You just dropped $295 on the Warhammer 40k Armageddon box, the biggest launch Games Workshop has made in years. Sixty-one push-fit miniatures, two armies, a stack of books and cards, and absolutely zero paints. Welcome to the hobby.
This guide covers exactly what you need to get those minis painted, how to approach your first one without losing your mind, and where to go once you have a feel for it. Whether you picked up this box as a lifelong 40k fan or you are a D&D dungeon master who has been curious about painting for a while, the advice is the same.
First, the Good News
The Warhammer 40k Armageddon box is push-fit, which means every single one of those 61 miniatures clicks together without glue. No pinning, no waiting for plastic cement to cure, no fiddly joins. Clip them off the sprue, push them together, and they are ready to prime. For a first project, this removes one of the biggest headaches before you even pick up a brush.
The minis themselves split into two very different armies. On the Space Marine side you get 23 models including the Captain, Librarian, Chaplain, Ancient, 10 Intercessors, 5 Vanguard Veterans, 3 Eradicators, and a Land Speeder. On the Ork side you get 38 models: the Warboss, various characters, 20 Ork Boyz, 10 Gretchin, a Wartrakk, and the Big Mek Dakkarig.
What You Actually Need to Start
Four things. That is it. You do not need an airbrush, a wet palette, or a $60 brush set on day one. You need these four things and you are ready to paint.
1. Primer
Bare plastic will not hold paint. Primer gives it something to grip and makes every step after it easier. Grey primer is the safest starting choice because it works under both light and dark colour schemes. Colour Forge and Army Painter both make excellent spray primers at a better price per can than the official Warhammer Colour sprays. Our full primer guide covers all the options if you want to dig into the detail.
Browse spray primers on Amazon
2. Paints
Warhammer 40k Armageddon includes no paints, so your first purchase after the box is a starter set. A starter set gets you everything you need without buying 40 individual pots. The Army Painter Fanatic Starter Set covers all the core colours for both Space Marines and Orks and includes a wash, which is the single most impactful product you can put on a mini. The Warhammer Colour Starter Set is the official GW option and works seamlessly with the transfer sheet in the box.
If you want the fastest possible results, Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 is worth knowing about. One coat of Speedpaint does the work of basecoat, wash, and highlight in a single pass. The results are not competition level, but for getting 61 minis painted to a solid tabletop standard, it is genuinely fast.
Army Painter Fanatic Starter Set on Amazon
Army Painter Speedpaint Starter Set on Amazon
3. Brushes
Two brushes cover everything at this stage: a medium brush (size 1 or 2) for base colours and large areas, and a small detail brush (size 0 or 00) for faces, eyes, and fine work. You do not need expensive brushes to start. A cheap set from Amazon lets you learn brush care and technique without worrying about ruining a quality brush. When you are ready to upgrade, our brush guide walks through the best options at every price point.
4. Light
Bad lighting is the invisible problem that makes every paint job harder than it needs to be. Warm yellow household lighting makes colours look completely different than they do in daylight, and you end up correcting mistakes that do not actually exist. A daylight bulb in your existing desk lamp is a free fix. A dedicated magnifier lamp is the proper solution. Our magnifier lamp guide covers the best options across all budgets.
Where to Start on the Box
Do not start with a character. The Captain, Librarian, and Chaplain are detailed, interesting models and you will want to do them justice. Save them for when you have three or four minis under your belt.
Start with the Intercessors on the Space Marine side or the Ork Boyz on the Ork side. Both have large flat armour panels that are forgiving to paint, straightforward colour schemes, and enough repetition across the unit that your technique improves noticeably from the first model to the fifth.
The Simplest Method That Actually Works
Prime, basecoat, wash, drybrush. That is a complete and honest painting technique. It is what most of the hobby community uses to paint armies to a tabletop standard, and it produces results you will be genuinely happy with.
- Prime in grey. One light pass from about 10 inches. Let it dry fully before touching it.
- Basecoat the main colours. Flat, solid coverage. One colour at a time. Do not rush.
- Wash with a dark shade. Nuln Oil for grey and metal. Agrax Earthshade for browns and skin. Brush it over the whole model and let it settle into the recesses.
- Drybrush a lighter colour over the raised surfaces to pick out the detail. Load a stiff brush, wipe most of the paint off on a tissue, then lightly drag it across the model.
That is it. A mini painted this way will look great on a gaming table and takes about an hour once you have the technique down.
A Note for D&D Players
If you picked up this guide as a D&D dungeon master rather than a Warhammer player, you are in exactly the right place. The techniques above are identical to what you use on D&D miniatures, and the Space Marines and Orks in this box are excellent practice models before you move on to your campaign’s characters. The detail level is high, the push-fit assembly is simple, and the wide range of surfaces including armour, skin, cloth, and metal means you will develop a broad set of skills quickly.
Where to Go Next
Once you have your first unit painted, the obvious questions are usually about what to do next. Our Start Here guide maps the full beginner journey and points you toward the right gear at the right stage. The most common upgrade after your first few minis is a wet palette, which keeps your paints workable for longer and makes blending significantly easier.
The Warhammer 40k Armageddon box is a proper starting point for the hobby. Sixty-one minis is a project, not an afternoon, so take it one unit at a time and enjoy it.
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See also: If you are considering the new 2026 Warhammer 40K Starter Sets, we have a breakdown of which box makes the most sense for D&D mini painters.