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SPACE HULK I have been playing the original hobby game of Space Hulk and it's add ons for five years now and I have been waiting for this to be released for some time. Since I own all the original materials, about 100 lead miniatures used in the game and all the documentation including excerpts from "White Dwarf", a magazine published by Games Workshop. I decided to write up a quality set of docs for the game, as well as provide some quotes to try and convey the "feel" of just a facet of the Warhammer 40K universe. -=Lorus=- THE SETTING It is the 400 century of man. There are millions of planets inhabited and ruled by the supreme Emperor. The Emperor has ruled for over 3000 years, defending the human domain of space and dealing destruction to chaos abominations. The Emperor survives by draining hundreds of thousands of beings of thier Psycic abilities. These beings refered to as "Psykers" are are first tested to see if they are marine material to better serve the Emperor through thier use of psycic powers. Some soon become "Librarians" which are part of the fighting elite. Some later become inquisitors, the most powerful and revered psykers. The planets in the Empire have several choices of homage that they pay unto the Emperor. Taxes, materials, products, and lastly living beings. When the recruitment ship of a Space Marine chapter arrives to gather the youth of a planet, there is little reluctance to join the ranks. To refuse is blasphemy and the risk of strong retribution by the Emperor. To some it is considered an honor for only the strongest, able and genetically sound get selected. Others may pass into recruitment but may later not survive the Emperor's "basic training". There are many Space Marine Chapters and all have thier own heritage and holy relics of power that the Emperor bestows. These relics are more important than the marines that wield them. They are respected and valued above all else short of the Emperor himself. Often when a planet fails to make good on offerings to the Emperor, especially humans, the Emperor sends an "Inquisitor" to investigate. The Inquisitor is usually accompanied by a Chapter of Space Marines. The Inquisitor judges evidence found and reports back to the Emperor his findings. Often these findings include the discovery of infestation by Genestealers. Genestealers are an abomination created in the very heart of Chaos Space. None return from chaos space without being warped into serving Chaos and it's goals. The Genestealers are incapable of reproducing without the use of hosts. They need new genetic material at all times. thus the name "Genestealers" can be understood. Genestealers arrive at unsuspecting planets only to infiltrate them and spread. They travel through space on massive ships called "Space Hulks". Space Hulks are extremely difficult to detect because they do not emit any signals or light. Since they do not travel in hyperspace, the only way to detect a Space Hulk is visually. And in addition most all other ships travel in hyperspace thus never having an oportunity to visually sight, or detect them at close range via mass sensors. During travel the Genestealers "hibernate". They may drift for hundreds of years but eventually drift near a planet and awaken. If a planet becomes infested with Genestealers, the Emperor has no choice but to order planetary genocide so that nothing living remains. Genestealers are a hive species. Every Genestealer has simple latent psycic abilites. They use these to communicate and orginize attacks. The hive is controlled by the Patriarch. The Patriarch resembles a pure strain Genestealer but is 3-5 times as large and powerful. It has all the charactaristics but inhanced. The Patriarch is an extremely powerful psyker. It may use these powers in frightening ways. It may shield attacking Genestealers to allow them to AMBUSH thier targets. It can shield the ship from detailed sensor scans. It can create some horrific direct offensive and defensive manifestations. When a Space Hulk is detected and assaulted by Imperial forces, the majority of the Genestealers (hundreds of thousands) are still dormant. They slowly awaken and defend the Space Hulk. An assault on a Space Hulk will consist of thousands of marines and several entire chapters all orchestrating the assault simultaneously. Wearing the revered Terminator gear (An honor earned by only a few of the millions of space marines) they breach the hull of the hulks and commense operations. You will only direct a small handful in a tiny portion of a hulk. The two chapters represented in the computer game are the Dark Angels and the Deathwing Chapters. "A Terminator Marine's Squad is his home. The Sergent is his mother and father both; the legion his god. He respects only the Emperor, his Chapter brothers and his enemies; he holds all others in contempt. With the Squad, he's complete - he'll take on the galaxy and win, or die with a smile on his face." From "The Litany Of Arms" "To admit defeat is to blaspheme against the Emperor." Renfrew Commistat, Chaplain, Iron Hands Legiones Astartes "We killed forty of them; they killed thirty-nine of us. We won." Marine Mikkos Pocassa Encounter on an infested planet: "We came in through the western wall at the height of the ceremony as the frenzied screams of