I was familiar with the universe, but it wasn't my piece of the pie, Warhammer in fantasy setting wasn't really my thing either. I was deeply entrenched in Forgotten Realms back then.
Still, WH40K grew on me over the years, partially thanks to bunch of good games that came out of Workshop.
Okay, what do I mean when I say good - not like those games were anywhere close to being unforgettable titles. They were good, bit unbalanced for multiplayer, but still solid titles in their respected genres.
What really made my day in WH40K games was the atmosphere. This is something you can't just manufacture - dark, grim - yes, yes, we've seen it all before, but Warhammer 40k has the amazing mix of sci-fi and purely medieval attitude to the world. It's the world where knowledge became religion. How amazing is that.
Think.
In our world we got use to having science replace religion. We know that things people use to consider will of god(s) has scientific reasons. From powerful thunders to the tiny microorganisms - what people considered god-made, became just part of nature that is explained and understood thanks to progress in sciences.
We're comfortable thinking, this process will continue - we will understand more and more with every generation. World around us will turn purely into understandable profanum, leaving sacrum in the dust of history.
In Warhammer, profanum, over centuries turned into sacrum itself. Mankind is nowhere as illuminated as we'd like to think future generations will be, and all believe in the Emperor. Emperor Protects.
In this sci-fi world humans compete against orks, eldars, tyranids and many other threats, from which most diabolic seams to be deamons of Warp. Who stands against the onslaught of xenos?
Space Marines, of course (and Imperial Guard!).
Space Marines are like super-humans, genetically changed in young age with gene-seed, they become walking, living war-machines, protected by their iconic power-armour, welding bolters, chain-swords, fighting enemies of the Empire across the galaxy.
Fighting is a key word here. Space Marines are boys club. Whole universe is very much keeping the Rambo-feeling to itself. Like an old 80s movies you have heroes that kill dozens of enemies, drop epic one-liners and give away their lives for the Emperor without so much as blink of an eye.
I'm not saying that girls can't find it appealing, sure they can - but you don't see as many of them in Warhammer 40k camp, compared to other fantasy/sci-fi genres. Maybe it's a stereotype, but WH40K doesn't hold much appeal for someone who isn't into fighting. Sure, you can find place for female-characters, perhaps Eldars... but the bulk of the universe - Empire of Mankind and Space Marines - you're often locked in the boys club.
Is it bad?
No. Bending the world to bring in more and more new people into it isn't always the way.
Keep it good, keep it simple and don't overthink everything.
This is appeal of WH40K universe - it's sole focus is conflict. It is the driving force of the world.
And it works.
Middle-earth, Forgotten Realms and almost every other fantasy/sci-fi setting is softer and more refine. Sure there is war and pain, but you have your Rivindales, your Candlekeeps, your Yawin 4s and.. well, whole United Federation of Planets from Star Trek is peaceful and enlightened. In Warhammer 40K it's hard to find peaceful, untouched by war places. It's dark, brutal, merciless, grim, mystical and bare setting with an unique feeling to it that cannot be replicated. Blizzard tried with Starcraft, and while great in it's own right, it's not Warhammer 40K.
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