It’s a sci-fi tabletop wargame where players collect, build, paint, and battle armies in a grimdark far future where everything wants to kill everything else — including your own troops, sometimes.

Yes. The core rules are approachable, starter sets are great value, and every army has straightforward entry points. The depth only kicks in once you’re ready.

Small games can run 45–90 minutes. Full-size battles are usually 2–3 hours depending on how much you chat, snack, and argue about line of sight.

Not strictly — but it really levels up the experience. Plus, painted armies usually earn you bonus points in organised play.

Anything you like the look of. Space Marines are the classic starter choice, but every faction has a beginner-friendly path.

Starter sets offer the best value and get you playing fast. After that, you can scale at your own pace — it’s as affordable or ambitious as you want to make it.

A core rulebook is helpful, and each faction has its own rules. Most essentials are also available digitally.

Generally no — 40K uses army-specific rules — but there are exceptions (Imperium armies, Chaos armies, certain allies). It depends on what you’re fielding.

Both. Some players love the tight, tournament-focused lists; others prefer narrative, beer-and-dice nights. The system supports every flavour.

A Combat Patrol or Starter Set is enough for your first proper games — around 20–40 models depending on the faction.