Space Hulk Beginners Guide!

Simple tips and tricks to brand new players to Space Hulk.

The idea behind this guide was to create a simple to understand guide for brand new players. I have tried to dumb everything down so that is easy to take on board and get started as a new player!

It is also by no means complete and will be added to as time goes on!

The Hulk

Space Hulk is set on-board derelict space ships which are left floating around space. In the single player you take the role of space marine terminators who normally have an objective to fulfil. On the other side of the board are the Genestealers trying to stop you at all costs!

Space Hulk is a turn based game where terminators move and then the Genestealers. You take the role of the terminators. The red glowing genestealers are "blips". They are just movement being picked up on a terminators radar. There could be between 1 and 3 Genestealers in each blip. The only way of knowing is to gain line of sight or for the Genestealer player to reveal the blip. At this point you will see the amount of Genestealers and they can move separately.

Action Points / Comand Points

Everything you do in Space Hulk is determined by action points. Each terminator has 4 action points (Genestealers have 6). Every action costs action points and how you spend them will determine how well you do.

Steping forward - 1 point (This can be diagonally)
Stepping backwards - 2 points
Turning once - 1 point
Shooting - 1 point (allows sustained fire)
Move 1 square and shoot - 1/2 points depending on which way you are moving or turning the shooting is free! (does not allow sustained fire)
Set up in overwatch - 2 points
Set up in guard - 2 points
Attacking in close combat - 1 point

Ontop of each terminators 4 points you get a D6 roll for command points (CP) each turn. These are extra points that can be used on any terminator or terminators above their 4 points. (This can be re-rolled if the sergeant is still alive!)

Watch out

Now that you know how the points work watch out as sometimes the game wants you to spend more than you need to!

For example .... imagine you were retreating slowly and wanted a terminator to back up 2 squares (facing the same way at the end) and then go on overwatch. This would cost 6 action points (2x2 steps backward and 2 for going on overwatch.) The game will try to charge you 8 points! (turn twice - 2, 2 steps forward - 2, turn twice - 2, overwatch - 2). To do this action for 6 points make sure you step backwards one step at a time and do it manually!

Ranged Combat

Storm bolter

The Storm bolter is the standard wepaon of the terminator. When firing at a Genestealer you get to roll 2 dice. If either of them is a 6 the Genestealer dies. It has a maximum range of 12 squares.

Sustained Fire

If you miss with a shot, don't move and fire again then on the second shot onwards you need a 5 or a 6 to kill the Genestealer. (This is the advantage for not moving and shooting).

Overwatch

Overwatch is getting the terminator ready for charging genestealers. It is your greatest tool for stopping the Genestealers. Much sure that you save 2 action points to put a terminator on overwatch at the end of your turn to stop the Genestealers before they get too close. During the Genestealers turn a terminator on overwatch is allowed to shoot at any Genestealer he sees move. The same rules apply as above. However during overwatch if you roll doubles then your gun jams and you will not be able to fire again until you unblock the jam (If you are using the Assault Cannon and you roll a triple it will blow up killing the terminator and potentially others near him!). Unblocking a jam wil cost you 1 AP and can be done in your own turn. However if you have any left over CP you didn't use in your previous turn these will be used automatically to unblock a jam during the Genestealers turn and so you can continue to shoot on overwatch. You cannot go on overwatch with a flamer!

Flamer

The flamer is a very valuable tool. The flamer shoots at the tiles of the space hulk. It hits anything that is covered in flames. A Genestealer covered in flames dies on a dice roll of 2+ (Very effective).
The flames will then remain in place until the start of your next turn. No unit can pass through the flames which means it is a great weapon for blocking junctions and stopping the Genestealers from moving around. It has limited ammo though so be carefull how much you use it.

Assault Cannon

The auto cannon is a huge weapon. It is like the Storm bolter but always kills on a 5 or a 6 making it much more deadly. However it only has 10 shots before you have to reload. It costs 4 action points to reload! Most missions only allow you to reload once. Use it wisely!

Close Combat

Be warned the Genestealers are very good in close combat so this should be avoided as much as possible!

Simplified

When a terminator fights a Genestealer each player rolls dice. The highest dice counts as their score and the highest score wins. If both players tie then nobody wins. The problem is terminators roll just 1 dice and Genestealers roll 3 dice meaning it is much more likely for a Genestealer to win in close combat. However there are weapons which the terminators carry which will help you in close combat.

Guard

Guard is an action you can take to prepare for a Genestealers attack like overwatch. If you spend 2 AP to put a terminator into guard he will be able to re-roll his attack dice if needed. Obviously a good choice if he is about to get attacked!

Sergeants

If a sergeant is fighting in close combat he is allowed to +1 to the result of his dice roll. This makes him much more effective in close combat!

Most of the following weapons only work when getting attacked from the front. If you are getting attacked from the side or back they don't all work.

Lightning Claws

A unit with lightning claws usually has a set of them and therefore cannot carry a storm bolter. However not only do these allow the terminator to roll an extra dice (2) but he can also +1 to the highest result!

Power Sword

A power sword allows you to parry the Genestealer. This means you can make them re-roll their highest dice. (This can be used as well as guard!)