pain and ecstasy reached thier loudest. To the left were the cult members, about 200 men and women in all, lying fully prostrate on the floor. To the right stood thier - Preists? Gods? Children? - I don't know what to call them. There were perhaps a dozen of the creatures, dressed for battle and arrayed about a tall, handsome man in cerimonial robes, bearing a staff of some kind. For a long moment, no one moved. The tall man looked at me. I could "feel" his eyes burning into my mind. I was frozen with terror and....and.... something like "anticipation". He smiled. I...I don't know what would have happened next , if Gorrn, my Ogryn Sargeant, hadn't torn loose a piece of the wall and thrown it at the tall man. He missed - and one of the creatures ripped Gorrn's head of for his pains. But the tall man flinched, and the spell was broken. I ordered my men to attack. You know the rest." Final report of Rickkart Toll, late of the Imperial Guards Prelude To Assault Captain Fargus snapped the catch home. A load crackle and the smell of ozone filled the air as the Power Sword came to life. Ready, he turned his attention to the marines in front of him. "Brothers, the Emperor's will was that we came here as observers, to offer counsel to our brother marines and provide spiritual strength in thier time of need. After consulting with the Imperial Tarot, it appears that our role has changed. Librarian Tollsett, instruct the men. I wish to pray a moment" Tollsett turned, the purity seal at his belt whipping round to follow the movement. "Ready your weapons brothers, we move out in 6 minutes. Brother Lock, start the litany." Desperate Measures Marine Denzark studies the defenders' final battle reports. By his side is Friedrich Chanat, Senior Adeptus Mechanicus and commander of the base. The holographic display shows an overview of the Owa system. The huge gas giant at the center glows with a faint pinkish light, a stark contrast to the hundreds of bright red pinpricks that dot the rest of the display. Each of these represents a mine or refinery in Genestealer hands. Alone among them is a single green speck - the base where they are now standing. "This Vessel?" Denzark points to the scarlet line edging it's way into geostationary orbit, high above the planet Eureka's surface. "That's the tug, sir. It isn't a ship as such, simply a fusion engine and crew quarters attatched to the mined ore, which has been welded into one massive block. It's over 700 meters wide and 3 kilometers long, and contains thousands of milions of tons of ore." Chanat replies. "Interesting. What do you imagine it would do to that?" asks Denzark. For a moment, Chanat is confused. Then realisation dawns - Denzark is pointing to the warm grey orb that represent's the planet. He means what would it do if it were hurled at the planet Eureka! RELICS Besides the Terminator "Armor" worn by the Marine, he will also wield powerful relics. These are described below. Power Glove (PG) - The Power Glove is a mammoth steel "fist" which is directly attached to the Terminator Gear. One quick punch and most foes are destroyed. The catch is that it is only effective in close quarter combat. Thus a marine can fall to the four arm assault of a Genestealer. Storm Bolter (SB) - This is the standard issue of range weapons. Although not a strong weapon, It is effective enough. It has long range capabilities and unlimited ammunition. Heavy Flamer (FL) - This is a mass destruction weapon. It "flames" a 3 square by 3 square area. It has medium range capabilites and is limited to 6 discharges. It can also be set to self destruct when the marine is sure to die in order to take the enemy with him. Power Sword (PS) - Power Swords are very effective close range weapons which are awarded to the battle proven best. When attacking, Energy leaps into the target as the sword bites deep causing the air to fill with the smell of ozone and flesh. Lightning Claws (LC) - There is no better close assault weapon. Lightning Claws are 90% of the time worn in pairs but variations are sometimes allowed by the extremly proficient marines. It takes many years to become proficient with these blades of power. Capable of detaching the chitenous carapace of Genestealers with ease, you can understand why this close assault weapon is rated above all others. Thunder Hammer (TH) - This is a power weapon built around a generator. When the Thunder Hammer strikes it's target, a blindingly explosive fieled of energy erupts with enough force to blow apart a Genestealer. Like the Heavy Flamer, this weapon can be set to auto-destruct obliterating all targets in the surronding area. The Thunder Hammer is usually carried together with a Storm Shield. Storm Shield (SH) - This shield also taps in to the power supplied by the Terminator suits generator. Streamers of power can be seen snaking across the front of the Storm shield which also usually displays the Chapter's markings. This is the best defense against a close assault. Chain Fist (CF) - The chain fist is considered to be about as powerful as a Power Glove. The main reason chain fists are issued is to allow a marine to cut a hole through a steel bulkehead. These are "dead end" halls which have passages directly beyond them. Do not confuse a bulkead with a door which can be opened or shot. Auto Cannon (AC) - The auto cannon is the