Faction Guide
Imperial Knights
A complete army in three to five models. Noble pilots in fifty-foot war machines striding across the battlefield, each one a walking fortress with a name, a lineage, and a legacy stretching back ten thousand years.
Playstyle
Walking Tanks
Painting
Hard
Rules
Medium
Starter Cost
~$250+
Who are the Imperial Knights?
Long before the Imperium as we know it, the ancient colonists of humanity spread across the stars in great generation ships. On many worlds, their technology slowly degraded. The vast walking war machines they brought with them — the Knights — became the only defense against alien predators and hostile environments. The families who maintained and piloted these machines became noble houses, their bloodlines and their war engines intertwined for ten thousand years.
A Knight is not just a weapon — it is an heirloom. Each machine has a name. Each has a heraldic history painted on its armored panels. The pilot, called a Freeblade if operating alone or a Knight of the House if part of a household, forms a deep bond with their machine through a device called the Throne Mechanicum. They experience the memories of every previous pilot who ever sat in that same seat. They carry the weight of generations.
Armiger-class Knights are the smaller variants — fifteen to twenty feet tall, piloted by young noble aspirants who have not yet proven themselves worthy of a full Knight. They serve as escorts and screens for the larger machines. Full Questoris-class Knights are the main battle walkers — fifty feet of armored fury carrying enough firepower to level a fortress. And then there are the Dominus-class, the largest of all, so heavily armed they change the shape of a battle simply by being present.
Each great household — House Terryn, House Griffith, House Hawkshroud, among others — has its own colors, heraldry, and battlefield traditions. Or you can create your own Household, designing the heraldry from scratch. Few things in the hobby are as visually striking as a fully painted Imperial Knight army.
How they play on the table
A full Imperial Knights army might have three to five models total. That is the entire army. Every single activation matters enormously because you have so few of them. A single Knight Questoris can shoot multiple weapons simultaneously, stomp infantry underfoot in melee, and absorb an extraordinary amount of punishment before going down.
Armigers — the smaller Armiger Warglaives and Helverins — function as your screens and objective holders. They're faster than full Knights and can get into positions the larger machines can't. A typical starting force of three Armigers plus one full Knight is both visually impressive and mechanically solid.
The rules are simpler per-model than most infantry armies. You're not tracking the interactions of thirty different unit abilities. But each decision carries enormous weight — moving a Knight in the wrong direction, or misjudging an opponent's threat, can lose the game. The army is mechanically accessible but punishing of strategic errors. Not recommended for complete beginners from a competitive standpoint, but one of the most visually spectacular forces to own.
Imperial Knights are for you if...
- ✓ You want the most visually spectacular army in 40k
- ✓ You love big centerpiece models over painting hordes
- ✓ You enjoy creating heraldic paint schemes and house identity
- ✓ You want fewer models but massive impact per model
- ✓ You love the feudal-noble lore and machine-spirit bonds
Maybe look elsewhere if...
- ✗ You want to learn the game before spending $250+
- ✗ You enjoy painting lots of smaller infantry models
- ✗ You want to field a horde army
- ✗ You're not ready to tackle large flat panels with an airbrush
How to paint Imperial Knights
Honest warning: large flat armor panels are more challenging than detailed infantry. Every brush stroke shows. An airbrush makes this significantly easier.
Build and prime in sub-assemblies
Keep the armor panels separate from the skeleton. Spray the skeleton Leadbelcher (metallic), then prime the armor panels separately in your chosen house color. Sub-assemblies are not optional — they're the difference between a clean model and a nightmare.
Base coat the armor panels
House Terryn = Macragge Blue. House Griffith = Mephiston Red. House Hawkshroud = Averland Sunset. Or invent your own house — the colors are yours. An airbrush gives smooth results on large flat surfaces; brush painting works but requires patience and thin coats.
Heraldic panel divisions (optional but stunning)
The classic Knight look divides armor panels diagonally or quartered — one half in the house color, one half in a second color (often black or white). Use masking tape to get clean straight lines before painting the second color. This is the signature Imperial Knights aesthetic.
Paint the skeleton and mechanical details
Leadbelcher on the iron frame, joints, and mechanical components. Wash with Nuln Oil for depth. Balthasar Gold on pistons and decorative elements. This is the part that goes quickly — it's the armor panels that take the time.
Edge highlight the armor panels
A thin bright line around every armor plate edge in a lighter version of your house color. This is what makes the model "pop" on the table. For blue: Calgar Blue. For red: Evil Sunz Scarlet. Take your time — each panel edge matters.
Add transfers, heraldic symbols, weathering
GW provides decal sheets with Knight heraldry. Apply them with Microsol and Microset for best results. Then add battle damage: chip effects with a sponge, rust streaks, soot stains around weapon barrels. These machines have fought for centuries.
Should you get an airbrush?
For Imperial Knights, an airbrush is more useful than almost any other faction. Large flat panels are where brush strokes show most — an airbrush lays smooth, even coats effortlessly. A basic entry-level airbrush kit (around $60–$80) will transform how these models look. It's not required, but if you're committed to Knights, it's worth the investment.
What to buy first
There is no official Combat Patrol box for Imperial Knights.
Start with three Armigers — they're the backbone of any Knight force and the fastest way into the faction. Then add a full Knight once you've got them painted.
Armiger Warglaives (box of 2)
The smaller, faster Knights — 15–20 feet tall, piloted by young noble aspirants. Each box builds 2 Armigers that also assemble as Armiger Helverins (ranged variant). Start with two boxes (4 Armigers) for a solid core force that can hold objectives and screen your eventual full Knight.
Armigers are also the best model to practice your house color scheme on before committing it to a full Knight. Mistakes on a smaller model are more forgiving.
Search Amazon for Armiger Warglaives →Knight Questoris
The iconic full Knight — builds as multiple variants including the Knight Paladin, Knight Errant, Knight Gallant, and more depending on weapon loadout. This single kit is the centerpiece of your army. With three or four Armigers flanking it, you have a complete, competitive Imperial Knights force.
Search Amazon →Choose your Knight Household
House Terryn
Blue and whiteAggressive, honor-bound warriors. Classic bold blue with white and red accents. The most iconic Knight household.
House Griffith
Red and whiteProud and fierce. Red armor with gold trim. Slightly easier to paint than blue — red is more forgiving.
House Hawkshroud
Yellow and blackHonor-sworn defenders, never abandon allies. Yellow armor — challenging to paint but striking.
House Cadmus
Green and boneBattle-hardened veterans. Darker green scheme, excellent for weathering and battle damage effects.
Freeblade (custom)
Your choiceA Knight who owes allegiance to no house. Design your own colors and heraldry from scratch. Total creative freedom.
Paints you need (House Terryn example)
Honest cost breakdown
2x Armiger Warglaives boxes (4 Armigers)
Your core troops and objective holders
1x Knight Questoris (full Knight)
The centrepiece of your force
Essential paints (7–8)
Spray + metallics + shade + house color + trim
Basing supplies
Texture paint + tufts + larger rocks for big bases
Masking tape (for heraldry)
Critical for clean heraldic panel divisions
Clippers + hobby knife
One-time purchase
Plastic glue
Plastic glue is better than superglue for large kits
All-in starter total
~$384Prices approximate. Imperial Knights are the most expensive faction to start but among the cheapest to complete — you need only a handful of kits total. The painting time per model is high, but you only have five models. Budget for an airbrush if you can.
For House and Honor.
Three Armigers. One Knight. That's your army. Paint them slowly, paint them well — and when that Knight strides onto the table for the first time, you'll understand why people collect Imperial Knights.