I had Space Crusade, which I picked up in my early 20's, and played it to death with my brothers and mates. After completing most of the missions in the main campaign, I bought Mission Dreadnought. (Both the game and expansion were last played at ony of my mates' houses - who I fell out with - and never got them back.) A few years later when I was married, I managed to get another copy of Space Crusade (I think it was on offer for £20 at a B&M store.) Played this for a bit and painted the miniatures. When I was moving house, some of my games were temporarily stored in my parent's loft. When we were eventually settled in our new house, I went to retrieve my games and found that some of them had mysteriously disappeared... Space Crusade, Heroquest, Axis & Allies and Dragonlance. They been taken by my older brother and sold at a car boot sale! (minus some of the instructions and minis which I still had)😞
Space Crusade was certainly my gateway into 40k in the early 90's. I don't have many stories of playing in except one is vividly burned into my memory; I was playing the Eldar Attack expansion with my dad, I was in control of the Aliens, he had the Eldar. It was an a-typical mission setup involving 3 tiles in line. As I recall the primary objective was simply that the Eldar player had to reach and exit via a Webway Gate. A gauntlet-run essentially. As my Dad's Eldar progressed through the first 2 tiles they encountered very little resistance from the aliens. Setting up the conditions for the aliens to swamp the Eldar in the final tile and creating an unwinnable bloodbath - because I was a 13yr old prick and thought that would be a fun game. So my Dad enters the last tile, I smugly lay down a sea of Blips almost covering the entire corridor between his models and the Webway Gate. He sits there, looks at his cards, does some mental calculations... I forget the combination of cards he played but in a double-bounding leap, utilising a single clear tile space in the middle of the board, his Exarch reaches the Webway and escapes, meeting the win conditions for the Eldar. I was dumbfounded. I remember protesting that the rest of his squad would die, he just smiled and shrugged. Essentially I'd pulled a dirty waac move and still got stomped, it was if nothing else a powerful lesson in humility and not being 'that guy' which probably came along at just the right time in my life...
This is an incredible moral tale, and I have a similar confession! I did the same as GM in Advanced Heroquest, piling Skaven warriors up in the final tiles and clogging everything up. Everyone got rightly upset with 12 year old me and I’d like to think my resulting regret made me a better gamer! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome story! I also played Space Crusade with my parents, on holiday as a 13 year old. I remember a game where the last marine alive was my mum's captain, surrounded on all sides by my Chaos hordes. Even though I threw everything at him, he fought his way out and completed the mission. My mum later told me she had a nightmare that night about being that Space Marine, having to fight for her life! She was really emotionally involved in the game. As a kid, I was very proud of having such cool parents. Thanks for this video, it brought back some very fond memories.
That’s ace! Along with HQ it was key to me getting started, though I never made it the GW Studio! That must have been great fun, any memorable stories?
Finally, UA-cam recommends quality content to me. Fascinating stuff. I think 40k's imminent move into 'boarding actions' will see Space Crusade reimagined definitively.
I think you’re right. There’s definitely a fun move back into the space hulks going on, I’ve really liked the new KT boxes. I hope it leads to a new Space Hulk/Crusade or even a Hulk themed WHQ! Thanks for the comment, really appreciate it!
I think there might be some legal issues between GW and MB - shared rights and whatnot - that might not make that possible. GW do seem to have (FINALLY) cottoned on to the fact that - while 40k tabletop is their premium game - there is a market for more self-contained games within that universe that might serve as gateways to it - because it's not too long ago that they seemed VERY resistant to that idea - I was once escorted from a GW shop for having the gall to bring in my old copy of Space Hulk for people to try out (not kidding) Now they've come full circle on that and reissued (and keep reissuing after saying they wouldn't) Space Hulk - and brought back Necromunda and Bloodbowl - Epic seems to be the next old property on the list - so who knows?
Started my 40k journey with the Amiga version of Space Crusade way back in the day, and I didn't think there was anything you could tell me about the game that I didn't already know - but that story about Steve Baker picking up the phone was incredible. The balls on that man, to not just say "hang on, I'll transfer you to head office"! Once upon a time answering the phone could give you job offers rather than spam callers, I suppose.
@@jordansorcery They were absolutely a great introduction with rules easy to understand. I'm just getting back into TTRPG 20+ years after my last foray.
Welcome back to the fold! There’s even more amazing stuff out there these days, even the updates of classics like WFRP are awesome. What have you been getting back in to?
@@jordansorcery been looking around to decide. Was gonna get really into DnD but now considering pathfinder, as really into fantasy but also sci-fi so possibly 40k again, but the only thing that's holding me back on 40k is cost etc.
I had it in Italian in the 90s thanks to my eldest brother (11 years older than me…). I loved everything of this game, I bought all the expansion… and I bought an English version few years ago to play it with my German friends now that I live in bremen… and on top of everything… I printed it in 3d and after 35/40 years I am actually painting it all!!! Gosh… I just wrote to my brother to thank him after all this time 😂 thanks for bringing me back to that time 😊
here here! great video, exactly my sentiments and I would happily be that guy who starts the online groundswell, the clamour to get this reissued! Keep up the great vids
A fantastic video on my all-time favourite board game (and I own hundreds of them). It was the game that introduced me to Warhammer 40k in the early 90's, which would become my favourite hobby of all time in the years to come and all the way up to today. My well-used copy has literally travelled with me around the world, first bought in Portugal and now residing with me and my family in New Zealand. Here I've bought a couple of other copies of the game so I can restore one to full condition, while also retaining my original (and its two expansions) in my well-loved state that brings back so many fond memories of home and youth. Now I get to play it with my wife and daughter, and it has helped me introduce my girls to this amazing world as well, so in a way, it has all come full circle. Really informative and well researched video. Nice to see the old Space Crusade get some well-deserved love.
I foolishly got rid of my original copy in a big purge many years ago, have picked up bits and bins again over the years. The restoration copy is a great idea, and I love that you’ve kept your original and still play it with family, that’s so great. Thats the true legacy of Space Crusade right there!
My first induction into fantasy gaming. I went from space crusade to the add on dreadnought factory to the tyranids and scouts, to games workshop. I found games workshop became and expensive re-release of rules and figures, so from there I spent many a Friday in my local game shop "Spirt games" buying board games and collecting MtG cards. Very good memories. Thank you for reminding me of the good times. I still have the figures as I couldn't part with "Ed209, the Alien auto cannons and the Androids". I'm so glad I am no longer alone in how these figures were seen by a younger "us"
You chose some great minis to keep hold of! I love those dreadnoughts, wish I’d held on to mine! Thanks for sharing, I agree it’s lovely to be reminded by the community of all those great gaming memories and games!
