Space Hulk

Join the marines to visit faraway places and kill lots and lots of aliens

• Space Hulk
• Warhammer Games
• Two players
• Ages 12 to adult
• MSRP $59.95

pace Hulk, a board game of combat between Space Marines and the six-limbed alien Genestealers, has been re-released in a new edition that clarifies some rules but otherwise leaves the original alien-blasting classic intact. As with the original, the board consists of a derelict space ship -- or space hulk -- that's pieced together from puzzle-like segments to create rooms, corridors and junctions (See a 69K .JPG picture of the board and pieces). The actual configuration of the board changes according to the mission being played.

Missions are the heart of Space Hulk, and they define the individual rules and goals that players must adhere to in order to win a game. For instance, in the first mission the Space Marines must travel from point A to point B aboard a hulk and destroy a key room. The Genestealers win if they can stop the marines from achieving their goal. Although this introductory mission is relatively simple, the missions get more complex as they go on.

Strategies for each side vary drastically. While Genestealers have sheer numbers, maneuverability and the advantage in close combat, the marines have superior weaponry and a decided edge when fighting at long range. Play is driven by action points, which may be used for turning, moving, attacking, etc. Hand-to-hand combat is regulated by standard six-sided dice, while attacks with the marine's standard weapon -- the stormbolter -- are regulated by special dice that turn up hits, misses, and, more ominously, gun jams. The marines can also use a flamer, which has its own simple rules.

Although Space Hulk is rightly a board game, it strives to infuse physicality and a real-time element into the play. The action proceeds with reasonable logic, and the limitations and advantages of both sides seem fair. One exception to this is the overkill rule. If a marine fires an especially powerful shot, dictated by the roll of the dice, the shot may continue to travel after killing its first victim. This is called overkill, but oddly enough -- and unrealistically -- it only affects Genestealers.

The individual missions themselves have their own unique flavor, and they often tilt the odds none-too-subtly for one side or the other (which is by design and keeps play interesting). One of Hulk's strengths is that games can be played in a relatively short amount of time, so players can play matched games as first one side and then the other to completely change perspectives. There are 18 missions in all, comprising three major marine campaigns.

Overall Space Hulk is fairly well-designed and fun to play, and the variability of the board and its realistic look infuse game play with excitement. The concept of aliens vs. Space Marines among the tight corners of an industrial-looking environment might borrow a bit obviously from the Alien film series, but such obvious references help make the game work on a visceral level.

The Marines are a bit dorky looking, but most everything else has a pleasant visual feel. Reading the rules requires a definite time commitment, but once accomplished, the rules are easy to remember. One of the strengths of this game is its variability, which keeps it fresh. -- Tamara I.

Site Index | Request a Review | Feedback