Ultra Marines
Encyclopedia
Ultra Marines is one of a series of 4 "introductory" board games released by Games Workshop
in the mid-1990s. Set in the Warhammer 40,000
universe, it is effectively a 'scaled-down' version of Space Hulk
and Tyranid Attack, using plastic Marine Scouts from the Ultramarines
, Space Wolves, Dark Angels and Blood Angels chapters. Other components include event cards, a simple ruleset, as well as corridor and room tiles from the game Space Hulk
.
"). Alien Artefact counters are randomly placed throughout the play area. Each player sets up their 5 models in a starting room of their choice and then take turns to move their pieces. The object of the game is to move the various Scout models to retrieve the artefacts and carry them to the starting rooms while stopping opponent models from achieving the same goal. Random event cards are dealt to each player that allows them to either help their own models (in the form of medipacks or double movement) or hinder opponents (by placing obstacles in their path or attacking them directly).
Unlike other Games Workshop games, Ultra Marines featured a unique method of determining the accuracy of weapons fire and close combat attacks. The box of the game featured a grid printed on the inside of the lid, and dice were thrown into the lid and the results read from the squares that the dice landed in. However, this led to eventual problems after release as the cardboard box would warp or become worn after years of use and the distortion of the box lid would skew results.
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
in the mid-1990s. Set in the Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
universe, it is effectively a 'scaled-down' version of Space Hulk
Space Hulk
Space Hulk is a board game by Games Workshop, first released in 1989 and re-released in 2009. The game is set in their Warhammer 40,000 universe and draws a certain degree of inspiration from the Alien movies....
and Tyranid Attack, using plastic Marine Scouts from the Ultramarines
Space Marines (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
, Space Wolves, Dark Angels and Blood Angels chapters. Other components include event cards, a simple ruleset, as well as corridor and room tiles from the game Space Hulk
Space Hulk
Space Hulk is a board game by Games Workshop, first released in 1989 and re-released in 2009. The game is set in their Warhammer 40,000 universe and draws a certain degree of inspiration from the Alien movies....
.
Rules
Before the game begins, players arranged the interlocking room and corridor tiles on the playing area to represent a maze (a "Space HulkSpace Hulk
Space Hulk is a board game by Games Workshop, first released in 1989 and re-released in 2009. The game is set in their Warhammer 40,000 universe and draws a certain degree of inspiration from the Alien movies....
"). Alien Artefact counters are randomly placed throughout the play area. Each player sets up their 5 models in a starting room of their choice and then take turns to move their pieces. The object of the game is to move the various Scout models to retrieve the artefacts and carry them to the starting rooms while stopping opponent models from achieving the same goal. Random event cards are dealt to each player that allows them to either help their own models (in the form of medipacks or double movement) or hinder opponents (by placing obstacles in their path or attacking them directly).
Unlike other Games Workshop games, Ultra Marines featured a unique method of determining the accuracy of weapons fire and close combat attacks. The box of the game featured a grid printed on the inside of the lid, and dice were thrown into the lid and the results read from the squares that the dice landed in. However, this led to eventual problems after release as the cardboard box would warp or become worn after years of use and the distortion of the box lid would skew results.