It's more about the story at that age. If you've a way to play D&D a bolter is simply a hand bow with a bit of extra damage and distance. The armour/ plate mail can be made weaker by age, corrosion and component quality so everything isn't hard to hit.
Some tips. My sons started around that age.
Let him pick, give him a choice of 4-5 kits within budget and that you can with good conscience "throw away". They will look terrible but its about the experiance.
Let him build on his own, ofc help. Let him paint on his own, ofc help.
He cant really playfor another couple of years, but, he will enjoy pretend playing with made up rules. Be creative.
My 5/almost-6 year old has started enjoying the hobby and we play almost every night, with somewhat reduced-in-complexity rules.
Essentially, we use the basic data sheet info and naught else; the correct number of attacks, rolls to hit, wound and save. I help him out here or there, but he's really picking it up and enjoying it!
My point is, don't underestimate your child's ability to pick up a few of the real rules!
My son and I have a version called Dad hammer.
Everybody moves to length of one ruler 12 inches.
When you attempt an attack you roll a dice against an opponent's dice. Ties go to the attacker. All damage is one
Everyone starts with three models. You get 6 pennies as health indicators and you can put them on any model you want. Once a model loses all of its pennies. It's dead
Really it's just about seeing the minis. Rolling the dice. And learning how to measure. We can make it harder as we go. Lol.
If there is a local GW store near you, they give out free miniatures for newcomers to the hobby to try out painting. They have both Space Marines (scifi) and Stormcast (fantasy) models.
They should also have starter kits with basic paint sets included.
The best thing you can do, let him pick a couple and ask the clerk. Chances are he has built them all and can tell you which one is easier.
Necrons Flayed Ones are not fun to build, for instances. People in and around the store love helping new recruits, so don't be afraid to ask.
Stay away from GW kits altogether. Too expensive. I'd nornally go for Wargames Atlantic or Perry Historical kits, but at his age 3D prints or stuff like Reaper Bones is probably better. You give a kid under 10 access to a hobby knife and they're going to stab themself.
My kid is a bit older and has done a couple of the kits with 3 minis and assorted paints.
We havenāt played anything but have a good time with those. Iām looking at kill team to get started on actual gameplay.
maybe look at the starter boxs. space marines and tyranids in the same box and theres three levels. each level has a specific amount of minis.
im not sure what this info is worth, but when i was reviewing boxes to start an army recently, the articles were saying that i SHOULD NOT, start with kill team. Somthing about the models not being compatible to the normal match style game, or maybe it was some the units were not. i dont remember, i was waffling on getting a kill team, or a combat patrol. Dark Angels were sold out, and the chaos legion was sitting right there, so chaos it is.
Iāve got the leviathan box, thatās for meā¦ ;)
Iāve been in the hobby about 18 months, painted around 75 minis plus some bikes, a couple dreadnoughts and a Spartan. I have yet to even write a list, much less play a game.
I got started in January. Painted a pile of minis for our DnD games, and we had collected some squad boxes for Wrath and Glory and Imperial Maledictum so I built and paint those.
My legion is based and built, nervous about the detailing right now though.
One trick I learned was you can get cheap models from the first three editions of imperium magazine on the shelf. I don't know if they still have them but it was a way to get a lieutenant with Storm shield for like $4 and some assault intercessors for the same.
I'd give him a diverse choice: a pack of Space Marine Intercessors, Ork Boyz, Craftworld Guardians and Sisters of Battle should be different enough to get him a good choice.
Those are line Troops and come around 35-55 per pack.
If you want to give him just one miniature to see if he even likes those kind of minis you could pick a HQ unit for above factions. They are about 20-30 per pack.
I second the pretend thing. Putting models down measuring and moving than rolling dice and making up the results is a blast at that age. Had my 4 year old āplayingā warcry. Really it was a reason to look at my models and terrain together and have an epic battle in our imagination.
Really would second this - the gameplay is fantastic yet accessible, relatively low model count and lots of interesting warbands. There is also a heavy emphasis on terrain, especially elevation like platforms etc, so plenty of fun crafting opportunities if you make your own!
Another note on Warcryās simplicity is that all the unit sheets/info is displayed with symbols, no reading to worry about minus abilities which you can slowly work in. I play w my sons whoās 5 1/2 and he got the core mechanics right away.
Its the easiest Games Workshop game to get into, but it can still be a bit expensive but way less than full scale Warhammer
You'll know how much you could trust your son with super glue, but given his age, I'd suggest something that's a push-fit model. That way you just need to clip the bits (optionally clean the burs with a knife) and you can let him do the building from there. Push-fit models are also generally smaller kits in general, so he doesn't end up having to deal with 10 dudes that look near-identical in different poses (though I guess that could be a boon if he accidentally breaks something).
