Space Hulk
Encyclopedia
Space Hulk is a board game
by Games Workshop
, first released in 1989 and re-released in 2009. The game is set in their Warhammer 40,000
universe and draws a certain degree of inspiration from the Alien
movies.
The term "Space Hulk", from which the game gets its name, is used within the Warhammer 40,000 universe for any masses of ancient, derelict starship
s, asteroids, and other assorted space junk drifting in and out of the Warp that eventually merges into one massive form, ranging from the size of a small moon to a large planet, which drift through the territory of the Imperium
. Because a hulk may contain bits of lost information or technology, or hostile life forms that pose a threat to mankind, the Imperium often sends teams to search for and secure these entities. The hulk may not stay in real space for very long, eventually slipping back into the Warp, so retrieval operations must be rapid and efficient.
Genestealer
s often make homes of these hulks and attack those who come aboard in order to spread their genetic code further afield, as their role is to act as a vanguard for the main invasion of Tyranids
. These hulks could spread Genestealer infestations among planets of the Imperium, yet they are far too massive to destroy from the outside. The Imperium instead has to send an investigative force of Space Marine
Terminators against such a coven.
A third edition of Space Hulk was released by Games Workshop on September 5, 2009.
to represent the interior of derelict space ships. One player controls the Space Marines, and the other player controls the Genestealers.
The game is notable for its hidden play mechanics, from which it derives much of its playability and tension. The actual number of Genestealers in play is hidden from the Marine player, because the Genestealers come into play as "blips" which can represent 1-3 creatures (or 0-6 in the Deathwing and Genestealer expansions and in second edition). On the other hand, the Marine player has a number of "action points" available each turn which are only revealed to the Genestealer player after they are used up. (In the second edition, the extra points are no longer hidden from the Genestealer player.)
Space Hulk won the Origins Award
for Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Boardgame of 1989. Its first expansion, Deathwing, won Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Boardgame of 1990.
In the basic versions of the game, playing the Genestealers is very straightforward; so simple, in fact, that Space Hulk is quite playable as a solo game. Playing the marines on the other hand is engaging and tactically challenging - partly because the Space Marines player is constrained by a time limit for his turn. To overcome this shortfall, players are encouraged to play each game twice, swapping roles after the first play. The fairly fast play time (around half an hour per game), driven by the Space Marines time limitation, makes this a reasonable solution. The expansion packs for the First edition add human-genestealer hybrids, which can carry weapons and equipment, to the Genestealer player's forces, adding more depth for the Genestealer side.
Further scenarios and rules were released in the White Dwarf and Citadel Journal magazines. A hardback book, Space Hulk Campaigns, was released in 1991 and later reprinted as a paperback (1993). It contained much of the magazine material, including rules for Traitor Terminators and Space Marines in Power Armour and some new board sections.
The 2nd edition is significantly simplified from the original rules and offers less opportunity for expansion, due to the specific dice used by the rules. A critical change was made to the Command Point system, no longer allowing them to be used in the enemy turn altering the game's strategic complexity. The flamer rules were also changed and the difference between the standard weapons and the area effect flamer was reduced.
The second edition has no expansion packs, although additional scenarios and board sections were released in White Dwarf magazine, such as "Fangs of Fenris" which involves Wolf Guard Terminators of the Space Wolves Space Marines Chapter.
The rules have been modernised to some extent, but are largely similar to those from the first edition. One critical rule change is that a marine jamming his weapon on overwatch does not lose the overwatch status. Also, a new rule, allowing a Marine to go on guard (essentially a Close Combat version of overwatch,) was added.
The models for the 3rd edition are new sculpts designed specifically for Space Hulk instead of being shared with the sets for tabletop Warhammer 40,000. Advancements in sculpting and moulding have allowed Games Workshop
's Alex Hedström to add a greater level of detail to the figures. Each of the twelve Terminators has a distinct appearance, such as Brother Omnio being shown consulting a scanner mounted in his Power Fist. The Genestealers are shown in varied poses, with one bursting up from the floor and another climbing down from the wall. The game's card counters and board sections have been made using new debossing techniques which can apply shallow depressions into the cardboard. These board sections are additionally much thicker and heavier than the original stock. The Games Workshop studio and box art represents the Blood Angels Space Marine Chapter.