heavy hitter of the ranged weapons. It has two modes, single burst, which is the standard fire setting, and full auto, which when activated, will rip through consecutive doors, Genestealers, Marines, etc.... It has long range capabilites and is limited to 10 bursts or 2 full auto activations which take 5 bursts each. This is good weapon to use to clear very long passages of doors and targets. The Mission Selection Scrren When you first enter Space Hulk, after the intro sequences, you will see a choice of mission sets. You select with the left mouse button, and "back up" and go to the previous menu with the Right Mouse Button. You can choose; MISSION TRAINING SPACE HULK DEATHWING Mission Training - Brings you to 3 sub-menus; BASIC TUTORIAL ADVANCED TUTORIAL CONTINUE BASIC TRINING Basic Tutorial - Starts basic training where you can practice issuing commands, learning the basics, and operating in the real time mode. Advanced Tutorial - This is where you learn to run whole squads and use advanced weponry. Continue Basic Training - Allows you to advance to the next mission in the basic tutorial. Space Hulk - Takes you to a sub-menus with three choices; ORIGINAL SPACE HULK MISSIONS ONE SQUAD MISSIONS TWO SQUAD MISSIONS Original Space Hulk Missions - These are the actual missions included in the hobby boxed game edition. One Squad Missions - Missions that allow you to command single squads (5 men). Two Squad Missions - Missions that allow you to command two squads (10 men). NOTE: It is reccomended that EVERYONE go to the last mission in the Two Squad Missions area. It is the "Unmapped" mission called REARGUARD. DO THIS BEFORE ANYTHING INCLUDING BASIC TRAINING. This will allow you to select weapons for two squads, after the mission briefing. That way you can get a "look" at ALL the weapons in the game. after you enter the mission, just hit "T" to terminate the mission. Deathwing - Takes you to a sub-menu with these choices; CONTINUE CAMPAIGN RESET CAMPAIGN Continue Campaign - Allows you to continue from the last mission you were at and is saved and updated automatically. Reset Campaign - Starts the Campaign at mission one, erasing all previous progress. Be careful with this command. MAIN ACTION VIEW WINDOWS After the mission briefing and as you start the mission, you will be looking at the main action view windows screen. From here you can manually control one marine and shoot for the other four. You fire by placing the cross hairs on the target and pressing the left mouse button. If you move the pointer to the one of the other four smaller view windows, you will see that you can fire for them as well by clicking the left mouse button. If you go to one of the four smaller view windows and click on the right mouse button, you notice that the view in the smaller window has now moved to the large main main action view and the view that had occupied the main action view is now residing in the smaller view window. On the lower right corner, you will notice two buttons and a slide bar indicator. The first button is FREEZE which allows you to stop time completly and make quick switches with views or manage complex tactical assignments to each marine (described later). Notice when you freeze the action, the slide bar dwindles down. It will run out if freeze is left on long enough starting the action when it does. But also notice when you are not freezing the action that the slide bar "grows" generating more time for later use. In some missions you will even get an hour glass added to the same vicinity which means the mission is timed. That timer keeps ticking and cannot be frozen so make decisions quickly and use freeze in short burst so most of the time is used finishing the mission. The other button is and exclamation point centered in a speaker grill. This is to SWITCH SQUADS between squad 1 and squad 2 on the view screens. The last feature of the view window is the small area SCANNER MAP in the bottom left corner. This is the scanner reading of the marine in the large main action view screen. Red dots represent enemy targets. Numbers represent other marines and the actual number represents the number assigned to a specific marine and his position. The green dot represents the marine in the large main action view screen. Notice that you can see more in front of the main marine than you can behind him. That means you need to watch your back by turning now and then if you are running in action mode in manual control. If you click on the scanner map with the right mouse button, you be taken to the TACTICAL PLANNING MAP. The tactical map area is where most of the actions are plotted out and running 5 marines simultaneously can be accomplished. In each Marine window, the top, you will a pair of 2 letter abreviations. These are the left and right hand weapons. The abreviations are explained in the previous weapons listing titles Relics. NOTE: You can use an alterative way to fire Heavy Flamers if you find it is easier to accomplish. Just click on a sqaure in the small scanner view that is in line of sight of the Terminator carrying the Heavy Flamer. You can also use an alternative method of self destructing a Thunder Hammer. To do this, switch to the Terminator carrying a Thunder Hammer and push both the left and right mouse buttons simultaneously and detonation will occour. Picking Up Objects - To pick up an object, you must be in the Main Action view screen and facing an object from an adjacent square (Not in the same square). Just click on the object in the window with the right mouse button. It will be picked up and stored in a slot below the window. That particular marine is carrying that object and cannot carry any other. TACTICAL PLANNING MAP The tactical planning map is usually utilized in freeze mode. You can coordinate every action and movement of each individual marine. This is the heart of the planning involved in the game. There are four little buttons in the very top left of the map screen. These are OVERWATCH TOGGLE, TURN, FIRE, DOOR ACTIONS. Below these are four other command buttons. These are HIGHLIGHT LINE OF SIGHT, SWITCH SQUADS, DELETE LAST COMMAND, GO. NOTE: Before selecting commands, you must select a marine by clicking on his map icon to designate him as the recipient of the commands being issued. Overwatch mode toggle - When the marine icon has lines emenating from it, the selected marine is in Overwatch. Overwatch mode tells the marine to shoot at anything that can be destroyed that isn't friendly. This includes doors etc.. When there are no lines, the marine will ignore ALL targets and proceed with other commands. It is VERY dangerous to move in this manner. Turn commands - This gives the command to the selected marine to make a 90 degree turn. If you want to turn left, then click on this with the left mouse button. If you want to turn right, then click on this with the right mouse button. To turn around you must give two left or right consecutive turn commands. Fire Commands - There are two selections, a circle with either 1 dash or 2 dashes below them. This is the fire command. The single dash fire command (selected with the left mouse button) is for regular fire mode. The Double dash fire command is for fire modes like FUll AUTO on the Auto Cannon and SELF DESTRUCT on the Thunder Hammer. If the weapon being fired is a ranged weapon, after issuing a fire command, you must also select a target on the main map by clicking on it. NOTE: The Heavy Flamer can target a square as well as an actual target. This is handy for nailing Genestealers that are just around corners. Door Actions - This cammand tells a marine to open or close a door in lieu of blasting it from it's frame. You can "trick" Genestealers into entering a corridor by standing behind a closed door and the opening it when the Genestealer is in sight behind door. Like the other commands, use the left mouse button to give the open door command and the right mouse button to issue the close door command. To issue these commands, the marine must be facing a door in the adjacent square, and the door on the main map must be clicked on right after designating open or close. Highlight Line Of Sight - This will higlight the squares that the slected marine can currently see (shown in red) on the main tactical map. This can be used to plan the best positioning for marine that is intended to guard an area, corridor, etc.... Switch Squads - Toggles between squad one and squad two. Delete Last Command - Each marine can be given a set of five commands. If you make a mistake, simply click on this command button to delete the last command. You will then see it deleted and can continue with the "string" of instructions without having to start over. Go - This is used mainly when issuing tactical orders without "freeze" being activated. It simply tells the computer that you are done issuing orders for that marine. You can bypass using "go" by simply clicking on a different marine or hitting the freeze button to unfreeze the action. Movement - To move, simply click on a destination square on the main map (Again, you must click on a marine on the main map before selecting any order buttons. The selected marine will be blinking). NOTE: It is impossible to move through a square that contains another marine so keep this in mind when you decide who goes down a corridor first etc.... Genestealer Blips - When a Genestealers are out of sight, they are represented as "scanned blips" on the main map. These blips are one of two sizes. A small blip indicates a single Genestealer whereas a large blip represents a group of Genestealers. Unlike marines, the Genestealers "hoard" into one square in blip form and can also move through squares containing other Genestealers. When a Genestealer is in the line of sight of one of the marines, ist's icon will be that of a solid Genestealer and then the movement restrictions revert to the same as the marines. Genestealers are faster than marines by a ratio of 4:6. In other words a Genestealer can move 6 squares in the time it takes a marine to move 4. This is due to the Genestealer moving in it's natural form whereas the marine must walk in cumbersome but powerful Terminator Armor. KEYBOARD COMMANDS These are commands activated by keypress. These are used during a mission in progress: B - Back to main mission selection menu. F - Freeze toggle. P - Pauses the game. T - Terminate mission. <- - Switch terminators to the main action view screen by order. Arrows - Move the terminator in the main action window manually. Shift-Q - Quit Game (Must click "yes" or "no" with mouse). Go now and defend the Empire against the evil chaos spawn! HAIL THE EMPEROR! Docs created by, -=Lorus=-