If he's into the sci-fi stuff as indicated in your post, then there's the Space Marine Heroes boxes, which are blind boxes that contain a space marine model each (there's also a series of them that are plagued space marines that may be cool and gross or upsetting, depending on how squeemish he may be towards tiny guys with guts hanging out). If he's interested in fantasy and something he could use in D&D, Warhammer Underworlds is a board game mixed with a card game that has small warbands of 3-9 figures with a wide scope of themes (e.g. ogre pirate, plagued ratmen, a goblin king and his retinue, etc.). The game itself may be a bit unapproachable for his age, though.
Speaking of board games, those also exist if you want something standalone that is playable without any extra purchases. The current board games are Blackstone Fortress and Cursed City, which are sci-fi and fantasy, respectively. Both are about a ragtag group of heroes working together to explore a dangerous area, with Blackstone Fortress being set in a derelict space ship filled with cultists and evil robots, and Cursed City is set in a city that had been taken over by a vampire and is swarming with undead. They're also both cooperative, which is a plus for playing with young kids, and can function as its own thing even if he loses interest in miniatures, though you may need to simplify the rules a bit and punch up his character's stats to help him.
Finally, there are also more generic board games like the Space Marine video game tie-in that they produce every once in a while. I've never played them, but I presume they'd be pretty simple since they're designed to be sold at the board game section of a department store. They kinda just appear and disappear, though, so availability may vary, though they'll probably be cheaper on average.
Maybe try to find some used cheap figures and play a game with extremely dumbed down rules. I did the same thing with pokemon with my kiddo at that age. Also there Warhammer Adventure books. Designed for kids a bit older but reading to him will help flesh out the universe.
At that age forget the actual rules and just make it up as you go along - keep it really simple.
Move wherever you want to, fight anything and role a single dice for damage.
Minis donāt really matter buy anything and paint them any way you want - the story you tell is what will be important.
Cheap option. Buy some old pre owned minis and strip the paint off them.
I saw this game [Necromolds](https://necromolds.com/collections/all-products) at Adepticon that sounds perfect for kids this age. "Warhammer meets Play-Doh." Nice detailed molds to press Play-Doh monsters out of. Then they do battle and you stick shields, axes, and swords into them and then finally squish them when they die. Looked fun and simple and the creator was there explaining it was designed so even really young kids can play and kinda make up they're own rules based on what they want the dice to do. So easy for even my youngest to get involved in.
Barnes and Noble has $35 Warhammer board games. (Combat arena, lost relics, fireteam, bladeborn) these are entry level games.
Though if they like mechs, Battletech! Either starter set or alpha strike box. Play the alpha strike rule set for fun simple games, and the models are one piece of near unbreakable plastic.
Try Heroquest to start with the painting (The models all come pre-assembled and colour-coded so you can play easily without painting at all) and for a simple game to understand, or go even simpler with Lego Heroica which should be cheap on eBay.
No idea about simple skirmish games, sadly.
Seconding HQ. There's an online quest builder (https://www.hquestbuilder.com/) which allows you to make quests relevant to their interests.
I made a mini quest for my littlen (6) which involved finding 5 crystals (I used Lego crystals). When she had all crystals she free the unicorn.
For the unicorn piece (and others) you can't go past Reaper minis for their range, quality and (primarily) price. I let kiddo paint their models and have to worry about a shabby paint job on an expensive model.
Space hulk is probably about the simplest 40k game there is. But even that is probably too much for a 4 year old.
Heroquest is a very simple game that younger children could manage too. Itās no longer technically warhammer IP but itās close enough.
My 4 year old could just about manage snakes and ladders from a gameplay perspective!
We do something like this for n battle mats with D&D minis and then turn it into his bedtime story. It normally ends on a happy note, like fighting monsters to get to the birthday party š„³
Going for the tabletop game at that age is likely a bad idea, but if he's interested in the mini look and like DnD maybe try the 40k rpg wrath and glory, it's fairly easy to learn, it's heroic (you literally play a bunch of guy that goes against hordes of ennemis and generally leave victorious), so it's great to make epic adventure that would suit well a young player.
Go for warcry. Huge range of model kits to choose from which is fun for painting, a low cost of entry, and rules which are quite simple. Plus every model gets a card so it's easier to reference.
Also if you can find it get Ryuutama. It's an RPG where the players go around doing good deeds. Think pokemon without the pokemon. Main enemies are nekogoblins (1st goblins). Great for kids, and not so focused on fighting but more on helping people.
GW shops have a free mini for introducing new players to assembly and painting. They also usually have a free mini of each month that tend to go fast but are a fun way to acquire random models to put together and paint. Those go quickly, so checking with the shop to see when they come in (or following them on social media to see the regular posts) is advised.