I got the tyranids and scouts after reading those White Dwarf issues... Ended up playing Tyranids in 40k just because I was young and had a load of those models. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Scouts though....
Hi Jordan, Thanks for putting together this video. It's GREAT! As you say, Space Crusade does not get as much coverage as HeroQuest. I wanted Space Crusade to capture the tension and action of contemporary sci-fi movies. It needed to be its own game rather than a re-working of HeroQuest. Your video does a great job of highlighting the differences. I am so glad you enjoyed this game. The greatest reward for me as a game designer is hearing from people who have loved playing my games. Keep making your videos. They’re fantastic!
I'm really glad you enjoyed the video, and that it was reasonably accurate! I've a lot of love for both HQ and Space Crusade and I'm very grateful you made them. Happy, I've been able to bring a little more of their stories to light for some folk too! I'm actually working on a Battle Masters video too so if you ever fancy chatting about your terrific work I'd love to hear more!
Space Crusade and Heroquest, were a huge entry point into the GW hobby, and i still have both and the expansions, and my 11 year old and 7 year old sons are also now loving playing them both
Necrons appeared again before the 3rd ed rulebook. It was still 2nd ed when the first sculpts were released with rules in WD. However they had a cheeky cameo in the digganob expansion for gorkamorka. A necron skull apearing in a pile of scrap. Plus the not quite yet revealed to be giant necron pyramids the diggas hang around in.
Fantastic video! I remember first seeing Space Crusade at primary school when someone brought it in on the last day of term, and it blew my tiny mind. Off down the 40k rabbit hole I went! And you're absolutely right about that cover artwork - it brought the whole idea to life and fired up the imagination.
Those last days of term were amazing, every kid bringing in some random classic game to play all day! Don’t think any of the kids in my class were cool enough to bring SC, you got lucky there!
Loved this one. As an American, the only bit of Space Crusade I own (and likely ever will) is White Dwarf #134. A couple things I thought I'd add (and I haven't checked the other comments so someone may have already beat me to it): Chaos Androids were also produced at 6mm scale for Epic/Space Marine along with the Dreadnought. I have a bunch of them, although, to be honest I have no idea what their rules are like. But they definitely exist! The first Space Marine novel, from Ian Watson and published in 1993, creatively titled, 'Space Marine' featured marines infiltrating a Tyranid hive ship, much like in Advanced Space Crusade or Tyranid Attack. As an aside, one of the marines was originally from Necromunda and his name was 'Biff'. Seriously. They even meet a Zoat! The earliest 40K novels were WILD. But I have to think they stuck in the Hive Ship scenes because of the game.
Oh wow, great catch! Now that you mention them I actually remember those little android minis for Epic! Interesting point about Watson’s Space Marine book, I’m not surprised they included some synergies with the game. If you’ve not seen it I actually go into Watson’s Inquisitor book a bit in my recent video on the Emperor’s Tarot as he wrote the first appearance of it in 40k lore!
I just obtained an awesome copy of SC a couple of months ago and have been eagerly awaiting something like this. Between this and your WHQ videos, you are quickly shooting to one of my favorite channels, thank you for all of the hard work you put into these videos.
I happen to still own my copy of Space Crusade, given I believe it's one of the best board games ever made. I got it decades ago in the mid-1990's. I first learned about it from my brothers, given that one of them got Hero Quest in 1990, and I quickly learned about the other games in the range. When I discovered that the local toy shop was selling the core game for $19AU, I thought, this would be a perfect opportunity for me to get a copy. So I got it for a Christmas present. I also got the Mission Dreadnought expansion that year, given it was $9AU. Now that the games cost a pretty penny to get nowadays, I'm glad that I kept them. I then discovered that there was a second expansion, Eldar Attack, that never arrived in Australia. Being a completest, I later purchased the expansion on eBay. It might have cost $150AU, but it was worth it to complete the set. My copy of Space Crusade is a true treasure. And especially since I later got copies of Hero Quest, and Battle Masters, the other two games in the MB/GW trilogy of board games, for cheap at local charity shops. I pride myself for having the complete set. And it all started with Space Crusade, a long time ago.
You've done well to keep hold of them all this time - I was not as sensible! Amazing to have the complete set though, hope they still make it to the table every now and again!
I remember reading the Galaxy Quest manual (German edition) when I was a kid: Robots? Stun weapons? Looking at Genstealer figures and Spacemarines with bolters and thinking to myself: Riiiight.... 🤣
If I remember correctly there was a weird rule in Advanced Space Crusade where you would react to the other players actions and it could end up in a huge loop where me and my friend just got stuck reacting to each other over and over, I got rid quickly.
Such wonderful memories! I still own my (near mint) copy of "Star Quest" - as we called it here in Italy -. I've spent soooo many hours of play and fun with it. Good job and excellent quality video, grazie mille!
Great Video, thanks very much! Space Crusade was the first GW* game I played. A friend invited me round to play and as soon as I saw it, I was amazed. I was 10 and I‘d never seen miniatures before. I begged my parents to take me to the toy store in town to buy a copy and a week later they agreed. Once there, I discovered there was also a fantasy version called Heroquest and I chose that one. From there after I got into WFB and collected a huge Dwarf army. Honestly, the fact that Heroquest and Space Crusade were available from regular toy shops made them excellent gateway games. I‘d always assumed Space Crusade was more popular / well known than Heroquest, due to the popularity of Space Marines. I wonder why they never released it in the US. *technically MB
I think you’re on the money, getting it in toy shops with the reliable MB branding just opened the door so much, I bet there was a huge influx of lifetime wargamers as a result. I’d love the answer to the US release strategy, just seems such a strange decision from my perspective. Thank you for the comment!
Space Crusade was my gateway into the warhammer 40k universe, it will always have a fond place in my heart💖. Never played the old Space Hulk but did play the numerous video games🎮, awesome👌🏻👍🏻‼️☺️
just noticed lost patrol on your desk, i used the models from that to increase my advanced space crusade forces, advanced space crusade could end up being massive campaigns that took weeks to complete, absolutely loved it.
It began with Space Crusade for me also. 20 years later I picked up Space Hulk 3rd ed and started reading a lot of the novels. When 9th ed 40K came out I jumped right in building on the armies I knew from those two boardgames. Wargaming is now a big part of my life, I paint models almost every day and play 1-2 games a week.
