This guide is for plastic miniatures, we will be adding new guides for resin and metal very soon.
So, you’ve just bought your first Warhammer kit! Welcome my friend!
Whether it’s a mighty Space Marine squad, a horde of Orks, or some elegant Aeldari, assembling your miniatures is where the real magic begins.
Don’t worry if you’ve never put one together before, while it might all look a little scary, its pretty easy going and this guide will walk you through every step with tips to make the process smooth and enjoyable.
Step 1: Get Your Tools Ready
Now, I am sure you are ready to just get started, but hold on just one second, , we need to make sure you have all of the right tools before diving in. Here’s what you’ll need:- Get yourself a drink (we could be here a little while)
- Plastic clippers - for cutting the pieces from the sprues cleanly (make sure you get ones made for building miniatures)
- Hobby knife - to tidy up any leftover bits of plastic from cutting the pieces from the sprue. Use with care, these are very sharp.
- Plastic clue - these are specially designed for building miniatures, they create a strong bond by slightly melting the plastic. Seasoned builders will have both thick and thin plastic glue, using thin for smaller items, and thicker glue for bigger bits (an over simplification). If you are new to the hobby, people tend to recommend thick plastic glue.
- Tweezers (optional) - Some people find these useful for fiddly bits, but sometimes the bits of plastic can ping out of the tweezers, also, Warhammer miniatures don't tend to be too fiddly overall.
- Cutting mat - This will protect your working surface from being cut and also from ay glue (or paint) spills. It's also safer to cut on a proper cutting mat.
Step 2: Read the Instructions
Warhammer kits all come with detailed instructions, and trust me, they’re your best friend. Take a few minutes to read through the booklet and get familiar with how the pieces fit together. Pro tip: Look out for extra details and symbols, telling you when not to glue something, or to dry fit, or variant parts available.
Don’t rush – mismatched arms and legs might work for Orks (because who's going to tell them otherwise), but the Emperor won't be happy if your Space Marines are mismatched.
Step 3: Prepare Your Workspace
This is the step that most people skip and just get started, somewhere. Ideally you want a well lit, clear space, with some good ventilation. A tidy workspace means fewer lost bits!If you are new to this, you might also want it to be quiet so that you can focus, as you become more comfortable with building the miniatures, you can have music on, or a film in the background to make it even more enjoyable.
Step 4: Clip and Clean Your Pieces
Using your clippers, carefully cut each piece off the sprue that you need to assemble in the first step.. Avoid twisting the parts off, or clipping fragile parts without supporting the piece in the sprue, this can leave rough edges or even damage them. Once clipped, inspect the edges for any leftover plastic (called “flash”) and gently scrape it off with your hobby knife.
Step 5: Dry Fit Before You Glue
This is a golden rule. Before applying any glue, test-fit (dry fit) the pieces together to check how they align. If a beginner, with some bits it can take a few rotations for you to see how they fit together, when this happens, make a good mental note of how they fit. This step saves you from any panic moments when things don’t sit right after gluing (we have all done it).
Step 6: Apply the Glue
Use a small amount of plastic glue,to one piece and press it gently against the other. Some people put a small amount of glue on each piece, see how you get on, this can get messy. Hold the pieces together for a few seconds until the bond sets. Then put them to one side, and go back to step 4, for the next set of instructions.
Pro tips: (1) If the next piece(s) need to be glued to the bits you just glued, be 100% sure they are set, slow and steady saves a lot of swearing! (2) Be careful not to get glue on your fingers, as it can smudge the detail.
Step 7: Assemble in Stages
Don’t try to build the whole miniature at once, especially if it has multiple subassemblies. For example, you might want to attach the arms and weapons separately after painting the body. This will be down to personal preference, which you will find over time. Some people like to build the whole miniature in one go. People who don't like building miniatures as much might also do it in stages.
Follow the instructions and tackle one section at a time, until the miniature is built.
Step 8: Let It Dry
Patience is key! Once your miniature is assembled, give it plenty of time to dry before handling it. This ensures the glue bond is strong and ready for the next stage – priming and painting.