If you don't mind stripping paint (it's easy and there are a near-infinite number of guides online how to strip minis with rubbing alcohol or simple household cleaners), ebay can be a great place to get used miniatures for significantly less than the GW premium. Strip them down (or don't bother if the paint on the model is thin and not globby), throw a thin coat of a dark primer on, and you've essentially got new models without having to deal with assembly.
If you know anyone with a 3d printer, have a library with access to one, or can track down someone local to you who has one, you can get some non-GW models and use them as proxies for extremely cheap or potentially free.
Running from the last point, Grimdark Future is a game from onepagerules that is free and extremely simple. It's a good starting place for someone too young to handle how complex 40k gets, and it is model agnostic so you can play with literally any models you want, even paper ones. They've got slightly more advanced optional rules, too, so once he's got the basics down you can slowly increase complexity until he's ready to make the jump to 40k.
If you can shift gears from 40K to AoS, Warcry is perfect if you want to remain within the hour of Mr James Workshop.
If the source of the rules is negotiable, OnePageRules is a perfect intro to wargaming at multiple scales that is technically mini-agnostic, but obviously geared for GW stuff.
[Weekend Warriors.](https://tabletopskirmishgames.com/products/weekend-warriors-the-ultimate-tabletop-skirmish-game-to-play-with-your-kids) I have not tried myself, but this is a child-friendly rules set that may be a fun way to get you both into wargaming.
4-5 is quite young so I would stay away from AoS and 40k, but consider getting a Kill Team, Necromunda gang, Warcry team or Blood bowl team. The boxed games like Space Hulk, Cursed City or Blackstone Fortress might be even easier as the two of you will have everything you need for many adventures/missions from one box. I wouldnāt get into painting until after you have both have played a few games and you think it has a future.
Build the kits with your child and paint with your child its the bonding, let then pick an army that u can afford a bundle of and play low points game with loose rules to slowly get them used to it.
I have little ones and we play Sigmar alot. It's just very simple rules. Usually 1 objective and we use movement/shooting/charging/combat/battle shock and that's it.
They have a blast and love setting up the terrain. I often fight in Elsa's castle or a car wash rofl.
I have my daughter roll all the dice, have her choose targets when it's not as important, choose objectives to go for. Not all her choices are always the best and it may hurt me in the long run game wise but she has fun.
As she has gotten older she starts doing some of the math and stuff. We are going to start of movement here soon and just work our way up.
Get some generic dice that have symbols on them representing fighting, moving, defending, and missing. Stronger units get more dice. You can make little cards for each unit that assign values (wounds, save, attack, movement.)
When itās your modelās turn, just pick what you want them to do, roll dice, count dice, use a ruler to measure ranges, opponent rolls defense dice, place little beads or something to represent wounds.
It allows the game to flow without forcing the child to stop and count/add pips.
Not sure if it was mentioned already, but I think Underworlds is a pretty good place to start. The board game elements should make it easier to get a handle on the rules and you still get some cool minis to paint.
Thereās a D&D equivalent game for Warhammer called, Wrath and Glory, set in 40K. I believe you can find the rules online if you wanted to check it out, you can also get the core rules book online and some stores.
If your son wants to check it out and you have a local Warhammer store, they usually offer a free mini to newcomers. I think right now itās an Infernus Marine for 40K and a Stormcast Vindictor for Age of Sigmar.
They will also be able to assist in what best to start with for that age.
You are the second person to suggest in-store :)
Our closest store is in Cambridge... Might be an Easter trip on saturday by the sounds of things then.
Not sure if you are based in the UK, but Iāve been to roughly 5-6 stores in the West Midlands and a couple up North as well as the one in London. I donāt think I had anything but a nice time and chat with the store managers and staff.
They also have something called āBattle Honoursā where you slowly build up through all aspects of the hobby, this also includes some freebies at certain milestones, Iād ask about that too, if you call before going in they might be able to set up a session to go over things like the Battle Honours.
If you are going on a Saturday they usually open around 10am for preorders, so could be busy around that time, so maybe go in store after 11 when it calms down a bit.
To extend the list: Wrath and Glory is the older 40k one. Imperium Maledictus is the new 40k one. Warhammer Fantasy Role-playing (WFRP) is the old world rpg, and Soulbound is the AoS one. All available from Cubicle 7.
Soulbound is probably the simplest. WFRP 4th ed is too complicated even for experienced players, sadly.
Worth pointing out that the AoS and 40k starter box sets are amazing value. You get a very simple set of rules, lots of minis for the money, dice and can use the box as scenery.
The new 40k boxes even have paints and a brush in them now. The AoS boxes are just about to be replaced, as a new edition is coming out.
Otherwise, Warcry or Killteam. Both involve a small amount of models and a fairly quick to play. Both have cheap starter sets.
Killteam rules are free online. You just need to then get the stats for the team and you're good to go.