Thanks for the video! Being in the US I never got to play Space Crusade, but I played a ton of Heroquest and then 40k in the early 90's. Very fun memories.
my friend had heroquest and I had space crusade. Needless to say many hours of gaming fun. Now I just wish I still had them. Never realise how hard it will be to get hold of your old games that you took for granted as a kid.
I agree and understand your closing comments Jordan, as this is the game that started me down the exact same path. Thank you for your research and hard work.
That was really great video, thanks. I bought this back in the day, with the Dreadnought expansion, but alas not the Eldar one. I had 40K but never got into that, but this got all my group intrigued, especially with the ongoing campaign. I stupidly gave my copies away, but I hope somebody does a re-release like the recent Heroquest one.
Excellent video! I have fond memories of playing Space Crusade as a child. I'm being pedantic here but I believe the necrons had a limited release in 2nd ed 40k through white drawf. The model you show is a freebie that came with the magazine (and I still have somewhere)
Thank you! You’re totally right about the Necron, my timeline was a little out - the White Dwarf army list came out in Feb ‘98 and 3rd edition released in October ‘98 with the dangerous xenos page. Somehow those sneaky Necrons got behind me!
2nd ed 40k is still the best ruleset imo. And yes, there was a necron on white dwarf. I still have it, as well as all the space crusade/mission dreadnought/eldar attack minatures.
I played it a few times at the club we had back then but always went back to my favorite the old heroquest, but it was still fun to play and watch, imo the kill team game is the new space crusade. Has always you've taken us back down memory lane... damn, i'm old...
I was pleased to see Kill Team’s latest setting move it to a Space Hulk, they’re such an interesting idea that I enjoy seeing GW explore them in different ways. Space Crusade is still one of the best though, in my opinion
Well that was the first video Iv seen if yours. And it was honestly amazing. I remember playing heroquest, and then space crusade on the amiga. The dreadnought was terrifying. I remember my friend telling me he used to have nightmares about it hahaha.
Same here, Space Crusade planted the seed and then Space Hulk really made it flourish - two incredible board games that did such a good job with atmosphere and theme that they made 40K impossible to resist! Thanks for the comment!
@@jordansorcery no worries dude. Your channel is great and I love the content (First found you due to your Warhammer Quest vids) keep up the good work and have a good festive break
SC was my first contact with the 40K universe. I was 13 at the time and had loved playing Heroquest at my friends house, so when I saw the cool TV it really drew my attention. But the best part is, for some reason the local supermarket priced it wrong, at 1000 or 2000 pesetas (can´t remember) when it was actually over 5000, so my mom agreed to buy it. I remember the walk to the supermarket and back it was over two hours but I couldn´t wait in case they run out or undid the error... I remember being amazed with the components and specially the manuals... I thought "Wow, they really fleshed out the story background for this board game"! My brother and I played a lot and got the expansions in Christmas. Good memories. I loved the blip mechanics, the careful planning of the movement and use of orders and equipment, and was actually disapponited with the rules for 40K once I got to know it. I developed a sort expanded rules to include the rest of the factions and miniature range to play Player VS Player... Nice video, thanks!
Yes! Love a good discount price almost as much as Space Crusade itself! It really was another time, wasn’t it? So much fun setting up and knocking over all those wonderful components!
I played it so much both the board game and on the amiga. It got me into W40K, and 30 years later, I am still very much into W40K. I also played Hero Quest a lot, both the board game and on the amiga. Since I was already heavily into sci-fi, W40K just got me.. Such a rich Lore and awesome game...
Thanks for another video. I never owned this game in the 80s but my friends had a copy. I bought a copy with mission Dreadnaught 5 years ago and have played 3 campaigns with my 2 sons, both who play Euro board games and of course GW and MB/Hasbro Games.
That was such a cool walk down memory lane. I know what you mean about space crusade being something inside 😂 I had the Eldar attack expansion and this last year I've finally plucked up the courage to paint that Eldar war host. Top video 👍 and Merry Christmas.
Thank you, glad you liked it! Oh wow, I'm jealous of that Eldar Attack you've got, but that's great about getting them to the painting table - that's how they fulfil their gaming destiny! Merry Christmas!
Excellent video! Never had space crusade but got the advanced set Christmas 1990 or 91, and adored it. Managed to get a copy on eBay about 20 years ago. ❤
My intro to 40k without even knowing it was playing space crusade on my amiga 500 like 25 years ago. Still never played it physically but it introduced me to 40k and space hulk.
Thoroughly enjoyed this! Space Crusade was my gateway to Space Hulk, then Warhammer 40K, then Necromunda, etc etc. I recently got a complete copy and have been playing it with my kids who say it's better than video games even. With the new version of HeroQuest out there I had wondered why there wasn't a new Space Crusade, so thank you for answering that question! Hopefully another company picks up the rights and puts out a family friendly successor one day.
Great video! When I was a kid I got the Dreadnought expansion for Christmas... not the base game, just the expansion lol. It didn't matter, the power of my imagination was enough to enjoy playing with all those minis. I got into w40k a bit in high school (2nd edition) and have loosely followed it since, so Space Crusade made at least one fan of the hobby!
Thank you. The classic curse of a well meaning but unobservant family member! At least it was the one that included the amazing dreadnought though, I’m not surprised that could entertain on its own, totally awesome mini that!
Another excellent video! I own several of the SC products (OG game, expansions, PC and Amiga boxed games), and love learning more about them. Thank you.
I sadly never got a hold of this, my first foray into the 40K universe was Space Hulk...and many Terminators found nothing but a cold grave on those derelict ships, let me tell you. Still have most of the bits for it. But my first experience of any kind with Space Crusade was watching Ashens stream the video game. It looked amazing and between your video and his livestream I wish this had been part of my childhood. Fantastic work, sir.
SOmething about the art and colours just sells the cramped, claustrophobic interior and desperate close quarters combat, and promise of more things beyond the next bulkhead. Fantastic vibes. This and the art in the 2nd ed 40K really sold it to me when i was a lot smaller
“…the perennial favorite - the genestealer.” That sounds like the kind of thing a genestealer would say. Kidding aside, I remember seeing these games & articles, but never had the chance to play them. The plastic scouts with the ludicrously oversized heavy bolters & that chaos dreadnought are the two things I remember most vividly.
We. Wait. THOSE Genestealers are just a great bunch of lads! I always thought those scouts must have the worst shoulder pain, their pauldrons are even bigger than their bolters!
