Space Crusade


Title		Space Crusade
Game Type	Combat simulation
Players		1
Compatibility	AGA and ECS versions
Submission      Andy Thomas (andy@adamantium.demon.co.uk)

Review
There were both A500 and A1200 versions of Space Crusade, although the
expansion pack didn't work on the latter in my experience.

This was a game which set out to emulate the lead miniature marines
to be found in Games Workshops everywhere - the Blood Angels and the
rest.  Although the brother of a friend of mine was into painting
those miniatures I was only ever an interested and impressed
bystander.  No way did I have enough patience to try and paint those
things!  So lucky me when along came this game, eh?
Unlike Space Hulk, Space Crusade adopted the top view board game
style approach to the genre.  It was possible to have up to 3 marine
groups playing for the same objective, allowing for three players,
but generally I'd just take the one unit to work through the game
with.

My memories of this game aren't actually all that great, but I think
your squad was made up of the well hard Captain who for some reason
didn't get a helmet.  He had one shooting weapon, but was lethal up
close with a power sword or glove.  Damage done was determined by
dice rolls done by the computer set against armour and hit points of
the opponent.  But I digress.  A couple of your marines had the
standard Bolter weapons.  Not terribly wonderful, because they only
really managed to take out the weakest enemies with anything
approaching consistency.

The other slower moving boys carried the big guns, namely an
Autocannon, Grenade Launchery thing and Lasery thing.  Yeah, OK, I've
forgotten the names.  So sue me!  These weapons prodded more buttock
than the Bolters.  The Autocannon had higher dice rolls than
the Bolters and could fire on more than one target if hit points were
left over.  The Grenade Launcher scored maxium points in one square
where it was aimed and caused reduced damage in surrounding squares.
The Laser weapon fired in straight or diagonal lines from the user,
but didn't have a reduction in damage for range.  Top stuff for
clearing one side of a crowded corridor, especially if the hit roll
was high.

Although I've described this game in a board game perspective, there
was a 3D element which kicked in for combat when you were being fired
upon or firing.  It also kicked in if you'd gotten control of all the
doors in the derelict ship and squashed some unsuspecting
Dwarf-a-like between them.  That was a great way to improve your
survival odds.  I don't remember a lot of the enemies.  I do remember
there were Chaos marines who had effectively joined the dark side,
and things that looked like Gamorean Guards from ROTJ on steroids.
There were great big evil 4 square robot b*st*rds as well who
were well 'ard.  There were also Soul Eaters (?) whose eggs bore more
than a passing resemblance to those of a certain Queen Alien from a
certain well known film also involving marines.  All in all it
was an entertaining romp through alien hordes, and it was very
satisfying when you got lucky and managed to take out a whole group
of nasties with just one shot!



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