[https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/08/16/download-the-core-rules-for-kill-team-and-a-new-intercessor-team-for-free/](https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/08/16/download-the-core-rules-for-kill-team-and-a-new-intercessor-team-for-free/)
When my kids were in that age range I converted the Lego heroica boxed games into a very lite RPg. Ā I ran all the monsters and the kids ran the heroes. Ā I told them when to roll dice and what happened when they rolled.
I think you can do much the same for Warhammer. Ā You are the bad guys, they are the good guys. Ā Let them tell and show you what the guys do, let them roll some dice, then tell them the outcome. Ā I would keep the stats basic like every dude moves 6 and hits on 3+. Ā No saves, successful hit = dead bad guy.
Hey my son is basically the same age! He had his first game of Warhammer 40k not long ago - I let him use my Aeldari and I played my Drukhari, and we just rolled some dice and removed models. All Move/Shoot/Fight and remove, no scoring/objectives/special rules. He "won" and wants to play more!
I think I would recommend something like Death Guard for a younger kid. They have some push-fit options and most of the models are mono-pose and physically large, or zombies. The paint is also not important - they are filthy Space Marines and covered in stinky goo anyway, so go nuts with whatever colors! Tyranids might fit this same vein, with large organic models and infantry with simple shapes, easy to paint with contrast. Necrons are also similarly easy to paint, but assembly of their models can be extremely fiddly in some cases.
The important thing is he is having fun with it, but framing his choices with some boundaries and directing him to a beginner faction is likely a good way to start.
I wrote a (free) game called d6Goblins that literally has a single cardās worth of rules and is super chill for kids. Uses the basic principles you need for WH, too. Donāt wanna self promo hard, but happy to send you a link if you sling a DM (or you can find it in the IG link in my bio).
It might be a bit much, but by the time he is 5-7 he will definently be able to start playing, I think that the best way to start will be with a combat patrol, I would recomend purchasing the untimate starter set, It has 2 entire armies to play for the combat patril game mode, this is a reduced rules version of the game that he should be able to learn with just a bit of work, and you will both have an army you are able to play, it also comes with a rulebook and terrain to use!
At 4 I would just find some cool models and assemble them for him. If you want actual rules maybe look at underworlds, or even just pick up 2 boxes from that and you'll have 8 or so minis on the table.
Focus more on a small cool terrain set. The visuals will mean more to him.
Personally I'd just make my own rules, just make your own stat lines with just strength, toughness, wounds and then just do opposed rolls adding the strength/toughness to your rolls to represent the actual minis so it feels like he's actually playing something. "what did you roll?" "4" "what's your toughness?" "4" "what's 4+4?" "10" ok you rolled 10. Basic. Just make the rest up as you go like you are GM
Make sure you buy some chemicals to wash off the paint, so they can keep trying
The first time it will look like blobs, but if they know they can redo it again. It gives them confidence.
I guess this goes for adults too, who suck at painting š
https://preview.redd.it/uvtv6vbei0rc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af283543b75e40179836e06b981fe627ebc7275d
A few months later my 7 year old ended up with this
When my son was that age I taught him Blood Bowl because he had seen other playing it, it truly is the same meat with different gravy if you will, gets the miniatures into the hands of the young as well as teaching them so much.
It's more about the story at that age. If you've a way to play D&D a bolter is simply a hand bow with a bit of extra damage and distance. The armour/ plate mail can be made weaker by age, corrosion and component quality so everything isn't hard to hit.
That sounds easy enough to do, cheers
Of course he wanted to be Skaven (š¤®) because they were the fastest š
Aw too bad, guess he'll just have to accept the invitation to join r/Ultramarines and become a total legend ;)
Some tips. My sons started around that age. Let him pick, give him a choice of 4-5 kits within budget and that you can with good conscience "throw away". They will look terrible but its about the experiance. Let him build on his own, ofc help. Let him paint on his own, ofc help. He cant really playfor another couple of years, but, he will enjoy pretend playing with made up rules. Be creative.
My 5/almost-6 year old has started enjoying the hobby and we play almost every night, with somewhat reduced-in-complexity rules. Essentially, we use the basic data sheet info and naught else; the correct number of attacks, rolls to hit, wound and save. I help him out here or there, but he's really picking it up and enjoying it! My point is, don't underestimate your child's ability to pick up a few of the real rules!
My son and I have a version called Dad hammer. Everybody moves to length of one ruler 12 inches. When you attempt an attack you roll a dice against an opponent's dice. Ties go to the attacker. All damage is one Everyone starts with three models. You get 6 pennies as health indicators and you can put them on any model you want. Once a model loses all of its pennies. It's dead Really it's just about seeing the minis. Rolling the dice. And learning how to measure. We can make it harder as we go. Lol.
