In a Warhammer: the Old World Path to Glory campaign, the participants start with small forces which they add to over a number of weeks or months, turning a modestly sized warband into a mighty and all-conquering warhost. This allows the participants to collect and paint a new army, playing games as it grows and testing their mettle against fellow players at each step of the way.

In this way, any participants that are new to Warhammer: the Old World can focus on learning the rules with a small and manageable force, allowing them to gain valuable experience and learn the nuances of their faction of choice gradually, as opposed to jumping straight into the game with armies of 2,000 points or more. At the same time, experienced hobbyists can work on a new project, be it the start of a collection representing a brand new faction, or a new collection of models to add to a favourite faction. For example, a dedicated Orc and Goblin Tribes player might join in with a Path to Glory campaign in order to collect and paint the models they need to field a Troll Horde Army of Infamy.

To add to the fun of playing a series of games, throughout the course of the campaign units and characters alike can gain valuable experience, becoming grizzled veterans and honing their skills through characteristic increases and the gaining of new skills. In this way a participant's army becomes something truly unique, an army unlike any other, one which can only come about as a result of walking the Path to Glory.