Space Hulk is a board game for two players produced by Games Workshop . It was originally released in 1989. The game is set in the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 . In the game, a "space hulk" is a mass of ancient, derelict space ships , asteroids, and other assorted space debris. One player takes the role of Space Marine Terminators , superhuman elite soldiers who have been sent to investigate such a space hulk. The second player takes the role of Tyranid Genestealers , the vanguard of an aggressive alien species which have made their home aboard the derelict ship.
158-627: In Warhammer 40,000 , the term "space hulk" is used to refer to any massive derelict space ship that drifts through the vacuum of the galaxy without apparent direction. Since the hulks often exit and re-enter the Warp seemingly at random, searching or travelling within them is dangerous in the extreme, however the Imperium often takes the risk of exploring these hulks for valuable millennia-old technology and artifacts. Space hulks may house more than just Genestealers; other threats aboard can include human followers of
316-629: A time-limited option to pause the action while enabling the player to continue issuing commands. The Space Marines featured in this game are the Deathwing (1st Company) from the Dark Angels Chapter. A game titled Aspect Warriors was under development and planned to be published by Electronic Arts for the Sega Mega Drive but it was never released. Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels
474-439: A "point value" which roughly corresponds to how powerful the model is; for example, a Tactical Space Marine is valued at 13 points, whereas a Land Raider tank is valued at 240 points. The sum of the point values of a player's models must not exceed the agreed limit. If the point values of the players' respective armies both add up to the limit, they are assumed to be balanced. 500 to 2,000 points are common point limits. Although
632-439: A "point value" which roughly corresponds to how powerful the model is; for example, a Tactical Space Marine is valued at 13 points, whereas a Land Raider tank is valued at 240 points. The sum of the point values of a player's models must not exceed the agreed limit. If the point values of the players' respective armies both add up to the limit, they are assumed to be balanced. 500 to 2,000 points are common point limits. Although
790-517: A bad tactical decision or even unlucky dice rolls, while successful gameplay can involve outnumbered Aeldari units that outmanoeuvre the opponent and kill entire units/squads before they have a chance to retaliate. Aeldari vehicles, unlike their infantry counterparts, are very tough and hard to kill because of many evasive and shielding benefits. With the exception of walkers, all Aeldari vehicles are skimmers which allow them to move freely across difficult terrain, and with upgrades, at speeds only matched by
948-517: A bad tactical decision or even unlucky dice rolls, while successful gameplay can involve outnumbered Aeldari units that outmanoeuvre the opponent and kill entire units/squads before they have a chance to retaliate. Aeldari vehicles, unlike their infantry counterparts, are very tough and hard to kill because of many evasive and shielding benefits. With the exception of walkers, all Aeldari vehicles are skimmers which allow them to move freely across difficult terrain, and with upgrades, at speeds only matched by
1106-410: A cathedral. The story is co-written by Gav Thorpe , a longtime Games Workshop author and games designer. [1] Space Hulk: Tactics , released in 2018, is a video game for PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One. It was developed by Cyanide Studio and published by Focus Home Interactive . One official card game has been released. Space Hulk: Death Angel — The Card Game is a card game using
1264-413: A certain standard. The composition of the players' armies must fit the rivalries and alliances depicted in the setting. All models listed in the rulebooks have keywords that divide them into factions . In a matched game, a player may only use models in their army that are all loyal to a common faction. Thus, a player cannot, for example, use a mixture of Aeldari and Necron models in their army, because in
1422-413: A certain standard. The composition of the players' armies must fit the rivalries and alliances depicted in the setting. All models listed in the rulebooks have keywords that divide them into factions . In a matched game, a player may only use models in their army that are all loyal to a common faction. Thus, a player cannot, for example, use a mixture of Aeldari and Necron models in their army, because in
1580-864: A city hidden within the Webway and must inflict pain on others to survive. There are a number of minor subfactions too: the Harlequins, followers of the Laughing God Cegorach; and the Ynnari, followers of the death god Ynnead. Although it has been 10,000 years since their empire's fall, the Aeldari have never recovered, due to their low fertility and aggression by other races. Craftworld Aeldari infantry tend to be highly specialised and relatively frail, often described as "glass cannons" because of their lack of staying power and flexibility, Aeldari armies can suffer severe losses after
1738-599: A city hidden within the Webway and must inflict pain on others to survive. There are a number of minor subfactions too: the Harlequins, followers of the Laughing God Cegorach; and the Ynnari, followers of the death god Ynnead. Although it has been 10,000 years since their empire's fall, the Aeldari have never recovered, due to their low fertility and aggression by other races. Craftworld Aeldari infantry tend to be highly specialised and relatively frail, often described as "glass cannons" because of their lack of staying power and flexibility, Aeldari armies can suffer severe losses after
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#17328811427121896-420: A fixed playing field. Players construct their own custom-made battlefield using modular terrain models. Games Workshop sells a variety of proprietary terrain models, but players often use generic or homemade ones. Unlike certain other miniature wargames such as BattleTech , Warhammer 40,000 does not use a grid system, so players must use a measuring tape to measure distances, which are measured in inches. All
2054-420: A fixed playing field. Players construct their own custom-made battlefield using modular terrain models. Games Workshop sells a variety of proprietary terrain models, but players often use generic or homemade ones. Unlike certain other miniature wargames such as BattleTech , Warhammer 40,000 does not use a grid system, so players must use a measuring tape to measure distances, which are measured in inches. All
2212-499: A genestealer cult within their host human society, steadily expanding their numbers and political influence. When a Tyranid fleet approaches their planet, they will launch an uprising to weaken the planet's defences so that the Tyranids may more easily conquer it and consume its biomass. In earlier editions of the game, Genestealer Cults could only be used as auxiliaries to a regular Tyranid army, but since 8th edition, they can be played as
2370-448: A genestealer cult within their host human society, steadily expanding their numbers and political influence. When a Tyranid fleet approaches their planet, they will launch an uprising to weaken the planet's defences so that the Tyranids may more easily conquer it and consume its biomass. In earlier editions of the game, Genestealer Cults could only be used as auxiliaries to a regular Tyranid army, but since 8th edition, they can be played as
2528-505: A hybrid of the first and second editions. QSpacehulk is another fan-made freeware available which strictly follows the rules of the second edition. Space Hulk is a video game for PC (Windows) and Mac and Linux by Copenhagen-based game developer Full Control ApS. It was released in August 2013. The game has received mixed reviews, holding a rating of 59 (out of 100, based on 4 reviews) on review aggregator Metacritic. Space Hulk: Ascension
2686-599: A model of a Space Marine armed with a "boltgun" can shoot any enemy unit within 24 inches. Most of the races in the game have units with psychic powers. Prior to the release of the 10th edition of the game, Psyker units had the ability to cause unusual effects, such as rendering allied units invulnerable or teleporting units across the battlefield. The 10th Edition rules no longer use this feature. After ranged weapons are used, each unit can charge into melee range against enemy units. Units engaged in melee combat then take turns attacking each other until they all have fought. When it
2844-599: A model of a Space Marine armed with a "boltgun" can shoot any enemy unit within 24 inches. Most of the races in the game have units with psychic powers. Prior to the release of the 10th edition of the game, Psyker units had the ability to cause unusual effects, such as rendering allied units invulnerable or teleporting units across the battlefield. The 10th Edition rules no longer use this feature. After ranged weapons are used, each unit can charge into melee range against enemy units. Units engaged in melee combat then take turns attacking each other until they all have fought. When it
