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I'm thinking of getting back into 40k, but I don't have any of my old models. I also haven't painted a single model since the days of the 3rd edition. Ultimately, I want to build an IK army, but, having been away so long, I don't feel confident about starting with a model as big and complex as an IK, and particularly not a Forgeworld one.

I'm expecting to run a hybrid IK/SM army. I had it down to Grey Knights, Raven Guard, and Salamanders, but running with IK is the plan, and that seems to call for moar dakka! to handle hordes. The flamer-centric Salamanders seem to fill the dakka role. I like the iconography, fluff, and models of the Salamanders, so I think I'd like to start there. While I'd like to lead with something like the Salamanders Support Cadre, I think that's also too big of a jump to go from not painting anything at all for more than a decade.

I'm thinking of picking up a tactical squad and the Salamanders shoulder pad upgrade (I like textured shoulder pads better than transfers) from Forgeworld as a gentle introduction back into the hobby.

Is there a better choice for a first start back into it?

If you're keen for an Imperial army, I think you could do a lot worse than pick up the Dark Imperium set, especially if you can find a friend who is also interested in starting and fancies picking up the Death Guard. The Marines in that set are entirely iconography free, so could easily be painted up as Salamanders. The box also includes the rules (which is great to get you up to speed on lore changes!), dice, ruler, etc.

For painting, I can't recommend WarhammerTV enough. I was in pretty much the same position as you (except more like 15 years away!) and was surprised that at some point in about the last 5 years GW has suddenly decided it might benefit them to help new players/returning players with modelling advice.

EDIT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lm_5NEPV-g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAPIvkyt3eU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPyDemyjP8E&t=6s

Three vids on Salamanders from St Duncan there; armour, flames, and skin

I'm trying to keep the commitment low until I've done up the first set. I do see, though, why you say the dark imperium set is a good deal. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone else in the area who is playing. Maybe I can flog the spikey guys on ebay

You could go for First Strike or Know no Fear. They contain the lite version of the BRB to get started with and a smaller selection of the content from Dark Imperium to get you started with a handful of models to practice painting with - then if you wanted to continue with SM, the Dark Imperium box complements them nicely.

Selling off the unwanted DG stuff to a friend/ebay will help make them cheaper too.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 unitled wrote:


For painting, I can't recommend WarhammerTV enough. I was in pretty much the same position as you (except more like 15 years away!) and was surprised that at some point in about the last 5 years GW has suddenly decided it might benefit them to help new players/returning players with modelling advice.

EDIT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lm_5NEPV-g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAPIvkyt3eU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPyDemyjP8E&t=6s

Three vids on Salamanders from St Duncan there; armour, flames, and skin

Can't agree with this enough. Duncan's put up so many videos not just for SM schemes but also techniques to achieve certain effects like melta muzzle burn etc. His videos have certainly helped me become a better painter

As someone who spent about a decade away from the hobby from about ‘05 to ‘15, I think you’ll probably be very impressed with the latest Tactical Squad kit. If you like the Primaris Marines (or Nurgle stuff) the Dark Imperium Set is extremely good, but if you’re more thinking of just dipping a toe back in, you could do a lot worse than a Tac Squad, and the basic rules are free online if you want to get to grips with it before going all in again.

As someone else who also just got back into the hobby - the old "cost to start" is probably about the same as it used to be. Generally pretty high. The starter sets are a good place to start, but they'll probably need something beyond that to reach the usual minimum point limit of 500. Even with 500, you won't find many people willing to play. 1000 Seems to be a 'small game' to most people.

If considering a Space Marines chapter, keep in mind the difference between Primaris Marines and Tactical Marines. Some people hate Primaris. I like them. Downside to Primaris is that they don't really have much flavor. No Space Wolves, Blood Angles, etc variants - outside of obviously just a color change. Sticking them alongside the old midget marines makes everything look strange too.

If you're seriously considering going heavily IK - i'd suggest taking a look at Adeptus Mechanicus instead of space marines. They're a thematic force to run with IK, plus Adeptus Mechanicus can give some of their abilities to the Knights - and as far as I'm aware, no other army has the ability to do that.

You should get the citadel paint app for your phone or tablet. It's free and very useful.

I'm in the same boat as you Annirak.

First off: Read all you can about the new rules and changes to different units.

Then get the Citadel Paint App and play around with colours.

unitled wrote:If you're keen for an Imperial army, I think you could do a lot worse than pick up the Dark Imperium set, especially if you can find a friend who is also interested in starting and fancies picking up the Death Guard. The Marines in that set are entirely iconography free, so could easily be painted up as Salamanders. The box also includes the rules (which is great to get you up to speed on lore changes!), dice, ruler, etc.

For painting, I can't recommend WarhammerTV enough. I was in pretty much the same position as you (except more like 15 years away!) and was surprised that at some point in about the last 5 years GW has suddenly decided it might benefit them to help new players/returning players with modelling advice.

