Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000: Dark Imperium Boxed Set

I've been a huge fan of the Warhammer 40k universe since the original Dawn of War PC game was released. Since then, I've played lots of 40k video games, read lots of 40k books, and watched lots of 40k tabletop games on YouTube, but I never got into collecting the models myself. It always seemed too inaccessible, too expensive, too esoteric. Plus, I have absolutely zero artistic skill or talent. I haven't held a paintbrush since art class in elementary school.But when I saw this box, I decided to take the plunge, and I'm very, very glad I did.First off, this box is an excellent value proposition for the price. You get two complete armies, the rulebook, two smaller books for the two armies, and a few extra bits like dice. It's basically everything you need to play a casual game of Warhammer 40k with a friend. Take note, however, that if you ever want a more competitive or deeper WH40k experience, there are a few extra things you'll need to buy, like codices and terrain and such. This box isn't designed to contain everything you'll ever need to play the game, but rather as an entry point for newcomers.In that same vein, you'll need to buy a few extra things to assemble the models, namely glue and paint. I was surprised by how relatively straightforward it was to glue the models together; theyre designed in such a way that the different pieces sort of fit into each other like legos, although you will need some model glue to keep them together. There are a few models that were a bit frustrating to piece together, but overall glueing this set was very easy and fun.You don't necessarily have to paint the models to play the game, but really youre missing out on a lot of the appeal of the hobby if you don't paint them. I'm a terrible artist but I still found painting my space marines and poxwalkers super fun, rewarding, and stress-relieving. I bought just a simple set of ten paints and washes, and though this got the job done, I do wish that I had splurged on a set with more colors. It's also nice that GW threw in transfer decals for a few other chapters besides just the Ultramarines, so if you want your Astartes to belong to a different chapter you have the tools to do so.The rulebook is also quite nice. It's a beautiful hardcover volume filled with lots of interesting lore and great illustrations and, of course, the rules.I was very, very hesitant about buying this set. I was worried that I would get frustrated with the glueing or the painting and give up and throw this box into some corner of my attic. But I didn't. I'm having a blast painting my armies, crappy as they may look, and I look forward to expanding my collection and playing my first actual game.If you're really on the fence about WH40k, maybe buy a smaller, cheaper set first. But if you're a longtime fan of the lore looking to jump into the tabletop, this is a great place to start.

Games Workshop products are notoriously high priced. But this set represents the best bang-for-buck starter kit you can get. I've just about finished building all 53 models and I'm amazed with every new model at the level of detail and WOW factor of the models (especially as you get deep into the Death Guard models).The included rule book is the full W40k rule book which gives you all the basic and advanced rules to play, as well as a ton of lore and backstory of the 40k universe. The two additional books are actually mini-codexes with a bit of lore on each model type as well as the full data sheets for each model. The kit also includes 12 dice and a plastic ruler for measuring movement ranges. I would suggest buying 2 blocks of 32 dice: one for each army. I got one green block for the Death Guard and one blue block for the Space Marines.The value for money on this kit is so good that I'm considering buying a 2nd one just to double the size of my armies. I can sell the extra rule book or give it to a friend who's interested in playing. You literally cannot buy these models individually for less than the cost of this set. If you have only one Dark Imperium set then I'd suggest boosting your Space Marines army with a "Start Collecting Space Marines" set. The Death Guard don't currently have a "Start Collecting" set, but they are associated with the Chaos God Nurgle so the "Start Collecting Chaos Demons" set would be a good expansion.I also bought a modeling tools set and the Army Paints mega paint set #3 and I had just about everything I needed to build and paint the models. So if you want to get into Warhammer 40k then this is the one to get.

This is one of the best value products that an individual can obtain from Games Workshop. Here is why:1. Full, unabridged hardcover rulebook. This is the same exact one that retails for $60 USD on Games Workshop's website!2. Two outstanding starting armies (Death Guard and Primaris Marines/Adeptus Astartes). The miniatures retail value is well over $150-$200 USD if sold separately. If you're not really feeling one army or the other, simply give it to a friend or sell it off on eBay and invest it in a heavy/elite choice like I did!3. Ruler, dice, and two mini codices for the armies. You still will have to buy the books, but these can get you by for awhile!--------All in all, this is a great deal IF you want to go Death Guard or Space Marine. I genuinely feel you save quite a bit of money doing it this way. However, look into the Start Collecting! boxes if these two armies are not to your desire.

bought these back in 2019 still use them regularly

Anyone who has been in the Warhammer 40K hobby for even a few months can see the value with this package. This set is the complete guide to entering the WH40K universe and gives you everything you need to get started. The box comes with 2 opposing armies (Primaris Space Marines and Chaos Death Guard) to put together and paint yourself (which is half the fun). You also get all the applicable documentation, measuring devices, and dice you need to start playing the game. Best yet, you get the latest edition of the Warhammer 40K rule book (a $60 value by itself). Breaking this box down and pricing everything out by units shows that you're getting a great deal.

Perfect! I started a Death Guard army with the Know No Fear box and not sure what I want to do with the Primaris guys. But this is awesome! Comes with exclusive characters, a hard cover copy of the official Core Rules, dice, and the two armies! Worth the money! It’s double the price of the Know No Fear box, but it comes with a few more characters, dice, and the actual rule book!