The rumours have been bounding round for ages...good that it is finally out :-)
This is such a definite buy. The old GW boardgames were excellent...full of theme, and decent fast gameplay, and in the most part a good balance (mainly as they didn't over-complicate things).
Submitted by babychaos on Mon, 2009-08-17 14:55
You won't often see me genuinely excited. Especially not about a GW product.
But I am now. :)
Submitted by AggroBoy on Mon, 2009-08-17 17:41
As a warning, it does look limited edition... I've heard numbers of 70,000 worldwide. No idea if that is hype to get units out of the door or not.
I've just pre-ordered my copy. Do you reckon it is worth swapping September's session over to Space Hulk? It's good timing, as we are somewhat between games?
Submitted by babychaos on Mon, 2009-08-17 17:54
I'd like in on that session, if poss.
Submitted by brainwipe on Tue, 2009-08-18 10:57
It's just arrived in the office :-D
I obviously don't dare unpack it here, otherwise I may as well just get the "SAD GEEK" pointy hat out. I'll go through it all tonight :-)
Submitted by babychaos on Wed, 2009-09-02 10:32
Have you got that 'too excited to work' or 'must go home' clock watching twitch yet? :)
Submitted by brainwipe on Wed, 2009-09-02 13:07
It's tempered by the fact I have a sports massage at 5.30 tonight, and last time I had one I was left with bruises for the next 4 days...
I'm actually looking forward to having a go at painting the miniatures. It's ages since I have weilded a paintbrush in anger, and the models in the new edition are pretty awesome. Planning on trying the new-fangled "dipping" technique, which gives good results pretty quickly if done right. I need to pick up a can of red and purple Army Painter base coat, and I might have to venture into the GW store to see if they do transfers and decals.
Submitted by babychaos on Wed, 2009-09-02 13:24
It's beautiful...
...my precious...
In all seriousness, really high quality materials...puts their competitors (Fantasy Flight) to shame...
Submitted by babychaos on Wed, 2009-09-02 17:18
Spent a bit of time last night de-sprueing the cardboard components, and reading the books. I really do get the feeling that one of the reasons they have released this is to remind all the 30-40'somethings who have drifted away exactly what Games Workshop is about, as well as giving a subtle finger to newer boardgame companies such as Fantasy Flight, just to show who really started it all...
The cardboard sections (board, tokens, doors) are stupidly chunky...about 5-6mm (about twice the thickness of Descent/Doom cardstock), and the board sections have indenting for extra effect. They seem to have thrown the Cut'n'Paste tool out of the window, so every tile section is unique, and they have gone to town on the various rooms.
I have yet to put the minatures together (I have a shopping list for today to include a new blade and superglue), however they have gone to town...there are 12 unique Terminator models, and 22 Genestealers (with some duplication there, about 30%). This is where they have really gone to show the newer games companies up...while people like Fantasy Flight use soft plastic, and do single-piece moulds that are cheaper, but can hold less detail, GW use hard-plastic and multi-part models, letting them have an insane level of detail. The last time I bought GW stuff was about (counts fingers...) 12 years ago (I have too many fingers?), and back then their plastic stuff was noticeable less detailed than their lead/white metal stuff... From what I saw last night this is no longer the case, the Terminators especially are exquisite. Seriously...I'm terrified about de-sprueing them, sticking them together and then blemishing them with paint (not least because GW have now sold out online, and any new stuff will need to be hunted down, and in all probability eBay'ed, given the way previous versions of Space Hulk have gone).
I never owned a copy of Space Hulk myself previously, and had to content myself with playing friends copies. It's quite strange seeing a game these days without cards. Flicking through the rulebook reminded me that this was a game based off wargames of old, so it's all dice and action points. You live and die by your moves and rolls, not by hidden mechanisms. It's also very streamlined, which makes sense when you think that one player is limited to 3 minutes for each of his goes (the only "weak" component really is the sand-timer, which is a small and generic little thing... I'm going to look into getting a nice, big beefy one to go with my giant dice). The rules are pretty much 1st Edition, with some inclusions from the expansions (so you have close assault weapons such as Lightning Claws and Thunder Hammers). Fast, effective, and brutally unforgiving... Their simplicity also gives one huge advantage...lack-of ambiguity. One of the reasons the game has endured so long is that it sticks to the basic premise of Simple Rules, Complex Tactics. It's something that modern-day boardgame designers could take note of (and once again FFG, I'm looking at you...)
Last thing to mention is the rulebook...this is what really teleported me back to 1992. The missions each cover 2 pages...half a page is a map, half a page is set-up and victory conditions, and the rest is pure GW backdrop, story and theme. I was reading through it, and already wondering if I should think about playing the full games again (if I start thinking about it too much I'll take a look at the prices, and remember how long I spent being shit at painting). I think GW have actually pulled off a pretty clever move by doing a re-release of Space Hulk. The limited release, and short notice mean that it's more lightly to be picked up by those pining for it from yesteryear, those customers who "grew out" of Games Workshop. It's a very focused reminder to them of just what they left behind...
Submitted by babychaos on Thu, 2009-09-03 08:55
Great write up! Can't wait to play.