EDIT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lm_5NEPV-g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAPIvkyt3eU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPyDemyjP8E&t=6s

Three vids on Salamanders from St Duncan there; armour, flames, and skin

Those vids are great. I think I'll have to watch more of those

Nazrak wrote:As someone who spent about a decade away from the hobby from about ‘05 to ‘15, I think you’ll probably be very impressed with the latest Tactical Squad kit. If you like the Primaris Marines (or Nurgle stuff) the Dark Imperium Set is extremely good, but if you’re more thinking of just dipping a toe back in, you could do a lot worse than a Tac Squad, and the basic rules are free online if you want to get to grips with it before going all in again.

I'm wondering if it might be a better choice to go for one of the "Start Collecting!" sets.

SirWeeble wrote:As someone else who also just got back into the hobby - the old "cost to start" is probably about the same as it used to be. Generally pretty high. The starter sets are a good place to start, but they'll probably need something beyond that to reach the usual minimum point limit of 500. Even with 500, you won't find many people willing to play. 1000 Seems to be a 'small game' to most people.

If considering a Space Marines chapter, keep in mind the difference between Primaris Marines and Tactical Marines. Some people hate Primaris. I like them. Downside to Primaris is that they don't really have much flavor. No Space Wolves, Blood Angles, etc variants - outside of obviously just a color change. Sticking them alongside the old midget marines makes everything look strange too.

If you're seriously considering going heavily IK - i'd suggest taking a look at Adeptus Mechanicus instead of space marines. They're a thematic force to run with IK, plus Adeptus Mechanicus can give some of their abilities to the Knights - and as far as I'm aware, no other army has the ability to do that.

I'll keep an eye on that 1000 point limit...

I've looked at the Primaris Marines... They leave me a bit... unenthused. A few might fit in where appropriate, like the aggressors, but I think the bulk of my army will still be conventional marines.

I get the Adeptus Mechanicus thing, I really do... The problem is that I just don't like the Skitarii, the Kataphrons, or the Electro Priests. Everything else, I like. But with an IK army, I think I'm going to need a lot of dakka, and the Kastelan robots, Onagers, and Dragoons just don't seem like they're going to give me the dakka... In an IK army, heavy support is pretty much taken care of

malcontent999 wrote:You should get the citadel paint app for your phone or tablet. It's free and very useful.

Got it. It's great! I'm going to have to do up a shopping list of paints.

Corennus wrote:I'm in the same boat as you Annirak.

First off: Read all you can about the new rules and changes to different units.

Then get the Citadel Paint App and play around with colours.

Yes! I'm planning to pick up the "Getting Started With..." magazine & marine and the paints needed. I'll see how that goes, then think about what comes next. Maybe the Salamanders set from Forge World or the above-mentioned "start collecting" set

If I'm lucky, I might get some of my old minis back in May. If not, then maybe in December.

Start slowly with low point games. no point getting as many marines as you can before you understand the rules!

Well, I did it, I have a tac squad, and a handful of green paint!

Annirak wrote:
Well, I did it, I have a tac squad, and a handful of green paint!

I've done a similar thing. Was thinking of coming back after a very long time, and started looking on eBay. Now I already have over 1k points each of CSM and SM. Oops.

I've not even got my old stuff out of my sister's garage yet. I've no idea what's still in there.

Herbington wrote:

Annirak wrote:
Well, I did it, I have a tac squad, and a handful of green paint!

I've done a similar thing. Was thinking of coming back after a very long time, and started looking on eBay. Now I already have over 1k points each of CSM and SM. Oops.

I've not even got my old stuff out of my sister's garage yet. I've no idea what's still in there.

I know the feeling... If I manage to do up the tac squad before April, then I will ask my relatives to bring some of my old stuff when they come to visit. I have vague memories of what's in there. I know there's at least a squad of CC terminators, some 2nd edition devastators, an unpainted land raider, a razor back, and a whirlwind, but I can't remember what else. I think there might be a squad of assault marines with the old metal jump packs.

I also just restarted after more than a decade away.

I think the game cost really depends on what you want to spend. Join the facebook in your area, and watch for deals. Facebook for my area can go for 30%-60% of retain, and it’s a good way to pick up most of a force. Also your force choice and style will give you some ability to control your cost of re-admittance.

For me, I have a single old ultramarine standard bearer painted by a former Golden Demon winner. So I’m going to ultramarines. Luckily Marines are always been cheap and it’s gotten better with the release of the Primaris stuff in Dark Imperium. I’m well on the way to a 2K Primaris force, and I expect my total cost to be in the 300-400 range for my proposed 2K army. I downloaded the free rules, and bought the download of the Space Marine Dex, and read through borrowed dex’s to get caught up on what is out there.

I’m fairly enthused about the game now. I have a good plan of waiting till the Imperial Knights dex is out, and I’m considering getting them as a second army. By that time I’ll have more than a few games of Ultramarines down to where I understand how to play and I can fully consider where I’d want to go with a future force.

Annirak wrote:
Well, I did it, I have a tac squad, and a handful of green paint!

Dark Angels or Salamanders?

SG

 ServiceGames wrote:

Annirak wrote:
Well, I did it, I have a tac squad, and a handful of green paint!

Dark Angels or Salamanders?

SG

Salamanders . I like the thematic elements and I'm hoping that I can work up some Nocturne-ish bases from cork sheet.