Reddit reviews Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team Core Manual

Copying this from where I posted it for someone else.

As many others here have mentioned, Kill teams is a great starting point as it is easier to learn and a lower cost to start compared to the full 40k game. Both games use the same models so you can build towards a full army but start off with a kill team. To give perspective a full game of 40k Uses 2000 Points of models and a game of kill team uses about 100 points of models. So to play the full game you need about 20x the amount of models.

I will be linking to online purchse sources below (amazon when I can) but if you have a local game store that can sell to you at the same or lower price please try to support them :) they will also be happy to assist and are a good place to find other people to play with, most of them host a specific night or have clubs around 40k/kill team.

Here is a run down of what you will need for Kill Team:

1. Kill team rule book: This can be purchased before everything else and will include lore (which doesn't effect gameplay but is fun to read) and the rules. You can use this to help choose which faction/team you/he wants to play, go for looks/lore over rules because rules are updated and change with time and what is good now may be bad latter but what is cool to you will always be cool!
   
   
2. Models: These are the little plastic men you use to actually play the game. You will need "100 points" worth of models (point costs explain in rule book) per side. Here is a video that explains how to buy a full 100 point kill team worth of models for each faction for under $50 US each. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgXd4NjJOis
   
   
3. Tools: Models come assembled and unpainted. For starters you will need the tools to put everything together which consists of Exacto Knife, Glue, and Clippers. Most of these can be purchased at a hardware store for much less then the Games Workshop brand. I recommend an exacto brand knife with a few blades, Zap A Gap Glue, and the games workshop sprue cutter (it is over priced but very good, other people just buy cheap wire cutters or sprue cutters from a hardware store).
   
   
4. Dice: Having multiple different colored sets of 6 sided dice can be helpful for various reason. I would recommend getting something like this
   
   
5. Measuring Tape, You can get these at the hardware store, 48 inch is the longest you will need and I was able to find some "mini" ones that I like that aren't as un-weildly as the full size ones. If you already have some for home repairs you can use those.
   
   
6. Terrain: There is all sorts of fancy terrain out there, but for starters you can literally use anything and your imagination. If you want to be crafty there is a ton of videos out there on youtube about making your own terrain that looks a little better for cheap using foam-board. For Kill team if you find that he enjoys it then it may be worth getting one of the sectors at some point that includes a board that is the right size and a bunch of high quality themed terrain, but you don't need or want that to start.
   
   
7. Paint/Brushes: You can play without unpainted models, but well they look so much cooler painted :) Before you buy paint you will want to decide how you want your models to look and then watch some tutorials on how to paint (which will usually include which paints are used). I won't get to much into this here as it is a whole other discussion on its own but there are a ton of resources out there to assist with what to buy here.
   
   If you have any questions feel free to respond here or PM me and I can give more guidance and my personal take on things. Also there are some box set options specific to kill teams which can be a good starting point, which I can cover the pros and cons of if you would like.

> don't like the aesthetic of AoS

Any of the AoS models? or just the general style of the game?

> I'm considering going for WH40k instead but not quite sure

Both games play similarly. 40k a bit more focused on ranged combat, AoS a bit more focused on melee. Which one to go with really depends on 2 big things. Do they both have large playerbases at your local store. And which one has a faction/army that calls to you. If the aesthetics, lore and play style of a particular force really calls to you, you'll have a much better time painting it and reading up on all the rules.

...

You may want to start small to get used to painting and assembly before buying fully into a AoS or 40k army. This way you can affordably dip your toes in both before making a big investment in a full army for either one. Here's something I tossed together for someone a week or so ago.

....

Have you considered the smaller Warhammer skirmish miniature games or Dungeon Crawl games instead of the full tabletop wargames? They use the same models and factions, so eventually you could use the models in the big wargame if you keep expanding. And it would give you good experience with Games Workshop model building and painting while spending less upfront.

• Age of Sigmar - Warhammer Underworlds -- Available Underworlds kits - Many inexpensive model sets to try painting in a wide variety of styles combined with a quick playing game that blends boardgaming, mini gaming, and a little deckbuilding. Just need one of the starter sets Shadespire or Nightvault. Then add any desired warbands. Nice thing about Underworlds is that it's available all over the place (amazon/miniature market) for much cheaper than games-workshop.com. Alternatively you can skip the "board and card game portion as use the models/kits to play AoS "skirmish". A way to play the AoS rules in a smaller format. Very similar to Kill Team below.
  