I got StarQuest for Christmas in the early 1990s. I was maybe 9 or 10 years old. I can remember slowly unpacking the game and being amazed. Since I had the German version, the weapons were non-lethal, which I didn't think was realistic because of the dark atmosphere. So I changed that for myself and soon started to modify the rules, too. A heavily worn but loved copy is in my cupboard. And it was the beginning of my interest for the 40k lore
Great video Jordan, not sure why but SC popped up in my consciousness the other day and I'd been feeling the heady tug of nostalgia. Nice to see someone has created a video. I had the base set and the two expansion packs and, man, did we play that game - sometimes consuming entire bank holiday weekends with it in a somewhat altered reality state in the 90s/2000s. Its serious usage was reflected in many of the push-fit weapons losing their plugs, broken off arms, the thin plastic control panels getting cracked and the cardboard doors separating but my gosh was it super fun. I ended up donating it to a mate who had kids although he did suggest returning it to me just before the covids hit (and says it's pretty much unused by them) so I might see if I can take him up on it now. I wonder what's happened to all the original moulds (if that's the right term), artwork and such like. Surely now's the time for a reissue, I see there's a Space Crusade set going for £300 on ebay!
They did a great job didn't they - it felt infinitely replayable at the time! Lovely that you at least gave it the chance to have a new life with a new generation, even if it didn't appeal to them in the end! And yeah, any way to get hold of a copy these days that's not at those wild ebay prices is worth a go!
Thanks for the video, was a great trip down memory lane! I remember playing Space Crusade on the Amstrad, so many good times. I remember my friend having Tyranid Attack and thinking the exact same thing about the vomit inducing board pieces haha I saw you have a few other really interesting topic vids so I'm going to check them out, thanks for the fantastic break down and keep up the great work
Excellent video, I totally missed out on space crusade when I was younger but found myself becoming interested in it and old miniature board games during Covid which allowed me to start a number of 3D projects with the first being Heroquest, I am now working on. 3D version of Space Crusade and this video will give me the extra inspiration to get the job done so many thanks 🙏🏼
Happy to have helped! I really like the idea of doing updated Space Crusade and HeroQuest sets using modern citadel minis, love the idea of doing it in 3D too!
Great video. I always wanted Space Crusade board game and my folks never got them. When space crusade came to to the Amiga, I was able buy it. Still have the game and box.
Space Crusade was a huge part of my childhood. I’m a writer now - and I don’t think I’d know how to capture the senses of dread, loneliness, paranoia, and impending doom if I hadn’t had my imagination fired by this sinister, traumatic game. It is ideal for children with active imaginations, because it has the quality of teleporting the brain into the ruins of space, where horrible nightmares lurk round the corner. Brilliantly conceived, utterly terrifying.
I still have this game. It’s definitely coming out over Christmas now and I’ll see if my daughters will play! Thanks for the video. Oh one last thing … for me this game has all the 40k you need in one box!
20:38 I remember this edition of WD well... it was the first one I ever possessed! Bought for me by my mum, who saw it at the paper shop and correctly recognised that it was connected with the Heroquest game I'd got the year before(?) for Christmas. She thought I might find it interesting. Little did she know the journey this would set me upon... I think I read that edition of WD from cover to cover multiple times. Alas it met its demise at the hands (paws?) of the family dog, who ate half of it.
Fantastic video, this game certainly kick started my love of 40K…… particularly that genestealer ambush card, still painting and playing with genestealers and other Tyranids to this day. One slight correction is that Necrons got their first mention before the third edition rulebook in a couple of issues of White Dwarf. You even got a free metal Necron warrior on the front of one of the issues. There were ludicrously overpowered rules for a Necron raiding force, in which the basic Necron warrior was equivalent in power to a Space Marine terminator, these were very fun and very narrative rules! So Necrons got their first rules at the tail end of second edition, but they didn’t get a full range and the proper Codex treatment until third edition.
I was lucky in that I experienced both HeroQuest and SpaceCrusade through my cousins. My eldest brother was into GW games at that point and suggested my parent's buy me SpaceCrusade as a joint Xmas/birthday present. Luckier still, I had both of my brothers and a family friend willing to play the campaign with me. I still remember that time we used the expansion which included the tarantula weapon for the marines and my brother used it to block my genestealer in a room, as my maximum damage would never defeat the tarantula's armour.... happy days :)
That TV ad reminds me of those 80's-inspired 40K ai art generations going around on UA-cam. I would love to see something like this (especially a David Lynch version i.e. Dune)
I remember holding the Eldar attack box in my hands at the local tabletop game shop and finding out it was just an expansion I wanted to get Space Crusade, but it was sold out and no longer available. I ended up buying the Aliens boardgame instead, which I didn't regret. But the yearning for Space Crusade that I'd missed by just a year or so finally got to me so I bought Space Hulk and Tyranid Attack and though I played them I got the most out of it using the minis for 40K games. I did have Space Crusade on the Amiga though, so I did get to play it.
Wow space crusade is a blast from the past absolute quality game and probs like everyone else my introduction to 40k. think I was about 5 or 6 when my dad bought me this for Christmas, i spent countless hours staring at that grey board n cardboard doors. I seem to remember some kind of mounted weapon team n other add on packs we got from virgin megastore but that might of been for Warhammer n I just used them with SC. I had the game for the Amiga but I can't really remember it that well. Thanks for a bringing back some great memories, cracking video😃
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and that it brought back some good memories! Speaking of which, you mentioning Virgin Megastore just gave me a vivid flashback to their RPG department and glass cabinet full of Ral Partha minis! Cheers mate!
Space Crusade is not only the game that made my brother (and later, me) fall into W0k, it was, and still is in my opinion, the best board game ever made. And you said everything that had to be said, lovely video xD Want if you want a memory on this game, I remember playing it with a friend and his sisters, I was the alien player, and I had put my dreadnought just in the front of the imperial fist starting point, destroying her squad in a single turn xD I also remember, in the first mission of Dreadnought Mission, I was again play the alien, but this time with much older friends (like 10 years after the other game I was talking about). They had only 2 marines left: a captain and another guy with the tarentula, they were struggling with the armored door (in this misssion, you have to escape through a corridor with armored doors you have to destroy.) but my reinforcement were in the next room. the guy abandoned the tarentula in front of the doors so that my reinforcements could not go through and they won this way :D
Very interesting to know the origins of MB Games. I raised in Spain and Space Crusade was barely known. I bought HeroQuest (my parents did) because I watched the cool TV ad, and also because I was interested in dungeon BoardGames with minis, dice, etc. HeroQuest seemed the perfect game to me (and still is). I don't remember to see Space Crusade in the toy and boardgames stores. There was a version of that game launched in Spain (Cruzada Estelar), but I am sure the Spanish kids who were interested asked for their parents a copy of HeroQuest because Space Crusade had a poor success in the market. You can see how HeroQuest is still a legend, whereas Space Crusade has been forgotten, in the relaunch of HeroQuest and its many, many expansions. The then expansions and the new ones. Now, the business is on the expansions, rather than in the proper game system.
