Space Hulk: A 20 year journey to play one game.

Last Updated on December 29, 2018 by FauxHammer

I’ve never blogged about a Miniature Board game, those of you who know me and those who have read my blog probably know, I don’t play miniature Board-games or Wargames. With one single exception, Space Hulk.

In my opinion, the best game that Games Workshop have ever released.

back in the old days (the 80’s/90’s) I could’t get my hands on Space Hulk, 1st edition was OOP at the time. I loved the concept of it, the tight futuristic corridors of a derelict Starship, Terminator Space Marines, Creepy Aliens with razor sharp claws. Awesome.

I managed to get my hands on a copy by trading 6 metal High-Elves that my childminder had bought for me one xmas. I felt bad giving away a loving gift I had received, but my entrepreneurial mind kicked in and I did the value calculation. 6 Metal high-elves for one box of Space Hulk (all figures and board pieces included (unpainted too). Yes, of course I’m going to make that trade.

I finally had it, the only “game” I wanted from Games Workshop.

But I never played it, I actually lived very far away from my friends and couldn’t get a player 2 to my house, and when I had a friend round, the rules were far too complicated to learn for a 13 yr old. It’s not like I could go to a shop and learn either it had been OOP for a few years.

A few years later when I had a Windows 95 PC, I had another go;

Unfortunately, this was another unsuccessful attempt as my 14yr old brain could not figure out the controls, rules or point of this game. I did figure out how to switch between the Terminators and the first person views in the corridors was cool.

By the time 2nd edition of Space Hulk was put I had moved away from my miniature hobbying days and wouldn’t return to it for several years.

When I came back n 2015, I shortly realised I’d also missed the 2014 re-release, darn. The models were now so beautiful too, fantastic dynamic poses.

The only place to pick this up was to pay over £200 on eBay, I wanted to play this game but not that bad! As GW were going crazy this year with releases, the rumour mill has been busy for a while with suggestions that a re-release of 3rd Edition was coming, and with the re-release of Blood-Bowl. I’ve been expecting a new Space Hulk to come next.

Then came White Dwarf’s December 2016 issue with the most unceremonious announcement that it is coming back. December 3rd at £75.

I wasn’t taking any chances, this was a day 1 purchase for me.

And I must say I’m absolutely in love with this game.

A couple of negatives want to brush over,

• My box was damaged and I didn’t realise until I got home
• The dice in the box are plain white dice, not these cool looking ones which are pictured on the box
• The models in their awesome dynamic poses are difficult to place next to each-other on the board
• It’s already sold out, so if you want a copy, go see how much it is on eBay

But I finally had the game! I have actually managed to play some Space Hulk thanks to the Steam release back in 2013, I got it heavily discounted for less than £5 in either a Steam Sale or from Humble Bundle and had some great fun with it. I actually “finally” learned the rules (or at least the video-game version of the rules) which had made me even more eager for this release.

And now it’s here, but what about player 2? Well thankfully, this happened.

And thanks to my wonderful wife, after 20 years I’m finally playing the real Space-Hulk board game

And wifey likes it so much, she agreed to play mission 2. (Suicide Mission), my favourite Space Hulk Mission ever.

I did hope this was a proper re-release of Space Hulk, and we were going to perhaps get some add-on packs later, but it looks like this was a limited run and it didn’t even last a week on sale. And even though card game board is nice and thick, it would be great to get a nice inlay to keep the pieces organised and safe.

 What are your thoughts on the limited return of Space-Hulk? Should it have lasted longer, do you think there will be a 4th edition coming? What would you want from it? What I want to know now is how I can expand the game beyond the mission in the book and make for many future missions.