• 40k - Kill Team - Skirmish Game Info -- $35 - Core Rule Book - Face off with squads of 5-20 models per side for full and fast games instead of dozens upon dozens of infantry models and vehicles. In Kill Team, you activate each individual model from your squad instead of blobs of 30 models at time. Just buy the individual squad boxes you want - Example here and there to get your full forces. A recent White Dwarf magazine issues added rules for Daemons to Kill Team. There are even some bundle boxes out there like this one for AdMech/Skitarii. The game is expandable with more rulebooks to include commanders and elite forces. But very fun with just good ol' basic troops kitted out in different ways.
  
• 40k - Blackstone Fortress. Straight up co-op dungeon crawl in the 40k setting with lots of monsters and heroes to paint. Note - They are continuing to release additional content for this to continue with more quests.
  
• AoS - Silver Tower - Co-Op Dungeon Crawl in the AoS lore. - AoS/Fantasy Dungeon Crawl. This has been Discontinued so no more quests will be coming out from it.
  
• Necromunda. Gritty Gang warfare set amongst the "civilians" of the 40k Imperium. These models don't directly translate to the bigger 40k game. Though many will use the ganger models as basic "grunt" infantry for either the Imperium (Guardsmen/Conscripts) or Chaos (Renegade Guardsmen/Cultists)
  
  
• As for value on paints, you'll need to decide if you want to try the new speedy Contrast system from GW with a few colors. Or just get a nice value pack of model colors and paint things the classic way. Bundles like this from Army Painter bring the cost of each color down to under $2 each(shake well) where the new GW Contrast paint colors are around $7 each. Pricey, but seriously decent painted models in very little time.
  
  If you really want to jump right into the deep end with full wargame AoS or 40k game, you may want to use the following to build a quick list for any army you are thinking about. It will give you a good idea of how many models you really need in the long run. Not trying to scare you away, just make sure you know what you might be getting into. It's not uncommon for an experienced player starting an army to buy three or more Start-Collecting boxes, an Additional Character or two and a big Monster/Tank/Dreadnought or two.
  
  
• 40k List Builder - Big/Event Games are at 100 Power Level - Casual/Small at 50PL - https://www.warhammer-community.com/combat-roster/
  
• AoS List Builder - Big/Event Games are at 2000 Points - Casual/Small at 1000 - https://www.warhammer-community.com/warscroll-builder/

Welcome to the hobby!

1. Short answer: No. Long answer: -ish, but mostly no. DIfferent sub-factions have access to different tactics, stratagems, and units, but no-one worth playing with is going to fault you for running your red painted marines as Ultramarines or vice versa.
   
   
2. I recommend this brand/style of paint set If you keep your focus small, these paints will last you a long time. For washes, I recommend this and this to start. Using a spray can from Army painter is also an easy way to get your base coat down. Brushes are a tricky thing to recommend. Some of the best miniature painters in the world use the cheapest brushes so there's no way to make a solid recommendation. FWIW, I've used the citadel (point wouldn't keep), army painter (too soft), and vallejo brushes and prefer that latter far more.
   
   
3. Generally, 2 thin coats. It can be more with lower pigmented paints (like Reaper) or if you're trying to paint a lighter color on a dark undercoat. As mentioned above, you can also use army painter rattle cans to do your undercoat. Then they're just detail work and a wash away from "table top standard".
   
   
4. Youtube is full of great hobby videos. This video has a good run down of some common and uncommon brands of paint. They also have a useful video for washes.
   
   
5. Variable. Beginners will always take longer. Some minis are more complicated than others. Some may require extra steps like washing before assembly. For plastic models [this](https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003Y49R7G?aaxitk=yw87pCjpm4VEKpuh.qGtFQ&pd_rd_i=B003Y49R7G&pf_rd_p=44fc3e0f-4b9e-4ed8-b33b-363a7257163d&hsa_cr_id=6960164520701&sb-ci-n=productDescription&sb-ci-v=Loctite%20Ultra%20Gel%20Control%20Super%20Glue%204-Gram%20(1363589) is a great glue. Spraying on your base coat will definitely speed things up, but the more detailed a model is, the longer it will take. Some people even drill holes and glue in magnets so the can swap weapons around on their minis.
   
   
6. Yes, but I really would advise against starting with Dark Imperium. It's a good deal if you are intent on getting into full army battles and you know you'll make use of both factions/be able to sell one. Kill Team is a better entry point because the only investment in plastic crack you need to make is one box of troops for your preferred faction. It will also give you a feel for the rules and if this is a game you like enough to invest in.
   
   One more thing: terrain makes games of 40K great, but buying manufactured terrain can be very expensive. I recommend buying a double sided battle mat made of mousepad material. These are good mats in the US/Canada and these are good in the EU. As for your large, line of sight blocking terrain, I recommend...building it yourself. Wyloch's Armory is an excellent place to start with crafting your own terrain.
   
   I hope this helps, and if you have more questions, please feel free to ask.