8 Best Warhammer armies to paint (+Tips)
Once you decide to start painting Warhammer armies, you will soon realize that your choices are often broad and choosing an army you like can be a tedious activity.
Not to worry because we’ve got you covered.
In this guide, we list some of the biggest hits on Warhammer army mini painters love so you can easily find the best Warhammer army to paint.
The Key to Painting a Great Warhammer Army: Choose What You Love
Painting an army is a commitment, so don’t buy an army based on what’s cheap, get an army you like to paint and see painted
The number one thing you need to consider before buying your best Warhammer army is the model’s aesthetic appeal.
How beautiful the army is in your eyes will determine whether you finish the paint job or dump it.
Warhammer models are expensive, no doubt, especially the 40K models. For this reason, most mini painters opt for cheap models. The drawback to this is that you may end up with a model you don’t really favor and get bored with the painting project.
On the other hand, armies often come in large counts.
If you want to buy a Warhammer army you really want to enjoy painting, buy one that motivates you to want to paint and matches your preference. This alone drives you to finish the project.
Best Warhammer armies to paint
Let’s explore the best Warhammer armies to paint, taking into consideration factors such as ease of painting, level of detail, and overall aesthetic appeal. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional painter, there’s an army in the Warhammer universe that will suit your painting skills and style.
1. Necrons
Necrons didn’t have a hard time making the top of my list, with almost every Warhammer fan pledging loyalty on Warhammer community forums.
For one, these guys are easy to paint, whether for entry-level painters or in the hands of the pros. All one needs is a metallic basecoat, a generous application of Nuln Oil to build highlights and drybrush the model.
I also love that they don’t have so many details or fiddly bits to make the painting process frustrating, except for their weapon.
Besides this, they are massive, with a large surface every beginner will find easy to paint on.
2. Chaos space marines
Chaos Space Marines have an out-of-the-world look regardless of their somewhat monstrous appearance.
Still, what I truly love about them is that they allow the freehand painting method. You can practically paint any chapter in any color you want, and you won’t have to do so many embellishments.
Besides this, washes work well on them – so does the dry brushing technique. Still, most people may find them difficult with dry brushing. If you find yourself in this situation, switch to edge highlights, and you’ll do just fine.
Their only downside is that some Chaos Space Marines have lots of details, making the painting take longer.
3. Tyranids
If there’s any big, scary monster in the Warhammer range that looks intimidating, it has to be the Tyranids.
These guys are pure crazy stuff, from their claws to monstrous skin tones and armor plating that makes them stand out. That’s one of the reasons they are a favorite troop of many.
Another reason I adore these guys is that they have lots of texture. So, when you paint, you don’t have to worry about unnecessary details.
Color-wise, you won’t have any issue with them since basecoat, wash and dry brushed highlight colors make them pop. The best part, they are big and have absolutely no embellishments. Hence, details like bags, bombs, or shields won’t make the painting process difficult.
4. Stormcast Eternals
When painting Stormcast Eternals, you will have the same ease as with Chaos Space Marines. Plus, they don’t have many embellishments that often come with the hardest Warhammer 40Ki models.
If you’re hoping to challenge your painting skills with Warhammer 40K armies, read our guide on the “Hardest 40K Army to Paint.”
If you’re a beginner painter, the only thing you need to worry about when painting Stormcast Eternals is their shields. A closer look at them will offer visuals of a crest-like design that requires detailed painting. But, overall, Stormcast Eternals are an easy model to paint, especially as they have big, flat surfaces, perfect for entry-level skills.
5. Imperial Knights
The Imperial Knights are gigantic machines similar to the Ork’s Stompa character. However, unlike Stompa, you will expect to paint human features with the Imperial Knight as humans pilot these gigantic robotic machines. This means that, unlike Orks, your details need to be crisp and realistic.
Imperial knights may be one of the best armies for professional painters than beginners since they have tons of details, from their iron shields to their impressive assortment of weapons.
6. Sylvaneth
Of every Warhammer army with tree-like branches and limbs, the Sylvaneth army is the most impressive. Plus, their detailed elvish body means they look ethereal and bring your fantasy dream to life painted.
That said, some Sylnaneth armies are hard to paint than others. For example, the Treelord Ancient is a breeze to paint, but those with elves parts like Alarielle the Everqueen are a little trickier. Still, they are a good army to paint for beginners and professional painters.
7. Drukhari (Dark Eldar)
Space elves are a beauty to paint, though most of their armies are a bit old.
The only challenge with a Dark Eldar elve army is that 90% of the army is a smooth surface. So, professional painters won’t love their overall appearance.
On the other hand, entry-level painters will be a nice starter army for beginners to practice their blending skills and other painting techniques.
8. Orks are always good to paint
Personally, Orks have been a joy to paint for me, whether it’s vehicles or Ork Boyz.
With Orks, you can find a lot of fun slapping paint on their fiddly cloth and metal bits to power through their aesthetic appearance. And really, with Orks, skills don’t always matter when painting Orks, as any mistake make them still look good.
Orks also have little details, and you won’t get bored painting them since you can easily get a bunch of skin tones with green paint.
If you are only into painting, you can pick good characters from many armies
Most mini painters don’t play the game and only enjoy the painting process.
So, if you have a niche army you aim to produce, it’s always best you buy and paint the miniatures you need for your exact army list from other army models rather than buy a whole set of armies.
Follow the rule of cool. If it looks cool to you. then get it
Want to buy something you love? The best recommendations may not always work for you.
Most people often get tired of painting armies, especially when they all have the same color scheme. Painting them will be a boring chore you won’t love in the long run.
So, what should you do? Pick something that looks cool to you at first glance so you can enjoy your experience, and you can worry about painting them later.
Choose an army that looks good to your eyes and that can be an impressive display piece
Another factor to consider when buying the best Warhammer army is choosing visual appeal.
Some models have a fine build that looks exceptional and display-worthy when painted, while some just don’t cut for showroom display.
You may not always favor one army, but trust me, your eyes won’t deceive you when choosing something that will keep you engaged for a long time.
Painting a whole army will be the best practice for your painting skills
If you’ve decided to buy a Warhammer army, you will need some army to paint.
The most useful tip you should keep in mind is to paint a whole army. It doesn’t have to be a set. Just find some characters in your choice army and paint them.
This idea will always often work because it introduces you to several figures at a time. So, as you paint different models, you’re indirectly honing your skills.
My recommendation, if you got yourself an army, it is worth trying to play it
No rule mandates playing with your army. Then again, the best way to fully experience the fun of the hobby is to play them.
This way, you get more insights into the model for future references and better appreciate your armies.
Conclusion
Miniature armies are the heart of the Warhammer universe. If you play them, they determine the experience you get. So, when painting an army, choose one that appeals to you.
Hopefully, these best Warhammer army models we’ve listed here will suit your visual and artistic needs.
Sources
https://recalcitrantdaze.blogspot.com/2015/05/warhammer-world-re-opening-exhibitions_17.html
https://darkbunnycreatives.com/miniature-painting-gallery/warhammer-40k-commission-painting-gallery/
