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October 27, 2026 • Universe TCG

Warhammer: The Old World – the complete beginner's guide

Warhammer: The Old World is a tabletop wargame of massed regiments of fantasy troops, played with painted miniatures on a table. It suits people who like block-based battles, characterful armies and a long painting project. The best way in is the Warhammer: The Old World Core Set, followed by one army and its Arcane Journal.

What is Warhammer: The Old World?

The Old World returns to the classic fantasy setting of Warhammer: empires of men, dwarf holds, elven realms, orc tribes and the armies of Chaos. The game is built around units. You move regiments of soldiers as blocks, wheel them into position and clash them in combat, supported by cavalry, war machines, monsters and heroes.

It is a different feel from skirmish games with a handful of models. Battles are about formations, flanks and timing, and the armies look best when you field them in numbers.

What do you need to start playing?

You need three things: the rules, an army, and something to paint it with. The rules come in the core set, and your army grows from a first box or two. Paints, brushes and glue are the extras that most new players forget.

The Core Set is the boxed starting point for the game.
An army book for your chosen faction, called an Arcane Journal, gives you its lore and army-building options.
Basic tools and paints. Our guide to how to start painting Warhammer miniatures covers what to buy first.

Where should a beginner start?

Start with the core set, then pick one faction that you like the look of rather than the one you think is strongest. You will spend many hours with these models, so enthusiasm matters more than anything else.

If you want a ready-made foundation, the Battle March armies are a sensible route. Each one gathers a core selection of a faction into a single purchase:

Buy a Battle March or battalion box, add a leader, and you have the start of a playable force. The complete Warhammer buying guide explains how this game sits alongside the rest of the range.

Which armies can you collect?

Each faction has its own Arcane Journal and its own personality on the table. Here is a quick tour of the main choices.

Dwarfen Mountain Holds

Dwarfs are sturdy, stubborn and well armed with guns and war machines. A good first purchase is a block of Dwarf Warriors, with Dwarf Ironbreakers or Dwarf Hammerers as elite options. Add a Dwarf Cannon and Organ Gun for firepower and a Dwarf King with Oathstone to lead. Read the full Dwarfen Mountain Holds guide, and pick up the Dwarfen Mountain Holds Arcane Journal.

Empire of Man

The Empire is a flexible human army of state troops, knights, gunpowder and war machines. Empire State Troops form the backbone, and Empire Knights give you a hard-hitting cavalry arm. Cannons and Mortars round out the artillery. See the Empire of Man guide and the Empire of Man Arcane Journal.

Warriors of Chaos and Beastmen

For a darker army, Chaos Warriors, Chaos Knights and Chaos Marauders make a strong core, with a Chaos Lord on Manticore as a centrepiece. Our Warriors of Chaos guide goes deeper, and the Warriors of Chaos Arcane Journal covers the army. Beastmen players can look at the Bestigor Herd and the Beastmen Brayherds Arcane Journal.

Elves, orcs and the rest

The High Elf Realms guide covers units such as Elven Spearmen and Dragon Princes of Caledor. Wood Elf players can start with Eternal Guard and the Wood Elf Realms Arcane Journal. For greenskins, the Black Orc Mob pairs with our Orc and Goblin Tribes guide. Undead fans should read the Tomb Kings of Khemri guide, and anyone drawn to the east can start with the Grand Cathay guide and the Cathayan Sentinel.

Which rulebooks and Arcane Journals do you need?

The core set gives you the rules, and the other books add armies and ways to play.

Forces of Fantasy and Ravening Hordes are army-list books for building forces.
Faction Arcane Journals add the lore and options for a single army, such as the Kingdom of Bretonnia, Orc and Goblin Tribes, Tomb Kings of Khemri, High Elf Realms and Armies of Grand Cathay.
The Matched Play Guide and the Battle March General's Companion help you organise games between players.

Campaign books such as The March of Chaos, The War of Settra's Fury and The River of Bones suit players who like narrative games.

How do you paint a Old World army?

Paint in units, not in single models. Finish a regiment to a clear standard, base it, and move on. Armies look strong when the whole table is consistent, and a simple scheme finished across fifty models beats a detailed one that never gets done.

Our Citadel and Warhammer Colour paints guide explains the paint range, and the beginner painting guide walks through the first steps. If you enjoy the setting, the Black Library reading guide is a good way to find novels to match your army.

FAQ

Is Warhammer: The Old World good for beginners?

Yes, if you are happy to build and paint a number of models. The core set teaches the rules, and the pace of play rewards learning one army well. Smaller early games help you get used to unit movement.

What is the difference between The Old World and Age of Sigmar?

The Old World is set in the classic Warhammer fantasy world and is built on regiments in formation. Age of Sigmar is a separate game in a different setting. They use different rules, so models are not interchangeable between them.

Which army should I pick first?

Pick the one whose models you want to paint. Dwarfs and the Empire are friendly starting points because their troops are straightforward to assemble and their books are easy to follow.

Do I need the Arcane Journal for my army?

You need the rules for your faction to field it, and the Arcane Journals provide army-specific content. Check which book covers your army before you buy models.

Does Universe TCG ship The Old World worldwide?

We ship worldwide from Spain, and we also have shops in Mollet del Vallès, Barberà del Vallès and Segovia. We are an independent hobby store and not an official Games Workshop partner.

Warhammer: The Old World – the complete beginner's guide

What is Warhammer: The Old World?

What do you need to start playing?

Where should a beginner start?