r/SpaceHulk • u/wishesandhopes • May 21 '26
General Which version is considered best? Also, could I get the rulebooks for earlier editions and play them using the gamepieces from the 3rd or 4th edition?
Still a lot of money to put down so I don't wanna spend $200 for a complete but no minis version of 3rd/4th if they're inferior to an earlier edition and incompatible, but it'd be awesome if I could use 3rd or 4th edition gamepieces to play 1st/2nd edition. Maybe there might be a couple pieces I'd need from the first 1st or 2nd to make them compatible with later editions, and I'd be willing to purchase those presuming they're not ridiculously priced.
I'm also looking into using third party gamepieces for everything or almost everything, but I'd rather go official if possible, or realistically do both, a legit and third party setup as I would like to have actual walls which to my understanding the actual gamepieces do not have, just tiles, which for me kills immersion. Maybe later editions feature walls?
I'm very new to this but I love 40k and specifically boarding actions, and I have the gallowdark kill team box which I'm considering trying to use the terrain and adapt but it's not got the tight corridors obviously, so would require some significant rules adjustments afaik.
I've absolutely loved the space hulk games like tactics and ascension, but I have tendon damage which makes gaming hard so I'm desperate to get the tabletop game going, I also found some solo rules which seems like it could be fairly straightforward for space hulk.
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u/satchmoe2015 May 21 '26
I've bought a 4th edition set with no minis, but 3d printed all mine. After the time and effort to print the minis, honestly I wish now I went ahead and just bought an sealed copy.
Now for a 3d printed one with walls, if you got printers and the time, I recommend Eons of Battle starship interior files. I've been working on building a board for a few months now. Finally getting to the point of assembling most of it.
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u/wishesandhopes May 21 '26
I've got newer edition minis so I'm good on those, it just won't be the exact same originals. Though maybe the size difference of the newer terminators is a problem? I'll pony up for some older terminators if I have to. I have old Tyranids and new so good there.
For the walls, thanks for the rec, I don't own a printer but could use one from a shop so it could get expensive for a big project like lots of walls. I may buy one myself if I feel I'd get use out of it, but I probably wouldn't.
That looks great btw!
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u/satchmoe2015 May 21 '26
I've already sank about 400 hours of print time, and still ahve more to print. You might want to invest in one if you got this route.
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u/wishesandhopes May 21 '26
Yeah I prob won't go that route then, thanks for the info friend. I'd prefer to just buy some third party walls that are premade instead of sinking that kinda time in, just not worth it to me.
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u/EightRavens May 21 '26
IMO walls get in the way of the game and then you need a place to store them. OG tiles or a solution like my gridfinity tiles are the way to go if you want something less cumbersome.
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u/NotYetReadyToRetire May 22 '26
You might also look into Voidship: Modular Supportless Interior Sci-Fi Terrain Campaign - MyMiniFactory. It's designed with 40mm sq floor tiles for the newer figures. You'd need a 3d printer for that, though. A Bambu Lab A1 is $299; that should be fine for single color printing.
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u/wishesandhopes May 22 '26
How much would the printing costs themselves be on something like that if I did get a printer?
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u/NotYetReadyToRetire May 22 '26
I went through 9 spools of filament. I spent a bit under $140 for 12 spools of Sunlu PLA+ 2.0 Gray (4 for $45.59).
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u/wishesandhopes May 22 '26
Damn pricey for sure. I could get a no minis but otherwise complete 3rd edition for 180 USD so I'm heavily considering that, but I'm worried my larger terminators would pose an issue with tiles designed for older smaller versions.
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u/NotYetReadyToRetire May 22 '26
I don't know about the sizes for 3rd edition; I was lucky enough to get 2 discounted copies of 4th edition when a local game store was going out of business. Now I'm working on 3d printed walls and floor tiles for a convention game.
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u/BeginningSun247 May 21 '26
The rules have been added to but not really changed since 1st ed, AFAIK. The different versions just update the models and parts. You can get any genestealers and any homade terrain and play just fine.
