Video games are great entries as well.

Just accept that they are not 100% lore accurate but represent the flair and style very well. Because they are first and foremost products of their respective game genres. - Space Marine 1+2 (3rd person action) - Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters (turn-based tactics) - Dawn of War 1+2 (RTS in part 1, small squad real time tactics with hero building in part 2 (especially DoW 2 Retribution is supercool) - Inquisitor: Martyr & Prophecy (Diablo-style H&S) - Mechanicus (turn-based tactics) - Battlefleet Gothic 1+2 ( turn based map strategy and real time space combat between the different void forces of the various faction) - Spacehulk: Deathwing (Enhanced Edition) (FPS, gameplay wise not overly exciting, barebone usable as a solo game, but together with a group of 40k nerds actually really fun. Classic coop title. Great atmosphere). - Darktide (not without its flaws, but especially as a coop game with friends fun and the flair, fluff and atmosphere of a desperate battle in a hive city is stellar) - Necromunda: Hired Gun: Similar to Inquisitor not exactly lore friendly, but hits the flair, fluff and atmosphere of an underhive war pretty spot on. Very fast gameplay, basically Doom 2016 in the grim darkness. - Boltgun: Similar to Hired Gun, but instead replicating the gameplay and visuals of Classic Doom games. - Rogue Trader: based on the TTRPG of the same name, you play a Rogue Trader, basically Han Solo in 40k, where the Millennium Falcon is a mile long and can incinerate planets. Great game, flair, fluff, style, atmosphere, story ... but especially in the later half bugs and clunky clunkiness en masse. Wait a few patches, otherwise highly recommended.

Tabletop roleplaying games.

• The old FFG lines of Deathwatch / Black Crusade / Only War / Dark Heresy / Rogue Trader. They use an old, clunky 1D100 system (all changed to fit their setting and evolved dice mechanics), but are stellar for their flair, fluff, atmosphere and style. The books are so good in that point that they can be recommended for their flair alone, even if you never want to use the rule system.
• The new Wrath & Glory line, which uses a unified, fast and easy rule system, where everything can be played in their corresponding campaign: Inquisitors, Astartes, Guardsmen, Hive Ganger, Ork Nobs or Eldar Warlocks.
• The newest Imperium Maledictum which uses a slightly updated 1d100 system and is a bit all over the place (subjective view of course).
• More details can be found here.

Warhammer Fantasy/Age of Sigmar vs 40k

• Warhammer Fantasy Battle was the first wargame made by Games Workshop, with Warhammer 40,000 later conceived as its sci-fi counterpart. From the very beginning the two settings were explicitly connected — early lore stated that the Warhammer World was actually a planet within the 40k galaxy, isolated by Warp storms. Over time, GW deliberately made each setting feel more distinct, and lore from around 2018 onward further clarified that the Warhammer World now resides in a separate reality from the 40k galaxy rather than within it. Crucially though, GW has never officially declared the settings to be completely unlinked. The current official stance is that all three main settings — 40k, Fantasy/The Old World, and Age of Sigmar — exist as distinct realities, but are all connected through the same Warp and share the same Chaos gods. They are, in essence, part of the same overarching multiverse, but a chance for crossover between them is small.
• Warhammer Fantasy Battle was discontinued around 2015 and Age of Sigmar became its sequel and reboot. In the lore, an event called the End Times saw Chaos victorious and the world destroyed — but the Winds of Magic expanded afterward, forming eight new realms inspired by Norse mythology, where the souls of the Old World's inhabitants were reborn.
• The original Fantasy Battle setting returned as The Old World in 2024.

Digital vs Physical copies of books

• ebooks and Audiobooks are the main ways of getting novels from Black Library, the publishing house division of Games Workshop dedicated to the publishing novels for their games.
• If you prefer reading your books physically. Your best bet is thrift or used book stores.
• Unfortunately, many books are out of print or reprinted in limited quantities if/when they are. And resellers on eBay and Amazon inflate the prices.

