Buying guide
Bolt Action starter armies compared
A starter army is the cheapest way to get a playable 28mm WWII force in one box. This page compares the starter armies and army deals currently stocked at Warlord Minis (the shop that runs this site), by nation, theatre and contents.
Starter armies (one box)
| Box | Nation | Best for | Contents (per Warlord Games) | Store price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| German Grenadier Starter Army (2018) | Germany | Mid/late war, any front | Six plastic Grenadier sprues (36 figures), 81mm mortar team, MG42 team, PaK 40 with crew, plastic Puma armoured car, plastic StuG III G/StuH 42 | $205.19 CAD |
| Rattenkrieg - German Veterans Infantry Starter Army | Germany | Stalingrad and city fighting | 36 plastic veteran infantry; resin officer, NCO, medic and radio operator; two MMG teams and a medium mortar (metal guns, resin crew); plastic Sd.Kfz 222/223 and Panzer IV Ausf. B/C/D | $198.99 CAD |
| Winter Fallschirmjäger Starter Army | Germany | Ardennes, winter 1944-45 | 36 plastic winter Fallschirmjäger; resin officer, NCO, medic, radio operator, sniper and Panzerschreck teams; two MMG teams, medium mortar and PaK 40 (metal guns, resin crew); plastic Sd.Kfz 222/223 and StuG III Ausf. G | $198.99 CAD |
| French Army starter army | France | 1940 | 36 multi-pose plastic infantry, plastic Char B1 bis, metal HQ, metal medium mortar and MMG teams, metal 25mm anti-tank gun | $197.99 CAD |
How to choose
- Pick the opponent first. If a friend already plays Soviets, a German box gives you an Eastern Front pairing. Rattenkrieg suits Stalingrad, and the Winter Fallschirmjäger suit the Ardennes against US forces.
- Pick the era. The French box is 1940 only, so it needs a 1940 German or British opponent. The German boxes cover mid and late war.
- Count the vehicles. Every German box includes an armoured car plus a tank or assault gun. The French box has a single Char B1 bis.
- Plastic vs metal/resin. All four boxes use 36 plastic infantry. Support weapons and HQ figures are metal or resin, which take superglue rather than plastic cement.
Army deals (bundles of separate kits)
Warlord Minis also sells army deals: bundles of individual kits put together by the shop, listed at 15% off the separate prices with free shipping in Canada. They cover nations that currently have no starter box in stock: US, British and Commonwealth, and Soviet.
| Deal | Nation | Includes (per store listing) | Store price |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Army Breakthrough - US Army Deal | United States | US Rangers (2024), M4A3E8 Sherman, M3A1 half-track, US weapons teams, Jeep with .30 cal, M1 57mm anti-tank gun | $267.99 CAD |
| Commonwealth Strike Force - British & Commonwealth Army Deal | Britain and Commonwealth | British & Inter-Allied Commandos, Kangaroo, Valentine II, Universal Carrier, British Army 1944-45 weapons teams, 6-pdr anti-tank gun | $285.99 CAD |
| Red Army Winter Assault - Soviet Army Deal | Soviet Union | Winter Soviet Infantry, T-34/85, IS-2, winter support group, ZiS-3 gun | $282.99 CAD |
| Rattenkrieg German Veterans Army Deal | Germany | Rattenkrieg starter army, Panzer IV B/C/D, Heer weapons teams | $279.99 CAD |
| Heavy Metal - German Armour Support Bundle | Germany (armour add-on) | Tiger I, Jagdtiger, Elefant, StuG III Ausf. D, Panzer 38(t). Armour only, no infantry | $291.99 CAD |
| Holiday Two-Player Eastern Front Gift Box | Germany vs Soviet Union | Bolt Action 3rd edition rulebook, Soviet Infantry, German Veterans Platoon, KV-85 | $290.99 CAD |
Our take
For a first army with the most in one box, any of the German starter armies is a complete, playable force. Choose by theatre. If you want Allies, the army deals are currently the way in, since no US, British or Soviet starter army is in stock. Start with the nation your regular opponent doesn't play.
See also: nation overviews and our kit guides.
Sources
- Warlord Games webstore listing (earlier edition; check the 2018 box): German Grenadier Starter Army (2018) — contents
- Warlord Games: Rattenkrieg - German Veterans Infantry Starter Army — contents
- Warlord Games: Winter Fallschirmjäger Starter Army — contents
- Warlord Games: French Army starter army — contents
Sources checked October 25, 2026. Figures are quoted as the source gives them; where sources differ we say so.