MUSTERING YOUR FORCES!

Starting a Warhammer 40k army can feel… intimidating. So many units, abilities, and rules. It’s easy to feel like you’ve wandered into a battlefield blindfolded. Don’t worry. We’ve got you.

Step 1: Decide Your Game Plan
Ask yourself: why are you building this army? Are you:

  • Crafting a themed army that looks epic on the table?

  • Building a competitive powerhouse for tournaments?

  • Just here to crush friends at the local club for fun?

Your goal changes everything, from which units you buy to how you deploy them on the battlefield.

Step 2: Know the Essentials
Every army needs two things:

  1. A Warlord – the brains (and brawn) of your force.

  2. Objective-scoring units – the ones who actually grab and hold points.

In 10th Edition, winning isn’t just about blowing up your opponent. You score by grabbing objectives, holding them, and completing secondary missions over five rounds. Units that soak damage, hold objectives, or stick to a point even after moving are your MVPs. Pay attention to special abilities—they can make or break your strategy.

Step 3: Pick a Warlord That Makes You Fearless
Your Warlord isn’t just a trophy. They define your army’s strategy. Take Adeptus Mechanicus’ Belisarius Cawl, for example. He costs a lot, sure, but he’s worth it! Buffing nearby units with Stealth or giving re-rolls to hit against key enemies. That’s the kind of power that turns a good army into a terrifying one.

Step 4: Build, Play, Learn
Once you’ve got your Warlord and core units, start small. Play games, experiment with tactics, and tweak your list. No one gets it perfect on the first try. The more you play, the more you’ll understand your army’s strengths and weaknesses.

Warhammer 40k is as much about strategy as it is about fun. Focus on building a force that excites you, and the victories, casual or competitive, will follow.

The first 400 points of your list serve as the foundation of your army. In a 2,000 point game, this core establishes the backbone of your force and sets the stage for the remainder of your army. These units are your key units that drive your strategy and shape the battlefield. By including them early, you force your opponent to respond to your presence, creating tactical questions that influence how the game unfolds.

Attached you’ll see a few examples our players use as their first 400.

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