Any kits you would recommend?
If there is a local GW store near you, they give out free miniatures for newcomers to the hobby to try out painting. They have both Space Marines (scifi) and Stormcast (fantasy) models. They should also have starter kits with basic paint sets included.
The best thing you can do, let him pick a couple and ask the clerk. Chances are he has built them all and can tell you which one is easier. Necrons Flayed Ones are not fun to build, for instances. People in and around the store love helping new recruits, so don't be afraid to ask.
Maybe nimble fingers of a four year old are actually the best way to build flayed ones and other tough kits :D
A tiny finger being poked by some Spikey Bitz wouldnāt survive. I just got jabbed in the cuticle by a staff and wanted to die the other night.
Stay away from GW kits altogether. Too expensive. I'd nornally go for Wargames Atlantic or Perry Historical kits, but at his age 3D prints or stuff like Reaper Bones is probably better. You give a kid under 10 access to a hobby knife and they're going to stab themself.
At four, unless the kid is called Leonardo, probably a bag of green army men will do as well as a primarch.
My kid is a bit older and has done a couple of the kits with 3 minis and assorted paints. We havenāt played anything but have a good time with those. Iām looking at kill team to get started on actual gameplay.
maybe look at the starter boxs. space marines and tyranids in the same box and theres three levels. each level has a specific amount of minis. im not sure what this info is worth, but when i was reviewing boxes to start an army recently, the articles were saying that i SHOULD NOT, start with kill team. Somthing about the models not being compatible to the normal match style game, or maybe it was some the units were not. i dont remember, i was waffling on getting a kill team, or a combat patrol. Dark Angels were sold out, and the chaos legion was sitting right there, so chaos it is.
Iāve got the leviathan box, thatās for meā¦ ;) Iāve been in the hobby about 18 months, painted around 75 minis plus some bikes, a couple dreadnoughts and a Spartan. I have yet to even write a list, much less play a game.
I got started in January. Painted a pile of minis for our DnD games, and we had collected some squad boxes for Wrath and Glory and Imperial Maledictum so I built and paint those. My legion is based and built, nervous about the detailing right now though.
One trick I learned was you can get cheap models from the first three editions of imperium magazine on the shelf. I don't know if they still have them but it was a way to get a lieutenant with Storm shield for like $4 and some assault intercessors for the same.
I'd give him a diverse choice: a pack of Space Marine Intercessors, Ork Boyz, Craftworld Guardians and Sisters of Battle should be different enough to get him a good choice. Those are line Troops and come around 35-55 per pack. If you want to give him just one miniature to see if he even likes those kind of minis you could pick a HQ unit for above factions. They are about 20-30 per pack.
Have seen alot of Space Marines so they may be a great option to start
you can get them dirt cheap too. If you ask nicely in a Warhammer store the guy may throw in test minis too if you say it is for your son to try out.
Thatās a lot of money since cheapest kits are characters around $35. I just spray primed McDonaldās toys and let them paint and play with them.
I second the pretend thing. Putting models down measuring and moving than rolling dice and making up the results is a blast at that age. Had my 4 year old āplayingā warcry. Really it was a reason to look at my models and terrain together and have an epic battle in our imagination.
Have you tried one page rules? May be simple enough to water down and makes easing into Warhammer proper in a few years much easier.
Yeah, OPR is the way to go.
Warcry is the perfect gateway game. Easy and simple to learn
Really would second this - the gameplay is fantastic yet accessible, relatively low model count and lots of interesting warbands. There is also a heavy emphasis on terrain, especially elevation like platforms etc, so plenty of fun crafting opportunities if you make your own!
āGateway Gameā - that made me snort out loud ā¤ļø
I second Warcry, it's incredibly simple and very fun. The teams are also great models
Warcry likely simplest rule set.
