The grim darkness of the far future is full of choices, and one of the most exciting (and daunting) decisions for any new Warhammer 40,000 player is picking an army faction. With dozens of armies, each with unique lore, aesthetics, and play styles, where do you start? My aim with this guide is to walk you through the key factors to consider, along with high-level snapshots of each major faction to help you find your match.
My first experience with Warhammer 40,000 came back in the 90’s when there were limited factions, but the poster boys of the game were, as they are now, the genetically enhanced human super soldiers—Space Marines, specifically the Ultramarines. These guys were the ‘heroes’ of the setting, protecting humanity from aliens, heresy, and daemons. As a kid, I was inspired seeing cool artwork posters and books full of images of these blue clad heroes battling back the ‘evil’ hordes, and I made my decision on my first army. I immediately fell in love with their story, characters and their visually pleasing blue armor and Greek iconography. To this day I still have an attachment to the Space Marine faction, but have moved on to the black-armored, knightly aesthetic Black Templar variant of Space Marines.
So, where do you start, and how do you choose your first army? Here’s the secret – there’s no wrong answer—but hopefully this article can help you make a choice.
The universe of Warhammer 40,000 has many races, factions and sub-factions that create more than twenty armies to choose from. At the highest level they are categorized into three groups—Imperium of Man, Forces of Chaos, and Xenos. Here’s a quick overview of the major factions, but to learn more, visit the Warhammer 40,000 community page:
Major Warhammer Factions
Imperium of Man:
The Imperium of Man is an authoritarian human empire ruled by the God Emperor of Mankind. The factions are made up of humanoids that wage war across the galaxy to protect the human race against alien invaders, and hold back the corruption of Chaos.
- Space Marines (Adeptus Astartes) – The iconic all-rounder power armored super soldiers. Tons of options and sub-factions, flexible play styles, beginner friendly.
- Imperial Guard (Astra Militarum) – Human soldiers with massed infantry and tanks. Classic military feel.
- Adeptus Mechanicus – Tech-worshippers with advanced weapons and a distinct mechanical look.
- Grey Knights – Elite daemon-hunting warriors, with psychic powers. A small, powerful army.
- Sisters of Battle (Adepta Sororitas) – Faith-driven female warriors with miracle powers and gothic flair.
- Custodes – The Emperor’s golden bodyguards. Small in numbers, elite, extremely tough.
- Imperial Knights – Towering war machines. Very low model count, but visually spectacular.
Forces of Chaos:
The Forces of Chaos play a huge part in the Warhammer 40,000 universe and a key to the lore. The factions are represented by both twisted and depraved human followers of the Chaos Gods, and their daemonic manifestations. Chaos Marines and Knights, also known as Traitors and Heretics, were once loyal to the Emperor but are now lost to the influence of Chaos and wage war as tribute to their chosen Chaos God.
- Chaos Space Marines – Corrupted marines devoted to dark gods. Brutal, aggressive, versatile. Four Chaos god specific sub factions – Death Guard, Emperors Children, Thousand Sons, and World Eaters.
- Chaos Daemons – Manifestations of the four Chaos gods. Wild, thematic, and unpredictable.
- Chaos Knights – Chaos infected version of the giant war machines.
Xenos:
Xenos is a term used by the Imperium to describe all intelligent alien species. Due to historical hostilities, all Xenos races have been deemed an enemy of mankind. While the factions within Imperium and Chaos groups are allies, the Xenos factions stand alone. Some factions like Orks and Tyranids are aggressive warhungry species, while others fight for survival (Aeldari) or empire expansion (Tau).
- Tyranids – Alien creatures controlled by a hive mind. Endless swarms or monstrous creatures. Board control specialists.
- Orks – Hordes of green skinned savages, random, hilarious, and violent.
- Necrons – Ancient robot legions. Durable, menacing, and visually striking.
- Tau Empire – High-tech, ranged warfare specialists with mechs. Weak in melee.
- Aeldari (Eldar) – Elegant, psychic, and fast. Fragile but deadly.
- Drukhari (Dark Eldar) – Raider pirates, lightning-fast, cruel and cunning.
- Leagues of Votann – Sturdy squat infantry with powerful war machines, slow but excel in both ranged and melee combat.
- Genestealer Cult – Blend of ambush tactics and guerrilla warfare. Sneaky and flexible.
What to consider when choosing your faction.
It doesn’t have to be an agonizing, drawn-out decision. You could grab a box of something that instantly appeals to you and paint a test model. But if you like to review all options, here are a few things you’ll want to consider when picking your army.