A lovely little dive into the history of the game, I was always drawn to the dungeon delve style of board games whether fantasy or sci-fi. Which probably owes a lot to the long shadow of D&D as the forebear to a lot of these games and which I knew about before even getting into the miniatures hobby. I started out like many with the release of Heroquest in 1989 , which in a lot of ways my first step into my lifelong hobbies of Warhammer and RPG's. I played that many times over the next couple of years and actually got into Warhammer 40k and Fantasy before ever playing Space Crusade which I picked up second hand at a flea market a couple of years after that. I picked up a second hand copy of Tyranid Attack sometime around the same time too and have to say I actually really enjoyed it and played both SC and TA quite a lot with friends and cousins as they were quick to set-up and jump right into play with pretty simple rules. Unfortunately as tends to happen with a lot of young gamers, I didn't look after them very well, all the boxes died a death; but I do still have all the components for all 3 games in storage boxes (actually I picked up a complete set of Heroquest a while back). Thank you for an awesome and interesting video, take care ;)
Thanks for sharing and for your comment! You’ve done well to keep all the pieces, those games are true classics - sorry to say most of mine got damaged, lost, or sold off over the years before I started a proper collection again. Always found Space Crusade to be a great ‘plug & play’ game, and really fun too!
Space crusade was my entry point to the world of 40k. 29 years later and I'm still going strong. And as for the re release idea. I'd never heard of it and frankly I'm glad the idea of sexy marines in space fell flat on its face.
It’s amazing how many lifelong gamers it’s responsible for! I’d thankfully avoided the dodgy Prodos stuff until recently too, and am equally glad they didn’t stick around!
Twas this and Heroquest that sparked my interest in miniatures, it was all so confusing as an 11 year old but so captivating, that bastard dreadnought!!
Great video. I still have the space crusade Marines as well as a complete advanced space crusade, the tyranid plastic is looking a bit worse for wear now.
Great content, your research it's amazing, please keep going doing this wonderful job and I expect to see more about 40k genesis in the early years and development to become what its today
My best friend owned a copy of HeroQuest back in the day, now he owns 3 or 4 of them. We weren't able to get our hands on a spacecrusade/StarQuest copy but it didn't stop us: we downloaded the boards and doors, and bought ourselves various 40K sets to create our own version! Creating house rules for both games.
I will have you know that an AoS reskin using Kharadron Overlord Grundstok Thunderers vs Tzeentch Forces works surprisingly well. The Ogroid Thaumaturge makes for an excellent dreadnought.
I loved the game; I had the Amiga version of it too; and Space Hulk; loved them both. Like many it got me into Space marines and for a long time at least partly into Warhammer 40k.
I had Space Crusade, which I picked up in my early 20's, and played it to death with my brothers and mates. After completing most of the missions in the main campaign, I bought Mission Dreadnought. (Both the game and expansion were last played at ony of my mates' houses - who I fell out with - and never got them back.)
A few years later when I was married, I managed to get another copy of Space Crusade (I think it was on offer for £20 at a B&M store.) Played this for a bit and painted the miniatures. When I was moving house, some of my games were temporarily stored in my parent's loft.
When we were eventually settled in our new house, I went to retrieve my games and found that some of them had mysteriously disappeared... Space Crusade, Heroquest, Axis & Allies and Dragonlance. They been taken by my older brother and sold at a car boot sale! (minus some of the instructions and minis which I still had)😞
Space Crusade was certainly my gateway into 40k in the early 90's. I don't have many stories of playing in except one is vividly burned into my memory; I was playing the Eldar Attack expansion with my dad, I was in control of the Aliens, he had the Eldar. It was an a-typical mission setup involving 3 tiles in line. As I recall the primary objective was simply that the Eldar player had to reach and exit via a Webway Gate. A gauntlet-run essentially. As my Dad's Eldar progressed through the first 2 tiles they encountered very little resistance from the aliens. Setting up the conditions for the aliens to swamp the Eldar in the final tile and creating an unwinnable bloodbath - because I was a 13yr old prick and thought that would be a fun game.
So my Dad enters the last tile, I smugly lay down a sea of Blips almost covering the entire corridor between his models and the Webway Gate. He sits there, looks at his cards, does some mental calculations... I forget the combination of cards he played but in a double-bounding leap, utilising a single clear tile space in the middle of the board, his Exarch reaches the Webway and escapes, meeting the win conditions for the Eldar. I was dumbfounded. I remember protesting that the rest of his squad would die, he just smiled and shrugged.
Essentially I'd pulled a dirty waac move and still got stomped, it was if nothing else a powerful lesson in humility and not being 'that guy' which probably came along at just the right time in my life...
This is an incredible moral tale, and I have a similar confession! I did the same as GM in Advanced Heroquest, piling Skaven warriors up in the final tiles and clogging everything up. Everyone got rightly upset with 12 year old me and I’d like to think my resulting regret made me a better gamer! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome story! I also played Space Crusade with my parents, on holiday as a 13 year old. I remember a game where the last marine alive was my mum's captain, surrounded on all sides by my Chaos hordes. Even though I threw everything at him, he fought his way out and completed the mission. My mum later told me she had a nightmare that night about being that Space Marine, having to fight for her life! She was really emotionally involved in the game. As a kid, I was very proud of having such cool parents.
Thanks for this video, it brought back some very fond memories.
Space Crusade was my gateway, leading to a job in the GW Studio in the LotR era. Best time of my life.
That’s ace! Along with HQ it was key to me getting started, though I never made it the GW Studio! That must have been great fun, any memorable stories?
That is really cool. W40K was one of the reasons I got in to tech.
Finally, UA-cam recommends quality content to me. Fascinating stuff. I think 40k's imminent move into 'boarding actions' will see Space Crusade reimagined definitively.
I think you’re right. There’s definitely a fun move back into the space hulks going on, I’ve really liked the new KT boxes. I hope it leads to a new Space Hulk/Crusade or even a Hulk themed WHQ! Thanks for the comment, really appreciate it!
I hope so. I loved that game
I have a copy of the original. I’d love to see it reboot.
I think there might be some legal issues between GW and MB - shared rights and whatnot - that might not make that possible.