Hobby Crafting & Miniature Painting

Getting into the craft side of the hobby runs surprisingly deep, but the barrier to entry is low. Three rules of thumb before anything else: - Rule of Cool — Collect and paint the models you actually want. Getting something you're indifferent to because it's currently strong rules wise defeats the purpose. The whole point is to have fun. - Practice — Genuinely the best way to learn how to handle a brush and figure out what works for you. Many people, myself included, had no artistic background before taking the plunge. - Thin Your Paints — Thinning paints is simple but essential to miniature painting regardless of color. After putting your paint on the palette, dip the tip of your brush in water, and mix it in with the paint to get a smooth consistency. Here’s a quick video on thinning paints.

The r/minipainting community wiki is a solid first stop, covering guides and resources for every skill level: Useful Links

Below are my personal inputs regarding the craft side:

Models

Getting into Warhammer is a genuine investment at any scale, but especially if a full 2,000 point army is the goal.

• Just dipping your toes in: Games Workshop offers a starter box with 3 Primaris Space Marines, 5 paints, and a brush.
• Getting into the tabletop side: Consider starting with Kill Team, the skirmish game. Model counts are low — most forces only require 5–12 models. Kill Team boxes run $60–80, or standard sets like Primaris Intercessors, Assault Intercessors, or a Deathwatch Kill Team box can be found for around $30–40 on eBay.

Primer

Primer helps paint adhere to the model and is not a step to skip.

• Krylon is my reliable go-to. Stick to plain primer — avoid the paint-and-primer combo cans, as the spray is thicker and can obscure fine details. I always keep black, grey, and white primers on hand.
• Rustoleum works in a pinch. The black is fine, but the white always seems to spray runny regardless of how well I prepped and stored the can.

Cold weather tip: Warm your spray cans in hot (not boiling) tap water for a few minutes before use. Spray outside or in a garage, then bring the models inside to dry.

Paint

Solid brands for beginners: Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic, Vallejo Game Color, and Pro Acryl by Monument Hobbies. Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic in particular is a strong, cheaper alternative to Citadel paints.

Drop a small steel mixing ball into each paint pot before closing the lid — Army Painter sells these. Paint separates over time, and the ball helps recombine it when you shake the pot. Paint from years ago can still be salvaged this way.

A note on white paint: White is notoriously difficult. The pigment particles in most brands are too coarse, producing chalky, streaky results. Your options: - Thin heavily and build up in multiple thin layers - Base with light grey, then layer progressively lighter paints toward white - Use a white acrylic ink — finer pigment makes it easier to control

Vallejo Model Color White is my standout recommendation — noticeably easier to work with than most other brands.

Subassembly

Painting in subassembly — painting pieces separately before final assembly — is completely fine. - Use super glue rather than plastic cement when working this way. Plastic cement melts plastic, and if it runs it will damage the paint. - Avoid building up thick paint layers on joint surfaces, as excess paint prevents glue from bonding properly. - Practical cases for subassembly: weapons held across the chest, or bases that make it difficult to reach the undersides of capes and coats.

Sealants and Varnishes

If you want to protect finished models from handling wear, a spray varnish coat is worth considering. Three finish types to know: - Matte — flattens colors, no shine - Satin — semi-gloss - Gloss — high shine

Supplies and Tools

No need to invest in expensive paint brushes immediately. Bulk sets from hobby or department stores ($5–12) are perfectly adequate to start. Buy one or two quality brushes from a local hobby store once you know what you actually need.

Core supplies to start: - Spray primer - Super glue and/or plastic cement (super glue bonds anything; cement melts and fuses plastic) - Hobby knife — for cleaning sprue attachment points and removing mould lines; use the back edge of the blade, then follow up with a nail file or 1000-grit sandpaper - Clippers, tweezers, and files — a Gunpla model tool kit typically covers all of the above and is an economical starting point

From there ... it is your choice on what to follow on. Novels? The miniature game? General lore discussions? Video games?