Space Hulk 2014 - Mission 1: Beachhead

Space Hulk 2014

Mission 1: Beachhead

At the last moment the hulk shifted. The ancient and rotted metal of the nameless ship which formed the outer edge of this section of the twisted and warp-melded merging of a dozen human and xeno vessels leapt as if it were some feral hound rather than an artifact technology. Instead of breaching the center protruding round of some interior chamber the boarding torpedo tore into a lightless corridor to its right. With a shriek of metal and an explosion of gas into vacuum sergeant Lorenzo lead his squad into the interior. To his right was an ancient valve, to his left the corridor opened into the chamber they torpedo had been aiming for with another closed doorway just before it. He could see another corridor and at its end another door. Turning quickly he faced the door close on his right and a glance at the movement display at his wrist he saw the greenly pulsing blips of the enemy just beyond. He stepped forward and faced the door, raising his bolter and putting himself in overwatch as his squad emptied from the torpedo behind him.

Beachhead is the first Mission for Space Hulk. I haven't played the game since Space Marines had beaks but the rules are simple and straightforward. I love the look of the new minis but my slop and go style of painting will not do them justice.

The scenario is simple and you are given two squads of Marines while the Genestealers are limited to 16 blips. 10 at start spread all over the place and 6 reinforcements that are dribbled out 1 at a time from turn 4 through turn 9. Each blip is 1-3 Genestealers so the Marines are outnumbered only about 2 to 1. They have guns and the Genestealers don't. This was my big mistake on my first play through.

The victory conditions are Take and Hold the six chambers of the map for the Marines without losing more than 3 figures and the Genestealers just need to kill Marines. My first game was an embarrassingly easy  Marine victory. I frittered away my limited supply of Genestealers when I need to concentrate them and wait for the right moment to pounce and overwhelm.

It is a fantastic game and I plan on replaying mission 1 again to try out some different tactics. I do feel that Mission 1 is a bit weighted in the Marines favor but a few replays should tell me if it is true.