GW do seem to have (FINALLY) cottoned on to the fact that - while 40k tabletop is their premium game - there is a market for more self-contained games within that universe that might serve as gateways to it - because it's not too long ago that they seemed VERY resistant to that idea - I was once escorted from a GW shop for having the gall to bring in my old copy of Space Hulk for people to try out (not kidding)
Now they've come full circle on that and reissued (and keep reissuing after saying they wouldn't) Space Hulk - and brought back Necromunda and Bloodbowl - Epic seems to be the next old property on the list - so who knows?
You’re absolutely correct.
The real space crusade is in our hearts. ❤
Impossible to get it out again without the help of an experienced tech-priest
Started my 40k journey with the Amiga version of Space Crusade way back in the day, and I didn't think there was anything you could tell me about the game that I didn't already know - but that story about Steve Baker picking up the phone was incredible. The balls on that man, to not just say "hang on, I'll transfer you to head office"! Once upon a time answering the phone could give you job offers rather than spam callers, I suppose.
Incredible to think how many current gamers owe their hobby to that one phone call!
Sure it was bugged ...Dnaught could only be destroyed by closing the door on it !
I had Heroquest, Space Crusade (my introduction to 40k), Tyranid Attack and Space Hulk as well as the expansions and a few others of the same type.
A classic range there, a great introduction to GW!
@@jordansorcery They were absolutely a great introduction with rules easy to understand. I'm just getting back into TTRPG 20+ years after my last foray.
Welcome back to the fold! There’s even more amazing stuff out there these days, even the updates of classics like WFRP are awesome. What have you been getting back in to?
@@jordansorcery been looking around to decide. Was gonna get really into DnD but now considering pathfinder, as really into fantasy but also sci-fi so possibly 40k again, but the only thing that's holding me back on 40k is cost etc.
I had it in Italian in the 90s thanks to my eldest brother (11 years older than me…). I loved everything of this game, I bought all the expansion… and I bought an English version few years ago to play it with my German friends now that I live in bremen… and on top of everything… I printed it in 3d and after 35/40 years I am actually painting it all!!! Gosh… I just wrote to my brother to thank him after all this time 😂 thanks for bringing me back to that time 😊
I'm happy to bring back a little nostalgia. What a great journey though, seems like Space Crusade has been with you throughout life!
here here! great video, exactly my sentiments and I would happily be that guy who starts the online groundswell, the clamour to get this reissued! Keep up the great vids
A fantastic video on my all-time favourite board game (and I own hundreds of them). It was the game that introduced me to Warhammer 40k in the early 90's, which would become my favourite hobby of all time in the years to come and all the way up to today.
My well-used copy has literally travelled with me around the world, first bought in Portugal and now residing with me and my family in New Zealand. Here I've bought a couple of other copies of the game so I can restore one to full condition, while also retaining my original (and its two expansions) in my well-loved state that brings back so many fond memories of home and youth. Now I get to play it with my wife and daughter, and it has helped me introduce my girls to this amazing world as well, so in a way, it has all come full circle.
Really informative and well researched video. Nice to see the old Space Crusade get some well-deserved love.
I foolishly got rid of my original copy in a big purge many years ago, have picked up bits and bins again over the years. The restoration copy is a great idea, and I love that you’ve kept your original and still play it with family, that’s so great. Thats the true legacy of Space Crusade right there!
That's awesome!
My first induction into fantasy gaming. I went from space crusade to the add on dreadnought factory to the tyranids and scouts, to games workshop. I found games workshop became and expensive re-release of rules and figures, so from there I spent many a Friday in my local game shop "Spirt games" buying board games and collecting MtG cards. Very good memories. Thank you for reminding me of the good times. I still have the figures as I couldn't part with "Ed209, the Alien auto cannons and the Androids". I'm so glad I am no longer alone in how these figures were seen by a younger "us"
You chose some great minis to keep hold of! I love those dreadnoughts, wish I’d held on to mine! Thanks for sharing, I agree it’s lovely to be reminded by the community of all those great gaming memories and games!
I got the tyranids and scouts after reading those White Dwarf issues... Ended up playing Tyranids in 40k just because I was young and had a load of those models. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Scouts though....
Hi Jordan, Thanks for putting together this video. It's GREAT! As you say, Space Crusade does not get as much coverage as HeroQuest. I wanted Space Crusade to capture the tension and action of contemporary sci-fi movies. It needed to be its own game rather than a re-working of HeroQuest. Your video does a great job of highlighting the differences. I am so glad you enjoyed this game. The greatest reward for me as a game designer is hearing from people who have loved playing my games. Keep making your videos. They’re fantastic!
I'm really glad you enjoyed the video, and that it was reasonably accurate! I've a lot of love for both HQ and Space Crusade and I'm very grateful you made them. Happy, I've been able to bring a little more of their stories to light for some folk too!
I'm actually working on a Battle Masters video too so if you ever fancy chatting about your terrific work I'd love to hear more!
Space Crusade and Heroquest, were a huge entry point into the GW hobby, and i still have both and the expansions, and my 11 year old and 7 year old sons are also now loving playing them both
That's awesome, I love how these games have been passed on between generations. Absolute classics!
Necrons appeared again before the 3rd ed rulebook. It was still 2nd ed when the first sculpts were released with rules in WD. However they had a cheeky cameo in the digganob expansion for gorkamorka. A necron skull apearing in a pile of scrap. Plus the not quite yet revealed to be giant necron pyramids the diggas hang around in.
These deep dives are amazing! Thanks a lot for doing them.
Fantastic video! I remember first seeing Space Crusade at primary school when someone brought it in on the last day of term, and it blew my tiny mind. Off down the 40k rabbit hole I went! And you're absolutely right about that cover artwork - it brought the whole idea to life and fired up the imagination.
Those last days of term were amazing, every kid bringing in some random classic game to play all day! Don’t think any of the kids in my class were cool enough to bring SC, you got lucky there!
Loved this one. As an American, the only bit of Space Crusade I own (and likely ever will) is White Dwarf #134. A couple things I thought I'd add (and I haven't checked the other comments so someone may have already beat me to it): Chaos Androids were also produced at 6mm scale for Epic/Space Marine along with the Dreadnought. I have a bunch of them, although, to be honest I have no idea what their rules are like. But they definitely exist! The first Space Marine novel, from Ian Watson and published in 1993, creatively titled, 'Space Marine' featured marines infiltrating a Tyranid hive ship, much like in Advanced Space Crusade or Tyranid Attack. As an aside, one of the marines was originally from Necromunda and his name was 'Biff'. Seriously. They even meet a Zoat! The earliest 40K novels were WILD. But I have to think they stuck in the Hive Ship scenes because of the game.
