For me it all started in the early 90's with HERO QUEST- the warhammer dungeon crawl boardgame licenced by GW and made by MB.(one of the best desicions that GW made- "Gw makes good desicions?"- "back then, yeah!")

Soon after hero quest came out it was followed by STAR QUEST (space crusade)

I loved those games and played them endlessly, but at that point i had little clue about GW and the warhammer games.

Untill one day i'm at my local toy store. It had a back section where they stocked the roleplaying games and model paints and import games. And my eye falls on a magazine called "White Dwarf nr 132" I look trough and lo and behold i see the minatures from star quest, painted in all their glory. It also had an article about the daemons of chaos.

From that moment i was hooked and became a life long chaos fan.

So that's the story of how I got into the hobby.

I'd like to hear from you how you got started.

I'm a very recent fan, only got into it, what, 2 or 3 years ago? I was a big d&d fan then, I'd spent tons of money on the books, and not even to use them all. Just for imagination feul. Then I found a copy of Dark Heresy at my local book store. I like fantasy, but I'm also a huge sci-if fan, and while the setting was a lot darker than I usually like, the depth of the lore and the sheer scope of the universe drew me in. It was beautiful. Horrifying, but beautiful. I didn't get that book, it wasn't until I found Rogue Trader that I started buying them. Now, I've got each of the core rule books, minus Only War, and a bunch of others in PDF format. Even if I'm not playing them, having all those stories and ideas at hand just fills up my daydreams for months on end.

I've actually come up with ideas for entire parties in every game, Robin. Including Chaos. Let me know if you wanna swap ideas sometime.

Sure! I rarely get to play RPGs these days (due to conflicting sheduals, and then theers also movies to go see and gamenights thare are usually just about board/card/dice games) so most of my ideas stay in the concept stage.

"horrifying but beautiful" That was my reaction to the hero quest box art. There were a skeleton and mummy in the background, and i was like- "should i buy this game?" and of course i couldn't get it out of my head and my gran gave it to me for my birthday.

Why not Only war? Was it "ive already got four 40k rpgs, this one can wait" or more like " Roleplaying as a imperial guardsman/squad... I don't know"?

For me, everything began with the visual design of Space Marines, though I had a very slow start and only gradually explored the franchise, with pretty big gaps of inactivity in-between. Everything began with either the 3rd edition Marine Codex which I purchased in a train station's magazine store, or a box of Tactical Marines I got whilst on vacation in Norway. I don't even remember which came earlier.

There was no gaming store anywhere near my town, as the hobby only really begun to spread into East Germany (where pen & paper and tabletop wargaming were entirely new concepts - as evidenced by codices being sold in newsagents', even though you couldn't get the miniatures anywhere nearby) long after my childhood had already ended. But at some point I got a computer, and some time later ISDN-based access to the internet, which is where I begun to discover the setting in earnest. And as much as I liked the design of Marine power armour, I soon jumped to the Imperial Guard, admiring both the possibility for greater customisation as well as the increased level of grittiness and the prevalence of "realistic" casualties/sacrifice which I considered to synch nicely with the setting's overall tone.

I finally settled on Sisters of Battle after discovering Codex Witch Hunters, and seeing the Sororitas as "the best of both worlds" between Marines and Guardsmen, having all the cool toys (power armour and boltguns) without massively souped up bodies. Plus, I had become a pretty big fan of the story of Jeanne d'Arc, and this was pretty much an entire army built on that vibe.

I still didn't know anyone who actually played the tabletop in my vicinity, so I reached out and joined various forums. Some to roleplay, some to find players, some to just talk about the franchise. It was a good time, and not just because back then I had way more time to pursue hobbies than today.

Anyways, that's my story!

For me, it began some 7 or 8 years ago (Emperor's beard, that long already?) when a friend introduced me to the Dawn of War Series (back then, when Winter Assault was still new). I really liked the games and soon started exploring what's behind this setting. Along with the GW-Store in town, I got hooked up on 40k.