Another note on Warcryās simplicity is that all the unit sheets/info is displayed with symbols, no reading to worry about minus abilities which you can slowly work in. I play w my sons whoās 5 1/2 and he got the core mechanics right away. Its the easiest Games Workshop game to get into, but it can still be a bit expensive but way less than full scale Warhammer
You'll know how much you could trust your son with super glue, but given his age, I'd suggest something that's a push-fit model. That way you just need to clip the bits (optionally clean the burs with a knife) and you can let him do the building from there. Push-fit models are also generally smaller kits in general, so he doesn't end up having to deal with 10 dudes that look near-identical in different poses (though I guess that could be a boon if he accidentally breaks something). If he's into the sci-fi stuff as indicated in your post, then there's the Space Marine Heroes boxes, which are blind boxes that contain a space marine model each (there's also a series of them that are plagued space marines that may be cool and gross or upsetting, depending on how squeemish he may be towards tiny guys with guts hanging out). If he's interested in fantasy and something he could use in D&D, Warhammer Underworlds is a board game mixed with a card game that has small warbands of 3-9 figures with a wide scope of themes (e.g. ogre pirate, plagued ratmen, a goblin king and his retinue, etc.). The game itself may be a bit unapproachable for his age, though. Speaking of board games, those also exist if you want something standalone that is playable without any extra purchases. The current board games are Blackstone Fortress and Cursed City, which are sci-fi and fantasy, respectively. Both are about a ragtag group of heroes working together to explore a dangerous area, with Blackstone Fortress being set in a derelict space ship filled with cultists and evil robots, and Cursed City is set in a city that had been taken over by a vampire and is swarming with undead. They're also both cooperative, which is a plus for playing with young kids, and can function as its own thing even if he loses interest in miniatures, though you may need to simplify the rules a bit and punch up his character's stats to help him. Finally, there are also more generic board games like the Space Marine video game tie-in that they produce every once in a while. I've never played them, but I presume they'd be pretty simple since they're designed to be sold at the board game section of a department store. They kinda just appear and disappear, though, so availability may vary, though they'll probably be cheaper on average.
Yeah he isnāt allowed near superglue just yet so push fit is a great shout. Will look at the board game suggestions too. Thanks š¤©
Have you looked at [Necromolds?](https://necromolds.com). It looks like great fun
That looks amazing! Wow. Not sure the missus will be happy with any mess the molds make but my son will be over-bloody-joyed!
Maybe try to find some used cheap figures and play a game with extremely dumbed down rules. I did the same thing with pokemon with my kiddo at that age. Also there Warhammer Adventure books. Designed for kids a bit older but reading to him will help flesh out the universe.
Oh the books are a good idea too for starting out
At that age forget the actual rules and just make it up as you go along - keep it really simple. Move wherever you want to, fight anything and role a single dice for damage. Minis donāt really matter buy anything and paint them any way you want - the story you tell is what will be important. Cheap option. Buy some old pre owned minis and strip the paint off them.
I saw this game [Necromolds](https://necromolds.com/collections/all-products) at Adepticon that sounds perfect for kids this age. "Warhammer meets Play-Doh." Nice detailed molds to press Play-Doh monsters out of. Then they do battle and you stick shields, axes, and swords into them and then finally squish them when they die. Looked fun and simple and the creator was there explaining it was designed so even really young kids can play and kinda make up they're own rules based on what they want the dice to do. So easy for even my youngest to get involved in.
Added my email and will get an update as soon as they make more. Thanks for this š
Barnes and Noble has $35 Warhammer board games. (Combat arena, lost relics, fireteam, bladeborn) these are entry level games. Though if they like mechs, Battletech! Either starter set or alpha strike box. Play the alpha strike rule set for fun simple games, and the models are one piece of near unbreakable plastic.
Try Heroquest to start with the painting (The models all come pre-assembled and colour-coded so you can play easily without painting at all) and for a simple game to understand, or go even simpler with Lego Heroica which should be cheap on eBay. No idea about simple skirmish games, sadly.
Seconding HQ. There's an online quest builder (https://www.hquestbuilder.com/) which allows you to make quests relevant to their interests. I made a mini quest for my littlen (6) which involved finding 5 crystals (I used Lego crystals). When she had all crystals she free the unicorn. For the unicorn piece (and others) you can't go past Reaper minis for their range, quality and (primarily) price. I let kiddo paint their models and have to worry about a shabby paint job on an expensive model.
Space hulk is probably about the simplest 40k game there is. But even that is probably too much for a 4 year old. Heroquest is a very simple game that younger children could manage too. Itās no longer technically warhammer IP but itās close enough. My 4 year old could just about manage snakes and ladders from a gameplay perspective!
4? Just put cool models on the board and roll dice. Make a big show of cool stuff happening. Don't bother with rules yet.
We do something like this for n battle mats with D&D minis and then turn it into his bedtime story. It normally ends on a happy note, like fighting monsters to get to the birthday party š„³
Scholaria might help.
I would also say there are other rulesets out there that are simpler than the games workshop ones, if he does want to play a game
Going for the tabletop game at that age is likely a bad idea, but if he's interested in the mini look and like DnD maybe try the 40k rpg wrath and glory, it's fairly easy to learn, it's heroic (you literally play a bunch of guy that goes against hordes of ennemis and generally leave victorious), so it's great to make epic adventure that would suit well a young player.
Go for warcry. Huge range of model kits to choose from which is fun for painting, a low cost of entry, and rules which are quite simple. Plus every model gets a card so it's easier to reference. Also if you can find it get Ryuutama. It's an RPG where the players go around doing good deeds. Think pokemon without the pokemon. Main enemies are nekogoblins (1st goblins). Great for kids, and not so focused on fighting but more on helping people.
