So you've taken the plunge into Warhammer 40,000 — welcome to one of the most rewarding hobbies you'll ever pick up. Your models have arrived, the sprues are clipped, and now you're staring at a blank grey Space Marine wondering: where do I even start with paint?
Don't worry. Every veteran painter was once exactly where you are. This guide breaks down the best paint sets for Warhammer 40K beginners in the UK, covering the top brands, what's actually in the box, and which one is right for you.
Why the Right Paint Set Matters for Beginners
Before we dive in, a quick word on why your starter set matters more than you might think. Warhammer miniatures are intricate — all those rivets, pouches, and skull motifs aren't going to paint themselves. The right paint set gives you:
- Correct consistency out of the pot (so you're not watering down or thickening up constantly)
- The right types of paint (base coats, shades/washes, and layer paints all do very different things)
- Colours matched to your faction wherever possible
- Confidence — because starting with a quality set means your first models look good, which keeps you hooked
Now, let's look at your options.
1. Citadel Colour: Warhammer 40,000 Paints + Tools Set
Best for: Absolute first-timers who want the official, tutorial-supported route
The Citadel Warhammer 40,000 Paints + Tools Set is the go-to recommendation for most UK beginners, and for good reason. Produced by Games Workshop themselves, this set is designed to slot directly into the vast library of official Warhammer painting tutorials on YouTube and the Warhammer Community website.
What's in the box?
- 13 x 12ml pots of Citadel paint (a mix of base paints, shades, and layer colours)
- A starter brush
- Clippers (essential for removing models from the sprue)
- A mould line remover tool
Why it works for beginners
Every official Games Workshop painting guide — whether it's for Space Marines, Necrons, or Orks — calls out Citadel paints by name. When a tutorial says "apply Nuln Oil," you can do exactly that without substitution. This 1:1 relationship between tutorial and product is genuinely invaluable when you're learning.
Citadel paints also have excellent coverage out of the pot. Base paints in particular are formulated to go onto bare plastic (or primer) in one or two coats without looking streaky or patchy — great for building confidence early on.
Citadel's paint system explained
One of Citadel's greatest strengths is that their range is built around a structured system:
- Base paints — thick, opaque, high-pigment paints for your first coat
- Shade paints (washes) — thin, ink-like paints that flow into recesses and add instant depth and shadow
- Layer paints — thinner paints for highlights and detail work
- Contrast paints — single-coat paints that base, shade, and highlight all at once (more on these below)
- Technical paints — special effects like rust, blood, or cracked earth
As a beginner, you'll primarily use Base paints and Shades. Even just those two steps — a base coat plus a wash of Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil — can produce results that look properly painted.
Where to buy in the UK
The Citadel Paints + Tools Set is available from Games Workshop stores, the Games Workshop website, and major UK hobby retailers including Wayland Games, Firestorm Games, and Wonderland Models. Prices are typically competitive across independent UK retailers, and many offer free shipping over a threshold.
The honest caveat
Citadel paints come in flip-top pots rather than dropper bottles. Some experienced painters find these pots prone to drying out or getting paint clogging the lid over time. For a beginner, this is a minor concern — just remember to wipe the rim clean after every session and store your pots upright.
2. Citadel Contrast Paint Starter Set
Best for: Beginners who want fast, impressive results and hate fiddly work
If you've watched anyone paint a Warhammer model in the last few years, you've probably seen Contrast paints in action. These remarkable single-coat paints do the work of three painting steps in one: they base coat, shade the recesses, and leave highlights all in a single application over a light primer.
The results are genuinely startling for the time invested. A Contrast-painted model won't win any Golden Daemon competitions, but it will look genuinely good on the tabletop — and it'll be done in a fraction of the time.
How to use Contrast paints
The method is simple: undercoat your model with Wraithbone or Grey Seer spray (both light, warm primers designed for Contrast), then apply your Contrast colours in broad strokes. The paint does the rest — flowing into recesses and pooling in shadow areas automatically.