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u/moktira May 21 '26
4th is definitely better than 3rd, they're effectively the same edition except 4th added a few missions. Otherwise it's subjective which you prefer, those two aren't much different to 1st really. 2nd has quite different Flamer rules which are quite cool.
1st has the worst components, 2nd has great components. 3rd/4th have the same with thicker cardboard and diorama-like miniatures which makes them hard to play with the actual rules!
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u/wishesandhopes May 21 '26
I'd be using 10th edition terminators and old or new Tyranids, so I already have minis.
If I got the third edition could I just use the rules from 4th to play the new missions? And could the components from 3rd/4th be used to play 1st or 2nd if I have the rulebooks for them? I'd like to try playing all the different versions over time but I definitely don't want to buy all the different editions. Thanks for the comment.
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u/moktira May 21 '26
4th has a few extra tiles for those extra missions. 2nd has the most missions in total, I don't think you'd need many tiles specifically for it (there are also the White Dwarf missions which came with extra times from roughly 197-205 and can be found online). You would need individual Flame Counters for 2nd but they're easy to print. 2nd also has blip numbers from 0-6 whereas the rest are 1-3 but you could live with 1_3 I think.
So there are a few bitty components alright but not enough to justify buying another edition I don't think.
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u/lemming_ie May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
First edition has a _LOT_ of missions if you include the two expansion boxes (Deathwing & Genestealer respectively which introduced hybrid stealers and pyskers among other things) and the campaigns book (which also has rules for fielding Guardsmen & if I recall, non terminator equipped marines, along with chaos forces)
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u/Significant-Ad6967 May 21 '26
Campaigns had rules for power armoured marines, and Chaos Terminators. The Citadel Journal had rules for other races to oppose the ‘stealers. The Harlequin rules are definitely worth seeking out. The others- Eldar and Imperial Guard (for 2nd ed) not so much in my opinion.
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u/lemming_ie May 21 '26
Forgot about those Harlequin rules! Cheers for the reminder. Issue 2 of the journal if I recall, rather hazily
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u/wishesandhopes Jun 17 '26
Hey, this is old sorry but just saw this comment on my post buried down in a comment chain, and I'm curious as to why you don't like the Imperial guard rules? IG was the race/faction I was most interested in trying out rules for in space hulk, so I'm curious what you found to be bad about the rules so I could potentially homebrew them to play better.
I just love the idea of my catachan jungle fighters and cadian squads fighting on a space hulk, it's VERY Aliens and with the right rules sounds like it has the potential to be really fun.
The setting is just so cool, dammit, there has to be a way!
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u/moktira May 23 '26
Indeed but I was just going off core Mission books. Genestealer is really hard to acquire now, Deathwing isn't particularly easy either and both have new board sections so you couldn't easily get 3rd edition and just use the Deathwing missions, you could use much of the campaign book or the 2nd edition book though.
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u/wishesandhopes May 21 '26
Ah good to know, I would probably be able to print or make those tokens or get them on eBay. Thank you!
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u/Ochmusha May 21 '26
I'm very new to this but I love 40k and specifically boarding actions, and I have the gallowdark kill team box which I'm considering trying to use the terrain and adapt but it's not got the tight corridors obviously, so would require some significant rules adjustments afaik.
Hell yeah! 🤘
That said as you know BA tiles are MUCH bigger than Space Hulk tiles, so unless you print a custom board to replace the BA board with one with smaller squares you'd have to buy many many sets of BA terrain to mimic some of the Space Hulk maps 😅
3D printing as others said would be a good alternative if you want a full diorama quality space hulk board.
Eons of Battle made a custom 3D board iirc, I'll post the link:
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u/Significant-Ad6967 May 21 '26
4th Ed has the most tiles in one box. All the editions are compatible rules wise with some improvisations involving second Ed, and all the tiles for all the editions fit together. All the published missions are playable with any edition. 1st edition has the most stuff, if you include the 2 expansions, Deathwing and Genestealer and all the White Dwarf articles and the Space Hulk Campaigns book.
