Brand new to AoS and looking for resources

[BeeTee]

Curious if someone could point me in the right direction.  
 

was gifted a couple models and planned to build around it.  Have a list in mind, where could I bounce it off someone(s) more experienced.  Don’t need to win tournaments, just don’t want to get wiped off the table .

 

also wondering if there was a resource for finding a local scene.  Most FLGS I’ve called around me have thriving 40k or Warmachine groups, but little to no AoS

[Neverchosen]

Welcome @BeeTee

This site is a pretty good place to bounce ideas off of members, if you go to the specific thread for your army people will gladly help point you in the right direction.

I mostly play games with my friends so I am not much help in regards to the second part. I do know that social media is a good place to find potential gamers so maybe try facebook groups?

[Greyshadow]

Welcome @BeeTee! Have you considered talking to you local gaming store about organising a table for Age of Sigmar on their gaming nights?

Also, there is a Skirmish mode that you can play with as few as three models a side that I’ve been finding really fun.  You can get the rules in the White Dwarf back issue from Jan 2019. 

[Fairbanks]

Greetings and Salutations Friend! I hear you are interested in plastic crack-- uh-- I mean, the wonderful world of Age of Sigmar!

Finding a store that currently has play may be a bit difficult at the moment thanks to Papa Nurgle and the "wondrous gift" he has bestowed upon the world.

I would suggest Facebook as the first go-to and posting on said Wargaming groups/stores in the area. "Hey, I'm new and totally interested in Age of Sigmar, is there anyone else who plays or is interested that wouldn't mind showing me the ropes?" Of course you will then be flooded with information about whether you would like to play 40K, and you can politely decline. ***Alternative Take from myself who is someone who spent his first five years of Fantasy with one other person in a sea of 40K players***: AoS and 40K are very similar games and share a lot of the same rules that, if you can stomach the scifi fluff, I recommend picking up 40K to meet your fellow community members, get to know them, and find out if any of them are interested in AoS.

As for what to pick up, there are some army specific things that can be recommneded, but I will say there is plenty of online/free resources to start looking at before you need to spend any more money:

1. The Warhammer Age of Sigmar App: Quite out of date (GW's team has been busy fixing the 40K app. Get used to being little brother now), but still has rules for all of the models, access to the points values ("My Battle" -> Add button across from Warscroll -> Add the models you have then hit Done -> Hit Show Profiles), and the rules. You can also buy books through the app, but your mileage (kilometerage?) may vary. The one thing missing is the Allegiance Abilities, but for early games I will insist you stick with free stuff until you decide this is a game that is fun and you are interested in playing further.

2. Battlescribe: Most people prefer this app to the AoS App, and it has it's benefits (mainly as a list-builder).

3. 1d4chan: No, it's not that site, but written by people from there, so it has a bit of the less raunchy parts of that humor. However, the info dump for factions is a gold mine of information that I tell most people to "grow some skin" and use it.

4. This site. I find asking questions in the appropriate sub-forum to be more helpful than trying to dig through a 90 page thread that is mostly not so useful information.

5. Stand-ins and trying a few games: You can try an online app like Tabletop Simulator, but I suggest using a few figure-sized items to use as stand in models and play a quick game between them to get a feel for it. Use 1-2 units and a Leader for each side and use App 1 or App 2 to get ~250-300 points and balance the sides against one another (get them within 20-30 points, but feel free to experiment and make it one-sided)

Finally, when you've decided its time to take the plunge, the next hobby purchases:

A. Your Army's Battletome: The rules for your army (Note: I said rules, not guide.)

B: Whatever figure(s) you want to buy/build/paint next. Go for a) rule of cool and b) slowly building your army. Never fret if your painting isn't good enough and it's causing you hesitation, you'll never get better unless you practice it.

C: Clippers to clip your model out, an exacto knife or box-cutter to remove the bits of mold lines from the plastics process, and plastic glue to glue your models. I recommend Testors glue and to buy all of these things from a local hobby store as GW brand is marked up.

D: If you wish to give painting a try, a GW primer (yes, GW. And in either white or a color that dominates the army scheme you want). Paints (GW at a Warhammer store, or Vallejo at a Hobby store. You can use paints for Model Cars/Gundams, but the models come out a little weird). Paintbrushes (GW ones are nice but expensive and you can find cheaper ones at the hobby store). There are plenty of videos on Youtube and online that can show you how to paint really really well, and plenty more that do a decent enough job for a beginner (all hail the mighty Duncan and his two thin coats meme).

I'm sure I already covered a lot of things you knew, but hey, I give the same schpeal to beginners in my local area.

Happy Wargaming! And don't let the model-buying bug bite you on the way in.