This is particularly useful for beginners because it removes one of the trickiest techniques to learn: shading. You don't need to carefully apply a wash and then avoid disturbing it — Contrast handles all of that by itself.
Citadel Contrast Mega Set
Games Workshop sell a Contrast Mega Set that provides a wide selection of Contrast colours, and it's excellent value compared to buying pots individually. Paired with a can of Wraithbone spray primer, it's one of the most effective ways to get an entire army looking good quickly.
3. The Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Starter Set
Best for: Beginners looking for great value and dropper bottle convenience
The Army Painter is a Danish company that has built a strong following in the UK hobby community, particularly for value and accessibility. Their Warpaints Fanatic range — launched in 2023 — was a significant upgrade over their previous formula, delivering better pigment density, improved consistency, and an intuitive colour system.
The triad system
Warpaints Fanatic is built around a "shadow – midtone – highlight" triad system. Each colour in the range has a darker shadow version and a lighter highlight version pre-matched for it. This means you don't need to think about which paints work together — the system does that for you. It's particularly beginner-friendly for this reason.
Dropper bottles: a practical advantage
Unlike Citadel pots, Army Painter paints come in dropper bottles. You squeeze out just a drop or two onto a palette rather than dipping directly into a pot. This is cleaner, wastes less paint, and significantly extends the life of your paints. Many UK hobbyists who've been painting for years prefer dropper bottles, and starting with them means you build good habits from day one.
The honest caveat
Army Painter's metallic paints have historically been weaker than Citadel's equivalents, though the Fanatic range has improved this. Their washes (Quickshades) are functional but don't quite match the natural flow and consistency of Citadel Shades like Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil. For most beginners, this won't be a practical issue — but it's worth knowing if shading detail work is a priority for you.
Where to buy in the UK
Warpaints Fanatic sets are widely available from UK online retailers including Element Games, Firestorm Games, and Wayland Games. Army Painter products are typically priced a little below Citadel, making them good value if budget is a consideration.
4. Vallejo Game Colour Starter Set
Best for: Beginners who want professional-quality paints from day one
Vallejo is a Spanish paint manufacturer with decades of history in scale modelling and miniature painting. Their Game Colour range is specifically designed for fantasy and sci-fi miniatures — making it a natural fit for Warhammer 40K.
Many experienced painters consider Vallejo Game Color the best non-GW paint range for miniature painting. The colours mix cleanly, thin consistently, and have excellent pigment density. Their metallics are particularly well-regarded.
Dropper bottles with precise control
Like Army Painter, Vallejo uses dropper bottles. The flow from Vallejo droppers is generally very consistent — you get a reliable drop each time, making it easy to thin your paints precisely on a wet palette.
The challenge for beginners
The main limitation of Vallejo for absolute beginners is the tutorial ecosystem. Warhammer YouTube tutorials use Citadel paint names. When a guide says "base with Macragge Blue," you'll need to look up the Vallejo equivalent or use a paint conversion chart. This adds a small but real friction for newcomers.
That said, Vallejo's quality is excellent and many UK hobbyists who start on Citadel eventually migrate to mixing in Vallejo paints as their skills develop.
5. Two Thin Coats by Duncan Rhodes
Best for: Beginners who want premium quality with a beginner-friendly system
Duncan Rhodes — formerly of Games Workshop's Warhammer TV channel and one of the most recognised names in miniature painting tutorial content — launched his own paint range called Two Thin Coats. It's become one of the most highly regarded paint ranges in the hobby.
The consistency is described as creamy and self-levelling, with excellent matte finish and high covering power. The range now exceeds 180 colours following wave 3, and like Warpaints Fanatic, it uses a "shadow – midtone – highlight" triad system that makes colour selection intuitive.
Many colours are close matches to the Citadel range, which makes following existing tutorials easier than with some alternatives. Two Thin Coats are now widely available in UK hobby stores, making them an excellent choice if you want something beyond the standard Citadel offerings.