3002-463: A model of a Tactical Space Marine has a "Move" range of 6 inches and a "Toughness" rating of 4 and is armed with a "boltgun" with a range of 24 inches. Both players must declare which models they will play with before the match starts, and once the match is underway, they cannot add any new models to their armies. In official tournaments, it is mandatory for players to only use Games Workshop's models, and those models must be properly assembled to match
3160-463: A model of a Tactical Space Marine has a "Move" range of 6 inches and a "Toughness" rating of 4 and is armed with a "boltgun" with a range of 24 inches. Both players must declare which models they will play with before the match starts, and once the match is underway, they cannot add any new models to their armies. In official tournaments, it is mandatory for players to only use Games Workshop's models, and those models must be properly assembled to match
3318-468: A model suffers more points of damage than its "Wound characteristic" permits, it dies. Dead models are removed from the playing field. Most models have only one Wound point, but certain models such as "hero characters", vehicles and elite troops have multiple Wound points, so the damage they accumulate must be recorded. At the end of each turn, dice are rolled to determine if units who have lost models "lose morale" and become Battleshocked. Then play passes to
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#17328811427123476-468: A model suffers more points of damage than its "Wound characteristic" permits, it dies. Dead models are removed from the playing field. Most models have only one Wound point, but certain models such as "hero characters", vehicles and elite troops have multiple Wound points, so the damage they accumulate must be recorded. At the end of each turn, dice are rolled to determine if units who have lost models "lose morale" and become Battleshocked. Then play passes to
3634-487: A number of specialist units with abilities such as psychic powers or vehicle repair, but typically Ork warfare is about brute force and attrition. Ork gameplay is seen as fairly forgiving of tactical errors and bad die rolls. The Tyranids are a mysterious alien race from another galaxy. They migrate from planet to planet, devouring all life in their path. Tyranids are linked by a psychic hive mind and individual Tyranids become feral when separated from it. Tyranid "technology"
3792-487: A number of specialist units with abilities such as psychic powers or vehicle repair, but typically Ork warfare is about brute force and attrition. Ork gameplay is seen as fairly forgiving of tactical errors and bad die rolls. The Tyranids are a mysterious alien race from another galaxy. They migrate from planet to planet, devouring all life in their path. Tyranids are linked by a psychic hive mind and individual Tyranids become feral when separated from it. Tyranid "technology"
3950-460: A particular Chaos God, which focuses the style of play. For instance, an army themed around Nurgle will consist of slow-moving but tough troops. Likewise, a Chaos army themed around Khorne will lean towards melee combat and eschew psykers. The Necrons are an ancient race of skeleton-like androids. Millions of years ago, they were flesh-and-blood beings, but then they transferred their minds into android bodies, thereby achieving immortality. However,
4108-460: A particular Chaos God, which focuses the style of play. For instance, an army themed around Nurgle will consist of slow-moving but tough troops. Likewise, a Chaos army themed around Khorne will lean towards melee combat and eschew psykers. The Necrons are an ancient race of skeleton-like androids. Millions of years ago, they were flesh-and-blood beings, but then they transferred their minds into android bodies, thereby achieving immortality. However,
4266-499: A player can only use units from the same faction in their army. The Imperium of Man is described as an authoritarian human empire that comprises approximately 1 million worlds and has existed for over 10,000 years. The faction abhors aliens to the point that associating with aliens is a capital offence . The state religion of the Imperium is centred around its founder, the Emperor of Mankind, who united humanity millennia earlier. Although
4424-449: A player can only use units from the same faction in their army. The Imperium of Man is described as an authoritarian human empire that comprises approximately 1 million worlds and has existed for over 10,000 years. The faction abhors aliens to the point that associating with aliens is a capital offence . The state religion of the Imperium is centred around its founder, the Emperor of Mankind, who united humanity millennia earlier. Although
4582-584: A poor rating of only 2 out of 5, saying, "There are some great ideas buried deep in the bowels of Space Hulk , but at the moment ideas is all they are." Two issues later, in the November 1989 edition of Games International (Issue 10), Space Hulk ' s rating was raised to 3 out of 5, with the comment "Upgraded one star since our original review [...] as subsequent scenarios proved to be more balanced." In Issue 43 of Challenge , John Theisen commented, "There's something very different about this game. Maybe it’s
4740-646: A regular game, and the armies that appear in tournaments can be many times more. Games Workshop sells a large variety of gaming models for Warhammer 40,000 , but no ready-to-play models. Rather, it sells boxes of model parts, which players are expected to assemble and paint themselves. Each miniature model represents an individual soldier, vehicle, or monster. Most Warhammer 40,000 models are made of polystyrene but certain models, which are made and sold in small volumes, are made of lead-free pewter or epoxy resin . Games Workshop also sells glue, tools, and acrylic paints for finishing models. The assembly and painting of
4898-646: A regular game, and the armies that appear in tournaments can be many times more. Games Workshop sells a large variety of gaming models for Warhammer 40,000 , but no ready-to-play models. Rather, it sells boxes of model parts, which players are expected to assemble and paint themselves. Each miniature model represents an individual soldier, vehicle, or monster. Most Warhammer 40,000 models are made of polystyrene but certain models, which are made and sold in small volumes, are made of lead-free pewter or epoxy resin . Games Workshop also sells glue, tools, and acrylic paints for finishing models. The assembly and painting of
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5056-501: A religious taboo on scientific inquiry and innovation. Most Warhammer 40,000 fiction is written from the perspective of the Imperium, often with humans as protagonists. Of all the factions, the Imperium has the largest catalogue of models, which gives Imperium players the flexibility to design their army for any style of play. That said, players tend to build their armies around specific sub-factions which have more focused playstyles. For instance, an army of Space Marines will consist of
5214-501: A religious taboo on scientific inquiry and innovation. Most Warhammer 40,000 fiction is written from the perspective of the Imperium, often with humans as protagonists. Of all the factions, the Imperium has the largest catalogue of models, which gives Imperium players the flexibility to design their army for any style of play. That said, players tend to build their armies around specific sub-factions which have more focused playstyles. For instance, an army of Space Marines will consist of
5372-495: A ripper!'" In the April 1991 edition of Dragon (Issue 168), Ken Rolston called the 1st edition of the game "excellent", commenting on the "Expensive and elegant components, lovely alien Genestealer and Space Marine models, simple systems, and exceptionally clear rules with lots of helpful diagrams." He also complimented the "fast pace of play and lots of action and mayhem." In Issue 22 of Magia i Miecz , Artur Marciniak reviewed
5530-582: A separate army. Although there is a dedicated line of Genestealer Cult models, a player can also use models from the Imperial Guard (a sub-faction of the Imperium) in their Genestealer Cult army. This is an exception to the common-faction rule and is based on the logic that these "human" models are actually genestealer hybrids who look perfectly human. Like other Tyranids, Genestealers are fast and hard-hitting but fragile. All Genestealer Cult infantry and bikers have
5688-474: A separate army. Although there is a dedicated line of Genestealer Cult models, a player can also use models from the Imperial Guard (a sub-faction of the Imperium) in their Genestealer Cult army. This is an exception to the common-faction rule and is based on the logic that these "human" models are actually genestealer hybrids who look perfectly human. Like other Tyranids, Genestealers are fast and hard-hitting but fragile. All Genestealer Cult infantry and bikers have
