Thinking of starting Warhammer 40K but not sure how to start

[Veldel]

I don't know where to start or how to find people really to play with.

I was thinking of doing Guard or Chaos as my faction of choice.


Really I dont know what all to say or where to start iv seen a couple games online via youtube but thats it.

 

[Soluncreed]

Welcome to the wonderful world of 40k.

The easiest way to start this hobby is through research. Look up factions that you think you will like to play, figure out which ones will best fit your playstyle, and then proceed to find information about the best way to set up your first army. Research is incredibly important. As you begin to familiarize yourself with your army, you will begin to develop your own playstyle and army list. When I started, I tended to stick with lists I found online. Then, I began to adapt these lists to suit my own needs and ideas.

If you want to find people to play with, get your friends into it. Everyone starting at once is good because you will progress at a relatively consistent level. If you're looking for a place to play, you can either just make your own board, with a large sheet of wood, or find some places in your area, like hobby shops.

 

[Rawne1980]

If you can find a Games Workshop near where you live they have games going on in some of them. Pop down and watch a few of them.

Guard are a decent army, you can get a fair few units depending on what point size the game is you're playing.

Chaos work the same as Space Marines in regards to the size of the army you'll be able to field. Expensive units and not a lot of them. However, some of those units are incredibly powerful.

Not helping a new person at all you probably have no idea what i'm yammering about.

Start by picking up the Codex of the army you want to start. It will explain it all, points a unit costs, what the unit can and can't do, special rules and full squads and item lists and points costs.

Read a few White Dwarf magazines aswell. They have games in them and reports on what happens. Good read to get a general idea what you are doing and maybe pick up a few tactics. Also shows where events are being held.

 

[juraigamer]

Yes look up the factions, find a friendly local game store or somewhere with the codexes and go down there and talk to people. Then BEFORE you buy anything make a 1500 point list and work towards buying what you need for that.

There is another forum that will assist you much more with 40k that you should look into, it's called dakkadakka.com

 

[Veldel]

If you want to find people to play with, get your friends into it. Everyone starting at once is good because you will progress at a relatively consistent level. If you're looking for a place to play, you can either just make your own board, with a large sheet of wood, or find some places in your area, like hobby shops.

I will have 0 local friends due to moving halfway across the country here in about a week. And im not really sure where to find hobby shops

Could you tell me a little about each factions playstyle or a site to start at? as I said im currently leaning to Guard or Chaos

 

[willsham45]

OK your best bet is to head into a games workshop. They have all the things you need, and provide training and trile tables and the like. They usually hold events where you can bring and play and or use there models to platy. You should be able to find your local or closet on the games workshop website.

If there is not a close games workshop there could be a gaming club around, where abouts do you live? Ask mates or work colleges maybe you can find someone to play with or someone who will start with you. That is always fun.

Once you have found people to play with the best thing to probally do is to get the starter box, assult on black reach, that will give you a rule book, a starter guide and some space marines and orks, If you have a mate who wants to play that could be a good start one takes the marines the other the orks.

Alternitivly buy the 40k rule book but it will cost more or less the same as the smaller rule book and the models int he starter kit just a smaller book, same info.

From there you want the codex for the army you want to play, If you want I will be happy to give you a run down of the armies if you do not know them already. So there you have the rules for the game and the rules for your army.

OK model wise you have to take a minimum army which is 2 troop choices and 1 HQ choice. Your best bet is probally to get a battle force, these kits come with a range of models usually providing a good starting point to expand from. That with a HQ and your set to go. Ask if you want more detail.

And finally Chaos or Guard. Both have there advantages and disadvantages and they all come down to what you prefer. Chaos are pritty solid, but are quite expencive in points so you have few and if you get the starter kit you could try and convert some guys to make up your chaos army. Guard on the other hand feel more like a modern day army. Each man is quite week with meh weapons but they are cheap and out number the foe by great numbers and have some of the best tanks in the game. So your chose on that.

As I said reply or quote me and I will get back to you if you need any more infomation.

 

[willsham45]

Could you tell me a little about each factions playstyle or a site to start at? as I said im currently leaning to Guard or Chaos

easiest answer
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/landing.jsp?catId=cat440130a&rootCatGameStyle=wh40k

 

[Veldel]

As I said reply or quote me and I will get back to you if you need any more infomation.

A run down each army could be informative

Pretty much anything I know for them is from Dawn of War and from a few apocklypse games

 

[Supertegwyn]

First of all, set aside around $500 for your hobby.

I doubt it will come to that now, but it's always good to have spare cash for it. Now, where do you live? Google Games Workshop stores around your general location and if one is close to you, visit it. The people there are fantastic, and will teach you all you need to know about the game. You can also buy some kits there and paint.

Now, if there aren't any I suggest http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/home.jsp
While not as good as an actual store, the website contains lots of information to get you started.

 

[Sneipen]

Good to see you've got so meany good answers Veldie I was about to contribute myself, but happened to come across this video a few days ago, and i find myself unable to explain how to start with 40k any better than this videos host. Strongly recomend you check it out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PXaEUwAZSc

Dunno if you've already seen it, but it's both rather entertaining and in my oppinion a very good guide on where to start. You could also check out that youtube acount for some more vids. They've done quite a few interesting battleraports as well.