The buddy who introduced me to the Hobby? He actually only started playing very recently xD

On the Roleplaying-Aspect I got hooked up in... must've been aroun '09 or something, when I randomly bought the RT-Core Book in my local gaming-store. When I entered university, I pretty much stopped the Tabletop in favor of the PnPs (PnPs in General, turns out I apparently had an aptitude to GMing). Since I bought the Core Book, I've been pretty much always GMing some system, mostly something 40k-related.

It all began when I found these mysterious Red-box and Blue-box from my fathers bookshelf.

I had just started school and was just learning to read, so I was around 6-7 years old.

Bugger that's a long time ago in a Galaxy far far away.

As a non-english, as my main language, speaker it was truly stroke of luck that those books had been translated to Finnish. Those few "books" that were contained inside those boxes just blew me away when you have childs imagination.

I played few short adventures with my friends with those.

Then my friend got the "Hero Quest"-board game and did we have blast playing it. Later I got "Space Crusade" (Star Quest) as a Christmas present and liked it a lot. (I don't have it anymore because I borrowed it to my friend who never returned it before they moved, ****.)

Skipping many, many years forward I was just introduced to the german band "Blind Guardian" and was listening their song "Battlefield" when my friend informed me that GW was going to open store here in Finland. And what better way to start collecting figures as they also had the Eye of Terror-campaign just starting. I was sold the instant.

/tg/

My dad liked it from way back when I was a little kid, which was a big part of my weekendly visits to his house, so from quite an early age (9 or 10) I was casually into it, then at about 13 I started really getting into it (the background, not the figures, they were too expensive for me) and when I spotted Rogue Trader a few years back for cheap off Amazon I picked it up for the hell of it and me and two mates (still only two 3 now) played it and liked it. Ta da. Not a fascinating story but still the truth.

In 2002, I was in college, and a guy across the hall from me, in the dorms, could often be seen painting little figurines. Occasionally, I might even see him out in the yard, spraying down groups of them with white primer, or clear-coat. I was curious what he was doing, and if it served a purpose, and so I found out. In the end, I got requested to help him paint, even though I wasn't very good at it; Ultramarines and Nids didn't paint themselves, while he was working on Rhinos, Noise Marines, and stripping paint off of some stuff that could have only been painted when every Eldar was painted like a Rainbow Pride Elf, so we could get them to 3E specs. I got good enough at the little guys (Tactical Marines and Gaunts) that I finally got to sell my time, if you will, rather than donating it, by also getting to paint some stuff I really liked, which probably capped out with a, for my painting skills, Marneus Calgar and a triad of Zoanthropes.

Eventually, we actually got down to playing the game, but I'm not overly tactical, so he often won, and then two more of our buddies got in on the hobby, and added Tau, brand new at the time, and Eldar to his already standing forces of SM, Guard, Chaos, Oldcrons, and Inquisition (he spent WAY to much money, and then wanted Orks). Kept playing off and on through college, never committing the resources to buying an whole army, but got some individual pieces, and got a bit better at painting. As we graduated, we split up a bit, played less, but then other stuff, like a gaming convention we attend every year, allow us to play some, and he plays more at home, with other guys he's met there. I don't play often, anymore, but still buy some of the books, and stay caught up with stuff. If we get together, it'll be Star Wars chatter, or 40K. Luckily, while my painting isn't what anyone would call amazing, I'm better at it than at the TT, which also doesn't require someone else to do, and there are next to no 40K players near my home, so I still buy the occasional piece, and enjoy painting it, or maybe customizing it, and of course, then all of you folks get to read about the weird ideas that ensue from it, that I babble about here, like my custom Tau Commanders, Navigator romance, or what have you. And of course, thank you for reading all that crap, and this, too

First a game of space hulk, then a try at second edition table top. I was hooked....until 3rd edition came out. That killed alot of the fun of the TT game

It all began when I found these mysterious Red-box and Blue-box from my fathers bookshelf.

I had just started school and was just learning to read, so I was around 6-7 years old.

Bugger that's a long time ago in a Galaxy far far away.

As a non-english, as my main language, speaker it was truly stroke of luck that those books had been translated to Finnish. Those few "books" that were contained inside those boxes just blew me away when you have childs imagination.

I played few short adventures with my friends with those.

Then my friend got the "Hero Quest"-board game and did we have blast playing it. Later I got "Space Crusade" (Star Quest) as a Christmas present and liked it a lot. (I don't have it anymore because I borrowed it to my friend who never returned it before they moved, ****.)