5846-513: 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
6004-683: A small number of powerful infantry, whereas an Imperial Guard army will have weak but plentiful infantry combined with strong artillery and vehicles. Chaos represents the myriad servants of the Chaos Gods, malevolent and depraved entities and daemons who formed from the base thoughts and emotions of all mortal sentients. Those exposed to the influence of the Chaos are twisted in both mind and body and perform sordid acts of devotion to their dark gods, who in turn reward them with "gifts" such as physical mutations, psychic power, and mystical artefacts. Like their gods,
6162-582: A small number of powerful infantry, whereas an Imperial Guard army will have weak but plentiful infantry combined with strong artillery and vehicles. Chaos represents the myriad servants of the Chaos Gods, malevolent and depraved entities and daemons who formed from the base thoughts and emotions of all mortal sentients. Those exposed to the influence of the Chaos are twisted in both mind and body and perform sordid acts of devotion to their dark gods, who in turn reward them with "gifts" such as physical mutations, psychic power, and mystical artefacts. Like their gods,
6320-400: A special die for one to six players by Fantasy Flight Games . It was released in 2010. Four expansion packs have been released: In the August 1989 edition of Games International (Issue #8), Brian Walker admired the professional production quality of this game. However, he found the game lacked play balance, since the space marines nearly always lost badly. He concluded by giving the game
6478-423: A system far greater than its parts. Better yet, every part of the game works to support not only each other but the game's underlying metaphor, giving a united play experience that's unmatched." Warhammer 40,000 Warhammer 40,000 (sometimes colloquially called Warhammer 40K , WH40K or 40k ) is a miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop . It is the most popular miniature wargame in
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6636-589: A trait called "Cult Ambush" that allows them to be set up off table and later be set up on the table, instead of being set up in the designated starting zones at the start of the game (similar to the Space Marines' "Deep Strike" ability). The visual design of the Tyranids was inspired by the art of H. R. Giger , with the genestealer sub-race being further inspired by the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise . The T'au are
6794-434: A trait called "Cult Ambush" that allows them to be set up off table and later be set up on the table, instead of being set up in the designated starting zones at the start of the game (similar to the Space Marines' "Deep Strike" ability). The visual design of the Tyranids was inspired by the art of H. R. Giger , with the genestealer sub-race being further inspired by the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise . The T'au are
6952-406: A unit. All models in a unit must stay close to each other. Each model in a unit must finish a turn within two inches of another model from the unit. If there are more than five models in a unit, each model must be within two inches of two other models. After moving, each model can attack any enemy unit within range and line-of-fire of whatever weapons and psychic powers its models have. For instance,
7110-406: A unit. All models in a unit must stay close to each other. Each model in a unit must finish a turn within two inches of another model from the unit. If there are more than five models in a unit, each model must be within two inches of two other models. After moving, each model can attack any enemy unit within range and line-of-fire of whatever weapons and psychic powers its models have. For instance,
7268-465: A young race of blue-skinned humanoid aliens inhabiting a relatively small but growing empire located on the fringe of the Imperium of Man. The T'au Empire is the only playable faction in the setting that integrates different alien species into their society. They seek to unite all other races under an ideology they call "the Greater Good". Some human worlds have willingly defected from the Imperium to join
7426-410: A young race of blue-skinned humanoid aliens inhabiting a relatively small but growing empire located on the fringe of the Imperium of Man. The T'au Empire is the only playable faction in the setting that integrates different alien species into their society. They seek to unite all other races under an ideology they call "the Greater Good". Some human worlds have willingly defected from the Imperium to join
7584-490: Is a video game for PC (Windows), Mac, Linux and PlayStation 4 by Full Control ApS. It was released in November 2014 for PC. Space Hulk: Deathwing is a tactical first-person shooter developed by Streum On Studio released in 2016 for the PC and PlayStation 4. It expands the gameplay environment, beyond the narrow maze-like corridors of the original board game and earlier video games, to include massive space ship interiors such as
7742-459: Is entirely biological, all ships and weapons being purpose-bred living creatures. Tyranids have a preference for melee combat. Their infantry models tend to be numerous and fast but frail. They have low point costs, meaning Tyranid armies in the game are relatively large (many cheap weak models, as opposed to armies with few expensive powerful models such as the Space Marines ). Tyranids also have
7900-404: Is entirely biological, all ships and weapons being purpose-bred living creatures. Tyranids have a preference for melee combat. Their infantry models tend to be numerous and fast but frail. They have low point costs, meaning Tyranid armies in the game are relatively large (many cheap weak models, as opposed to armies with few expensive powerful models such as the Space Marines ). Tyranids also have
8058-468: Is in their interest, Orks recklessly start unnecessary conflicts for the pleasure of a good fight. Orks do not fear death, and combat is the only thing that gives them emotional fulfillment. Ork technology consists of dashed-together scrap that by all logic should be unreliable if even functional, but Orks generate a psychic field that makes their ramshackle technology work properly or more effectively (for example, vehicles painted red are faster, simply because
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#17328811427128216-468: Is in their interest, Orks recklessly start unnecessary conflicts for the pleasure of a good fight. Orks do not fear death, and combat is the only thing that gives them emotional fulfillment. Ork technology consists of dashed-together scrap that by all logic should be unreliable if even functional, but Orks generate a psychic field that makes their ramshackle technology work properly or more effectively (for example, vehicles painted red are faster, simply because
8374-539: Is notable for its hidden play mechanics, from which it derives much of its playability and tension. On the one hand, the Terminator player has a variable number of "command points" available each turn which are only revealed to the Genestealer player after they are used up; these command points may be used to move the Terminator pieces either during the Terminator player's own turn or during the Genestealer player's turn. (In
8532-611: Is set around 40,000 AD. Though Warhammer 40,000 is mostly a scifi setting, it adapts a number of tropes from fantasy fiction , such as magic, supernatural beings, daemonic possession, and fantasy races such as orcs and elves; "psykers" fill the role of wizards in the setting. The setting of this game inherits many fantasy tropes from Warhammer Fantasy (a similar wargame from Games Workshop ), and by extension from Dungeons & Dragons . Games Workshop used to make miniature models for use in Dungeons & Dragons , and Warhammer Fantasy
8690-561: Is set around 40,000 AD. Though Warhammer 40,000 is mostly a scifi setting, it adapts a number of tropes from fantasy fiction , such as magic, supernatural beings, daemonic possession, and fantasy races such as orcs and elves; "psykers" fill the role of wizards in the setting. The setting of this game inherits many fantasy tropes from Warhammer Fantasy (a similar wargame from Games Workshop ), and by extension from Dungeons & Dragons . Games Workshop used to make miniature models for use in Dungeons & Dragons , and Warhammer Fantasy
8848-417: Is their turn to attack, the player declares to their opponent whichever of the models is attacking whichever enemy unit, and rolls dice to determine how much damage their models inflict upon their targets. The attacking player cannot target individual models within an enemy unit. If an enemy unit receives damage, the enemy player chooses which model in the unit suffers injury. Damage is measured in points, and if
9006-417: Is their turn to attack, the player declares to their opponent whichever of the models is attacking whichever enemy unit, and rolls dice to determine how much damage their models inflict upon their targets. The attacking player cannot target individual models within an enemy unit. If an enemy unit receives damage, the enemy player chooses which model in the unit suffers injury. Damage is measured in points, and if