But since i've got to contribute personaly (which i have) I'd pass allong my favorite tip for new players. When you pick you army, It is entirely justifyed to pick out entirely out of looks and fluff. You'll be using a lot of time painting and looking at your models, so make sure you like em

Hope you find 40k as awesome as most of us seem to do, and good luck.

 

[azukar]

As stated, find your local gaming shop. Then hand them all your debit and credit cards (including PINs as necessary) and start hauling home the merch.

Chaos merch, if that helps Guard are less fun.

 

[willsham45]

Could you tell me a little about each factions playstyle

OK the quickets virtion.

Space marines - super humans. Tough as nails, low in number.
Blood angels - Space marines different options, more speed I think
Space Wolves - Space maines differnet options more close combat oriantated
Dark angles - Space marines different options
Black Templar - Space marines differnt options...
Grey knights - super super humans. tougher then marines, even lower in number.
Sisters of battle - space marines with boobs...not to sure...

Guard - squishy humans, Weak armour, Weak weapons, Sweet Tanks

Choas - space maines...only with skikes and different options

Tau - all about the shooting and moving fail in combate somewhat

Necrons - Space Zombies with cool guns, easy to use have one of THE best tanks in the game, easy to paint

Eldar - space elves...quite specilised have units that excel in one task but not mixed.

Dark Eldar - Spiky space elves...Speed is there armour, quite hard to use great when mastered.

Nids - Aliens combate oriantated big in numbers cool monsters

Orks - Footty Huligans love a fight bruital in combat low cost have some fun toys to play with fun to play.

chaos demands - apear out of no where they all come into the game later on, quite fun but do not know all that much about them

And I think that is everything

I can send you more info later if you want I got to go to bed, but check out games workshops website look under armies and they have all you need to know there, showing the models available and if you go to articals you should find better overviews of each faction. Also if you call games workshop they might be able to point you in the right direction to a club or store near you.

Hope that helps.

Again if you want anything elce ask but maybe try something a little more specific like a particualar army. But will not be able to reply until tomorrow its getting late, well for me I have no idea what time it is for you.

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

Guard - squishy humans, Weak armour, Weak weapons, Sweet Tanks

Clearly you haven't gone up against an Imperial Guard army specializing in spamming weapon teams carrying cheap missile launchers.

Sure, one or two krak or frag missiles might be unlikely to kill anything. BUT! When you've got 20-30 missiles flying your way each shooting phase, and the weapon teams are all well entrenched in nice, cover save giving ruins and fortifications, and every time you try to shoot the bastards, only a handful of the normal, lasgun tooting guardsmen die... Well, let's just say that it's gonna hurt, regardless if you play well armoured, but expensive SMurfs or numerous but squishy Orks/'Nids.

 

[Temple Guard]

Gamesworkshop.com has a store locator on there website. If you go to the website you can find local stores that carry Warhammer products, or the location of a Games Workshop.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/storelocator/search.jsp

If you want more advice I reccomed going to websites dedicated to Warhammer such as,
dakkadakka.com
miniwargaming.com

 

[willsham45]

Guard - squishy humans, Weak armour, Weak weapons, Sweet Tanks

Clearly you haven't gone up against an Imperial Guard army specializing in spamming weapon teams carrying cheap missile launchers.

Sure, one or two krak or frag missiles might be unlikely to kill anything. BUT! When you've got 20-30 missiles flying your way each shooting phase, and the weapon teams are all well entrenched in nice, cover save giving ruins and fortifications, and every time you try to shoot the bastards, only a handful of the normal, lasgun tooting guardsmen die... Well, let's just say that it's gonna hurt, regardless if you play well armoured, but expensive SMurfs or numerous but squishy Orks/'Nids.

Ok there basic man is weak and so are the basic weapons. But in numbers they are deadly. I guess I forgot to add that...:S

 

[JesterRaiin]

Newest edition of WH40k is optimized for Ultrasm... I mean Space Marines of Ultramarines chapter. They are easy to learn, easy to assemble and that makes them good starting point for your new hobby i guess.

 

[The_Waspman]

First of all, set aside around $500 for your hobby.

I think this is a very very modest estimate. Stick a pound sign and a couple of zeroes on the end, and you're there.

 

[Dectomax]

I would highly recommend Tau, I've just started up an army and I already prefer them to my others ( I played Space marines, Guard and Orks before ).

They're a highly manoeuvrable army that are more of a scalpel than an iron hammer like the Imperial Guard. I find them awesome to paint and to be fair, also awesome to play.

I'd advise for a first time player Space marines though ( Yes, dull - boring bla bla... ) But they're the easiest to play and learn. Then once you've got used to it and worked on your tactics you can test out other armies. Hell, some GW shops let you try out armies before hand - some players might even let you use their army.

So, I'd say Tau ( Because they are a versatile army ) but Space marines for ease of use.