Oh wow, great catch! Now that you mention them I actually remember those little android minis for Epic! Interesting point about Watson’s Space Marine book, I’m not surprised they included some synergies with the game. If you’ve not seen it I actually go into Watson’s Inquisitor book a bit in my recent video on the Emperor’s Tarot as he wrote the first appearance of it in 40k lore!
Thank you for this wonderful stroll down memory lane!!! Your absolute love of this game is apparent throughout this video. ; )
Thanks for the comment, I’m glad I was able to get the passion across!
I just obtained an awesome copy of SC a couple of months ago and have been eagerly awaiting something like this. Between this and your WHQ videos, you are quickly shooting to one of my favorite channels, thank you for all of the hard work you put into these videos.
That’s really nice of you to say, thanks for watching them! Hopefully, some of the topics I’m working on are just as interesting!
@@jordansorcery sometimes you come for the content and stay for the personality; you are such a case, good sir!
You’re too kind!
I happen to still own my copy of Space Crusade, given I believe it's one of the best board games ever made. I got it decades ago in the mid-1990's. I first learned about it from my brothers, given that one of them got Hero Quest in 1990, and I quickly learned about the other games in the range.
When I discovered that the local toy shop was selling the core game for $19AU, I thought, this would be a perfect opportunity for me to get a copy. So I got it for a Christmas present. I also got the Mission Dreadnought expansion that year, given it was $9AU. Now that the games cost a pretty penny to get nowadays, I'm glad that I kept them.
I then discovered that there was a second expansion, Eldar Attack, that never arrived in Australia. Being a completest, I later purchased the expansion on eBay. It might have cost $150AU, but it was worth it to complete the set.
My copy of Space Crusade is a true treasure. And especially since I later got copies of Hero Quest, and Battle Masters, the other two games in the MB/GW trilogy of board games, for cheap at local charity shops. I pride myself for having the complete set. And it all started with Space Crusade, a long time ago.
You've done well to keep hold of them all this time - I was not as sensible! Amazing to have the complete set though, hope they still make it to the table every now and again!
I remember reading the Galaxy Quest manual (German edition) when I was a kid: Robots? Stun weapons? Looking at Genstealer figures and Spacemarines with bolters and thinking to myself: Riiiight.... 🤣
yes, non lethal-weapons like the Hologram-projektor, but in the original graphics of the rulebook is shown how gretchins are torn apart by explosions.
If I remember correctly there was a weird rule in Advanced Space Crusade where you would react to the other players actions and it could end up in a huge loop where me and my friend just got stuck reacting to each other over and over, I got rid quickly.
Haha, that sounds like a wild oversight!
Such wonderful memories! I still own my (near mint) copy of "Star Quest" - as we called it here in Italy -. I've spent soooo many hours of play and fun with it. Good job and excellent quality video, grazie mille!
Well done to keep it at all let alone near mint, I’m a bit jealous! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Great Video, thanks very much!
Space Crusade was the first GW* game I played. A friend invited me round to play and as soon as I saw it, I was amazed. I was 10 and I‘d never seen miniatures before. I begged my parents to take me to the toy store in town to buy a copy and a week later they agreed. Once there, I discovered there was also a fantasy version called Heroquest and I chose that one. From there after I got into WFB and collected a huge Dwarf army. Honestly, the fact that Heroquest and Space Crusade were available from regular toy shops made them excellent gateway games.
I‘d always assumed Space Crusade was more popular / well known than Heroquest, due to the popularity of Space Marines. I wonder why they never released it in the US.
*technically MB
I think you’re on the money, getting it in toy shops with the reliable MB branding just opened the door so much, I bet there was a huge influx of lifetime wargamers as a result. I’d love the answer to the US release strategy, just seems such a strange decision from my perspective. Thank you for the comment!
This is a great video - research editing, everything! Good luck with the channel
Thank you, really appreciate this! I’m glad you enjoyed the video
Nice to watch a documentary-quality history of the game. Thank you!
Thank you for commenting, really glad you enjoyed it!
Interesting to see 40k's history! Great vid!
Thank you!
Space Crusade was my gateway into the warhammer 40k universe, it will always have a fond place in my heart💖. Never played the old Space Hulk but did play the numerous video games🎮, awesome👌🏻👍🏻‼️☺️
just noticed lost patrol on your desk, i used the models from that to increase my advanced space crusade forces, advanced space crusade could end up being massive campaigns that took weeks to complete, absolutely loved it.
Wow this was an emotional journey through long forgotten past times! cheers for the video
would love to see you do the history blood bowl.
My pleasure, glad it brought back some memories! Blood Bowl is a great shout, definitely on the list!
It began with Space Crusade for me also. 20 years later I picked up Space Hulk 3rd ed and started reading a lot of the novels. When 9th ed 40K came out I jumped right in building on the armies I knew from those two boardgames. Wargaming is now a big part of my life, I paint models almost every day and play 1-2 games a week.
It’s a testament to how much character and theme they managed to cram into that SC box - it definitely made a lasting impression!
Thanks for the video! Being in the US I never got to play Space Crusade, but I played a ton of Heroquest and then 40k in the early 90's.
Very fun memories.
Thanks for watching and commenting! It’s such a shame about SC not making it to the states, but at least you had HQ, that was one fantastic game!
my friend had heroquest and I had space crusade. Needless to say many hours of gaming fun. Now I just wish I still had them. Never realise how hard it will be to get hold of your old games that you took for granted as a kid.
Both were just amazing, brilliant games to grow up with!
That ending!
"The real treasure are the friends you made along the way""🤣
And every word was true!
I've played all of these, back in time. I still have them too.
True classics!
I agree and understand your closing comments Jordan, as this is the game that started me down the exact same path. Thank you for your research and hard work.
Thank you for these videos. Always very interesting and well put together. Frankly I'm amazed your subscriber count isn't a few digits longer.
That's lovely of you to say, I'm glad you're enjoying them!
"...hulks of spaces hulk and crusade..." an ingenious sentence which I had to listen to multiple times to understand. Well spoken sir :)
Thank you! Trying not to sacrifice too much clarity for levity, but words can be such fun!
I still have my copy on the shelf, what wondrous adventures were had in the 90s.
This was my introduction to warhammer 40k. That ad brings me back.
That was really great video, thanks. I bought this back in the day, with the Dreadnought expansion, but alas not the Eldar one. I had 40K but never got into that, but this got all my group intrigued, especially with the ongoing campaign. I stupidly gave my copies away, but I hope somebody does a re-release like the recent Heroquest one.
