Best Warhammer 40k Starter Set for Beginners (2026): Every Box Compared

Short answer: For most beginners, the best Warhammer 40,000 starter set in 2026 is the Starter Set ($255 US list price). It has two complete Combat Patrol armies, Space Marines and Orks, for 46 miniatures in all, plus 15 terrain pieces, two game boards and the full Core Rules: everything two people need to play. If you want to paint first or try the hobby cheaply, get the Introductory Set (about $80). If you already know which army you want, Getting Started with Space Marines ($177) or Getting Started with Orks ($170) gives you a full Combat Patrol plus 11 paints.

Updated October 24, 2026 · Box contents from Games Workshop · US list prices from US retailer listings, checked October 24, 2026. Many US online stores sell these boxes about 15% below list.

Who this is for: anyone starting Warhammer 40,000 for the first time, or buying a first box for someone else. The new edition launched in summer 2026 with a whole new range of starter products, and they suit very different people. Here’s what’s in each box and which one makes sense for you.

Every 2026 Warhammer 40k starter set at a glance

There are also three smaller paint sets, covered further down: Intercessors + Paints, Boyz + Paints and the $45 Paints + Tools Set.

Which Warhammer 40k starter set should you buy?

• Two people who want to play together: the Starter Set. It’s the only box under $300 with two full armies, terrain and a game board.
• One person who wants to try painting and a small game: the Introductory Set. It’s the cheapest box that includes miniatures, paints, a playmat and rules.
• You already know your army: the Getting Started box for Space Marines or Orks. You get the same Combat Patrol that’s in the Starter Set, plus the paints to finish it.
• You want the most in one box: Armageddon, the new edition’s launch box, if you can still find it.
• You already play: skip the starters and look at this year’s Christmas Battleforces.

The 2026 Warhammer 40k starter sets, compared

1. Starter Set: the best overall

Inside: two complete Combat Patrol armies, 46 push-fit miniatures in total.

• Space Marines (13): a Captain with Relic Shield, a Librarian, 5 Intercessors, 5 Vanguard Veterans with Jump Packs and a Land Speeder.
• Orks (33): a Warboss, a Weirdboy, 20 Boyz, 10 Gretchin and a Wartrakk.
• To play: 15 pieces of terrain, a pair of double-sided game boards, dice, range rulers, the full Core Rules, a Starter Set Handbook and two rules reference sheets.

Why it’s the best buy: these are the exact same two Combat Patrols sold in the Getting Started boxes, which cost $177 and $170 on their own, or $347 together. The Starter Set gives you both armies, plus terrain, boards and the full rulebook, for $255. The one thing it doesn’t include is paint, so budget about $45 for the Paints + Tools Set if you want to paint your armies.

Price: $255 US list price. Several US online stores were selling it for about $217 when we checked.

2. Introductory Set: the cheapest way to try Warhammer

Inside: 12 miniatures (a Space Marine Lieutenant and 5 Intercessors against an Ork Nob and 5 Boyz), a playmat, card terrain, a range ruler, six dice, six paints, a starter brush and a 48-page handbook that walks you through building, painting and your first game.

Why buy it: it’s a little of everything (building, painting and playing) for about a third of the Starter Set’s price. It’s the safest pick for someone who’s curious about Warhammer but not sure they’ll stick with it.

The catch: 12 miniatures is a taster, not an army. If they love it, the next step is a Getting Started box for their favorite side.

3. Getting Started with Space Marines

Inside: a full Space Marines Combat Patrol (a Captain, a Librarian, 5 Intercessors, 5 Vanguard Veterans and a Land Speeder), plus 11 paints, a brush, a texture spreader for basing and an introductory booklet with background lore and building and painting guides.

Why buy it: it’s a ready-to-play army plus everything you need to paint it, in one box. Space Marines are the face of Warhammer 40,000 and have the biggest range of models to grow into.

Price: $177 US list price.

4. Getting Started with Orks

Inside: a full Orks Combat Patrol (a Warboss, a Weirdboy, 20 Boyz, 10 Gretchin and a Wartrakk), plus 11 paints, a brush, a texture spreader and an introductory booklet.

Why buy it: 33 models is a lot of army for $170, and Orks are a loud, chaotic, fun army to paint, where a bit of mess just adds character.

Price: $170 US list price.

5. Armageddon: the launch box

Inside: 61 push-fit miniatures (23 Space Marines in Blood Angels colors and 38 Orks), a Core Rules booklet, the Armageddon: Operation Imperator lore book, the Chapter Approved 2026–27 Mission Deck, the Dominatus narrative campaign deck, datasheet cards and a transfer sheet.

Why buy it: it’s the biggest box of the new edition, with more models than the Starter Set and two card decks for missions and a narrative campaign. It released in June 2026 and is sold while stocks last, so it’s getting harder to find at list price.

The catch: it has no terrain, paints or game board, so for brand-new players the Starter Set is the more complete package.

Price: $295 US list price.

6. The small paint sets

• Paints + Tools Set ($45): 13 Warhammer Colour paints, a brush, clippers and a mouldline remover. It’s the natural add-on for the Starter Set or Armageddon, neither of which includes paint.
• Intercessors + Paints: two Space Marine Intercessors, six paints for Ultramarines colors and a starter brush.
• Boyz + Paints: two Ork Boyz and a Gretchin, six paints for Goff clan colors and a starter brush.

The two mini paint sets are the cheapest way to find out whether someone enjoys painting before you spend more.

What else do you need to get started?

• No glue: the miniatures in the Starter Set, the Getting Started boxes and Armageddon are push-fit, so they snap together.
• Clippers: to cut parts off the frame cleanly. The Paints + Tools Set includes a pair.
• Paint: the Introductory Set and the Getting Started boxes include it. The Starter Set and Armageddon don’t.

Buying a Warhammer 40k starter set as a gift

If they’ve never played, the Introductory Set is the low-risk gift, and the Starter Set is the big one, especially if two people in the house will play together. If they already play, a starter box usually isn’t the right gift: ask which army they collect and look at the 2026 Christmas Battleforces instead. Check prices before you buy. Many US online game stores sell these boxes about 15% below list, while some marketplace resellers charge well above it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Warhammer 40k starter set in 2026?
The Starter Set ($255) for most people. It has two full Combat Patrol armies (46 miniatures), terrain, two game boards and the Core Rules.

What is the cheapest way to start Warhammer 40k?
The Introductory Set, at about $80, with 12 miniatures, six paints, a playmat and a beginner handbook. The two small paint sets cost even less, but they’re for painting, not playing.

What’s the difference between the Starter Set and the Getting Started boxes?
The Starter Set has both the Space Marines and Orks Combat Patrols, plus terrain, boards and the full rules, but no paint. Each Getting Started box has one of those Combat Patrols plus 11 paints and a brush.

Do Warhammer 40k starter sets need glue?
No. The miniatures in the Starter Set, the Getting Started boxes and Armageddon are push-fit, so they snap together without glue.

Is the Armageddon box still available?
Games Workshop sells it while stocks last, and some stores have sold out. If you find it near its $295 list price, it’s the biggest box of the edition.

Sources: box contents from Games Workshop’s starter set pre-order announcement (July 11, 2026) and Armageddon: what’s in the box; Starter Set unit list from Miniature Market; US list prices from Miniature Market, Game Nerdz and MrMuffin’s Trains listings, checked October 24, 2026. Images: Games Workshop / Warhammer Community.