Cheap Warhammer figures and tools: a beginner’s guide

If you've been in nerd spaces for any amount of time, or even if you just know someone who is, you're probably slightly familiar with Warhammer, produced by Games Workshop. As Armageddon, the launch set for Warhammer 40k 11th Edition approaches, you might even be curious about trying it out.

One of the earliest things most people learn about the hobby, other than the cool piles of plastic Space Marines and slavering alien hordes, is just how much it costs. Warhammer miniatures are a premium product, made with expertise from conception to manufacturing, and priced accordingly.

For some people, even if they're burning with curiosity about the hobby, the cost of an army can be a barrier. Then come paints, glue, brushes, and other tools, rulebooks, game accessories, and more. If somebody just wants to dip their toe in, it can feel like a lot upfront.

Luckily, there is an easier way to go about things, one that can cost less. Warhammer is never going to be a free hobby, but it is one you can make substantially more affordable in many ways.

If you're interested, or have a friend or loved one who is, don't let the cost hold you back. TopCashback aren't just here to help you with essentials, we want you to have fun as well. Read on to learn how to buy, build, customise, paint, and play with a cheap Warhammer army without paying through the nose for it.

For beginners: fantasy or the far future?

A vital first step to avoid wasting money is to make sure you're buying the right thing. Warhammer consists of many different games. The main settings appeal to different tastes, with different rules, models, and player bases.

There's Warhammer: Age of Sigmar, their main fantasy title. This has swords, magic, elves, dwarves, orcs, and everything else you might expect from fantasy.

Warhammer 40,000 (usually called 'Warhammer 40k' or just '40k') is the sci-fi version, and the one most people are more familiar with. This has guns, uncountable numbers of strange aliens, vehicles, hovercraft, and all the grim darkness you can shake a stick at.

There's no right or wrong choice for which of the two to play. They both offer plenty of money-saving opportunities, both have beautiful miniatures and are widely played games, and both have helpful online communities for new players.

It's just a case of which you'd prefer to get started with. Or, if you're shopping for somebody else, which one they already play. Getting a random mixture of both games will end up being an expensive and unhelpful way to begin your hobby.

As a note, there are other Games Workshop miniatures games, such as their Lord of the Rings game, Middle-earth™: Strategy Battle Game, or the throwback Warhammer: The Old World. However, these are more niche and can be less approachable for new fans looking to start collecting as cheaply as possible.

The best Games Workshop sets to get started with

Picking and choosing individual Warhammer boxes to build your army up bit by bit is one of the more expensive ways to get started in the hobby. While dedicated hobbyists who know what they're looking for might appreciate the flexibility, it can be too expensive and slow for a new player to get the units they need.

Instead, new players looking to save money on trying out the hobby should explore some of the bulk boxes that come at a lower cost per model. They usually come with some great extras as well.

It’s also worth considering what you want to do. If you want to actually play the game, then you’ll need some of the bigger sets to get a viable force. If you’re more interested in playing and collecting, smaller-scale and much more affordable sets are a fantastic option for you.

Starter sets

Instead, for a total novice, the best way is usually to get the big boxed sets released for each edition of each game. Both Warhammer 40k and Age of Sigmar have these starter sets, each clearly marked out from one another.

These come with substantial numbers of models, ones that are easier to put together, at a lower price per miniature than you can expect to get in almost any other box.

On top of that, the larger starter sets come with dice, basic rules, measuring tools, and a mat for playing games on. You can pick up one of these boxes, take it home with a friend, and have enough to dive right into a game there and then.

On the building and collecting side, they also come with step-by-step guides to building the figures, and come in the easier-to-build ‘push fit’ variety to make getting started as friction-free as possible.

There are even different tiers for different price points, from the cheaper Introductory Set for each game, to the more balanced Starter Set, to the larger Combat Patrol Starter Set (for Warhammer 40k) or Spearhead Starter Set (for Age of Sigmar).

An introductory set for either game, consisting of three miniatures, a brush, and paints, comes in at under £25. An introductory set with a few more miniatures will likely cost under £45. The main Starter Set costs just under £70, while the deluxe Combat Patrol Starter Set or Spearhead Starter Set will still net you a good deal at just under £135.

Limited-run launch boxes

Every new edition of a Warhammer game will get a major set released alongside it. Along with being much larger, often containing several dozen miniatures, these also offer bigger discounts compared to buying their contents individually.

They also usually offer the full game rules bundled in, and sometimes other gaming accessories to enhance your collection and playing. Of course, these box sets cost more, but that’s because they’re so much more comprehensive in their contents.

They also run for a limited time, with Warhammer 40,000's Leviathan set and Age of Sigmar's Skaventide no longer being freshly produced. You might be able to find them as 'while stocks last' products, but it's far from certain!