9164-680: The Genestealer expansion.) In the basic version of the game, playing as the Terminators can be engaging and tactically challenging, partly because the Terminator player is constrained by a time limit for their turn, while playing as the Genestealers can be very straightforward. To overcome this asymmetry, players are encouraged to play each mission of the game twice, swapping between playing with Terminators and playing with Genestealers. The fairly fast play time (around half an hour per mission), driven by
9322-479: The "Aliens and monsters" section of the first edition of Warhammer 40,000 (the "WH40K - Rogue Trader" manual). However Genestealers were redesigned for Space Hulk , being influenced by the xenomorphs depicted in the Alien franchise. The expanded and rewritten game lore cast Genestealers as a sub-species and shock troops of the all-consuming Tyranids alien race, and of particular note is that Genestealers infiltrate/infect
9480-418: The 10th edition of the rules. The rulebooks and miniature models required to play Warhammer 40,000 are copyrighted and sold exclusively by Games Workshop and its subsidiaries. These miniatures, in combination with other materials (dice, measuring tools, glue, paints, etc.), are generally more expensive than other tabletop games. A new player can expect to spend at least £200 to assemble enough materials for
9638-418: The 10th edition of the rules. The rulebooks and miniature models required to play Warhammer 40,000 are copyrighted and sold exclusively by Games Workshop and its subsidiaries. These miniatures, in combination with other materials (dice, measuring tools, glue, paints, etc.), are generally more expensive than other tabletop games. A new player can expect to spend at least £200 to assemble enough materials for
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#17328811427129796-463: The 1st edition. One critical rule change was that a Terminator jamming his gun on overwatch does not lose the overwatch status. Also, a new rule, allowing a Terminator to go on guard (essentially a close combat version of overwatch), was added. A reedition of the third edition was released on September 20, 2014. Although the Games Workshop website sold out of Space Hulk less than 24 hours after it
9954-492: The Dark Aeldari and the T'au armies. Dark Aeldari are similar to Craftworld Aeldari, with the major difference being that they have no psykers. The Orks are green-skinned aliens based on the traditional orcs of high fantasy. Orks are a comical species, with crude personalities, ramshackle weaponry, and Cockney accents. Their culture revolves around war for the sake of it. Unlike other races who generally only go to war when it
10112-437: The Dark Aeldari and the T'au armies. Dark Aeldari are similar to Craftworld Aeldari, with the major difference being that they have no psykers. The Orks are green-skinned aliens based on the traditional orcs of high fantasy. Orks are a comical species, with crude personalities, ramshackle weaponry, and Cockney accents. Their culture revolves around war for the sake of it. Unlike other races who generally only go to war when it
10270-799: The Earth Caste, who are scientists, engineers, and labourers. The T'au are oriented towards ranged combat and generally shun melee. They have some of the most powerful firearms in the game in terms of both range and stopping power. For instance, their pulse rifle surpasses the firepower of the Space Marine boltgun, and the railgun on their main battle tank (the Hammerhead) is more powerful than its Imperium counterparts. The T'au do not have any psykers. Most T'au vehicles are classified as flyers or skimmers, meaning they can move swiftly over difficult terrain. The T'au also incorporate alien auxiliaries into their army:
10428-638: The Earth Caste, who are scientists, engineers, and labourers. The T'au are oriented towards ranged combat and generally shun melee. They have some of the most powerful firearms in the game in terms of both range and stopping power. For instance, their pulse rifle surpasses the firepower of the Space Marine boltgun, and the railgun on their main battle tank (the Hammerhead) is more powerful than its Imperium counterparts. The T'au do not have any psykers. Most T'au vehicles are classified as flyers or skimmers, meaning they can move swiftly over difficult terrain. The T'au also incorporate alien auxiliaries into their army:
10586-611: The Emperor is its nominal ruler, he was mortally wounded in battle and is unable to actually rule, and is now sustained by a massive cybernetic life-support system dubbed the Golden Throne. Despite his condition, his mind still generates a "psychic beacon" called the Astronomican by which starships navigate through space which is vital to the Imperium's infrastructure. Although the Imperium has highly advanced technology, most of its technologies have not improved for thousands of years due to
10744-500: The Emperor is its nominal ruler, he was mortally wounded in battle and is unable to actually rule, and is now sustained by a massive cybernetic life-support system dubbed the Golden Throne. Despite his condition, his mind still generates a "psychic beacon" called the Astronomican by which starships navigate through space which is vital to the Imperium's infrastructure. Although the Imperium has highly advanced technology, most of its technologies have not improved for thousands of years due to
10902-461: The Emperor is that you don't know whether he's alive or dead. The whole Imperium might be running on superstition. There's no guarantee that the Emperor is anything other than a corpse with a residual mental ability to direct spacecraft. It's got some parallels with religious beliefs and principles, and I think a lot of that got missed and overwritten. Models available for play in Warhammer 40,000 are divided into "factions". Under normal circumstances,
11060-461: The Emperor is that you don't know whether he's alive or dead. The whole Imperium might be running on superstition. There's no guarantee that the Emperor is anything other than a corpse with a residual mental ability to direct spacecraft. It's got some parallels with religious beliefs and principles, and I think a lot of that got missed and overwritten. Models available for play in Warhammer 40,000 are divided into "factions". Under normal circumstances,
11218-523: The Imperium). This comes from the Dune novels. As in the Dune setting, the prohibition on artificial intelligence was passed after an ancient war against malevolent androids. To me the background to 40K was always intended to be ironic. [...] The fact that the Space Marines were lauded as heroes within Games Workshop always amused me, because they're brutal, but they're also completely self-deceiving. The whole idea of
11376-432: The Imperium). This comes from the Dune novels. As in the Dune setting, the prohibition on artificial intelligence was passed after an ancient war against malevolent androids. To me the background to 40K was always intended to be ironic. [...] The fact that the Space Marines were lauded as heroes within Games Workshop always amused me, because they're brutal, but they're also completely self-deceiving. The whole idea of
11534-515: The Kin have no natural psychic abilities, they do have artificial psykers referred to as Grimnyrs, who are responsible for communicating with the Votann. Genestealers Warhammer 40,000 (sometimes colloquially called Warhammer 40K , WH40K or 40k ) is a miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop . It is the most popular miniature wargame in the world, and is particularly popular in
11692-459: The Kroot provide melee support and the insectoid Vespids serve as fast-attack infantry. The Leagues of Votann are a confederation of abhumans known interchangeably as Squats and Kin, which are based on the dwarves of fantasy fiction. They are a spiritual successor to an earlier Squat faction that was removed from the setting for not fitting in aesthetically. Though Squats are a subspecies of humanity,
11850-411: The Kroot provide melee support and the insectoid Vespids serve as fast-attack infantry. The Leagues of Votann are a confederation of abhumans known interchangeably as Squats and Kin, which are based on the dwarves of fantasy fiction. They are a spiritual successor to an earlier Squat faction that was removed from the setting for not fitting in aesthetically. Though Squats are a subspecies of humanity,
12008-565: The Leagues of Votann stand independent of the Imperium of Man. Unlike the Imperium, the Leagues of Votann have no qualms about using artificial intelligence , treating their androids as fellow Kin. Kin culture is centred around the Votann, extremely powerful supercomputers responsible for managing the majority of Kin society and keeping records. The Kin are extremely competitive and capitalistic , with powerful corporations (referred to as Guilds) regularly strip-mining entire planets for resources. While
