Are Space Marines a good first Warhammer 40,000 army?
Game facts checked 29 October 2026. Prices and stock are read live.
Space Marines are a good first army if you want a wide range, a box that needs no glue and free rules in an app. They fit less well if you want fewer models that look different from each other. Space Marines are in Armageddon, the 11th edition launch box. Getting Started with Space Marines, a full Combat Patrol with paints, is £86.11.
Choosing a chapter is the hard part. Start with ordinary Space Marines in colours you like, and commit to a chapter later.
What helps a new player
- A push-fit start. Warhammer Community, Games Workshop's news site, says the Getting Started boxes hold a full Combat Patrol, 11 paints, a brush and a booklet, with push-fit models and no glue. Getting Started with Space Marines is in stock.
- The 11th edition launches with them. The Armageddon box holds 23 brand new push-fit Space Marines.
- Free rules for Combat Patrol. The app carries them, and you do not need a rulebook, codex or subscription.
- A very large range. Our Space Marines collection lists 146 products, though that count includes Chaos Space Marines and several chapters.
Where it gets harder
Choice overload. New players post that they cannot choose between chapters and cannot start. One asked whether to buy several Combat Patrols just to find out.
Repetition. In one thread, a player asked for armies with fewer models and more variety than power armour, the suit Space Marines wear. Replies suggested Imperial Knights and T'au battlesuits.
If you want something else
| If you want | Do this |
|---|---|
| One purchase and a quick start | Buy Getting Started with Space Marines. It holds the models, the paints and the booklet. |
| Fewer, more detailed models | Look at Custodes before Space Marines. Warhammer Community describes reduced model counts in the September 2026 Codex. See our Custodes Combat Patrol page. |
| A recognisable colour without choosing a chapter | Paint ordinary Space Marines in any scheme. Our chapter page explains which chapters have models of their own. |
| Something darker with a ready box | Compare the Chaos boxes on our Chaos Combat Patrol page. |
What a first Space Marines force costs
The Getting Started box with the Combat Patrol Companion, the 184-page introductory book, is £103.11. The Companion is optional. If you would rather have two armies and a battlefield, the 11th Edition Starter Set is £126.40. UK delivery is free on orders of £20 or more.
Common questions
How much does a starting Space Marines force cost?
Getting Started with Space Marines is £86.11 (RRP £109.00) and already holds paints and a brush. The two-army Starter Set is £126.40.
Is there a new Space Marines codex for the 11th edition?
Codex: Space Marines for the 11th edition has 15 new detachments, which are sets of army rules (Warhammer Community, 11 September 2026). You do not need it to play Combat Patrol, because those rules are free in the Warhammer 40,000 app.
What armies are alternatives to power armour?
Imperial Knights and T'au battlesuits were suggested in one r/Warhammer40k thread. Custodes are another option, with a reduced model count in their September 2026 Codex.
Is Getting Started with Space Marines enough to play a game?
Almost. The box holds a full force and the app's Combat Patrol rules are free, but its contents list has no dice or measuring tool. You also need an opponent with a force of their own and a surface to play on. The Starter Set adds dice, rulers, boards and terrain.
Getting Started boxes: Warhammer Community, 5 July 2026. Armageddon contents: Warhammer Community, 1 May 2026. Codex: Space Marines: Warhammer Community, 11 September 2026. Combat Patrol in the app: Warhammer Community, 23 July 2026. Custodes Codex: Warhammer Community, 24 September 2026. Combat Patrol Companion: Warhammer Community, 11 May 2026. Starter Set: Warhammer Community, 5 July 2026. Player questions: Reddit hobby threads, 2026. Prices and stock: this shop, read live.