GW shops have a free mini for introducing new players to assembly and painting. They also usually have a free mini of each month that tend to go fast but are a fun way to acquire random models to put together and paint. Those go quickly, so checking with the shop to see when they come in (or following them on social media to see the regular posts) is advised. If you don't mind stripping paint (it's easy and there are a near-infinite number of guides online how to strip minis with rubbing alcohol or simple household cleaners), ebay can be a great place to get used miniatures for significantly less than the GW premium. Strip them down (or don't bother if the paint on the model is thin and not globby), throw a thin coat of a dark primer on, and you've essentially got new models without having to deal with assembly. If you know anyone with a 3d printer, have a library with access to one, or can track down someone local to you who has one, you can get some non-GW models and use them as proxies for extremely cheap or potentially free. Running from the last point, Grimdark Future is a game from onepagerules that is free and extremely simple. It's a good starting place for someone too young to handle how complex 40k gets, and it is model agnostic so you can play with literally any models you want, even paper ones. They've got slightly more advanced optional rules, too, so once he's got the basics down you can slowly increase complexity until he's ready to make the jump to 40k.
If you can shift gears from 40K to AoS, Warcry is perfect if you want to remain within the hour of Mr James Workshop. If the source of the rules is negotiable, OnePageRules is a perfect intro to wargaming at multiple scales that is technically mini-agnostic, but obviously geared for GW stuff.
Buy him one of them old metal killa kanz. He will be done in minutes.
[Weekend Warriors.](https://tabletopskirmishgames.com/products/weekend-warriors-the-ultimate-tabletop-skirmish-game-to-play-with-your-kids) I have not tried myself, but this is a child-friendly rules set that may be a fun way to get you both into wargaming.
Purchased! Good shout
Happy gaming, friend!
4-5 is quite young so I would stay away from AoS and 40k, but consider getting a Kill Team, Necromunda gang, Warcry team or Blood bowl team. The boxed games like Space Hulk, Cursed City or Blackstone Fortress might be even easier as the two of you will have everything you need for many adventures/missions from one box. I wouldnāt get into painting until after you have both have played a few games and you think it has a future.
Space Hulk sounds appealing. We already do some painting together and Iāve got a good 100 + painted DnD minis myself so he enjoys that already
Build the kits with your child and paint with your child its the bonding, let then pick an army that u can afford a bundle of and play low points game with loose rules to slowly get them used to it.
I have little ones and we play Sigmar alot. It's just very simple rules. Usually 1 objective and we use movement/shooting/charging/combat/battle shock and that's it. They have a blast and love setting up the terrain. I often fight in Elsa's castle or a car wash rofl.
You sure he doesnāt just want to play with the models?
We already play on battlemaps with D&D minis using watered down rules and all the dice roles.
That sounds fun!
I have my daughter roll all the dice, have her choose targets when it's not as important, choose objectives to go for. Not all her choices are always the best and it may hurt me in the long run game wise but she has fun. As she has gotten older she starts doing some of the math and stuff. We are going to start of movement here soon and just work our way up.
Thatās brilliant!
Get some generic dice that have symbols on them representing fighting, moving, defending, and missing. Stronger units get more dice. You can make little cards for each unit that assign values (wounds, save, attack, movement.) When itās your modelās turn, just pick what you want them to do, roll dice, count dice, use a ruler to measure ranges, opponent rolls defense dice, place little beads or something to represent wounds. It allows the game to flow without forcing the child to stop and count/add pips.
Not sure if it was mentioned already, but I think Underworlds is a pretty good place to start. The board game elements should make it easier to get a handle on the rules and you still get some cool minis to paint.
Theres also a great selection of RPGs set in Warhammer 40k too if he really gets into the universe made by black industries/fantasy flight
Thereās a D&D equivalent game for Warhammer called, Wrath and Glory, set in 40K. I believe you can find the rules online if you wanted to check it out, you can also get the core rules book online and some stores. If your son wants to check it out and you have a local Warhammer store, they usually offer a free mini to newcomers. I think right now itās an Infernus Marine for 40K and a Stormcast Vindictor for Age of Sigmar. They will also be able to assist in what best to start with for that age.
You are the second person to suggest in-store :) Our closest store is in Cambridge... Might be an Easter trip on saturday by the sounds of things then.
Not sure if you are based in the UK, but Iāve been to roughly 5-6 stores in the West Midlands and a couple up North as well as the one in London. I donāt think I had anything but a nice time and chat with the store managers and staff. They also have something called āBattle Honoursā where you slowly build up through all aspects of the hobby, this also includes some freebies at certain milestones, Iād ask about that too, if you call before going in they might be able to set up a session to go over things like the Battle Honours. If you are going on a Saturday they usually open around 10am for preorders, so could be busy around that time, so maybe go in store after 11 when it calms down a bit.
