Hello! I am relatively new to 40k universe (although I know a thing or two about the factions thanks to the wiki). I got introduced thanks to the games (the "Space Marine" TPS, the chess one and Dawn of War) but for the tabletop game I don't know much. Anyway, I just wanted to ask few things.
On this note, I wonder how people first found this setting?
For me:
Spacehulk-SP: Open source project, space marines versus genestealers (tyrannids, but before that was even a thing). A simulation of a board game.
Warhammer (Fantasy) Shadow of the Horned Rat: Damn good, but too hard for me. This is where I started to understand the nature of "magic" in this setting, with the pyromancer who tried to wield chaos, for a good cause. Very tragic.
WH40K Dawn of War: Probably the best Warhammer-themed video game I've played. Especially if you count the sequel, which is very different, maybe even better. (I haven't played 3).
The "official" Spacehulk video game. Didn't get far. Was hard to see anything, and turns took too long. Went for atmosphere, but I was used to rapid tactical gameplay.
... Aheh, I mean the relatively recent Spacehulk TBS. I did play the groundbreaking Spacehulk Tactical-FPS a bit before Shadow of the Horned Rat. I didn't like it, but its intention was pretty incredible. It would make a good movie, but it was frustrating to actually play. (You had to manage 4 different marines at once, who were basically useless if you didn't switch into them)
There have been a lot of good Warhammer video games, fantasy and modern apparently (I hear the Total War for Fantasy is alright). And I guess as capstone, I'm pretty happy with WH40K:Space Marine.
I... guess it's an okay introduction to the setting.
I like that I started on Space Hulk, which largely featured sacrificing at least one space marine in a typical mission. Either by guarding a tricky flanking corridor, or sometimes to stand and delay as the team proceeded. Space Hulk drove home that these power-armored superhumans were expendable with the stakes involved.
So when I learned about the Imperial Guard, well, yes. Of course they would be more expendable. By magnitudes.