Whether you are new to collecting miniatures as a hobby, or are an avid collector looking to expand your army, you should consider purchasing bundle boxes of miniatures from Games Workshop. These boxes contain a group of miniatures all belonging to the same army, making them a great way to learn and play new characters.
It’s also fiscally responsible because purchasing a box is often much cheaper than buying individual miniatures. Every box comes with several different types of miniatures in the same army so you can start painting, assembling and playing right away!
Boxes are available for miniatures from Warhammer 40K, Warhammer Age of Sigmar and more!
This year is a good time to start: Warhammer 40,000 moved to its 11th Edition in summer 2026, and Games Workshop launched it with the Armageddon box, the biggest-value starter set the game has ever had. If you are just getting into the hobby, that box (or one of the faction-specific Combat Patrol boxes below) is the easiest way in.
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Where Can I Find Combat Patrol and Starter Boxes?
Combat Patrol boxes let you build a miniature army quickly and are often more affordable than buying individual miniatures. There are several popular bundle boxes, and sorting through them yourself can feel daunting.
Luckily, we did all the work for you! Below we have listed some of our favorite boxes, what’s in them, and where to find them. Keep in mind that product availability may vary and some boxes are only available while stocks last, so check what is in stock online and at your favorite gaming store.
Some of Our Favorite Combat Patrol and Starter Boxes
Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon
The official launch box for 11th Edition, Armageddon pits Blood Angels against Orks and comes with 61 push-fit miniatures (23 Space Marines and 38 Orks), the hardcover 11th Edition Core Rules, the Operation Imperator lore book, mission decks, and transfers. Games Workshop has priced it at $295, which reviewers estimate is over $1,100 in retail value, making it the best-value starter box the game has had. Available on the Games Workshop website.
Combat Patrol: Space Marines
Space Marines remain the most popular and best-supported army in 40K, and their Combat Patrol box is built to teach the core rules while giving you a durable, versatile force to build on. A solid pick if you are not sure which faction to commit to yet. Available on the Games Workshop website.
Combat Patrol: Necrons
Necrons are widely recommended as one of the easiest armies to build and paint, since many of their models use simple metallic color schemes. The box is built around fifteen to twenty models and plays well as a self-contained 500-point force. Available on the Games Workshop website.
Combat Patrol: Tyranids
A good pick if you like a swarm-style army, the Tyranids Combat Patrol box gives you a mix of smaller creatures and one or two larger monsters to anchor your force. Available on the Games Workshop website.
Combat Patrol: Astra Militarum
If you know you want to grow into a large army over time, Astra Militarum (the Imperial Guard) is one of the better starting points, since the Combat Patrol box scales naturally into a bigger collection later. Available on the Games Workshop website.
Every Combat Patrol box is built around roughly 500 points and comes with its own simplified, balanced rules, so you can start playing small games straight out of the box without needing to learn full list-building first. You will still need dice, a tape measure, and some terrain to actually play, and if you want the full experience, Games Workshop released a companion hardback for Combat Patrol alongside 11th Edition with rules, lore, and hobby guidance for beginners.
Whether you are playing Age of Sigmar or 40K, these miniature boxes are a great way to start or boost your army while saving some cash on individual figures. Shop online or head down to your gaming store to pick one up today!
For more hobby ideas, browse our master list of hobbies and activities.
What Is the Warhammer Miniatures Hobby, Exactly?
Warhammer is really three hobbies in one box: assembling small plastic kits, painting them, and playing tabletop wargames with the finished models. Plenty of people stick with just one or two parts of that, some collectors never play a game, and some players field armies painted in flat colors with no shading at all.
The painting side overlaps heavily with other art hobbies, since techniques like layering, washes, and dry brushing are the same skills miniature painters and traditional painters both use. The assembly side is closer to a productive hobby you do with your hands, trimming mold lines, dry fitting pieces, and gluing a kit together.
What It Costs Beyond the Starter Box
Cost to start: a starter box gets you miniatures and rules, but you still need basic hobby supplies to assemble and paint them. Plastic glue runs $6 to $10, a hobby knife or clippers for trimming mold lines costs $10 to $20, and a cutting mat is another $10 to $20 if you do not already have one.
A basic paint set with a handful of colors and a starter brush typically costs $40 to $60, though you can start smaller with 4 or 5 individual pots at roughly $6 to $8 each. All in, budget another $70 to $120 on top of the box itself for a real first-timer setup, less if you already own hobby knives or paint from another craft.
How to Get Started Painting and Assembling
Start by trimming mold lines off the sprue with clippers before gluing anything, rough edges show up much more once paint is on. Dry fit pieces together first to check how they line up, then glue a few small sub assemblies at a time rather than the whole model at once.
For painting, a basecoat of one or two solid colors, a wash to add shading into the recesses, and a light highlight on the raised edges is enough to make a first model look solid. First step: pick a single Combat Patrol box, build and paint one squad before touching the rest, and treat that first model as practice rather than a finished showpiece.
Is Warhammer Right for You?
Warhammer rewards patience more than artistic talent. If you like slow, detail oriented hobbies and do not mind a learning curve on both assembly and painting, it is a good fit, and if you also want a social, competitive side, the game itself adds that on top.
If painting sounds tedious rather than relaxing, some players skip it almost entirely and focus on the game, while others buy pre-painted or commission-painted miniatures instead. Either approach is normal, there is no single correct way to enjoy the hobby.
FAQ: Warhammer Miniatures
Do I need to be good at painting to enjoy Warhammer miniatures?
No. Most beginners start with a simple base coat and a wash for instant shading, which already looks solid on the tabletop. Skill builds with repetition, and every experienced painter has a box of early, rough attempts they never show anyone.
What supplies do I actually need to start?
A primer, a small set of acrylic paints, one medium brush for large areas, and one small brush for detail work is enough to begin. Grey primer is the most forgiving choice for a first model since it works under both light and dark color schemes.
Should I start with plastic, resin, or metal miniatures?
Stick with hard plastic kits for your first models. They hold detail well, are easier to clean up and assemble than resin, and are more forgiving of small mistakes than metal miniatures.
What should my very first model be?
Pick something low stakes, like a spare trooper from a starter box, rather than your favorite character model. Mistakes on a practice model do not sting the way they would on a centerpiece figure, and you can always repaint it later once your skills improve.