for the PC, PlayStation
, Sega Saturn
, and 3DO
consoles
. Both of these were tactical action shooters based on the boardgame rather than reproductions of the boardgame. In 2008, a small group of hobbyists released a PC conversion of the board game, along with assorted scenarios, for free over the Internet. However, within a month the game was removed from the developers' site. They noted that the web download traffic was creating problems, and that Games Workshop were threatening legal action due to THQ
's current ownership of the Warhammer 40,000 video game license. According to the development team, their attempts to negotiate for the release of the game with THQ were refused, resulting in the game being rebranded under the name "Alien Assault".
version of the Space Hulk boardgame was released. This game replicates the board game's play mechanics and allows play as either Space Marines or Genestealers.
mode. The game's rules do not strictly adhere to the board game, but are a hybrid of the first and second editions. QSpacehulk is another fan-made freeware available which strictly follows the rules of the second edition.
released a card-based derivative called "Space Hulk: Death Angel - The Card Game" in Summer 2010, followed by two expansion packs in Spring 2011.
, the term "space hulk" is used to refer to any massive derelict space ships. Space hulks may house more than just Genestealers; other threats aboard can include followers of Chaos (who do not mind traveling in the Warp), Warp Daemons, and Orks who use space hulks as their "standard" method of interstellar travel. As a corollary, Space Marine Terminators have also fought Genestealers in other settings with narrow corridors in more locales than just space ships; for instance during Hive Fleet Kraken's invasion which instigated an uprising on the Imperial planet Ichar IV, Ultramarines Terminators eliminated a Genestealer Cult in a crypt beneath the rebel-held cathedreal.
Space Hulk was one of the first introductions of Genestealers, and although subsequent games have included them as part of the overall Tyranid army, Genestealers can still have a sub-army as in a Genestealer cult.
Space Marines Terminators were originally only used in Space Hulk-type scenarios and not the open battlefield, however demand was high enough that rules were added for their deployment in conventional Warhammer 40,000 battles. The plastic five-man Terminator squads with standard armament (4 carry storm bolters while 1 has the heavy flamer, 4 have power gloves except the sergeant who has a powersword) were initially only found in the Space Hulk board game, but they were released as a separate box set in 1997 for players who wanted them for Warhammer 40,000 battles. Previously, the only standalone Terminators were available as expensive metal figures in box sets and blister packs. The metal Terminators continued to be sold alongside their plastic counterparts for some time as they contained exclusive weapons and ornaments not found in their plastic counterparts, such as assault cannons and lightening claws, and Chapter-specific sets for the Dark Angels Deathwing and Space Wolves Wolf Guard. In the 2000s, however, Games Workshop phased out metal Terminator figures altogether, and the plastic Terminator box sets now contain a variety of weapons.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
by Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
, first released in 1989 and re-released in 2009. The game is set in their Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
universe and draws a certain degree of inspiration from the Alien
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
movies.
The term "Space Hulk", from which the game gets its name, is used within the Warhammer 40,000 universe for any masses of ancient, derelict starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
s, asteroids, and other assorted space junk drifting in and out of the Warp that eventually merges into one massive form, ranging from the size of a small moon to a large planet, which drift through the territory of the Imperium
Imperium (Warhammer 40,000)
The Imperium of Man is a fictional galactic empire of over a million planets that contains the vast majority of humans in the forty-first millennium, set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe created by Games Workshop....
. Because a hulk may contain bits of lost information or technology, or hostile life forms that pose a threat to mankind, the Imperium often sends teams to search for and secure these entities. The hulk may not stay in real space for very long, eventually slipping back into the Warp, so retrieval operations must be rapid and efficient.
Genestealer
Genestealer
Genestealers are a fictional alien species in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and the opponents of the marines in the Space Hulk board game...
s often make homes of these hulks and attack those who come aboard in order to spread their genetic code further afield, as their role is to act as a vanguard for the main invasion of Tyranids
Tyranids
The Tyranids are a fictional race from the Warhammer 40000 tabletop game and its spin-off media. They are known to the Imperium generally as Tyranids, because Tyran is the first known planet they devoured and where they were first encountered...
. These hulks could spread Genestealer infestations among planets of the Imperium, yet they are far too massive to destroy from the outside. The Imperium instead has to send an investigative force of Space Marine
Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
Terminators against such a coven.
A third edition of Space Hulk was released by Games Workshop on September 5, 2009.