Lore & Aesthetic
Warhammer 40,000 has a deep lore for each of its factions and characters. Is story important to you? Do you want to command zealot warriors of faith, ancient alien machines, or brutal green-skin hordes? The story and look of a faction should inspire you—since you’ll be painting, playing, and talking about them. Note: Imagination and customization is encouraged. You do not need to stick to the box art or codex color schemes. For a little extra flair, come up with your own extended lore for a homebrew-colored Space Marine Chapter or Aelderi Craftworld.
Playstyle
If you plan to play the game rather than just collect the models, playstyle should be a major consideration. Every army has a different “feel” on the tabletop. Most have a primary way of playing, usually aligned with their lore, although many can flex into different styles depending on how you build your army list. Some rely on melee charges and brutal close combat, some on psychic mastery and tricks, others on tanks and overwhelming firepower. Think about how you enjoy playing strategy games: aggressive, defensive, sneaky, or balanced. Will you be ok sitting back and shooting your enemy, or do you want to rush forward and rip them limb from limb? Pro Tip: If playing the game is a major part of your decision, the videogame Tabletop Simulator has a Warhammer 40,000 module. You can play test armies here virtually before making the investment in physical miniatures.
Hobby Appeal & Time Investment
Is your focus on playing the game, or do you love to paint? The answer to that question may help you pick your faction. Factions range from horde armies (Orks, Tyranids) to low model count elite forces (Custodes, Knights). What sounds more appealing – painting hundreds of small infantry models, or a handful of towering elites? Of course, many factions sit in the middle with a balance of infantry and tanks. There’s an option for everyone!
Competitiveness & Rules
Warhammer 40,000’s core rules are updated every few years with each new edition, but adjustments to armies and points are made every few months to keep the game balanced. Army rules are updated via Codices through each edition, and this usually impacts the competitiveness ‘meta’. Your chosen faction’s strength can change as the rules and points shift, so the advice here is to pick an army that appeals to you rather than chasing the meta-army, which is always changing.
Budget & Army Size
Something to always keep in mind is the cost of building a playable army. Each unit has a point cost within the game, ranging from a few points for a basic infantry soldier to 400+ points for a gigantic Imperial Knight. The most common and the competitive army size for play is 2,000 points, therefore building armies can be expensive due to model count. Orks and Imperial Guard usually require large forces, while Custodes or Knights require far fewer models. Larger model count armies can cost as much as $1,800, while even for smaller armies you should budget at least $800. There are ways to save on cost, through secondhand marketplaces or discount retailers, especially with the more commonly played armies like Space Marines and Tyranids. Another thing to consider is transporting your army. If you plan to play in hobby stores or tournaments, you’ll need to get your army models there in one piece. There are many options for transport but you’ll have less to transport with a few large Knights than moving around hundreds of Orks!
Community and Support
Some factions have larger player communities and stronger online support through Reddit, Discord and YouTube than others. Popular armies like Space Marines have expansive resources, painting guides, and forums to help you along the way. Niche armies may have smaller communities, but they can be incredibly passionate and welcoming. Consider whether you’d like to join a community of a big, established faction or be part of a niche less played faction with a passionate group of fans but fewer resources for new starters.
Tips for new players choosing an army.
- Visit a local game or Warhammer store and look at display models and artwork.
- If you have a Warhammer store near you, visit them and ask for a miniature of the month or an introductory miniature.
- Warhammer stores have introductory games; ask to try out some factions.
- Download Tabletop Simulator and play test armies online.
- Start small: Try painting a few test models before diving into a huge army.
- Pick an army you’ll enjoy painting and looking at, not just one that’s strong right now.
- Use online resources to look at rules, playstyles, and units in each army.
- Read faction summaries on Warhammer Community or YouTube army breakdowns.
- Check out YouTube content creators for tips on army feel and battle reports to see them in action:
- Auspex Tactics – https://www.youtube.com/@auspextactics
- Play on Tabletop – https://www.youtube.com/@PlayOnTabletop
- Tactical Tortoise – https://www.youtube.com/@TacticalTortoise
The big decision.
At the end of the day, there’s no wrong choice. Whether you’re drawn to the endless hunger of the Tyranids, the deadly speed of Aeldari, or the absurd violence of the Orks, your army should be something you enjoy and connect with. Take some time to explore the lore, the models, and the play style that excites you—then dive into this awesome community and join the fun.
Bibliography
Game Rules:
Warhammer 40,000 rules – https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/downloads/warhammer-40000/
Community Links:
Warhammer Community homepage – https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/
Warhammer and hobby store finder – https://www.warhammer.com/en-US/store-finder
Warhammer official YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@officialwarhammer
Media:
Tabletop Simulator – https://www.tabletopsimulator.com/
Auspex Tactics – https://www.youtube.com/@auspextactics
Play on Tabletop – https://www.youtube.com/@PlayOnTabletop
Tactical Tortoise – https://www.youtube.com/@TacticalTortoise
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