The Assault on Black Reach - An Introduction to Warhammer 40,000

Warhammer 40,000 is a science fiction tabletop wargame, where two (or more) players can take command of an army of troops, represented by a number of models. The aim of the game is to defeat the opposing army through either wiping out a sufficiently large proportion of their force or by seizing control of predetermined objectives.

Battles are resolved through a combination of strategy and luck. With different troop types having a variety of strengths and weaknesses. Stronger troops or weapons have a greater chance to come out on top in any given situation but there is always a random element to games of Warhammer 40,000, all actions (except most movement) being ultimately decided by the throw of a dice. The minimum (or maximum) number that is required to be rolled is dictated by strengths and abilities of the troop type(s) involved.

To keep the game fair, armies that contain stronger warriors you will typically field less models than their opponents. Before a game starts a points limit is a applied to each army, this limit is always the same. Each model has a points value, which differs depending on the abilities of the warrior it represents, and the total points value of all models fielded by a particular player should not exceed the points limit set (a few points over isn't usually a problem).
The setting for the game of Warhammer 40,000 is a dark and gothic science fiction universe that has been developed over the past 20 years. In Warhammer 40,000 the Imperium of man has colonised the galaxy but is under constant attack from countless enemies, within and without. Heretics, traitors and aliens threaten the vary existence of the Imperium; in games of Warhammer 40,000 you and your friends can decide humanities fate on the field of battle.
The game of Warhammer 40,000 can be a little intimidating when you first start to play and a great introduction is the Assault on Black Reach boxed game. The Assault on Black Reach boxed set contains everything you need to get started playing Warhammer 40,000.

Firstly, and most importantly, it includes 2 armies of miniatures, Space Marines and Orks. Space Marines are humanities heroes, they are genetically engineered super human warriors, with the best weapons and armour available to man. The Orks are a brutal race of aliens, that exist only for war. They use crude technology and lack the quality of humanities finest warriors but typically make up for this in numbers.
The box also includes pocket sized rule book that contains the full game rules and an easy to follow starters booklet to help new players learn the rules. Also included are dice and gaming aids that are essential for playing the game.

The models that come with the boxed set are specially made to be easy to assemble, not requiring glue; it has to be said glue does help for some of the models however.
Basically, you can be up and running in a few hours rather than potentially weeks through the traditional route of buying a rule book, the additional rule book for your particular army and a selection of models (which then need to be built).