Combat Patrol and Spearhead boxes

A downside of starter sets and launch boxes is their lack of choice. They come with their factions pre-determined. Even though you get great value on the contents, that doesn't help if you don't want to play the armies included.

They usually come with the typical 'heroic' faction (such as Space Marines or Stormcast Eternals) against a fixed villainous faction (such as Orks or Skaven). However, there's plenty more out there in the Warhammer 40k galaxy or the Age of Sigmar realms!

If you have your heart set on a different faction, such as the ordinary humans of the Imperial Guard or the villainous Chaos Marines, a starter set will just be burning money on something you don't get much use out of.

This is where Combat Patrol (for Warhammer 40,000) and Spearhead (for Age of Sigmar) boxes come in. These gather together a small army for each faction, sometimes as many as 30 Warhammer models in a single box. As a bulk product, these are cheaper than buying their contents individually, but don't offer as great savings as starter products.

Nonetheless, if you want to discover what a certain faction has to offer, there are far worse purchases you could make.

Websites selling cheap Warhammer

Games Workshop, the company that produces and sells Warhammer directly, will have a more comprehensive selection than any other shop. However, plenty of other UK websites carve out their niche by selling Warhammer boxes for less.

It is worth noting that, with a reputable website, it is completely legitimate to buy Warhammer products from these places. They have partnerships with Games Workshop in place, usually specialise in war games and roleplaying games of all sorts, and operate within the law.

You get the exact same models and rulebooks from these shops, can have as much fun building and painting after buying, and in general get the same experience, just usually with a lower cost. At the same time, you may run into issues with stock, having to wait a long time for the box you want, or missing out on exclusive models and sets available only through Games Workshop.

Wayland Games

Wayland Games are a great place to get a wide array of miniatures and supplies for Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, and many other tabletop games. They sell Warhammer figures for up to a 20% discount all year-round, not waiting for sale periods to offer great savings on Chaos Space Marines, Imperial Knights, Idoneth Deepkin, and your other favourite armies.

They also sell painting, crafting, and modelling supplies, with their own dedicated page, all the better to create and customise your dream army. You can get the same paints, glues, and tools sold by Games Workshop, or decide to go with other brands, whichever suits.

Although they're best known for selling Magic: the Gathering cards, Magic Madhouse also have an entire section dedicated to Games Workshop stock. Visit their site and browse your favourite factions, with affordable miniatures spanning everything from the Astra Militarum to the Death Guard.

When there is a saving through Magic Madhouse, they show how much less than the RRP they sell it for, so there's transparency on what you're saving. Even better, they're on TopCashback, so you can double down on a great deal by getting a portion of your spend back.

Hobby Workshop

Hobby Workshop are another retailer that specialise in affordable prices on Warhammer and other tabletop games. They boast selling prices of up to 25% less than the RRP, and come with the ability to pre-order stock that they don't yet have.

They're also a great shop for more general hobby supplies, from gaming mats to dice to paints and far more. If you're a devoted army painter, then you might enjoy a search through their website.

Zatu Games are one of the UK’s largest independent sellers of tabletop games of all stripes, and this includes Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000. In particular, they stock plenty of the boxes we recommended earlier in this article, complete with generous discounts.

Apart from their broad stock, with thousands of Warhammer products available or soon to be available on their website, Zatu Games have another perk. They’re on TopCashback, helping us add a little bit of extra joy to the start of your collection.

Beanie Games are a family-run local gaming shop with a wide internet presence. As part of the combination of nerd joy they sell, they also have a healthily-sized section for Warhammer: Age of Sigmar, Warhammer 40k, and other Games Workshop games.

Their range of Games Workshop stock isn't as wide as some game shops, and especially a Warhammer store itself, but it does come with some impressive discounts versus some other sellers. On top of that, you can shop with TopCashback for an even sweeter deal!

Other ways to enjoy Warhammer games for less

It's not just about buying the best bargain boxes from the right online shops. Warhammer is an endlessly versatile hobby, and there are ways to limit the impact on your wallet at almost every step of the process.

Read on for ways to check you actually want to play the game before you put money down, how to collect and build for less, and how to avoid the temptation to spend more.

Try a free taster game in-store

If you're lucky enough to live near a Warhammer Store, you can seize a great opportunity to test the waters with a free introductory game with a staff member. You might only know the basics of Warhammer, so this is your chance to make sure you want to commit before you spend anything!

Every Warhammer store has demo games of Age of Sigmar or Warhammer 40,000 that a staff member can walk you through. They'll teach you the various steps of a game, with examples of how to move, roll dice, and resolve the epic combats between your warriors.

You may need to call ahead or book, depending on how busy the shop is, but it's absolutely free to play and can show you how much fun the hobby is.

Get a free Warhammer miniature with a painting session

Similarly, most Warhammer stores offer free painting lessons for newcomers to the hobby, to help them get to grips with one of the game's most challenging aspects.