Skipping many, many years forward I was just introduced to the german band "Blind Guardian" and was listening their song "Battlefield" when my friend informed me that GW was going to open store here in Finland. And what better way to start collecting figures as they also had the Eye of Terror-campaign just starting. I was sold the instant.

English isn't my first language either. I was just beginning to get the hang of it when i got Realm of chaos: slaves to darkness for my birthday. I think i was 12-14 maybe? Yes i know that book had "sugested for mature readers" on the cover, but my folks didn't worry about it. But still I wonder what must have gone trough my fathers head as i asked things like "Dad? what does bloodletter mean?" and "Dad, what does whirlwhid of death mean?"

Hero quest is just awesome, right? To bad you never got your space crusade copy back.

You might want to check out a band called "Bolt Thrower" They have several 40k/ chaos inspired songs such as this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL19beIJSE0

It all began when I found these mysterious Red-box and Blue-box from my fathers bookshelf.

I had just started school and was just learning to read, so I was around 6-7 years old.

Bugger that's a long time ago in a Galaxy far far away.

As a non-english, as my main language, speaker it was truly stroke of luck that those books had been translated to Finnish. Those few "books" that were contained inside those boxes just blew me away when you have childs imagination.

I played few short adventures with my friends with those.

Then my friend got the "Hero Quest"-board game and did we have blast playing it. Later I got "Space Crusade" (Star Quest) as a Christmas present and liked it a lot. (I don't have it anymore because I borrowed it to my friend who never returned it before they moved, ****.)

Skipping many, many years forward I was just introduced to the german band "Blind Guardian" and was listening their song "Battlefield" when my friend informed me that GW was going to open store here in Finland. And what better way to start collecting figures as they also had the Eye of Terror-campaign just starting. I was sold the instant.

English isn't my first language either. I was just beginning to get the hang of it when i got Realm of chaos: slaves to darkness for my birthday. I think i was 12-14 maybe? Yes i know that book had "sugested for mature readers" on the cover, but my folks didn't worry about it. But still I wonder what must have gone trough my fathers head as i asked things like "Dad? what does bloodletter mean?" and "Dad, what does whirlwhid of death mean?"

Hero quest is just awesome, right? To bad you never got your space crusade copy back.

You might want to check out a band called "Bolt Thrower" They have several 40k/ chaos inspired songs such as this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL19beIJSE0

He was probably concerned he'd scarred you for life. Luckily I'm a native English speaker so I never had to ask.

I don't play often, anymore, but still buy some of the books, and stay caught up with stuff.

I think ive only ever played a few games witha friend's army because Mtg and 40k don't mix, well they do mix, but my wallet tends to disagree... But since i'm such a big chaos fan i've bough all the chaos codexes and armybooks (except those that came in boxed sets, but i do have those as PDF) and anything else chaos related as tome of chaos and visions of heresy.

I got into gaming in general via AD&D back in high school. I used to occasionally buy issues of White Dwarf for the AD&D articles (I know, it's shocking to think that at one time WD not only had articles , but articles spotlighting products from different companies!); so I became 'aware' of the 40Kverse pretty early. I was... somewhat interested in the idea of a sci-fi wargame where 1 fig = 1 guy, but I had enough on my plate with multiple RPGs, and couldn't really justify the expense of a new game that was unlike anything the rest of my gamer friends were playing.

But, eventually, most of my gamer friends from high school drifted away, and I was in the market for something that I could play with fewer people. Plus, the quality of Citadel miniatures had improved pretty dramatically, so, come Third Edition, I became an official convert.

Hands down! Dawn of War!!!!

I heard a guy in officer school who was talking about warhammer 40k and It went like this

Me: "I love dawn of war!"

Him: "Awesome, what army do you play!"

Me: "Well, winter assault is getting ready to drop! I can't wait to play as the Imperial Guard!"

Him: "Yeah dawn of war is cool! Do you play the game as well?"

Me: "Yeah, I really love the single player campaign!"

Him: "No, not the video game...the ACTUAL GAME"

Me: "There is another game?!?"

