I recently started to get into 40K as well.  A store that sells and has tables for play just recently moved into the town near where I live (one of the cons of living out in the middle of nowhere in New England.)  The 5th Edition rules do take a couple read throughs, and then at least a couple practical experinces to really get a hang of.

I only ever played the 1st edition rules! Gee I now feel old. 

Don't feel old, I stopped after 2nd ed.  Third seemed like the beginning of the money grabbing days of GW.

Played a bit of rouge trader, then couldn't really afford the mini's as a youngster.

Now however I'm throughly installed in the real world and I remembered just how much I wanted to play it as a kid, so I've got a couple of boxes of 'Nids.   I've spent months making sure I know how best to make / paint / plan the army though.

Best of luck to us all!

My advice, just have fun with it and use placeholder miniatures.  Don't go crazy collecting until you really like the game.  Collecting the minis is an addiction.

Welcome to the 40K universe. If you have any questions, please don't hesisitate in asking me. I've posted some blogs here already on my battles. I collect the Necron army. If you're a beginner I recommend you to collect just the one army before branching out to others. Space Marines are noob friendly, good and versatile. I don't know much about orks, except that they flay too easily . Good luck! 

I have been playing 40k for manney years  I love the game  the best imp army is the gray knights solid hand to hand good range they are point expencive but worth it. I use them as an army not just a squad with another army the deepstrike ablity with the termanatores comes in very usefull agenst many long range foes. and agenst chaos they are murder.   allways up grade and your sargents will  servive even when the rest of the squad is killed.  rember the gray knight never  flee  stand and fight in the emperors name

    good killing

DEATH TO THE EMPEROR!! You cannot stop what is already ageless death, the Necrons! They march on through the ages and they cannot stopped. After all, what hope do you have against something already dead? ALL HAIL THE C'TAN!

I bought the Codex for the Space Marines, and then the codex for the Orks. And I have decided to focus on an Orks army. They look like they would be lots of fun.

I am still trying to get a handle on the rules, though. Soon, I will be going to a crafting store to get some paint. Also, looking to getting some type of terrain stuff. I wish I had the creativity to just take stuff from around the house and make terrain out of it.

Chris

EDIT:  I will say this. I really enjoyed reading the backstory on the Orks. Great stuff there.

The Orks have a fantasticv backstory. Their WAAAAAAGH! is very impressive. I hope to see you in the front lines, mowing down your army!!

so, what do you use for terrain when you don't have any "official" terrain?

I have a friend coming over thursday evening to start playing Warhammer 40k, but I really don't have any terrain. Not to mention all I have is what came with the Assault on Black Reach set.

How many different types of fights can you have using that box set?

Chris

how maney differnt fights????????????  o my god  any knid of fight if you have the figures you can fight   word on terane  anything will do a pop can your mouse toy cars a shoe box a raper from burgerking ANYTHING willdo its worhammer it might not be cool but it works when I first started I use rocks and dirt and all sorts of other stuff. ORKS   ok if you like them  the nobs and the mega armored nobs kick ass the only bad thing about orksis if your wepons malfunchon you can luse alot of you army to that.   long live the emporer 

Please, Use punctuation and a dictionary.  Your grammar hurts.

In the beginning of my v1 - v2 days, we used whatever you could find around the house and garage.  Eventually we started building industrial terrain from packing materials and factory scrap.  I worked in a water softener factory at the time and the industrial complex I created was impressive.  It was requested for Necromunda tournaments at the local store more than once.

Paint, glue, model railroad parts and somebody else's garbage make for great fighting terrain.

geee lokoth  reeeeeeley   thats right   it MiGhT  shelp a little   yes yes it would little grasshopper.   thats cool lol .