12166-515: The Leagues of Votann stand independent of the Imperium of Man. Unlike the Imperium, the Leagues of Votann have no qualms about using artificial intelligence , treating their androids as fellow Kin. Kin culture is centred around the Votann, extremely powerful supercomputers responsible for managing the majority of Kin society and keeping records. The Kin are extremely competitive and capitalistic , with powerful corporations (referred to as Guilds) regularly strip-mining entire planets for resources. While
12324-612: The May 1996 edition of Arcane (Issue 6), Mark Donald questioned its replayability and rated the 2nd Edition of Space Hulk a 7 out of 10, saying, "It's a fun game, a doddle to play, but it'll probably fade away to nothing once the initial playing frenzy is spent and all the missions have been played through to completion." Space Hulk was chosen for inclusion in the 2007 book Hobby Games: The 100 Best . Matt Forbeck commented, " Space Hulk taught me more about elegance in design than any other game. It's an icon of well-nested mechanics that build
12482-509: The Orks believe it to be so). If a non-Ork tries to use an Ork gadget, it would likely malfunction. Ork infantry models are slow-moving and tough. The Orks are oriented towards melee combat. Infantry models are cheap (by point cost), so a favourite strategy of Ork players is "the Green tide": they field a large horde of Ork infantry and march them across the playing field to swarm the opponent. Orks do have
12640-414: The Orks believe it to be so). If a non-Ork tries to use an Ork gadget, it would likely malfunction. Ork infantry models are slow-moving and tough. The Orks are oriented towards melee combat. Infantry models are cheap (by point cost), so a favourite strategy of Ork players is "the Green tide": they field a large horde of Ork infantry and march them across the playing field to swarm the opponent. Orks do have
12798-475: The Polish language version of the game, and although he found the translation almost as good as the original edition, he bemoaned some of the translation issues, saying, "Unfortunately, the translation of the rules of the game leaves a lot to be desired. Bizarre syntax, English terms left untranslated (including some quite important ones), it all worked to reduce my satisfaction with the Polish release of this game." In
12956-611: The T'au Empire. Such humans tend to have a better quality of life than Imperial citizens because the T'au practise humane ethics and encourage scientific progress. The T'au are divided into five endogamous castes : the Ethereals, who are the spiritual leaders; the Fire Caste, who form the T'au military; the Air Caste, who operate starships; the Water Caste, who are merchants and diplomats; and
13114-400: The T'au Empire. Such humans tend to have a better quality of life than Imperial citizens because the T'au practise humane ethics and encourage scientific progress. The T'au are divided into five endogamous castes : the Ethereals, who are the spiritual leaders; the Fire Caste, who form the T'au military; the Air Caste, who operate starships; the Water Caste, who are merchants and diplomats; and
13272-428: The Terminator player's tactical capabilities. For instance, Terminators could be configured as melee specialists in lieu of carrying ranged weapons. The Genestealer expansion pack for the first edition included rules for human-genestealer hybrids , which could carry weapons and equipment, and for a Magus and for a Patriarch, adding more depth for the Genestealer player. However, these additions were not carried over in
13430-452: The Terminator player's time limitation, makes this feasible. The Deathwing expansion pack for the first edition included rules for playing the game as a one-player game—that is, playing the game as Terminators using different mechanics for moving the Genestealer pieces. There is also the addition of the Captain and Librarian, plus further Terminator weapons into the game, which greatly expanded
13588-608: The United Kingdom. The first edition of the rulebook was published in September 1987, and the tenth and current edition was released in June 2023. As in other miniature wargames, players enact battles using miniature models of warriors and fighting vehicles. The playing area is a tabletop model of a battlefield, comprising models of buildings, hills, trees, and other terrain features. Each player takes turns moving their model warriors around
13746-433: The Warp, but certain individuals called "psykers" have an especially strong link and can manipulate the Warp's energy to work magic. Psykers are generally feared and mistrusted by humans. Psykers may have many dangerous abilities such as mind control, clairvoyance , and pyrokinesis . Moreover, the Warp is full of predatory creatures that may use a psyker's link to the Warp as a conduit by which to invade realspace. But for all
13904-433: The Warp, but certain individuals called "psykers" have an especially strong link and can manipulate the Warp's energy to work magic. Psykers are generally feared and mistrusted by humans. Psykers may have many dangerous abilities such as mind control, clairvoyance , and pyrokinesis . Moreover, the Warp is full of predatory creatures that may use a psyker's link to the Warp as a conduit by which to invade realspace. But for all
14062-418: The battlefield and fighting their opponent's warriors. These fights are resolved using dice and simple arithmetic. Warhammer 40,000 is set in the distant future, where a stagnant human civilisation is beset by hostile aliens and supernatural creatures. The models in the game are a mixture of humans, aliens, and supernatural monsters wielding futuristic weaponry and supernatural powers. The fictional setting of
14220-418: The battlefield and fighting their opponent's warriors. These fights are resolved using dice and simple arithmetic. Warhammer 40,000 is set in the distant future, where a stagnant human civilisation is beset by hostile aliens and supernatural creatures. The models in the game are a mixture of humans, aliens, and supernatural monsters wielding futuristic weaponry and supernatural powers. The fictional setting of
14378-536: The board game have been released - a video game and a card game . Numerous video games based on the Space Hulk board game have been released. Space Hulk , released in 1993, is a real-time tactical game for PC (MS-DOS) and Amiga, developed and published by Electronic Arts. Using overhead maps, the player orders the Marine squads, and controls individual Marines via first-person shooter interfaces. The game features
14536-484: The dangers that psykers pose, human civilisation cannot do without them: their telepathic powers provide faster-than-light communication and they are the best counter to supernatural foes on the battlefield. For this reason, the Imperium rounds up any psykers it finds and trains them to control their abilities and resist Warp predators. Those who fail or reject this training are executed for the safety of all. Those who pass their training are pressed into life-long servitude to
14694-484: The dangers that psykers pose, human civilisation cannot do without them: their telepathic powers provide faster-than-light communication and they are the best counter to supernatural foes on the battlefield. For this reason, the Imperium rounds up any psykers it finds and trains them to control their abilities and resist Warp predators. Those who fail or reject this training are executed for the safety of all. Those who pass their training are pressed into life-long servitude to
14852-451: The dark gods of Chaos, nightmarish Warp Daemons, and Orks who use space hulks as their "standard" method of interstellar travel. The only realistic means of stopping such threats to the Imperium is to send boarding parties to clear them these infested hulks, as they are often so huge that they can easily shrug off all but the heaviest naval firepower while having their own atmosphere and gravity. Genestealers were described in an entry of
15010-417: 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". A fan-made game called NetHulk is currently available as freeware. It allows two players to compete head-to-head over an internet or LAN connection, or in a hotseat mode. The game's rules do not strictly adhere to the board game, but are
15168-462: The dying of the light". Through constant sacrifice and toil, the Imperium delays its inevitable doom. The tone of the game's setting, exemplified by its slogan "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war", shaped the " grimdark " subgenre of scifi, which is particularly amoral, dystopian or violent. As the setting is based on a wargame, the spin-off novels and comic books are often war dramas with protagonists being warriors of some sort,
15326-462: The dying of the light". Through constant sacrifice and toil, the Imperium delays its inevitable doom. The tone of the game's setting, exemplified by its slogan "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war", shaped the " grimdark " subgenre of scifi, which is particularly amoral, dystopian or violent. As the setting is based on a wargame, the spin-off novels and comic books are often war dramas with protagonists being warriors of some sort,
