Space Hulk

The game is primarily for two players; one player takes on the role of the Space Marines and the other Genestealers. The actual space marines used are called “Terminators” – the heavily armed exoskeleton version of “normal” marines. Terminators are armed with storm bolters (standard) but some can be equipped with flamer units; each squad also has a sergeant to lead them.

Genestealers are brutally basic in comparison; they rely on strength and force in numbers to overwhelm their enemies. Armed only with tooth and claw – if only one Genestealer can make it through the hail of weaponry then that can be considered a success.

To represent the environment of a space hulk, the game-board is made up of interchangeable board-pieces that can be joined together to make any number of different maps and configurations. With numerous rooms and corridor sections with card-door counters, all manner of layouts can be played out in a campaign fashion or as one-off games.

Terminator marines and Genestealers models are either plastic (supplied with the game) or lead miniatures that can be bought separately from Games Workshop. You can paint them up if you prefer but it isn’t essential to enjoy the game.

Play is turned-based, the space marine player takes their turn moving and firing weapons, then the Genestealer player takes their turn. Each marine model has four action-points per turn while every stealer gets six (they are physically bigger and more agile than a Terminator). To further the marines cause, they have an extra 1 to 6 “command” points randomly drawn each turn to use in their turn or the stealers. Moving one square will cost an action-point for example, while firing a weapon will cost a point. Initiating close-combat (as stealers will always do) costs a point as well. Die-rolling is involved when assessing weapon hits and close-combat action results.

Marine players move slower but have the firepower while stealer players have speed and numbers to their advantage. Stealers can move as “blips” to begin with; counters represent these radar blips – this gives stealers the ability tomove in greater numbers as a blip. Blips are either one, two or three stealers underneath, enabling a quick build-up of stealers in a small area. As soon as a blip is seen then stealers are revealed on the board.To build the tension, the marine player has a time-limit of only three minutes to take their turn in full – any moves not made in that time will have to wait. If the marines lose their sergeant then they’ll lose 30 seconds of turn-time(representing the adjustment and chaos as the squad reset themselves and a new “sergeant” takes over).

The winner is declared when the space marines complete the objective of the given scenario or the stealers kill all the marines! As games tend to be fairly quick, players can each take turns playing each side.

In the “Deathwing” expansion set, additional squad members are added: assault cannons, thunder hammer and storm shields, lightning claws and even librarians (basic psychic-combat ability marines). The second expansion set “Genestealer” added expanded psychic-combat rules (powerful psychic attacks) new librarian models and psychic hybrid-stealers. The addition of four, five and six stealer blips are a bonus to the stealers now as some bigger rooms and corridors are included to facilitate this.

Space Hulk is a fantastic game – with easy-to-play rules (play the original first-edition game if you can). It offers excitement, action and endless playability. One of Games Workshop’s best games.