Him: "Uhhhhhh, yes, like...the actual tabletop game that all that stuff is based on"

Me: "Tell me everything you know about everything!!!"

Ah yes Dawn of war. This was my reaction to winter assault being released:

"oh cool, the guard is here... A baneb- they have a WHAT? They have a Baneblade??? Awesome!"

I am from a Soviet Russian background so I came a little late, but I started in the end of the eighties. Good ol' 80's. I loved Sci-fi since I was a little kid and so seeing these massive humans in space armour with all these guns... I just couldn't resist. I read everything about that universe I could get my hands on, sometimes bordering on harrasment to get information. I started a space marine collection, but my true passion was the Imperial Guard. I loved the history of world war two and so when the Valhallans came out... Stalin's Own on the march! I am not a massively propganda fed communist (while I still am a communist) just to say. I loved that army and even now it still fights the enemy of the Imperium. The catalyst of my collection was my grandpa who fought in the war. When he saw the Valhallans he kept pestering me to get them. In fact he started a collection. He passed it to me when he died. So they march in his name for glory! Sorry if my past is boring you but it has an impact on my collection.

I am from a Soviet Russian background so I came a little late, but I started in the end of the eighties. Good ol' 80's. I loved Sci-fi since I was a little kid and so seeing these massive humans in space armour with all these guns... I just couldn't resist. I read everything about that universe I could get my hands on, sometimes bordering on harrasment to get information. I started a space marine collection, but my true passion was the Imperial Guard. I loved the history of world war two and so when the Valhallans came out... Stalin's Own on the march! I am not a massively propganda fed communist (while I still am a communist) just to say. I loved that army and even now it still fights the enemy of the Imperium. The catalyst of my collection was my grandpa who fought in the war. When he saw the Valhallans he kept pestering me to get them. In fact he started a collection. He passed it to me when he died. So they march in his name for glory! Sorry if my past is boring you but it has an impact on my collection.

Nah man, tales like this is what I like, you're not boring me at all! You made Commander Chenkov proud!

Have you read the Ciaphas Cain novels? It's mainly about him but he's a commisar with the 597th Valhallan regiment.

Wow! I am surprised so many people liked my past!

Thanks guys!

While we are on the subject of Red army/valhallans...

We've also had the Praetorian XXIVth based on the Victorian britsh army. The Sevaren Dominate; romans in spaaace!

What other historical armies would you like to see an imperial guard regiment based on?

I didn't get into Only War because between Dark Heresy and Deathwatch I thought I had all my basic imperial needs met (rogue trader was for high adventure and black crusade was for evil lols). But reading Misha's post and all the others is making me think I should splurge one more time and complete the set.

Uuuugh, so much money. Part of me wants to buy some models too, but A) I think building an army would be pretty expensive, B) I've never painted a model before and I'm afraid I'd mess it up, and C) there's no one with a 40k army in my town, so any models I bought would probably just end up sitting on the bookshelf gathering dust.

Aww to bad, but yeah you are better- and cheaper- off getting OW and making up you're own Imperial Guard regiments, rather than paying tons of cash to GW for the models.

And Shield of humanity will even let you make traitor guard. (not that special really, but the option is there) and stick them in a game of BC.

Just to say, it's not commander Chenkov but Marshall Stalin!

I do agree that OW is a lot cheaper and it allows more interesting ways of making a regiment. I actually made my Stalin's Own in OW. They fight the better equipped, better trained and bigger armies of the Riech. Sounds familiar?

My character is from the regiment, he is a specialist weapon expert. I have to hurry away now!

I've gotta say, Misha, that as a guy from a military family, and who served himself, I have utmost respect for the conditions your grandfather put up with for his country/family/friends etc. I don't even kid myself. If i'd had the opportunity, I would've been out of there as soon as I could. Not saying I wouldn't try to fight, especially when I'm acting on instinct to save myself, and I did without deserting once, but those were some hard conditions right there. (At least, I'm assuming he served in Russia during the Reichs invasion based on your background and the other things you've said?)

As a 8 year old this was the most violent coolest, most awesome picture I had ever seen. There was a game connected to it and **** right I wanted a piece of the action.

That game was Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.

My first ever character was a dwarf called Angrim.