What's a good starting size for a newby

[SW1]

It's been a long time since I walked these mighty halls. The hobbyfoo left me big time. However the lads have indicated they want to join daddy in the 40k hobby. So I have to find starter armies for the lads ones 11 wanting dirty Eldar and the other is 8 and wanting his own home brew Marine army.

 

What I'm trying to work out is what's a good starting army size? The youngest could have a full company plus a good chunk of both the 1st and 10th companies out of my bits boxes. The eldest will be having the Eldar army I was hoarding for the wife in the vain hope she'd get back into the hobby (she used to paint Eldar back when she was at Uni). I'd started a Swordwind force with most aspects covered plus bikes/guardians/wraith guard.

 

I've not played in ages so it's a fresh start with 8th. I'm even looking at just keeping it simple using power points. They won't be getting everything straight away instead build their armies slowly over time. It's just where to start and the amount of models/points to start at.

 

What would you consider a reasonable starting force for a young kid?

[HighMarshalAmp]

I've played quite intense games with 500pts, but really, I could only cram enough special weaponry into my C:SM Battalion at 600 for it to feel like it made a difference, so I say 600 on a 4'x4' table.

 

Special mention to Kill Team for being an exciting game at 100pts. The youngsters could try different armies that way as well.

[Jolemai]

Why not a start collecting box as that gives you enough for a Patrol Detachment?

[Brother Dallo]

I'll throw in another vote for Kill Team.

 

You've got 3-20 models a side with most teams being around the 10 model mark. If your kids are interested in painting models,it's a small investment of time and the rules allow three way battles.

 

It's also a relatively short investment in time. Two hours will comfortably cover set up, game and take down, allowing for some inexperience with the rules and playing a bit slower.

 

Dallo

[SW1]

Cheers for the input.

 

I'm thinking a couple of squads and a character each. Though the youngest wants TDA which makes trying to make things balanced a bit tricky. :lol:

 

I'll also need to brush the dust off my old armies. I'm thinking maybe in need to introduce them to the concept of the Guard Gun Line. ;)

[Indefragable]

How much do you have saved for your lads' college fund?

Start there. That's what this hobby will cost you.

 

#runwhileyoucan

 

I joke (kinda).

 

I'd start with whatever tickles each of your fancy. With the amount of time, effort, and practice the hobby can take, you really want to be motivated by the end result.

[Fajita Fan]

If your one son is into terminators you might check eBay for the older starter set models.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Warhammer-40k-Dark-Angels-Deathwing-Terminators-Dark-Vengeance-x5/292785631726?epid=1139269221&hash=item442b6231ee:g:v0YAAOSwclVb0EMs:rk:3:pf:0

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/40K-Dark-Vengeance-Dark-Angels-Deathwing-Terminators-Squad-Bits/163092728561?epid=1142130033&hash=item25f9158af1:g:L60AAOSwl0VbHq1x:rk:9:pf:0

 

That's 10 terminators right there for $50 and that's a good chunk of points.  

[SW1]

Lol ... I'm a long fang when it comes to model collecting marines. The armies already exist in the house I've spent the last two nights sifting my bits boxes for none SW marines and have stopped at a full company and a fair few squads from the 1st/10th. The Eldar is a decent sized army though Ebay will be trawled for a few bits for them. Not sure why we have 15 jet bikes with most missing the front bonnet? May mean casting up the missing bonnets (not sure what they're called) as I doubt I'll find them easily online.

 

I'm wanting to give them enough so they have a nice starting point but not so much that they don't appreciate the models. Give kids vast amounts of stuff, it gets left on the floor stood on and broken in a few days. Give them a reasonable amount of stuff and they tend to take care of it better. Lol ... Not repeating the Pokemon fiasco of last year. :(

 

The youngest wants the models assembled and undercoated and is looking forward to painting with me. The eldest would prefer them painted as he wants to build scenery and get on with the gaming side of the hobby.

 

This works out well as most of the Eldar are already painted to a decent standard by his mum (who's the best painter in the house) and it would be a shame to knock them back to a blank canvas. The marines have been stripped awaiting a project for a long time so undercoating them is already a step in the right direction.

 

What they don't know is I've pulled out some old carry cases and ordered new foam for them. Going to custom paint the cases in their choice of army colours with them. Should be fun showing them how to use an airbrush and stencils. Also ordered some paint brushes and clearing out a space for us to hobby together.

 

Lol ... Think I may actually be looking forward to this. Is my hobbyfoo coming back? ;)

[Kinstryfe]

If you want something manageable, maybe make out about 1000pts for each. It's enough to be a variable game, but not so much to be overwhelming. Work them up from there with the occasional couple hundred point chunks or new units. That's where I'd start anyway, since dumping a whole company in front of a new young player is likely to just give them too many choices.

[Imren]

If I were you I'd just buy a squad for each kid and support/teach them to do the hobby aspect of it. Have them clean mould lines, assemble, prime and paint the model (teach them drybrushing, layering, perhaps even glazing, how important it is to thin the paints etc), and base them. Whenever they have completed the full squad they will realise what a project it is to assemble, paint and base a full squad and that will probably humble them when it comes to asking for more units (I'd just buy them a unit a time whenever they completed the previous one). And whenever they have a full painted squad they are ready for Kill Team! Get the book and teach them the rules, paint up some terrain and indulge them in kill team. If the kids are still feeling passionate about the hobby after assembling and painting a squad each and the terrain, them they can move on to 40k and slowly build up their first 500-1000p force.

 

Bottom line is, rather have them do the work to complete one squad (assemble, paint and base) and the terrain so they realise what it takes to have a squad ready for battle on the table top before asking for an army.

[sarabando]

what about the wake the dead box both eldar and marines in that

[Chaos Lord Tom]

I'd say that a 500 point army with small squads should be ok for the youngsters. From experience (playing with my son), the shorter the games, the better. They will learn the rules and play more easily if games are short and don't have to wait 15 min for their enemy to move its 10+ squads. Do not hesitate to simplify the rules at 1st hand it should be as enjoyable and simple for them as possible.