Which Age of Sigmar army should you start first?
Army and rules facts checked 29 October 2026.
Start with the army whose models you most want to paint. If two tie, pick the one that has a Spearhead box to begin with and more kits to add later.
Do not choose by rules. Games Workshop adjusts points and abilities every quarter, and a force that looks strongest today can change by the next update.
Three tests, in this order
- The paint test. Which army would you paint twenty of? You will spend far more hours building and painting than playing, so this decides whether you stay in the hobby. Armies with lots of trim and small detail, such as Cities of Sigmar, take longer to paint. Armies of big simple shapes in a few colours finish sooner.
- The size test. Look at how many models you would need. The Introductory Set shows the spread: five Stormcast Eternals Liberators sit in the same box as twenty Skaven Clanrats. Few big models mean a quick first win. A horde is a long project.
- The opponent test. Ask who you will play. If a friend or a club already collects an army, you need your own to be fun against it, and you can borrow models to try the game first.
How much each army has to collect
The middle column counts every product listed for the army, whether or not it can be ordered now. A deep range means more to add after your first box. The right column is the Spearhead box that starts the army.
| Army | Products listed | Spearhead box |
|---|---|---|
| Stormcast Eternals | 23 | Yndrasta's Spearhead, sold out at the moment |
| Skaven | 18 | Skaven, sold out at the moment |
| Soulblight Gravelords | 16 | Deathrattle Tomb Host, in stock |
| Seraphon | 14 | Seraphon, sold out at the moment |
| Maggotkin of Nurgle | 13 | Bubonic Cell, sold out at the moment |
| Cities of Sigmar | 12 | Fusil-Platoon, sold out at the moment |
| Sylvaneth | 12 | Spitewing Flight, in stock |
| Daughters of Khaine | 10 | Khainite Shadow Coven, in stock |
| Kharadron Overlords | 6 | Grundstok Trailblazers, sold out at the moment |
| Nighthaunt | 5 | Cursed Shacklehorde, sold out at the moment |
Gloomspite Gitz, Ogor Mawtribes and other armies are not in the table. If your favourite is missing, search the Age of Sigmar collection.
If you still cannot choose
- Buy the Introductory Set: it holds Stormcast Eternals and Skaven, so you paint both and learn which one you reach for. See Stormcast Eternals or Skaven.
- Flip a coin between two. If the result disappoints you, take the other one.
- Start with a Spearhead box, not a big army box. It is a smaller test of the same faction, and it plays a real game.
Common questions
Which Age of Sigmar army is easiest for a complete beginner?
No army is the easy one for everyone. Games Workshop updates points and abilities every quarter, so no army stays ahead for long. Painting is where beginners differ most, so use the paint test: pick the army you would happily paint twenty of.
What are the four Grand Alliances in Age of Sigmar?
The four Grand Alliances are Order, Chaos, Death and Destruction. Every army belongs to one. Stormcast Eternals are Order, Skaven are Chaos, Nighthaunt are Death and Gloomspite Gitz are Destruction.
Which armies come in the Age of Sigmar Introductory Set?
Stormcast Eternals and Skaven: five Liberators and twenty Clanrats, with a mat, a ruler, six dice, a brush and six paints. It is a way to try both armies before you spend more on either.
Army and Grand Alliance facts: Warhammer Community (Games Workshop's news site), 23 September and 28 October 2026. Introductory Set contents: our own product listing. Counts, prices and stock: this shop.