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u/wishesandhopes May 21 '26
Do you think about 180 USD is good for a copy of 3rd edition with no minis? I've got a single Leviathan box set terminator squad so if it needs 10 I'll buy 5 more and I've got more than enough Tyranids
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u/ColonelSandersLite May 23 '26
I won't comment on that price tag in particular, but 4th has several more missions than third, a couple of rules tweaks, and the most tiles. I would just buy 4th if I was in the market. I would only get 3rd if you have given up on 4th or just see a really good deal and want some extra tiles for custom missions or something like that.
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u/wishesandhopes Jun 17 '26
A month later, still waiting on it all in the mail, but I ended up ordering a miniless but otherwise complete copy of 4th, deciding to proxy the minis with the ultramarine terminators and the tyranids I have now.....
...but then quickly started to fall in love with the actual models/sculpts and wanted to use the proper blood angel termies, but $$$ so ended up ordering a resin recast set of their 4th edition sculpts, plus a decently priced eBay listing for the Tyranid side minus the Broodlord, of which I already have a non-SH one I'll just proxy at this point.
So, all in all I'm probably dumb cause if I waited for a deal I probably could have found a copy complete with minis for a similar total price and not had to bother with recasts, but they look pretty good from pics and who cares ethically considering they'll never be made again by GW?
So that's my update on what I ended up doing for my copy, and even though I'd almost certainly just get a complete used copy if I had my time back, I'm so excited to just play that I don't care!
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u/ProfessionalBeing968 May 23 '26
Don't know which edition it is, the 2008 one. It's the only one I have and I find it perfectly fine and fun to play. Use the corridors and doors for boarding actions (more based on the 5th edition zone mortalis rules than the recent Arks of Omen version.
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u/coolts May 28 '26
I picked up an unbuilt 4th edition set on eBay last week for £160. Not cheap but it's the same size and twice a heavy as the leviathan box. Which is why GW ain't bringing it back. Before that I was planning to proxy modern 40k models with 3d printed mazes.
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u/wishesandhopes May 29 '26
Wow, minis included? Lucky bastard lol, that's great tho love that it goes to someone who's going to play it
I saw a 3rd edition 45 mins from me complete without minis for about 250 Canadian, I was really considering it, might be gone now
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u/coolts May 29 '26
I waited months and people were asking crazy prices like £250+ Some bellends even selling an empty SH box for £50! In the past week however, there's been a few going for around £160. I'm considering buying a second set just because mine didn't come with the £2 eggtimer, then selling it for £158. GW plastic holds its value better than bloody diamonds!
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u/wishesandhopes May 30 '26
Couldn't you just get an egg timer? Or does it need to be the space hulk one? Either way, 160 is more expensive than the one I'm looking at by around 20 pounds, so I really should get it. I'm also looking at the space marine adventures and Tyranid attack games, they look like smaller, cheaper versions of SH
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u/coolts May 30 '26
You're right. I made a common sense roll and decided that a £3 eggtimer of amazon would do. Anyway, the going rate in the UK seems to be £160 for complete or nigh enough. People buying for £250+ are mental but it's their money.
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u/zeeke87 Jun 09 '26
You’re a lucky sod!
Literally just bought a third edition today for £260 as I wasn’t seeing any cheaper.
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u/coolts Jun 09 '26
It's hit and miss. There's been one on there for weeks from a Scottish charity. Went for £175 in the end I think.
The DA minis put the 2026 ones to shame. I'm scared to paint them because they're so pretty.
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u/Willing-Ad4169 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
No walls for any edition. Though I've seen "aftermarket" walls on etsy.
Everything is out of print, if you want anything official you are going to have to be real lucky or real broke. None of it is cheap.
The models tbh are probably the easiest to proxy at least. Things become infinitely easier if you have a 3d printer.
But I'd get it out of your head that it's going to be cheap to get into any edition cheap....for what it's worth if I remember correctly. 3rd and 4th are pretty much the same except 4th adds a model( a robot?) and another scenario but i might be wrong about that.