15484-459: The embodiment of human nightmares and dark emotion, given physical form and sentience by the Warp—this idea comes from the 1956 movie Forbidden Planet . Chaos carries a lot of influences from H. P. Lovecraft, such as mystical artefacts that drive people insane and secretive cults dedicated to evil gods. The Emperor of Man was inspired by various fictional god-kings, such as Leto Atreides II from
15642-407: The embodiment of human nightmares and dark emotion, given physical form and sentience by the Warp—this idea comes from the 1956 movie Forbidden Planet . Chaos carries a lot of influences from H. P. Lovecraft, such as mystical artefacts that drive people insane and secretive cults dedicated to evil gods. The Emperor of Man was inspired by various fictional god-kings, such as Leto Atreides II from
15800-535: The floor and another climbing down from the wall. The counters and the board sections of the game were made using new debossing techniques which applied shallow depressions into the cardboard. These board sections were additionally much thicker and heavier than those of previous editions. The Games Workshop studio and box art represents the Blood Angels Space Marine Chapter. The rules were modernised to some extent, but were largely similar to those of
15958-459: The galaxy via a network of magical tunnels called "the Webway", to which they have exclusive access. In the distant past, the Aeldari ruled an empire that dominated much of the galaxy, but it was destroyed in a magical cataclysm along with most of the population. The surviving Aeldari are divided into two major subfactions: the ascetic inhabitants of massive starships called Craftworlds; and the sadistic Drukhari (also known as "Dark Eldar"), who inhabit
16116-459: The galaxy via a network of magical tunnels called "the Webway", to which they have exclusive access. In the distant past, the Aeldari ruled an empire that dominated much of the galaxy, but it was destroyed in a magical cataclysm along with most of the population. The surviving Aeldari are divided into two major subfactions: the ascetic inhabitants of massive starships called Craftworlds; and the sadistic Drukhari (also known as "Dark Eldar"), who inhabit
16274-464: The game has been developed through a large body of novels published by Black Library (Games Workshop's publishing division). Warhammer 40,000 was initially conceived as a scifi counterpart to Warhammer Fantasy Battle , a medieval fantasy wargame also produced by Games Workshop. Warhammer Fantasy shares some themes and characters with Warhammer 40,000 but the two settings are independent of each other. The game has received widespread praise for
16432-464: The game has been developed through a large body of novels published by Black Library (Games Workshop's publishing division). Warhammer 40,000 was initially conceived as a scifi counterpart to Warhammer Fantasy Battle , a medieval fantasy wargame also produced by Games Workshop. Warhammer Fantasy shares some themes and characters with Warhammer 40,000 but the two settings are independent of each other. The game has received widespread praise for
16590-418: The game's fictional setting, Aeldari and Necrons are mortal enemies and would never fight alongside each other. The game uses a point system to ensure that the match will be "balanced", i.e., the armies will be of comparable overall strength. The players must agree as to what "points limit" they will play at, which roughly determines how big and powerful their respective armies will be. Each model and weapon has
16748-418: The game's fictional setting, Aeldari and Necrons are mortal enemies and would never fight alongside each other. The game uses a point system to ensure that the match will be "balanced", i.e., the armies will be of comparable overall strength. The players must agree as to what "points limit" they will play at, which roughly determines how big and powerful their respective armies will be. Each model and weapon has
16906-421: The inclusion of Terminators as a small/elite part of a Marine army on the open battlefield. Besides a space hulk, similar skirmishes between Space Marine Terminators and Genestealers can also be set in other environments. The game is set on a modular board made up of various board sections which represent corridors and rooms and which can be freely arranged and locked together like a jigsaw puzzle to represent
17064-506: The initial deployment zones at opposite ends of the playing field. The players roll dice to determine who takes the first turn. At the start of their turn, a player moves each model in their army by hand across the field. A model can be moved no farther than its listed "Move characteristic". For instance, a Space Marine model can be moved no farther than six inches per turn. If a model cannot fly, it must go around obstacles such as walls and trees. Models are grouped into "units". They move as
17222-506: The initial deployment zones at opposite ends of the playing field. The players roll dice to determine who takes the first turn. At the start of their turn, a player moves each model in their army by hand across the field. A model can be moved no farther than its listed "Move characteristic". For instance, a Space Marine model can be moved no farther than six inches per turn. If a model cannot fly, it must go around obstacles such as walls and trees. Models are grouped into "units". They move as
17380-547: The interior of a space hulk. One player controls the Space Marine Terminators, and the other player controls the Tyranid Genestealers. It is an asymmetric game in the following respects: The pieces are moved by the players through a system of "action points", where each piece has a certain number specified for it. A Terminator piece has few action points; a Genestealer piece has many action points. The game
17538-458: The later articles from White Dwarf were collected and published as a book: The second edition of Space Hulk was released in April 1996. This edition featured revamped board artwork and miniatures. It featured two identical plastic five-man Terminator squads with standard weaponry and assorted Genestealers. This edition significantly simplified the rules compared to those of the 1st edition, and it offered less opportunity for expansion, due to
17696-714: The local populace of target planet to cause civil unrest in advance of an invasion of their Tyranid Hive Fleet. Space Marine Terminators are described in game lore as first company veterans in each Space Marine Chapter, having earned the right to don the sacred Terminator Armor, making them more powerful and resilient but slower than regular Marines, so Terminators are normally used in close quarter battle environments. Space Marine Terminators were originally only used in Space Hulk-type scenarios, but rules were added in White Dwarf magazine and subsequent releases of Warhammer 40,000 for
17854-561: The magazines White Dwarf and Citadel Journal , such as "Defilement of Honour" which involves rules for air ducts, a new kind of board section which allows Genestealers to move off the main board and back onto it from one place to another place, and "Fangs of Fenris" which involves Wolf Guard Terminators of the Space Wolves Space Marines Chapter. However the articles from White Dwarf were never collected and published as any expansion pack. The third edition of Space Hulk
18012-487: The mechanics and scale of the base game to simulate unique situations, as with Space Hulk or Kill Team , and wargames simulating vastly different scales and aspects of warfare within the same fictional setting, as with Battlefleet Gothic , Adeptus Titanicus or Warhammer Epic . Video game spin-offs, such as Dawn of War and the Space Marine series, have also been released. Note: The overview here refers to
18170-434: The mechanics and scale of the base game to simulate unique situations, as with Space Hulk or Kill Team , and wargames simulating vastly different scales and aspects of warfare within the same fictional setting, as with Battlefleet Gothic , Adeptus Titanicus or Warhammer Epic . Video game spin-offs, such as Dawn of War and the Space Marine series, have also been released. Note: The overview here refers to
18328-450: The models is a major aspect of the hobby, and many customers of Games Workshop buy models simply to paint and display them. A player might spend weeks assembling and painting models before they have a playable army. The current official rulebook recommends a table width of 44 inches (1.1 m), and table length varies based on the size of the armies being used (discussed below). In contrast to board games, Warhammer 40,000 does not have
18486-450: The models is a major aspect of the hobby, and many customers of Games Workshop buy models simply to paint and display them. A player might spend weeks assembling and painting models before they have a playable army. The current official rulebook recommends a table width of 44 inches (1.1 m), and table length varies based on the size of the armies being used (discussed below). In contrast to board games, Warhammer 40,000 does not have