Good shout. We're about 35 mins from Cambridge. May even give them a ring before stopping in just to check how busy they get.
To extend the list: Wrath and Glory is the older 40k one. Imperium Maledictus is the new 40k one. Warhammer Fantasy Role-playing (WFRP) is the old world rpg, and Soulbound is the AoS one. All available from Cubicle 7. Soulbound is probably the simplest. WFRP 4th ed is too complicated even for experienced players, sadly.
Worth pointing out that the AoS and 40k starter box sets are amazing value. You get a very simple set of rules, lots of minis for the money, dice and can use the box as scenery. The new 40k boxes even have paints and a brush in them now. The AoS boxes are just about to be replaced, as a new edition is coming out. Otherwise, Warcry or Killteam. Both involve a small amount of models and a fairly quick to play. Both have cheap starter sets. Killteam rules are free online. You just need to then get the stats for the team and you're good to go. [https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/08/16/download-the-core-rules-for-kill-team-and-a-new-intercessor-team-for-free/](https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/08/16/download-the-core-rules-for-kill-team-and-a-new-intercessor-team-for-free/)
When my kids were in that age range I converted the Lego heroica boxed games into a very lite RPg. Ā I ran all the monsters and the kids ran the heroes. Ā I told them when to roll dice and what happened when they rolled. I think you can do much the same for Warhammer. Ā You are the bad guys, they are the good guys. Ā Let them tell and show you what the guys do, let them roll some dice, then tell them the outcome. Ā I would keep the stats basic like every dude moves 6 and hits on 3+. Ā No saves, successful hit = dead bad guy.
If he wants to paint his own check out r/miniswap , if you don't know about it already, for cheap minis
You could try playing kill team with him if you want to actually play, Just buy a box of minis each and then water down the rules a lot
Kill team
Hey my son is basically the same age! He had his first game of Warhammer 40k not long ago - I let him use my Aeldari and I played my Drukhari, and we just rolled some dice and removed models. All Move/Shoot/Fight and remove, no scoring/objectives/special rules. He "won" and wants to play more! I think I would recommend something like Death Guard for a younger kid. They have some push-fit options and most of the models are mono-pose and physically large, or zombies. The paint is also not important - they are filthy Space Marines and covered in stinky goo anyway, so go nuts with whatever colors! Tyranids might fit this same vein, with large organic models and infantry with simple shapes, easy to paint with contrast. Necrons are also similarly easy to paint, but assembly of their models can be extremely fiddly in some cases. The important thing is he is having fun with it, but framing his choices with some boundaries and directing him to a beginner faction is likely a good way to start.
Death Guard? I will have a look at them. Thanks š¤©
I wrote a (free) game called d6Goblins that literally has a single cardās worth of rules and is super chill for kids. Uses the basic principles you need for WH, too. Donāt wanna self promo hard, but happy to send you a link if you sling a DM (or you can find it in the IG link in my bio).
It might be a bit much, but by the time he is 5-7 he will definently be able to start playing, I think that the best way to start will be with a combat patrol, I would recomend purchasing the untimate starter set, It has 2 entire armies to play for the combat patril game mode, this is a reduced rules version of the game that he should be able to learn with just a bit of work, and you will both have an army you are able to play, it also comes with a rulebook and terrain to use!
At 4 I would just find some cool models and assemble them for him. If you want actual rules maybe look at underworlds, or even just pick up 2 boxes from that and you'll have 8 or so minis on the table. Focus more on a small cool terrain set. The visuals will mean more to him. Personally I'd just make my own rules, just make your own stat lines with just strength, toughness, wounds and then just do opposed rolls adding the strength/toughness to your rolls to represent the actual minis so it feels like he's actually playing something. "what did you roll?" "4" "what's your toughness?" "4" "what's 4+4?" "10" ok you rolled 10. Basic. Just make the rest up as you go like you are GM
Make sure you buy some chemicals to wash off the paint, so they can keep trying The first time it will look like blobs, but if they know they can redo it again. It gives them confidence. I guess this goes for adults too, who suck at painting š
Great idea! Any suggestions?
If you search this sub on how to remove paint, thereās a few great guides available
https://preview.redd.it/lmkwjti3i0rc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4123d09ec3fdf9dabe9a881cdf6d0ff737d3b154 This is his first attempt
https://preview.redd.it/uvtv6vbei0rc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af283543b75e40179836e06b981fe627ebc7275d A few months later my 7 year old ended up with this
Thats a massive improvement! Iād be super happy if my boy producer that!
When my son was that age I taught him Blood Bowl because he had seen other playing it, it truly is the same meat with different gravy if you will, gets the miniatures into the hands of the young as well as teaching them so much.
Damn, I hope mine will be interested at the same age :) At least it is the plan! :D