What was your first introductory game of 40K?

[kabaakaba]

For me it was last weekend of 2001. I've got my birthday money and take adventure to another end of city to the only lgs at that time  to buy a steam tank for my little wbfb army. And got to the 40k introduction day. I was curious, i have no internet access in that time and don't know about 40k. There was few oldmans(30-35 year ) who gives small army to newbie and explain rules. I've got little tau army with broadside few infantry and crisises. and paired against necrons. I loose. Then game against IG. I'm loose again. Needless to say i don't buy steam tank and heading home with LRBT and few infantry squads 

[Grotsmasha]

It would have been ~'97 or '98, 2nd Ed. The first WD I'd bought for myself was 212 (Aug '97) with that classic Sisters artwork. There was four of us, and we played 2v2, or Free-for-All basically every game, as we only had one board, and typically not enough time for multiple games. I don't really remember the specifics of my first game, but I do recall my second. My friend had just bought and painted his brand new Commissar and Ogryns, transported in his brand new Chimera. I had just painted my brand new triple Las Predator, and managed to get 1st turn. I shot everything at that transport, he rolled the worst possible result, everyone died, and the resulting explosion also damaged one of his other squads (maybe guardsmen, maybe Ratlings), they failed their morale check and bolted, and never recovered.

This started a tradition in the group of new units never surviving their first game.