18644-478: The models that a player has selected to use in a match are collectively termed an "army." In Warhammer 40,000 , players are not restricted to playing with a fixed and symmetrical combination of game pieces, such as in chess. They get to choose which models they will fight with from a catalogue of "datasheets" presented in the rulebooks. Each datasheet corresponds to a particular model and contains any relevant gameplay statistics and permissible attachments. For instance,
18802-478: The models that a player has selected to use in a match are collectively termed an "army." In Warhammer 40,000 , players are not restricted to playing with a fixed and symmetrical combination of game pieces, such as in chess. They get to choose which models they will fight with from a catalogue of "datasheets" presented in the rulebooks. Each datasheet corresponds to a particular model and contains any relevant gameplay statistics and permissible attachments. For instance,
18960-424: The most popular being the Space Marines . Otherwise, they tend be aristocrats of some sort such as Inquisitors, Rogue Traders, or Eldar princes, because only such people have the resources and liberty to have a meaningful impact on a galaxy-spanning setting whose civilisations are mostly autocratic. The source of magic is a parallel universe of supernatural energy, "the Warp". All living things with souls are tied to
19118-424: The most popular being the Space Marines . Otherwise, they tend be aristocrats of some sort such as Inquisitors, Rogue Traders, or Eldar princes, because only such people have the resources and liberty to have a meaningful impact on a galaxy-spanning setting whose civilisations are mostly autocratic. The source of magic is a parallel universe of supernatural energy, "the Warp". All living things with souls are tied to
19276-466: The most powerful countermeasure against Battleshock called Synapse. The Synaptic network is an aura around powerful leader beasts that compels Tyranids to fight on. There is a sub-species of the Tyranid race called "genestealers". When a human is infected by a genestealer, they are psychically enslaved and will sire children who are human-genestealer hybrids. These hybrids will form a secret society known as
19434-416: The most powerful countermeasure against Battleshock called Synapse. The Synaptic network is an aura around powerful leader beasts that compels Tyranids to fight on. There is a sub-species of the Tyranid race called "genestealers". When a human is infected by a genestealer, they are psychically enslaved and will sire children who are human-genestealer hybrids. These hybrids will form a secret society known as
19592-514: The novel God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert , and King Huon from the Runestaff novels by Michael Moorcock . The Emperor's suffering on the Golden Throne for the sake of humanity mirrors the sacrifice of Jesus . Humans fear artificial intelligence and creating or protecting an artificial intelligence (or 'abominable intelligence' ) is a capital offence (though most 'crimes' such as petty theft or adjusting machinery are also capital offences in
19750-464: The novel God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert , and King Huon from the Runestaff novels by Michael Moorcock . The Emperor's suffering on the Golden Throne for the sake of humanity mirrors the sacrifice of Jesus . Humans fear artificial intelligence and creating or protecting an artificial intelligence (or 'abominable intelligence' ) is a capital offence (though most 'crimes' such as petty theft or adjusting machinery are also capital offences in
19908-416: The opponent's turn. A game of Warhammer 40,000 lasts until each player has taken five turns. A player wins the game when the turn limit ends and they have the most victory points. How players score victory points depends on what kind of "mission" was selected for the game. The most common way for players to score victory points is by controlling objective markers. Objective markers are 40mm markers placed on
20066-416: The opponent's turn. A game of Warhammer 40,000 lasts until each player has taken five turns. A player wins the game when the turn limit ends and they have the most victory points. How players score victory points depends on what kind of "mission" was selected for the game. The most common way for players to score victory points is by controlling objective markers. Objective markers are 40mm markers placed on
20224-582: The player's army roster; substitute models are forbidden. For example, if a player wants to use an Ork Weirdboy in their army, they must use an Ork Weirdboy model from Games Workshop. Games Workshop has also banned the use of 3D-printed miniatures in official tournaments. Public tournaments organised by independent groups might permit third-party models so long as the models are clearly identifiable as to which Warhammer 40,000 model they are meant to represent. Tournaments might also have rules regarding whether armies are permitted to be unpainted or must be painted to
20382-582: The player's army roster; substitute models are forbidden. For example, if a player wants to use an Ork Weirdboy in their army, they must use an Ork Weirdboy model from Games Workshop. Games Workshop has also banned the use of 3D-printed miniatures in official tournaments. Public tournaments organised by independent groups might permit third-party models so long as the models are clearly identifiable as to which Warhammer 40,000 model they are meant to represent. Tournaments might also have rules regarding whether armies are permitted to be unpainted or must be painted to
20540-408: The playing field, positioned in accordance with the mission rules. Players score victory points on their turns when their allied models outnumber the enemy models positioned near the objective markers. Players might also have faction-specific ways to gain victory points, such as exterminating the enemy or retaining possession of a holy relic for a certain length of time. Most Warhammer 40,000 fiction
20698-408: The playing field, positioned in accordance with the mission rules. Players score victory points on their turns when their allied models outnumber the enemy models positioned near the objective markers. Players might also have faction-specific ways to gain victory points, such as exterminating the enemy or retaining possession of a holy relic for a certain length of time. Most Warhammer 40,000 fiction
20856-432: The rules place no limit on how big an army can be, players tend to use armies comprising between a few dozen to a hundred models, depending on its faction. A large army will slow down the pace of the match as the players must physically handle many more models and consider each strategically. Larger armies also cost more money and take more work to paint and assemble. At the start of a game, each player places their models in
21014-432: The rules place no limit on how big an army can be, players tend to use armies comprising between a few dozen to a hundred models, depending on its faction. A large army will slow down the pace of the match as the players must physically handle many more models and consider each strategically. Larger armies also cost more money and take more work to paint and assemble. At the start of a game, each player places their models in
21172-452: The second edition, the extra points were not hidden from the Genestealer player.) On the other hand, the actual number of Genestealer pieces in play is hidden from the Terminator player, because the Genestealer pieces come into play as "blips" which may represent multiple creatures. (1-3 creatures in the 1st 3rd and 4th editions; 0-6 in the 2nd edition; 0-3 in the Deathwing expansion; and 1-6 in
21330-437: The second or the third or the fourth editions, although the third and the fourth editions did include rules for a Broodlord. The first edition of Space Hulk was released in May 1989. This edition was further expanded with additional scenarios and rules in articles in the magazines White Dwarf and Citadel Journal . The early articles from White Dwarf were collected and published as two separate expansion packs, and most of
21488-420: The servants of Chaos are malevolent and insane, adopting the aesthetics of body horror and cosmic horror in the design of their models and story details. The struggle against Chaos is central to the setting of Warhammer 40,000 . As with the Imperium, Chaos players have access to a large variety of models, allowing them to design their army for any style of play. That said, players may theme their army around
21646-420: The servants of Chaos are malevolent and insane, adopting the aesthetics of body horror and cosmic horror in the design of their models and story details. The struggle against Chaos is central to the setting of Warhammer 40,000 . As with the Imperium, Chaos players have access to a large variety of models, allowing them to design their army for any style of play. That said, players may theme their army around
21804-474: The specific dice used for the game. A critical change was made to the Command Point system, no longer allowing them to be used in the enemy turn, altering the strategic complexity of the game. The rules for the heavy flamer were also changed, and the difference between the standard weapons and the area effect flamer was reduced. This edition was further expanded with additional scenarios and rules in articles in