Storm Shield

A storm shield allows the user to reduce the attack dice the Genestealers use by 1 down to 2 dice!

Thunder hammer

The Thunder hammer allows the user to add +1 to their highest dice roll. (A sergeant with a thunder hammer can therefore +2 to his dice roll!)

As you can see some units are more suited to close combat. Please bear this in mind!

Chain Fist

This gives you no added bonus in close combat but does allow you to destroy doors automatically in close combat with no dice rolls needed!

The Librarian

During the campaign you get to control the Librarian who has special powers.

Along with his normal 4 AP per turn he has 20 PSI points. These points don't regenerate and are for the whole game so spend them wisely.

There are four powers you can spend them on but you can only cast one per turn.

Prescience (1 PSI)

This converts 1 PSI into 1 CP allowing you to spend this on another unit to do one more action. Careful planning could avoid having to use this but is good for desperate times!

Force Barrier (2 PSI)

Blocks movement and shooting through a tile for one turn. Just like the flamer blocks tiles this spell can target a tile and block it as well. This is very useful and can be used to hold the Genestealers at bay as you sneak past! Or to block them coming on the board from certain directions!

Psychic Storm (single target) (3 PSI)

This targets a single Genestealer and you roll one dice. On a 2+ it is dead! Useful to almost guarantee a kill!

Psychic Storm (Area) (3 PSI)

This targets an area of the board and any one in that area has to roll 1 dice. On a 4+ they are killed. Good for clearing multiple targets out of the way.

Campaign Playthrough!

Here are videos of me completing the campaign mission!

Please excuse the hair! (Often recorded early in the morning!)

If you like what you see follow me on twitch[www.twitch.com] and on youtube

Suicide Mission

Extermination

Rescue

Cleanse and Burn

Decoy

Alarm Call

Artefact

Multiplayer

Feel free to add me ingame for a game! [e-mail]! If anyone wants to co-stream a match then let me know!

How to add People

It is not very clear on how to add people ingame but here are the steps on how to do so.

1) Click on Multiplayer
2) Click on an empty match slot on the right hand side (creating a new game)
3) Change the random opponent to "versus friend player"
4) Click the arrow next to "Please select from your friend list"
5) Type in their email
6) Click add

Basics

Currently you can have 5 open games. The game uses a play by email system meaning you take your turn and then wait for your opponent to do so. This means you don't have to play the game in one sitting and can return to the match whenever you have a free moment!

General Tips and Tricks

Here are a list of general tips and tricks to help you survive.

• Spend action points wisely. A miss placed action point could spell the end of a mission!
  
  
• Make sure that corridoors are covered with over watch at the end of your turn!
  
  
• Avoid close combat as much as possible!
  
  
• Use your flamer to kill large groups of Genestealers and to block paths to stop Genestealers getting close.
  
  
• Terminators will die! Accept this and focus on the mission objective.
  
  
• If you are walking towards a door to open it why not use "move and shoot" and target the door. This way by the time you get tot he door it might be blown up saving you an AP to open it!
  
  
• Don't forget that as long as a sergeant is alive and on the board you can re-roll your CP. If you only have 1 or 2 what is the worst that could happen?
  
  
• Can't see the end of a corridoor because a door is in the way .... Destroy it through storm bolter fire!
  
  
• Doors help the Genestealers get close. Open them or destroy them to improve your line of sight!

Thanks

Thanks to these people for spotting my mistakes/ mentioning extra information that would be helpful.

tk421 - For pointing out you don't want to kill terminators!
drproof - For poiniting out that unblocking a jam using left over CP isn't explained well!
volcompete - Sorting out the weapon names!
DarthSidious666 - Spelling and Grammar!
Dichotomy - Rule clarification!
sirthursday1978 - Sorting out the weapon names!
codger81 - Spelling and Grammar!
SledgePainter - Extra overwatch detail!
sherpa - Extra weapon information!
Legio I - Librarian Information

[Janders]

thanks! appreciate the help to beginners (or people who haven't played in a LONG time)

[Golbs]

Genestealers can indeed turn for free, they are not encumbered by massive heavy suits of armour like Terminators are.
Bolters do have a max range but I don't know what it is. 14 tiles is still 2 full genestealer moves so not much of an issue

[tgfaulkner]

Can genestealers turn for free? Cause I did not think so, but on Impact a genstealer was able to cover 5 tiles and then attack even though it was a full u-shaped bend that should have required it to face a different way twice. Also it seems that overwatch does not have unlimited range, my overwatch marine had an unbroken line of sight with no doors in the way, but did not fire at all, the distance was 14 tiles. Either there are unspoken rules that I did not know, or bugs allow the computer to cheat.

[Tinsel]

DEATH TO THE XENOS

[HunterSouls]

add me sir

[Flawless Cowboy]

Good beginner guide, helped me in some tricky parts, thanks!

[JOHNNY GUEGGU]

Very nice guide - thank you! :)

[Just Church]

Sweet, now I know what im doing.

[sEver]

I just learned how to stop dying to jams on overwatch. Thanks!

[GhostGK]

Thank for this.. In game tutorial was unclear..