Comparison at a Glance
| Paint Set | Best For | Paint Type | UK Availability | Beginner Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citadel Paints + Tools Set | Tutorial followers | Pot | Excellent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Citadel Contrast Starter | Speed painters | Pot | Excellent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Army Painter Fanatic | Value hunters | Dropper | Very Good | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Vallejo Game Colour | Quality-first painters | Dropper | Good | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Two Thin Coats | Premium quality seekers | Dropper | Very Good | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Essential Extras: What You'll Need Alongside Your Paint Set
Whatever set you choose, there are a few additional items that make painting significantly easier:
Primer/undercoat spray — Never paint directly onto bare plastic. A primer coat gives the paint something to grip and prevents it flaking off. Citadel's Chaos Black, Corax White, and Wraithbone are the most popular in the UK hobby community. Army Painter also make excellent primer sprays.
A wet palette — A wet palette keeps your paints workable for much longer by preventing them drying out. You can buy dedicated ones from Army Painter or Redgrass Games, or make a basic one from a Tupperware container, baking parchment, and damp sponge.
Extra brushes — The brush included in most starter sets is fine for getting started, but pick up a size 1 and a size 0 round brush from a hobby store. Citadel, Army Painter, and Rosemary & Co are popular UK options.
A painting handle — Small, cheap, and transformative. Clipping your model to a painting handle means you're gripping the handle, not the model — no more fingerprints on wet paint and smudged edges.
Which Paint Set Should You Actually Buy?
Here's the honest truth:
If you're a complete beginner and plan to follow YouTube tutorials closely, buy the Citadel Paints + Tools Set. The tutorial ecosystem alone justifies it. Every GW guide, every Warhammer TV video, and the vast majority of community tutorials use Citadel by name. Starting on the same system removes one layer of complexity while you're learning everything else.
If you want fast results and good-looking models quickly, add a Contrast paint set to your starter purchase and prime in Wraithbone. The speed-to-result ratio is genuinely excellent.
If budget matters or you're happy to reference paint conversion charts, the Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Starter Set gives excellent value and the dropper bottle format is genuinely superior for precision work.
If you're willing to invest a little more and want quality that'll last, Two Thin Coats or Vallejo Game Colour are outstanding choices that many UK hobbyists rate above Citadel for overall paint quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Warhammer starter sets come with paint?
No — Games Workshop Warhammer 40K starter sets include unassembled plastic miniatures, rules, dice, and accessories, but not paints or brushes. You'll need to purchase a paint set separately.
How many paints do I need to start?
You can get surprisingly far with 6–10 paints: a black base, a white or bone base, a metallic silver, a metallic gold, a wash (Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil), and 2–3 colours for your faction's primary armour and accent. Don't feel pressured to buy everything at once.
Do I need to prime my models before painting?
Yes, and this step really matters. Primer gives paint something to adhere to on smooth plastic. Without it, your paint can scrape off with handling. Spray primers are the easiest option — Citadel's Chaos Black is the most popular starting point in the UK.
Are Citadel paints worth the price?
Citadel paints are priced at a premium relative to competitors, but for beginners the tutorial ecosystem justifies the cost. As you develop, you may find you mix in paints from other ranges for specific purposes — many UK hobbyists do exactly that.
Where can I buy Warhammer paint sets in the UK?
Beyond Games Workshop's own stores and website, excellent UK retailers include Wayland Games, Element Games, Firestorm Games, Wonderland Models, and Hobby Workshop. Most offer free UK shipping over a spend threshold and stock multiple paint brands.
Final Thoughts
The best paint set for Warhammer 40K beginners in the UK is the one that gets you sitting down at the table and actually painting your models. Don't overthink it. Start with Citadel if you want the path of least resistance, or Army Painter Fanatic if you want great value and dropper bottles.
Most importantly: thin your paints, prime your models, and remember that every single veteran painter has a drawer full of early models they painted badly. That's not a reason to hesitate — it's a rite of passage. Pick up a set, put brush to miniature, and welcome to the hobby.
The Emperor Protects — and so does a good base coat.