21962-479: The start of the player's turn. All Necron models have a Leadership score of 10 (the maximum possible), so Necrons rarely suffer from morale failure. Necrons do not have any psykers, but they possess units called "C'tan shards" which are psyker-like. The Aeldari (formerly called the Eldar) are based on High Elves of fantasy fiction. Aeldari have very long lifespans and all of them have some psychic ability. The Aeldari travel
22120-431: The start of the player's turn. All Necron models have a Leadership score of 10 (the maximum possible), so Necrons rarely suffer from morale failure. Necrons do not have any psykers, but they possess units called "C'tan shards" which are psyker-like. The Aeldari (formerly called the Eldar) are based on High Elves of fantasy fiction. Aeldari have very long lifespans and all of them have some psychic ability. The Aeldari travel
22278-400: The state and are closely monitored for misconduct and spiritual corruption. Rick Priestley cites J. R. R. Tolkien , H. P. Lovecraft , Dune , Paradise Lost , and 2000 AD as major influences on the setting. The Chaos Gods were added to the setting by Bryan Ansell and developed further by Priestley. Priestley felt that Warhammer ' s concept of Chaos, as detailed by Ansell in
22436-400: The state and are closely monitored for misconduct and spiritual corruption. Rick Priestley cites J. R. R. Tolkien , H. P. Lovecraft , Dune , Paradise Lost , and 2000 AD as major influences on the setting. The Chaos Gods were added to the setting by Bryan Ansell and developed further by Priestley. Priestley felt that Warhammer ' s concept of Chaos, as detailed by Ansell in
22594-400: The supernatural exists, is powerful and is usually untrustworthy if not outright malevolent. There are effectively no benevolent gods or spirits in the cosmos, only daemons and evil gods, and the cults dedicated to them are proliferating. In the long run, the Imperium of Man cannot hope to defeat its enemies, so the heroes of the Imperium are not fighting for a brighter future but "raging against
22752-400: The supernatural exists, is powerful and is usually untrustworthy if not outright malevolent. There are effectively no benevolent gods or spirits in the cosmos, only daemons and evil gods, and the cults dedicated to them are proliferating. In the long run, the Imperium of Man cannot hope to defeat its enemies, so the heroes of the Imperium are not fighting for a brighter future but "raging against
22910-523: The supplement Realms of Chaos , was too simplistic and too similar to the works of Michael Moorcock , so he developed it further, taking inspiration from Paradise Lost . The story of the Emperor's favoured sons succumbing to the temptations of Chaos deliberately parallels the fall of Satan in Paradise Lost . The religious themes are primarily inspired by the early history of Christianity. Daemons in WH40K are
23068-420: The supplement Realms of Chaos , was too simplistic and too similar to the works of Michael Moorcock , so he developed it further, taking inspiration from Paradise Lost . The story of the Emperor's favoured sons succumbing to the temptations of Chaos deliberately parallels the fall of Satan in Paradise Lost . The religious themes are primarily inspired by the early history of Christianity. Daemons in WH40K are
23226-437: The tabletop game Warhammer 40,000 . Advancements in sculpting and moulding have allowed Games Workshop 's Alex Hedström to add a greater level of detail to the miniatures. Each of the twelve miniatures representing Terminators has a distinct appearance, such as Brother Omnio being shown consulting a scanner mounted in his Power Fist. The miniatures representing Genestealers were depicted in various poses, with one bursting up from
23384-425: The tone and depth of its setting, and is considered the foundational work of the grimdark genre of speculative fiction , the word grimdark itself derived from the series' tagline: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war". Warhammer 40,000 has spawned many spin-off media. Games Workshop has produced a number of other tabletop or board games connected to the brand, including both extrapolations of
23542-425: The tone and depth of its setting, and is considered the foundational work of the grimdark genre of speculative fiction , the word grimdark itself derived from the series' tagline: "In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war". Warhammer 40,000 has spawned many spin-off media. Games Workshop has produced a number of other tabletop or board games connected to the brand, including both extrapolations of
23700-604: The transference process was flawed, as they all lost their souls and all but the highest-ranking ones became mindless as well. They are waking up from millions of years of hibernation in underground vaults on planets across the galaxy and seek to rebuild their old empire. Necron designs evoke ancient Egypt in their design, although they are not based on the Tomb Kings of Warhammer Fantasy . Necron infantry have strong ranged firepower, tough armour, and slow movement. Necron units can rapidly regenerate wounds or "reanimate" killed models at
23858-551: The transference process was flawed, as they all lost their souls and all but the highest-ranking ones became mindless as well. They are waking up from millions of years of hibernation in underground vaults on planets across the galaxy and seek to rebuild their old empire. Necron designs evoke ancient Egypt in their design, although they are not based on the Tomb Kings of Warhammer Fantasy . Necron infantry have strong ranged firepower, tough armour, and slow movement. Necron units can rapidly regenerate wounds or "reanimate" killed models at
24016-605: The ugly nature of the opponent, or maybe it’s just the odds." Theisen liked the components and artwork, calling them "up to Games Workshop’s usual high standard for quality and use of color." He found that " Space Hulk is easy to learn and (I would venture to guess) very difficult to master." Theisen concluded, " Space Hulk possesses too many tactical subtleties to evaluate and has the potential for too many new scenarios to design to permit any dust to accumulate on it for very long. [...] Despite its high price, I recommend Space Hulk — or, to quote an Australian friend of mine, 'This one’s
24174-497: The world, and is particularly popular in the United Kingdom. The first edition of the rulebook was published in September 1987, and the tenth and current edition was released in June 2023. As in other miniature wargames, players enact battles using miniature models of warriors and fighting vehicles. The playing area is a tabletop model of a battlefield, comprising models of buildings, hills, trees, and other terrain features. Each player takes turns moving their model warriors around
24332-527: Was available for pre-order, most stores had a number of copies available to buy on release day. The game was largely a re-release of the third edition with a few rules tweaked. It featured additional board sections and missions, plus refreshed graphical presentation of the existing art assets. Three expansion campaigns were released specifically for iPad. These campaigns chronicle other Space Marine chapters, and they include rules for additional Space Marine Terminator troopers and weapons. Two types of spin-offs of
24490-449: Was originally meant to encourage customers to buy more miniature models. Warhammer 40,000 was originally conceived as a science-fiction spin-off of Warhammer Fantasy . Though the games share some characters and tropes, their settings are separate. The setting of Warhammer 40,000 is violent and pessimistic: human scientific and social progress have ceased; humanity is in a state of total war with hostile alien races and occult forces; and
24648-449: Was originally meant to encourage customers to buy more miniature models. Warhammer 40,000 was originally conceived as a science-fiction spin-off of Warhammer Fantasy . Though the games share some characters and tropes, their settings are separate. The setting of Warhammer 40,000 is violent and pessimistic: human scientific and social progress have ceased; humanity is in a state of total war with hostile alien races and occult forces; and
24806-440: Was released by Electronic Arts in 1995 and 1996, on PC, PlayStation , Sega Saturn , and 3DO . The sequel to the 1993 video game, Vengeance of the Blood Angels combines first-person shooter gameplay with real-time tactical elements. In 2005, a mobile phone version called Warhammer: Space Hulk was released. This game replicated the board game's play mechanics and allowed play as either Space Marines or Genestealers. In 2008,
24964-402: Was released in September 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. Games Workshop announced no plans to reprint this edition of the game as it was intended to be a limited release. This edition featured new sculpts designed specifically for Space Hulk , instead of being shared with the sets for
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