Good thread.

In Poland, because of gomunism, rpg games were hard to get, not to mention that no official translation was avaiable and hardly anyone spoke english in that time. First game that managed to go through the curtain was Warhammer Fantasy Role Play. The game received sort of cult status. Even traslated, the books were rather expensive and not easily avaiable. People weren't buying them and learning how to play from them. Only a few did that. Most was taught, sort of like in master-apprentice relationship. This is the reason why older games like d&d weren't so popular here. Also there is a joke that some people are so hard warhammer fans they say they don't play tabletop RPGs, they play Warhammer.
Can I assume that folks here know how world in this game looks like?

Personally I only played 2nd edition which was imo good, although some old timers would probably scorn me. Fantasy setting but not too much generic, nice late-medieval/renessaince world, HRE like empire. Simple mechanics, no bullshit overpowered characters, well equipped high-experience warrior can still be killed by a bunch of goblins if there's enough of them. No mana bullshit for wizards, instead casting spells is risky (and fun).

I also played Warhammer 40k rpgs which are relatively new products. THe titles were Dark Heresy (play as a bunch of fresh acolytes of inquisition and try to survive) and Deathwatch (play as a Space Marines and beat the shit out of enemy mobs easily and duel the strongest xeno motherfuckers the universe have to offer).

When I said "I played" I mean I was GM/DM/narrator most of the time because I was hardly ever fully satisfied with how my friends were doing their campaings.