Getting Started in Warhammer 40,000 and the evolution to apex generalship.

I started playing Warhammer 40,000 about 3 years ago. I was spurred on by a friend who was picking the game back up in a big way. I gave him $120.00 and he came back with a whole slew of Dark Angel and generic space marine stuff.

I was super excited to build, paint and play those models. Ironically 90% of them(dark angels)are still unbuilt to this day.

From there I started to get into some Black Library books by Dan Abnett about Gaunt's Ghosts(Imperial Guard) and that lead to me picking up an Ultramarine Omnibus.

After that hefty book it was all over for me and the only color I wanted my Space Marines wearing was codex blue. I thought that the ultra rigid, super disciplined boys in blue would bring me victory on the battlefield everytime. I was dead wrong. My friend had developed a complete Nurgle list that he was perfecting and it would win everytime. Granted we weren't playing the rules right(so many rules) and that I just wasn't very good in the beginning, but he stomped me GOOD..A LOT. That got really old, especially since I'm a really poor loser and fiercely competitive (great for Warhammer 40k right? wrong.)

Eventually I just gave up on the Ultramarines and started buying Chaos models. That worked out pretty good, I could understand the clear strengths of my troops and employ them properly. I had crazy HQ choices and Defilers are just plain fun.Things started to get really going when I entered a few tournaments. My friend the Chaos player was sick or busy and I borrowed his Nurgle list and went 3-0, won best general and I have never looked back from that moment. Ard Boyz came soon after and I didn't make the Semi Finals but someone who did gave me their spot.

Using the Ard Boyz Substitution clause I went with my Chaos friend(who made Semi's)to Great Escape games in Sacramento. HOLY SHIT. What a great time...I got to see so many armies on so many tables and mix with so many more people that I had access to in Reno. Ard Boyz was really the nail in the coffin, my addiction was complete. I was and am a Warhammer 40,000 zealot. I've continued growth and involvement with the game and things keep moving forward. Games Workshop released the Blood Angel codex and i'm back to playing Space Marines again(happily).

My path lead me to meeting a Tau General named Doug. Poor Doug was a lot like my Ultramarines at first, couldn't win a game to save his life. [He tried hard! - sic] Then Doug caught the Warhammer 40,000 bug full on and now he is a dominate general with 3 armies(Tau, SW and now DE). My friends and I play as many games in a week as our wives will allow(and then a few more). Now Doug has syndicated the WolfBrothers Club Chapter and we've even had a fantastic tournament to Prime us for the Sacramento CoC.

So now that you know where I'm coming from I wanted to start writing some articles about Warhammer 40,000. I want to discuss getting started playing Warhammer all the way to the evolution into end game generalship.

I am sympathetic to the learning curve of this game and how expensive and sometimes frustrating it can be. I am not the guy to discuss painting or modeling, much less write about it. I can help you win more games, avoid the mistakes I've made and make sure you don't go broke trying to figure out what armies and units work best for you -  Till then...play well, roll better.