maybe you are, I’m not!) In addition, there are Golden Demon- caliber paintjobs being shown off in White Dwarf on a regular basis and it gets a little intimidating. I have a few tips that can help you get a good looking force together without having to go to art school or spend a year just painting. First off, start with your basic models, the Troops. When you’ve got squads to paint, don’t worry about the tiny little details, just get the broad strokes done. One thing that generally looks good is to choose two major colors, either contrasting or one bright and one dark, as a theme for your army. For my Dark Eldar, I chose Black and Chrome. It just gave me the high-tech bad guy feel I was looking for. Most of the model gets one color (armor, clothing) while a few pieces (equipment, weapons) get the other color. You can then add a third color for little bits of trim or designs. While I’m in this stage, I’d also like to put in a good word for helmets. Not only do I prefer the look of helmeted warriors, it also means I don’t have to paint as much detail, since the hair and eyes are generally covered by helmets, plus I don’t have to worry as much about making the skin look natural. There are other techniques to making good looking models quickly and easily that I’ve heard people swear by, though I haven’t yet tried myself. Flocking and painting the base on a model is supposed to be an easy way to vastly improve the look of the model. Drybrushing and inking (water down those inks!) to add highlights and shadows and pick out details is also a fast way to get models to look good. Finally, spend a little more time on the individual figures, such as your HQ. There are fewer of them than the basic guys in your troop squads, so you can afford to devote more time to them. Do a little more detail work and add little bits of flair here that you didn’t do on the other guys. Also, do these after you do the Troops, so you’ll have a little more experience by the time you get to them.

Modeling

There will be models that you have to assemble. I would recommend checking all the pieces for fit first, before you glue anything. Yes, all the pieces. You can use modeling clay or something to hold it together temporarily while you make sure everything goes where it is supposed to. Not only is it bad to find out that your cool running pose makes the model badly top heavy and very hard to attach to the base, but sometimes there is Flash, the leftover stuff from the molding process that can get in the way of something going in right. Sometimes the parts don’t quite match up, or maybe the plastic is bent a little. Either way, if you try it ahead of time, you can save yourself some grief. I remember the first time I got a Carnifex model. I was really excited and I sat right down to glue it together so I could surprise my friend Mike with it the next week. Once I figured out what was supposed to be attached to what, I started gluing. One thing to remember about a Carnifex is that the body is in two pieces, like a clam shell. Well, you glue those pieces together, then put the big scything arms in their sockets. Well, the glue I was using had a hard time bonding those heavy metal pieces, and I was impatient, so I kept having to redo the arms, since I’d try to move before the glue had fully set. Eventually I got to the fourth arm. I noticed that it was a much tighter fit than the others, so I pushed it in a little harder. The slight increase in strain broke the set of the glue on the two halves of the body shell, dumping the other three arms and an hour or so’s work on the ground. I’m pretty sure that I said a few things that I wouldn’t care to repeat now. Learn from my mistake. Check it for fit, then put it together when you don’t have to rush.

No one to play

I’ve run across this complaint often in the online forums and discussion groups I’m on, and I’ve been there myself. All too often, it seems, 40k players are left without someone to play with. 40k is a social game and it is a lot more fun playing with and talking to other people than just pushing your own figures around. The problem is, 40k players don’t go around with signs on their necks showing that they are 40k players, so you have to find them. Maybe you could go around with a sign on your neck, but there are some things you might want to try first. Try the online forums and message boards. Post where you are and that you are looking for other players. This isn’t usually a huge success, but it’s worth a shot. Then go to local gaming stores and start asking around and putting up messages if they’ve got a message board. If there isn’t a league or club at the local gaming store, start one. Even if it’s just you, ask the owner if there is a day or time that you would be able to run 40k games in their shop. If you are polite about it and seem responsible, they will probably agree, since you’ll be showcasing some of the products they sell, so it’s free advertising for them. The next step is to find that regular time to be there and BE THERE. If you show up for a couple of weeks, then skip a couple, you’ll just make people think that you aren’t serious about it, so they won’t be serious about it. The same goes for showing up at random times. If they don’t know when you might show up, they won’t know when to meet you. While you are there, put out some of your miniatures and do whatever you can. If you’ve got somebody to play with, play a game or two. If you don’t, maybe set up a little scene, like your army taking up positions around a ruined fort or holding a hill. You can also use this time to paint or assemble models. The key is to be there during whatever regular time you set, and be doing something involving 40k. Then, when someone stops to check out what you’re doing, be friendly and polite. Ask if they’ve played Warhammer 40k before. Answer their questions and generally invite discussion. If they’ve never played before and are interested, try to put together a demo game. (maybe 250pts per side, to keep it short)< If you plan on doing demo games, however, make sure you have a couple of army lists planned out ahead of time and also make sure you are familiar with the rules. Also keep an eye on the cash register. If you see someone buying 40k stuff, ask if they play and be polite. Maybe ask a few questions about their army and let them know what your regular time for showing up is. >If they respond well to your questions, invite them to play, either now or later. Many 40k players are unaware that others in the area play 40k, so your presence should start drawing them out of the woodwork, and you will probably also drum up some new players from those people that you talk to and answer questions for and run demo games for.

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