Collecting
What else do I actually need?
By the end of this page you'll have a shopping list that gets you from an unopened box to your first painted model, and know what's genuinely optional.
The box gets you the models. It doesn't get you the tools to build them, paint them, or play with them. Here's what you'll need, split into what you need now and what can wait.
Essential — get these before you open the box
Clippers
For removing models from their sprues cleanly. Cheap nail clippers work in a pinch, but proper hobby clippers give a much cleaner cut.
A hobby knife or file
For cleaning up the little nub left after clipping, and the "mould lines" — the seam left by the mould.
Essential for most boxes
Most Spearhead boxes need plastic glue. A few, built from starter-set models, push together, so check yours. My starter set didn't need glue, but every standalone kit I've bought since has.
Plastic glue
Poly cement, not superglue — it welds the plastic together properly. A small pot lasts a long time.
Needed before you paint — but can wait until building is done
- A starter paint set — a small set covering a few base colours is plenty to begin with
- Brushes — one small detail brush and one slightly larger one covers most of a beginner army
- A cheap water pot and paper towel — for rinsing brushes between colours
- Primer/undercoat spray — paint sticks far better to primed plastic than bare plastic. Citadel's White Scar is one example of a white spray primer; it's what I use
Nice to have — genuinely optional at the start
- A play mat or board — you can play on a table with paper terrain markers for your first few games
- Terrain pieces — official or homemade, not required for your first game
- A model case — only worth it once you've got more than one army's worth of models
For the full itemised cost of all of this, see the Budget guide.