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 Big Mac wrote:
I suggest getting a platoon size at a time so you can build and swap bits so your guys don’t end up like clones. Get some basic tools like xacto knife with 45 and 60 degree blades, pin vise with various drill bits(for pinning and gun barrels), 3 different grain size of sand and slates, super glue(avoid plastic glue as they are less forgiving and melt plastics parts together), metal clippers, jewelry files, painting mask, cutting mat, get the relevant paints and brushes, comfortable station to work at.

You should take your time cleaning mold lines, otherwise no matter how good you’re at painting your stuff will look like gak.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I had one quick question. What are sand and slates?

SirGrotzalot wrote:

 Big Mac wrote:
I suggest getting a platoon size at a time so you can build and swap bits so your guys don’t end up like clones. Get some basic tools like xacto knife with 45 and 60 degree blades, pin vise with various drill bits(for pinning and gun barrels), 3 different grain size of sand and slates, super glue(avoid plastic glue as they are less forgiving and melt plastics parts together), metal clippers, jewelry files, painting mask, cutting mat, get the relevant paints and brushes, comfortable station to work at.

You should take your time cleaning mold lines, otherwise no matter how good you’re at painting your stuff will look like gak.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I had one quick question. What are sand and slates?

It is literally sand and slate, you can get various differnet materials to stick on your bases from hobby shops.

However, you really don't need all this stuff. If you're starting out use plastic glue, it's easier and makes a much better bond. Also you can use texture paints and a bit or rough gravel or slaye that you've washed to make a perfectly decent base.

You need: clippers, plastic glue, detail brush, some cheap wider brushes (for washes and basing), paint (spray and citadel/army painter are decent) and a craft knife.

Start with one box, build and paint it. Move on to the next, don't buy the lot at once, it'll seem daunting and you might change your mind on what you want next.

yeah, to be honest using sand on your base these days is "old skool" GW supplies a number of texture paints that can make for easy basing.

I'm gonna give my stock standard starting 40k advice.

1) carefully look at all factions before you decide to start with space marines. I know space marines are the first thing you see, I know they are cool, I know they come in all the starter boxes so you think "ohhh but they are cheaper and if I start with space marines I save money in this very expensive hobby...." but I promise you, as someone who has seen literally hundreds of people come and go in a 40k club, the most common start to the hobby is Buy Space Marine Army, Get Bored of Space Marines, Find Out You Can't Really Sell Them Because Everyone Has Them, Buy Entirely New Army You Actually Like.

Yes there are folks who like space marines and stick with them for years and years. but close to like 95% of players I see start with some kind of marines, and at the end of the day that number is more like 50% (between all flavors of marines and chaos marines).

2) Uninstall ebay from your phone. You do not know how to ebay better than other people, ebay is a website designed to make you feel like you've found the deal of the century and if you don't click bid RIGHT NOW it will get away from you and you'll regret it forever. If you develop an ebay habit you will have mounds and mounds of unpainted models that you did technically get for some percentage off but which are probably glued in horrendously uncompetitive options and you will be very very frustrated.

You can get deals as good as ebay 90% of the time on discount websites for brand new stuff.

3) paint your stuff. The painting is honestly the most fun part of this hobby and it's what sets it apart from other games.

My 2 cents:

1. Similar to what others have suggested, research all the factions, including appearance of models, number of models required, army playstyle, special/quirky rules. Give model appearance a lot of preference as you want to like the look of your models. Also give playstyle a good amount of preference as some playstyles can be kind of boring IMO (ex. static gunlines).

2. Build a list (up to ~2000 points) that includes the models you like plus the "best" models for your army in the current meta. These may not be the same, but you should still include some models you like to make it "your army."

3. Search ebay for deals and lots that include the models for your list. For lots with a few models you don't want, resell those particular models on ebay. Buying used will save you a lot of money.

Be patient, there will be plenty of deals. For example: I purchased a complete Imperial Guard army for about $250 last year on eBay. This was around the time of black friday and the winter holidays when eBay was giving very nice discount coupons for things like "games" (which includes warhammer models . The army was mostly glued together with only two infantry squads fully painted (very well); the rest of the army was just primed. I also received several unopened kits and lots of sprues I didn't need that had resale value (ex. tank accessories sprues). Plus the codex, datacards, and all extra bits. After selling off the pieces I did not want, the total cost of my army came to about $100 and I still had over 2000 points with 60 infantry, 5 leman russ/tank commander variants, a hellhound, basilisk, chimera, three sentinels, two mortar heavy weapons teams, bullgryns squad, enginseer, two special weapons squads, two command squads, and miscellaneous characters like commissars. Again, be patient; deals will come along.


Edit: And yes, avoid the old marine models and focus on primaris if you are set on marines. Old marine models will be squatted once more primaris models are released. I purchased an all-primaris marine army just through ebay this year. Dark Imperium, Shadowspear, and a couple Know No Fear box sets, selling the Death Guard halves, Chaos half, extra Gravis captains, Inceptors, and books. Again, maybe $150 in total cost after finding deals and selling off the chaos and death guard halves.