Alien Empires · The Galaxy Bites Back
Xenos Armies
Beyond the Imperium and the Warp wait the alien empires — ancient dynasties, hungering swarms, laughing greenskins and empires young enough to still believe in progress. Choose your faction, or browse every xenos kit we stock.
Know the Alien
The Necrons ruled the galaxy before humanity's ancestors crawled from the sea, and the Aeldari empire fell while we were inventing agriculture. Mankind is the newcomer here.
A Necron phalanx, an Ork Waaagh!, a Tyranid swarm and a T'au strike cadre share precisely nothing — every xenos race fights, thinks and builds like nothing else in the game.
The Imperium calls them all "xenos" as if they were one problem. They are eight different apocalypses — and some of the most rewarding armies in Warhammer 40,000.
The Lore
Humanity likes to imagine the galaxy is its birthright. The xenos know better. The Necrons ruled the stars sixty million years before Terra's first empires; the Aeldari's civilisation blazed and fell while mankind was still learning to farm. The Orks have been everywhere, fighting everyone, forever — and enjoying every minute of it.
And more keep coming: the Tyranid hive fleets devouring their way in from the intergalactic void, the young and earnest T'au Empire expanding for the Greater Good, the Leagues of Votann mining the galactic core and holding grudges in hardware, and the Genestealer Cults gnawing at the Imperium from within its own cities. The galaxy was never humanity's. It bites back.
On the Tabletop
Xenos armies are where Warhammer 40,000 gets strange — in the best way. Necron phalanxes reassemble as fast as you kill them, Tyranid swarms smother the board, Aeldari strike like lightning and evaporate if touched, Orks turn sheer enthusiasm into a game mechanic, and the T'au field the best shooting in the game while barely knowing what a sword is for.
If the Imperium's armies are variations on a theme, the xenos are eight different games in one — there is no playstyle you can't find here. Choose a faction below for its lore, tabletop guide and full kit list.
More about the Xenos range
The alien races of the 41st Millennium — from the ancient Aeldari and soulless Necrons to the ravenous Tyranid swarm and the ramshackle Orks. Choose your faction below.
Read the lore in our Faction Files: Aeldari, Necrons, T’au Empire and Tyranids.
Xenos armies are the most varied in the game. Necrons are relentless, self-repairing metal legions; Orks are loud, numerous and love a scrap; Tyranids swarm the board with monsters of every size; T'au win the shooting war from range; Aeldari and Drukhari are fast, fragile and deadly; Genestealer Cults ambush from below; and the Leagues of Votann are tough, well-armed space dwarfs. Whatever you like, there's an alien army that plays exactly that way.
Where to start: a Combat Patrol is a ready-made army in one box, like Combat Patrol: Necrons or Combat Patrol: T'au Empire. Browse them all in Combat Patrols. How do they play? Read our Army Analysis guides to the Necrons, Orks and Tyranids. Torn over a first army? Here's why Tyranids make a brilliant pick, and our 40k factions list compares the rest.
The Alien Threats
Choose Your Faction
Eight alien empires, none of them remotely alike. Pick a faction to explore its lore, playstyle and full range of kits.
First Contact
Starting a xenos army?
Start with a boxed set — miniatures, rules and dice in one go. Free UK delivery over £65, same-day dispatch by 3pm on weekdays.
Shop 40K Starter Sets
Frequently Asked Questions
"Xenos" is Imperium slang for any non-human intelligent species. We stock eight Xenos factions: Aeldari, Drukhari, Necrons, Orks, T'au Empire, Tyranids, Genestealer Cults and Leagues of Votann. Each has its own Codex, playstyle and model range, so "Xenos" on this page means everyone except the Imperium and Chaos.
Orks and Tyranids are the most forgiving — both reward aggression and close combat, so early mistakes cost less. If you'd rather shoot from range, T'au Empire is more precise but punishes bad positioning. Necrons sit in between: durable, methodical, and hard to wipe off the table outright.
11th Edition launched in June 2026 with the Armageddon boxed set, which brought new Space Marine and Ork miniatures, and Codex: Orks for 11th Edition is already out. Every Xenos faction has rules for 11th Edition, and new codexes are rolling out through the edition, so check the latest codex for your army.
Both are Eldar-descended, but Aeldari (Craftworld and Ynnari forces) are ancient, disciplined psykers fighting to preserve their dying race, while Drukhari (Dark Eldar) are raiders from Commorragh who fuel themselves on cruelty and speed. Aeldari play elegant and precise; Drukhari play fast and vicious.
No — they're a related but separate faction. Genestealer Cults are human infiltrator cells infected and controlled by Tyranid genestealers, blending cultist mobs with monstrous hybrids, and they have their own Codex, army list and playstyle distinct from the main Tyranid swarm.
Yes — the full range across all eight factions, from combat patrols to individual characters. We're based in Barry, South Wales, with fast UK delivery, or you're welcome to come and browse the shelves in person.