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Tell me About Space Hulk

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12 Feb 2017 16:41 #243814 by blatz
Painting up my new Blood Bowl teams has got me on something of a Games Workshop kick so I picked up a copy of Space Hulk 4th edition on EBay for what seemed like a song (60 bucks shipped).

What did I do? Is it still as great as its reputation?

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12 Feb 2017 20:07 #243819 by Sevej
Replied by Sevej on topic Tell me About Space Hulk
Would be interested to know what others think about this one.

I never played this one, but for the PC version (SH SP), which was amazing. I have reservations on playing as the stealers (seems boring). Also, it only does one thing, which, admittedly, done in such an excellent manner. But not enough variation for me.

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12 Feb 2017 20:52 #243820 by hotseatgames
Space Hulk is pretty great. You really get the feeling of the slow, lumbering space marines, and the crazy fast genestealers. It's also very claustrophobic, and as long as you can get into the theme and not worry too much about winning and losing (balance is questionable), you'll have a blast.

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12 Feb 2017 21:47 #243822 by Colorcrayons
Its reputation as a classic is well founded.

It works both as a casual product, as well as one which you and a buddy can immerse yourselves into for numerous plays through campaigns.

The rules are very straightforward, and is very tactical. Maps make or break the game, and even slight tweaks have enormous repercussions to the.end result since the mechanics are so tight. The marine player will find them self seeing everything in the game in steps of four, while the stealer player in steps of six. And while it is a neat thematic game, this tightness in the rules will allow for little error in judgment in how each piece is played, making for tense games where the die rolls make or break you.

Let me know if you end up liking the game. I have a ton of game maps official and otherwise that GW made a stink of awhile back that may be of use to you if the game is a winner in your house.
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13 Feb 2017 04:27 #243832 by Matt Thrower

hotseatgames wrote: Space Hulk is pretty great. You really get the feeling of the slow, lumbering space marines, and the crazy fast genestealers. It's also very claustrophobic, and as long as you can get into the theme and not worry too much about winning and losing (balance is questionable), you'll have a blast.


A good summary: it is indeed pretty great. I still pull it out from time to time and, unlike the majority of games from it's era, it can still go toe-to-toe with modern tactical combat games. Balance problems depend on the scenario you're playing: some are more balanced than others. The 'stealers are less interesting to play than the marines but the usual approach is to play each scenario twice, switching sides.

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13 Feb 2017 08:07 #243835 by Thrun
Replied by Thrun on topic Tell me About Space Hulk
playing the shit/boring/unbalanced crap side of a scenario alternating does not sound like fun to me. I Always found it amusing listening to Memoir 44 fanboys tell me that some of the published scenarios with higher than 80% win rates for one side were OK because you should play either side once and tot up the scores. You may as well alternate tying your hands up while the other one punches you in the head for a while. Sure its "fair" but not much fun. Its an utter waste of time, and reeks of trying to justify to yourselves why you put up with it. Its not good game design. And if one side is "boring" to play (a comment that is rife amongst Space hulk players) then its just as bad. Hey, you sit there and be bored for a couple of hours, dont worry, I'll be bored for the two hours after that when we change ends. Fuck that.

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13 Feb 2017 08:41 #243837 by Matt Thrower

Bojack wrote: playing the shit/boring/unbalanced crap side of a scenario alternating does not sound like fun to me. I Always found it amusing listening to Memoir 44 fanboys tell me that some of the published scenarios with higher than 80% win rates for one side were OK because you should play either side once and tot up the scores.


I have no idea what the win rates are, but I don't think they approach 80% in the more unbalanced ones. Space Hulk is more like a dynamic puzzle: each scenario has several tactical approaches that will work and a whole bunch that don't. Until the players have worked out some viable tactics for the weaker side, they'll get steamrolled, but I personally still find it very absorbing trying to figure out how to solve the problem. Once it's understood, the winrates are much more balanced.

Bojack wrote: And if one side is "boring" to play (a comment that is rife amongst Space hulk players) then its just as bad. Hey, you sit there and be bored for a couple of hours, dont worry, I'll be bored for the two hours after that when we change ends. Fuck that.


I said "less interesting" not "boring". I find playing the Genestealers plenty of fun, it just requires less strategy.
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13 Feb 2017 09:30 #243841 by SuperflyPete
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13 Feb 2017 10:49 #243845 by Shellhead
Replied by Shellhead on topic Tell me About Space Hulk
I like Space Hulk, but I don't love it. It takes almost as long to set up a scenario as to play it. The miniatures are amazing, but drive up the cost of the game to over $100 USD, even with a discount. The Genestealers are so easy to play that all the strategic decisions seem obvious. The Space Marines are challenging to play, but it seems like there is a specific tactical solution to every scenario, and the Space Marine player just needs to figure out that solution and roll reasonably well.

Though it's out of print now, Space Hulk: Death Angel is a better value. For about 1/6th of the price, you get a game that offers a similar experience, only with better replay value and the flexibility to handle from 1 to 6 players, where Space Hulk needs exactly two players only. Death Angel is also fast to set up, fast to take down, and easy to store or transport due to the small box. Where Space Hulk has miniatures and chunky cardboard map tiles that take up a lot of space in a big box, Death Angel does almost everything with cards.

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13 Feb 2017 10:54 #243846 by Colorcrayons
Some maps are just not created equal. But that's a flaw in map design, not the game itself.
There are also some maps that are damn good, but hard for a certain side to win (usually marines) because the objective is a tight race within a certain amount of turns. Those are advanced maps.
This is what space hulk always starts on suicide mission, no matter the edition. It teaches the marine and stealer players to play well and to show them that certain areas of a map can be crucial. For space hulk vets, you'll know of the door I speak of in that mission.

People may say playing stealers are boring, but that's a very noobish thing to say. Stealers offer a lot of challenges to thwart the marines from their objective, f you know what the hell you are doing. While they do not offer the same degree of tactical choices that the marines have, its not a bad thing to lack that level of parity. This is colonial marines versus aliens after all. Aliens don't have commanders and plasma rifles. They act like the Spanish inquisition that nobody expects. Speed, lethality engaged, and an almost fanatical devotion to the pope.
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13 Feb 2017 11:05 #243849 by Colorcrayons
Also, Ambush counters.
One does not simply play space hulk without ambush counters.

drive.google.com/file/d/0B_NWCpjLO473X0R...VU/view?usp=drivesdk
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13 Feb 2017 12:33 #243858 by blatz
Replied by blatz on topic Tell me About Space Hulk

Colorcrayons wrote: Let me know if you end up liking the game. I have a ton of game maps official and otherwise that GW made a stink of awhile back that may be of use to you if the game is a winner in your house.


Thanks man, that would be great! I'd love to check those maps out.

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13 Feb 2017 15:32 #243868 by engineer Al

Shellhead wrote: Though it's out of print now, Space Hulk: Death Angel is a better value.


Picked this up recently pretty cheap at Amazon: here

I've been having a blast with it so far, but of course there are no minis to paint. . .

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13 Feb 2017 16:00 #243869 by hotseatgames
I've got Incursion. Basically a weird war 2 version of Space Hulk that introduces card play. It's cool but remains tragically underplayed.
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13 Feb 2017 16:30 #243872 by DukeofChutney
I still think this is GWs best game and the best dudes in a corridor game. There are a lot of more complex games out there, and a lot of simpler ones too but this game sort of just hits the nail on the head for me. Unlike every other GW game I have played Spacehulk is a really laser focused singular experience that strips out a lot of the usual GW bloat. One of the most tense games I have ever played.
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