Trashdome - DOOM: The Board Game VS Space Hulk

Well... I still have just played the game twice, but so far I think SH is much better than what you think it is...

I'm all for simpler components and many of my favorite games are old AT games with small and thin counters, but I'm not going to complain if a game has excellent components as long as the gameplay holds up, and I do think SH holds up...

It's a very tactical game with some tough "push-your-luck" kind of choices and is pretty balanced for a game with such different sides. Someone on BGG compared it to Ogre... Anyway, balance issues are not very problematic because the game plays so fast you usually can just play both sides in one session and see who does better with the marines...

I don't know, but this is my first tactical "corridors and rooms" game and I don't think I'll be needing any other such game at least in quite a long time...

Shellhead wrote:

I think that Space Hulk has crossed a line, particularly with this new edition, with amazing components and yet a weak game. Kind of like Heroscape, only with less set-up time. That takes games in a direction that I don't support. I would rather see more modest components and affordable games that have more strategy and interesting mechanics.

Even though I voted for Doom and made fun of Space Hulk, I must disagree. I've only played the computer version that came out last year, and it was pretty damn good. It kept me engrossed for several hours, but I lost interest when GW gave the cease and desist, and the interface screwed me one too many times.

NeonPeon wrote:

Shellhead wrote:

I think that Space Hulk has crossed a line, particularly with this new edition, with amazing components and yet a weak game. Kind of like Heroscape, only with less set-up time. That takes games in a direction that I don't support. I would rather see more modest components and affordable games that have more strategy and interesting mechanics.

Even though I voted for Doom and made fun of Space Hulk, I must disagree. I've only played the computer version that came out last year, and it was pretty damn good. It kept me engrossed for several hours, but I lost interest when GW gave the cease and desist, and the interface screwed me one too many times.

What if there was a budget version of Space Hulk for $50 that had no plastic figures, just high-quality cardboard components along the lines of Arkham Horror? Would that be a good game? Or is everybody just swooning over the minis and overlooking the minimal game?

I really like the game, despite the simplicity. Such simple rules, and yet the theme comes out very much so. The rules are so *ehem, ehem* elegant.

At any rate, I've spent more than my fair share of free time today reading up on Space Marines and Terminators and Librarians or whatnot. Space Hulk is a real Games Workshop gateway game, and I'm only glad I can't paint for shit or I might actually start playing WH40K.

I played Space Hulk 1st edition the day it was put on the shelves. After a few minutes we just wanted to pack it up and get on with our game of 40k that was planned. We did play it more but it was always the same experience - filler. Nice package but not enough meat. Thye could easily have thrown in more variety this time around.

Doom is far from my favorite but it gets my vote today.

Doom

Sorry for the late tally, I've been offline for a few days.

DOOM: The Board Game = 7
NeonPeon
Aarontu
JonJacob
Protoss
Mr Skeletor
Shellhead
Pat II

Space Hulk = 19
sydo
Ken B.
ozjesting
Michael Barnes
SanIlDefanso
dysjunct
LilRed
Malloc
Rliyen
Ancient_of_MuMu
maka
Mr MOTO
MrZir
Death and Taxis
Citadel
Merkles
kookoobah
moofrank
Columbob

I expected more of a 5 or 6 to 1 victory rather than a 2.5 to 1 but it still was clear.

Threadomancer alert!

Been interesting to follow this as I just got a brand new Space Hulk (en route) and still have doom with the expansions, which I love from the rules reading but have not had it out on the table yet. From a complete ATspazzmonaut view (mine'.. I don't even know how Fortress America works for example) SH seems a bit limited in terms of geometry, lots of long corridors, and aliens and marines in a line, no room to get past, so where are the tactics? Front man kneel down, aliens keep out of range of gunfire, marines roll 6's and avoid triples? I'm totally not getting it, meaning, I can't yet wrap my head around why you guys are loving it, I haven't got the rules to read yet, so this is based on some videos which just seem to show bored looking guys moving minis up and down 1 space wide corridors and rolling 3d6. At least doom seems more open, more things going on, more variety in monsters, weapons etc.

I'm not saying Doom >>>>>> Space Hulk, I'd just like a bit of trashy salve for my spazzmoidery.

Cheers

The long corridors are easy for the Marines - and there aren't many of them. Corners and lack of line of sight are god-send's for the Stealers and the Marines are trying to keep some range and keep moving. The trick is that the objectives are usually on the Marines, so they have to keep moving and they can't just make a defensive position and sit there.

For the marines to be assured of mowing down Stealers, they need overlapping overwatch and that's real hard to do as you have to keep moving.

Hell, just play the first scenario and then flip sides and see what you think from there. As soon as you think you know how to do it, then the other player knows it too.

The main portion of tactics in Space Hulk, IMHO, is how you spend your command points. Sure there's some positioning, but the important decision is on command points.

The tight corridors and small rooms are actually integral to the gameplay and make the game much more tight. Less LOS arguments and you have to really think how to queue your terminators, among other things.

The most fun thing? Overwatch!