Gameplay
The game is set on a board made up of various board sections which represent corridors and rooms and which can be freely arranged and locked together like a jigsaw puzzleJigsaw puzzle
A jigsaw puzzle is a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of numerous small, often oddly shaped, interlocking and tessellating pieces.Each piece usually has a small part of a picture on it; when complete, a jigsaw puzzle produces a complete picture...
to represent the interior of derelict space ships. One player controls the Space Marines, and the other player controls the Genestealers.
The game is notable for its hidden play mechanics, from which it derives much of its playability and tension. The actual number of Genestealers in play is hidden from the Marine player, because the Genestealers come into play as "blips" which can represent 1-3 creatures (or 0-6 in the Deathwing and Genestealer expansions and in second edition). On the other hand, the Marine player has a number of "action points" available each turn which are only revealed to the Genestealer player after they are used up. (In the second edition, the extra points are no longer hidden from the Genestealer player.)
Space Hulk won the Origins Award
Origins Award
The Origins Awards are American awards for outstanding work in the game industry. They are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design at the Origins Game Fair on an annual basis for the previous year, so the 1979 awards were given at the 1980 Origins.The Origins Award is commonly...
for Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Boardgame of 1989. Its first expansion, Deathwing, won Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Boardgame of 1990.
In the basic versions of the game, playing the Genestealers is very straightforward; so simple, in fact, that Space Hulk is quite playable as a solo game. Playing the marines on the other hand is engaging and tactically challenging - partly because the Space Marines player is constrained by a time limit for his turn. To overcome this shortfall, players are encouraged to play each game twice, swapping roles after the first play. The fairly fast play time (around half an hour per game), driven by the Space Marines time limitation, makes this a reasonable solution. The expansion packs for the First edition add human-genestealer hybrids, which can carry weapons and equipment, to the Genestealer player's forces, adding more depth for the Genestealer side.
Expansions
The first edition has two expansion packs:- Deathwing focuses on additional Space Marine weapons, Space Marine Librarians, new features and rules specific to the Deathwing Company (First Company) of the Dark Angels Space Marines chapter, which is notable among the Imperium as the only First Company to be composed solely of Terminators.
- Genestealer introduces the Genestealer Cult. These include Genestealer hybrids such as the Magus and Patriarch, greatly expanding the tactical possibilities for the Genestealer side, and an elaborate system of psychic combat.
Further scenarios and rules were released in the White Dwarf and Citadel Journal magazines. A hardback book, Space Hulk Campaigns, was released in 1991 and later reprinted as a paperback (1993). It contained much of the magazine material, including rules for Traitor Terminators and Space Marines in Power Armour and some new board sections.
2nd Edition
This incarnation of Space Hulk features better board artwork and figurines. It features two identical plastic five-man Terminator squads with standard weaponry (4 carry storm bolters while 1 has the heavy flamer, 4 have power gloves except the sergeant who has a powersword).The 2nd edition is significantly simplified from the original rules and offers less opportunity for expansion, due to the specific dice used by the rules. A critical change was made to the Command Point system, no longer allowing them to be used in the enemy turn altering the game's strategic complexity. The flamer rules were also changed and the difference between the standard weapons and the area effect flamer was reduced.
The second edition has no expansion packs, although additional scenarios and board sections were released in White Dwarf magazine, such as "Fangs of Fenris" which involves Wolf Guard Terminators of the Space Wolves Space Marines Chapter.
Kill-Team Rules for Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition
Games Workshop no longer supports the first or second editions of Space Hulk. The company has published suggestions as to how the game can be reenacted using the Kill-team rules in the revised Warhammer 40,000 rulebook.3rd Edition
On August 17, 2009 an official re-release of the Space Hulk board game was confirmed and listed for pre-order on the Games Workshop web site, to be released on September 5, 2009. The mail order stocks sold out three days before release, and most Games Workshop retail outlets were sold out within a week of release. The company have announced no plans to reprint the game as it was intended to be a limited release.The rules have been modernised to some extent, but are largely similar to those from the first edition. One critical rule change is that a marine jamming his weapon on overwatch does not lose the overwatch status. Also, a new rule, allowing a Marine to go on guard (essentially a Close Combat version of overwatch,) was added.