Even better, these free painting lessons come with a free miniature, geared as they are to complete newcomers to the hobby. Depending on whether you're interested in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar or Warhammer 40k, you can paint a golden Stormcast Eternal or one of the blue Ultramarines Space Marines, and then take it home with you when you're done.

Given that painting a whole army can be a huge time sink for the hobby, making sure you enjoy it is a good first step. Even better, it comes with something free to reward your time.

Try out a smaller game format

Tabletop games as a whole are well known for their immense battles. In Warhammer 40,000, for example, you might imagine the might of the Tau Empire clashing with hundreds of Adepta Sororitas. However, mass warfare isn't the only way to play – and most of the other methods cost less.

Kill Team is a game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe that uses only a handful of models on each side. It's different from the main game, and will let you judge how much you enjoy tabletop gaming before spending hundreds of pounds. 

For something closer to a midpoint, there are the Combat Patrol and Spearhead formats for 40k and Age of Sigmar specifically. You can play these with one Combat Patrol or Spearhead box, using rules bundled with them. In all four of these games, you use the same miniatures, giving you something to play no matter what stage your collection is at.

Collect and paint without playing

No aspect of the Warhammer hobby is cost-free, but collecting an entire army naturally costs more than collecting for its own sake. Each army needs a certain number of units to count as a minimum force, with some almost requiring dozens just for a small game.

If you’re more interested in the aesthetic or fiction of Warhammer than the rules, then buying models to paint and display them often comes at a lower cost. You won’t need as many, and you won’t be constantly tempted to buy new boxes to get the new, most powerful units to deploy on the battlefield. Your collection can be smaller and more stable.

Plenty of people engage far more with the building and painting of Warhammer than the game, so you’ll be in good company.

Buy generic hobby tools

Games Workshop hobby tools, from plastic cutters to paints, are well-made products that will last you for many years. However, they're not the only show in town. You can buy generic equivalents of plastic glue, paints, hobby saws, basing materials, and everything else you need from plenty of online hobby shops.

These often come at a lower price while still getting the job done, even if you might miss out on things like specific Warhammer Colour paint shades. You may move on to more specialist tools from Games Workshop over time, but you can get far on generic plastic glue and the cheapest paints and brushes you can find.

Shop second-hand

As with all things, there is a thriving market for second-hand Warhammer and Warhammer 40k models online. In particular, there is a glut of models for certain armies, such as Age of Sigmar Skaven or Warhammer 40,000 Space Marines, usually due to people buying a starter set for one army and trying to sell the other.

It's not just starter set models, however. People sell all sorts of Warhammer and other Games Workshop products online, typically on eBay, usually for substantially less than new. Even better, eBay is on TopCashback and can help you get an even better deal with money back on your purchases.

For example, on eBay, we’ve seen the Warhammer 40k starter set going for under £60, and just the Space Marine half of its miniatures, a small army, for little over £35.

The main downside is that you might miss out on part of the fun of the hobby. Second-hand miniatures can come pre-built or even pre-painted, limiting your options and preventing you from doing that stage on your own. If cost-effectiveness is your main goal, however, this might be worth the trade-off.

Don't buy more than you need

This may seem obvious, but it's very easy to get carried away with the excitement of Warhammer. There's such a variety of things to get and build that you might just want all of them.

You can get started with Warhammer using some models you've bought, a tape measure lying around the house, free core rules for the game and Indexes for units available online, and the dice from your Monopoly set.

A literal tabletop or even the floor can work for a small-scale battle. You can make cover from piles of books and use pennies for objective markers. Save buying army books, hand-sculpted terrain, and hoards of dice until you're a little more settled in the hobby.

This also extends to the number of miniatures you buy. Almost any Warhammer hobbyist can tell you about their Pile of Potential (also known as the Pile of Shame), the dozens of unbuilt and/or unpainted models they have on their desk that they've spent money on and not yet completed. Build up your collection slowly and get it done little by little.

Miniature armies, big savings

As we said, you're going to have to spend money to get into Warhammer. As hobbies go, it doesn't come cheap. Nonetheless, we've hopefully made it clear that you don't need to beggar yourself to play with some plastic miniatures.

By testing the waters, buying products with the best savings, and shopping in online spaces that prioritise affordability, you can stretch your money a lot further than you might think. The people behind Warhammer are, first and foremost, enthusiasts who want as many people as possible to be able to access their hobby.

There's an added perk to the money you spend with Warhammer as well. When you factor in the time spent reading, planning, building, painting, and playing, you usually get hours of entertainment for every pound you spend, a much better rate than some other hobbies. That’s not to mention the social benefits of meeting like-minded people in friendly spaces, which is hard to put a cash value on!

Save with our tips for even better value, and sign up for TopCashback to build up the cash for a few extra miniatures.