As it's space hulk, you should get a big screen timer thing like they have in kitchens for food. The count down would be better than staring at the sand.
Comments
And here is another little review thingy
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?aId=2900037a
I suspect Aggro will be in the queue as well...
The rumours have been bounding round for ages...good that it is finally out :-)
This is such a definite buy. The old GW boardgames were excellent...full of theme, and decent fast gameplay, and in the most part a good balance (mainly as they didn't over-complicate things).
You won't often see me genuinely excited. Especially not about a GW product.
But I am now. :)
As a warning, it does look limited edition... I've heard numbers of 70,000 worldwide. No idea if that is hype to get units out of the door or not.
I've just pre-ordered my copy. Do you reckon it is worth swapping September's session over to Space Hulk? It's good timing, as we are somewhat between games?
I'd like in on that session, if poss.
It's just arrived in the office :-D
I obviously don't dare unpack it here, otherwise I may as well just get the "SAD GEEK" pointy hat out. I'll go through it all tonight :-)
Have you got that 'too excited to work' or 'must go home' clock watching twitch yet? :)
It's tempered by the fact I have a sports massage at 5.30 tonight, and last time I had one I was left with bruises for the next 4 days...
I'm actually looking forward to having a go at painting the miniatures. It's ages since I have weilded a paintbrush in anger, and the models in the new edition are pretty awesome. Planning on trying the new-fangled "dipping" technique, which gives good results pretty quickly if done right. I need to pick up a can of red and purple Army Painter base coat, and I might have to venture into the GW store to see if they do transfers and decals.
It's beautiful...
...my precious...
In all seriousness, really high quality materials...puts their competitors (Fantasy Flight) to shame...
Spent a bit of time last night de-sprueing the cardboard components, and reading the books. I really do get the feeling that one of the reasons they have released this is to remind all the 30-40'somethings who have drifted away exactly what Games Workshop is about, as well as giving a subtle finger to newer boardgame companies such as Fantasy Flight, just to show who really started it all...
The cardboard sections (board, tokens, doors) are stupidly chunky...about 5-6mm (about twice the thickness of Descent/Doom cardstock), and the board sections have indenting for extra effect. They seem to have thrown the Cut'n'Paste tool out of the window, so every tile section is unique, and they have gone to town on the various rooms.
I have yet to put the minatures together (I have a shopping list for today to include a new blade and superglue), however they have gone to town...there are 12 unique Terminator models, and 22 Genestealers (with some duplication there, about 30%). This is where they have really gone to show the newer games companies up...while people like Fantasy Flight use soft plastic, and do single-piece moulds that are cheaper, but can hold less detail, GW use hard-plastic and multi-part models, letting them have an insane level of detail. The last time I bought GW stuff was about (counts fingers...) 12 years ago (I have too many fingers?), and back then their plastic stuff was noticeable less detailed than their lead/white metal stuff... From what I saw last night this is no longer the case, the Terminators especially are exquisite. Seriously...I'm terrified about de-sprueing them, sticking them together and then blemishing them with paint (not least because GW have now sold out online, and any new stuff will need to be hunted down, and in all probability eBay'ed, given the way previous versions of Space Hulk have gone).
I never owned a copy of Space Hulk myself previously, and had to content myself with playing friends copies. It's quite strange seeing a game these days without cards. Flicking through the rulebook reminded me that this was a game based off wargames of old, so it's all dice and action points. You live and die by your moves and rolls, not by hidden mechanisms. It's also very streamlined, which makes sense when you think that one player is limited to 3 minutes for each of his goes (the only "weak" component really is the sand-timer, which is a small and generic little thing... I'm going to look into getting a nice, big beefy one to go with my giant dice). The rules are pretty much 1st Edition, with some inclusions from the expansions (so you have close assault weapons such as Lightning Claws and Thunder Hammers). Fast, effective, and brutally unforgiving... Their simplicity also gives one huge advantage...lack-of ambiguity. One of the reasons the game has endured so long is that it sticks to the basic premise of Simple Rules, Complex Tactics. It's something that modern-day boardgame designers could take note of (and once again FFG, I'm looking at you...)
Last thing to mention is the rulebook...this is what really teleported me back to 1992. The missions each cover 2 pages...half a page is a map, half a page is set-up and victory conditions, and the rest is pure GW backdrop, story and theme. I was reading through it, and already wondering if I should think about playing the full games again (if I start thinking about it too much I'll take a look at the prices, and remember how long I spent being shit at painting). I think GW have actually pulled off a pretty clever move by doing a re-release of Space Hulk. The limited release, and short notice mean that it's more lightly to be picked up by those pining for it from yesteryear, those customers who "grew out" of Games Workshop. It's a very focused reminder to them of just what they left behind...
Great write up! Can't wait to play.
As it's space hulk, you should get a big screen timer thing like they have in kitchens for food. The count down would be better than staring at the sand.
Well, I do now have a spare TV...
I've got a spare cheapo laptop...
I'm not short of screens at the moment...
Some chap made this a while ago for Space Hulk V.1 (large file...1.8meg)
Having watched people deal with Space Alert, timed games may well be superb spectator fun :-)
Why use a spare screen when you have a spare projector