Get Started in the Grimdark Future: A Review
This weekend’s Warhammer 40,000 pre-orders are focused heavily on helping new players get into the hobby, with a full wave of starter sets, paint bundles, tools, and Black Library releases all coming up during the After Dark this weekend. Pre-orders open at Midnight EST 07/11.
For brand-new players, this is a strong release cycle. There are options here for someone who wants a full game in a box, someone who just wants to paint a few miniatures, and someone who wants to jump straight into a Combat Patrol force with the basic hobby supplies included.
That said, there is one important note before we get into the new boxes: the Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon Launch Box is still available for special order, and in general, it remains the better value proposition for most players. You can purchase that boxset by Clicking Here.
Warhammer 40,000: Starter Set
The Warhammer 40,000 Starter Set is the standout release of this wave.
This box includes two Combat Patrol armies, one for the Space Marines and one for the Orks, along with battlefield boards, terrain, dice, rulers, a full Core Rulebook, a Starter Set Handbook, and reference sheets to help newer players learn the game.
The big selling point here is that the Starter Set includes many of the models from the Armageddon Launch Box for both factions, along with a Combat Patrol’s worth of terrain. That makes it a very compelling option for someone who wants a more traditional starter experience with rules, boards, terrain, and learning materials all in one place.
Please note, as far as we know, this is not the new pre-painted terrain.
For a brand-new player who wants to open one box and start learning Warhammer 40,000 right away, this may be the best fit in the wave.
Warhammer 40,000: Introductory Set
The Introductory Set is the smaller, more approachable entry point.
This box includes a Space Marine Lieutenant, five Intercessors, an Ork Nob, and five Boyz, along with six paints, a playmat, card terrain, a starter brush, a range ruler, and six dice. It also includes a 48-page handbook that walks through beginner concepts, including playing small games and painting miniatures.
This is not really the box for someone trying to maximize long-term value. It is more of a first-step product for someone who wants to try building, painting, and playing without committing to a larger starter set right away.
For younger players, gift buyers, or someone completely new to the hobby, this fills a useful role.
Space Marines and Orks Paint Sets
There are also two new miniature and paint sets coming for players who want to start small.
The Space Marines: Intercessors + Paints set includes two bolt rifle-wielding Intercessors and six paints built around the classic Ultramarines scheme seen on the box art.
The Orks: Boyz + Paints set includes two Boyz and a Gretchin, with paints selected to get them looking like members of the Goff clan.
These are simple hobby-first products. They are not army starters, but they are good entry points for someone who wants to test the painting side of Warhammer 40,000 before jumping into a larger box.
Warhammer 40,000: Paints + Tools
The Warhammer 40,000: Paints + Tools set is the practical hobby support release in this wave.
It includes a brush, clippers, a mouldline remover, and 13 Warhammer Colour paints covering a broad range of common painting needs, including armour, metal, flesh, cloth, and other basic applications.
For someone starting from nothing, this is the kind of set that helps bridge the gap between buying miniatures and actually getting them ready for the table.
Warhammer 40,000: Getting Started Sets
The new Getting Started sets are faction-focused boxes built around either Space Marines or Orks.
Each set includes a full Combat Patrol force, 11 paints, a brush, a texture spreader, and an introductory booklet for the faction. The miniatures are push-fit, which makes these sets a little more approachable for newer hobbyists.
These are interesting because they sit between the smaller paint sets and the larger two-player starter products. They are not just a painting sampler, but they are also not a full two-army starter set. Instead, they are for someone who already knows which faction they want to start with and wants a more guided path into that army.
Black Library: Ghosts of Cadia
Black Library is also getting some attention this week with Ghosts of Cadia by Rob Young.
This new novel continues the story of Darya Nevic following Longshot. Darya is a hardened Astra Militarum sniper and survivor, but after endless loss, she is pushed to the breaking point. A chance encounter gives her a way to strike back against the heretics and settle a debt she thought impossible to repay.
Ghosts of Cadia will be available in both regular hardback and a Special Edition. The Special Edition is only available while stocks last, while the regular hardback may return to print later. Please note: The Special Edition book is only available direct from Games Workshop.
Black Library: Longshot
Longshot by Rob Young is also returning in a new hardback edition.
This is Darya Nevic’s first adventure, following the experienced Astra Militarum sniper as she is forced to choose between becoming the unwanted figurehead of her regiment or listening to the honeyed words of the T’au Empire.
This is the first chance to buy this new hardback edition. It is currently only available while stocks last, though it may return to print at a future date.
Black Library: The Devastation of Baal
The Devastation of Baal by Guy Haley is also coming back in hardback.
This is one of the major modern Blood Angels stories, covering the Tyranid invasion of Baal and the desperate fight for the home world of the sons of Sanguinius. For Blood Angels fans, Tyranid collectors, or anyone who wants one of the bigger narrative moments of the 41st Millennium on the shelf, this is a strong pickup.
This new hardback edition is currently only available while stocks last, though it may return to print in the future.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a very new-player-friendly release wave for Warhammer 40,000.
The Introductory Set, miniature paint sets, Paints + Tools set, and Getting Started boxes all serve different types of beginners. Some are better for testing the waters, while others are better for someone ready to build toward their first real army.
The main comparison, though, is between the new Warhammer 40,000 Starter Set and the still-available Armageddon Launch Box.
For most players, Armageddon remains the better overall value proposition. It is the stronger launch-style box and gives you more to work with if you are already serious about jumping into Warhammer 40,000.
However, the new Warhammer 40,000 Starter Set may be the better pick for some customers, especially those who want a cleaner starter experience with many of the same core models, a Combat Patrol’s worth of terrain, rules, boards, dice, and learning materials all in one box.
All of these releases are coming up for pre-order this weekend during the After Dark.