The models for the 3rd edition are new sculpts designed specifically for Space Hulk instead of being shared with the sets for tabletop Warhammer 40,000. Advancements in sculpting and moulding have allowed Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
's Alex Hedström to add a greater level of detail to the figures. Each of the twelve Terminators has a distinct appearance, such as Brother Omnio being shown consulting a scanner mounted in his Power Fist. The Genestealers are shown in varied poses, with one bursting up from the floor and another climbing down from the wall. The game's card counters and board sections have been made using new debossing techniques which can apply shallow depressions into the cardboard. These board sections are additionally much thicker and heavier than the original stock. The Games Workshop studio and box art represents the Blood Angels Space Marine Chapter.
Computer Games
Three computer games were made based on the board game, the first, Space Hulk, for the PC and Amiga; and the second, Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood AngelsSpace Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels
Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels is a video game published by EA in 1995 for the 3DO which was later ported to the PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn, It is based on Games Workshop's board game Space Hulk and is the sequel to the 1993 game Space Hulk...
for the PC, PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, and 3DO
3DO Interactive Multiplayer
The 3DO Interactive Multiplayer is a video game console originally produced by Panasonic in 1993. Further renditions of the hardware were released in 1994 by Sanyo and Goldstar. The consoles were manufactured according to specifications created by The 3DO Company, and were originally designed by...
consoles
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. Both of these were tactical action shooters based on the boardgame rather than reproductions of the boardgame. In 2008, a small group of hobbyists released a PC conversion of the board game, along with assorted scenarios, for free over the Internet. However, within a month the game was removed from the developers' site. They noted that the web download traffic was creating problems, and that Games Workshop were threatening legal action due to THQ
THQ
THQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
's current ownership of the Warhammer 40,000 video game license. According to the development team, their attempts to negotiate for the release of the game with THQ were refused, resulting in the game being rebranded under the name "Alien Assault".
Mobile Phone
In 2005, a mobile phoneMobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
version of the Space Hulk boardgame was released. This game replicates the board game's play mechanics and allows play as either Space Marines or Genestealers.
Freeware
A fan-made game called NetHulk is currently available as freeware. It allows two players to compete head-to-head over an internet/LAN connection or in a hotseatHotseat (multiplayer mode)
Hotseat or hot seat is a multiplayer mode provided by some turn-based video games, which allows two or more players to play on the same device by taking turns playing the game...
mode. The game's rules do not strictly adhere to the board game, but are a hybrid of the first and second editions. QSpacehulk is another fan-made freeware available which strictly follows the rules of the second edition.
Card Games
Fantasy Flight GamesFantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games is a Roseville, Minnesota-based game company that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games. Fantasy Flight Publishing was founded in 1995 by its CEO, Christian T. Petersen. Since the release of its first game product in 1997, the company has been doing...
released a card-based derivative called "Space Hulk: Death Angel - The Card Game" in Summer 2010, followed by two expansion packs in Spring 2011.
In Warhammer 40,000
In Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
, the term "space hulk" is used to refer to any massive derelict space ships. Space hulks may house more than just Genestealers; other threats aboard can include followers of Chaos (who do not mind traveling in the Warp), Warp Daemons, and Orks who use space hulks as their "standard" method of interstellar travel. As a corollary, Space Marine Terminators have also fought Genestealers in other settings with narrow corridors in more locales than just space ships; for instance during Hive Fleet Kraken's invasion which instigated an uprising on the Imperial planet Ichar IV, Ultramarines Terminators eliminated a Genestealer Cult in a crypt beneath the rebel-held cathedreal.
Space Hulk was one of the first introductions of Genestealers, and although subsequent games have included them as part of the overall Tyranid army, Genestealers can still have a sub-army as in a Genestealer cult.
Space Marines Terminators were originally only used in Space Hulk-type scenarios and not the open battlefield, however demand was high enough that rules were added for their deployment in conventional Warhammer 40,000 battles. The plastic five-man Terminator squads with standard armament (4 carry storm bolters while 1 has the heavy flamer, 4 have power gloves except the sergeant who has a powersword) were initially only found in the Space Hulk board game, but they were released as a separate box set in 1997 for players who wanted them for Warhammer 40,000 battles. Previously, the only standalone Terminators were available as expensive metal figures in box sets and blister packs. The metal Terminators continued to be sold alongside their plastic counterparts for some time as they contained exclusive weapons and ornaments not found in their plastic counterparts, such as assault cannons and lightening claws, and Chapter-specific sets for the Dark Angels Deathwing and Space Wolves Wolf Guard. In the 2000s, however, Games Workshop phased out metal Terminator figures altogether, and the plastic Terminator box sets now contain a variety of weapons.