I made the same mistake and got rid of my copy, and I couldn’t agree more - a quality re-release would be amazing!
damn i love your history videos, thanks for those shots of nostalgia
I had completely forgotten about battle masters !
Excellent video! I have fond memories of playing Space Crusade as a child. I'm being pedantic here but I believe the necrons had a limited release in 2nd ed 40k through white drawf. The model you show is a freebie that came with the magazine (and I still have somewhere)
Thank you! You’re totally right about the Necron, my timeline was a little out - the White Dwarf army list came out in Feb ‘98 and 3rd edition released in October ‘98 with the dangerous xenos page. Somehow those sneaky Necrons got behind me!
2nd ed 40k is still the best ruleset imo. And yes, there was a necron on white dwarf. I still have it, as well as all the space crusade/mission dreadnought/eldar attack minatures.
I played it a few times at the club we had back then but always went back to my favorite the old heroquest, but it was still fun to play and watch, imo the kill team game is the new space crusade. Has always you've taken us back down memory lane... damn, i'm old...
I was pleased to see Kill Team’s latest setting move it to a Space Hulk, they’re such an interesting idea that I enjoy seeing GW explore them in different ways. Space Crusade is still one of the best though, in my opinion
Well that was the first video Iv seen if yours. And it was honestly amazing. I remember playing heroquest, and then space crusade on the amiga. The dreadnought was terrifying. I remember my friend telling me he used to have nightmares about it hahaha.
This is great :) so many memories of Space Crusade. It was my entry point into 40K and the larger GW universe. Space Hulk was my other gateway game
Same here, Space Crusade planted the seed and then Space Hulk really made it flourish - two incredible board games that did such a good job with atmosphere and theme that they made 40K impossible to resist! Thanks for the comment!
@@jordansorcery no worries dude. Your channel is great and I love the content (First found you due to your Warhammer Quest vids) keep up the good work and have a good festive break
Have a great Christmas and a merry Mondstille!
SC was my first contact with the 40K universe. I was 13 at the time and had loved playing Heroquest at my friends house, so when I saw the cool TV it really drew my attention. But the best part is, for some reason the local supermarket priced it wrong, at 1000 or 2000 pesetas (can´t remember) when it was actually over 5000, so my mom agreed to buy it. I remember the walk to the supermarket and back it was over two hours but I couldn´t wait in case they run out or undid the error...
I remember being amazed with the components and specially the manuals... I thought "Wow, they really fleshed out the story background for this board game"! My brother and I played a lot and got the expansions in Christmas. Good memories.
I loved the blip mechanics, the careful planning of the movement and use of orders and equipment, and was actually disapponited with the rules for 40K once I got to know it. I developed a sort expanded rules to include the rest of the factions and miniature range to play Player VS Player...
Nice video, thanks!
Yes! Love a good discount price almost as much as Space Crusade itself! It really was another time, wasn’t it? So much fun setting up and knocking over all those wonderful components!
Just came across your video. Excellent production very well done like a documentary style! Can't believe you haven't more subscribers. Subbed!
Thank you, that’s very nice of you to say! I’m still pretty new around here so I’m hoping word will spread!
I played it so much both the board game and on the amiga. It got me into W40K, and 30 years later, I am still very much into W40K. I also played Hero Quest a lot, both the board game and on the amiga. Since I was already heavily into sci-fi, W40K just got me.. Such a rich Lore and awesome game...
The sarcasm when you mentioned the ZX Spectrum was positively biting and dripping with venom. Well played.
That’s just a natural product of having to play on one as a child!
The speccie version was fine, also loved Laser Quest.
Thanks for another video. I never owned this game in the 80s but my friends had a copy. I bought a copy with mission Dreadnaught 5 years ago and have played 3 campaigns with my 2 sons, both who play Euro board games and of course GW and MB/Hasbro Games.
That was such a cool walk down memory lane. I know what you mean about space crusade being something inside 😂 I had the Eldar attack expansion and this last year I've finally plucked up the courage to paint that Eldar war host.
Top video 👍 and Merry Christmas.
Thank you, glad you liked it! Oh wow, I'm jealous of that Eldar Attack you've got, but that's great about getting them to the painting table - that's how they fulfil their gaming destiny! Merry Christmas!
Excellent video! Never had space crusade but got the advanced set Christmas 1990 or 91, and adored it. Managed to get a copy on eBay about 20 years ago. ❤
My intro to 40k without even knowing it was playing space crusade on my amiga 500 like 25 years ago. Still never played it physically but it introduced me to 40k and space hulk.
A worthy introduction nonetheless, and a perfect stepping stone to Space Hulk!
I Funting love space crusade, some of your favourite gaming memories
Yeah it was a formative game experience for me too, lots of great memories from that game
Subscribed, thanks for being around!
Thanks for subscribing and commenting! Glad you're enjoying the videos!
Thoroughly enjoyed this! Space Crusade was my gateway to Space Hulk, then Warhammer 40K, then Necromunda, etc etc.
I recently got a complete copy and have been playing it with my kids who say it's better than video games even.
With the new version of HeroQuest out there I had wondered why there wasn't a new Space Crusade, so thank you for answering that question! Hopefully another company picks up the rights and puts out a family friendly successor one day.
Great video! When I was a kid I got the Dreadnought expansion for Christmas... not the base game, just the expansion lol. It didn't matter, the power of my imagination was enough to enjoy playing with all those minis. I got into w40k a bit in high school (2nd edition) and have loosely followed it since, so Space Crusade made at least one fan of the hobby!
Thank you. The classic curse of a well meaning but unobservant family member! At least it was the one that included the amazing dreadnought though, I’m not surprised that could entertain on its own, totally awesome mini that!
Another excellent video! I own several of the SC products (OG game, expansions, PC and Amiga boxed games), and love learning more about them. Thank you.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it, especially if you’ve got everything to hand already!
I sadly never got a hold of this, my first foray into the 40K universe was Space Hulk...and many Terminators found nothing but a cold grave on those derelict ships, let me tell you. Still have most of the bits for it. But my first experience of any kind with Space Crusade was watching Ashens stream the video game. It looked amazing and between your video and his livestream I wish this had been part of my childhood.
Fantastic work, sir.
Space Hulk is not a bad intro to 40k either tbf! A lot of awesome games of that in my past - still love it to this day!
SOmething about the art and colours just sells the cramped, claustrophobic interior and desperate close quarters combat, and promise of more things beyond the next bulkhead. Fantastic vibes. This and the art in the 2nd ed 40K really sold it to me when i was a lot smaller
“…the perennial favorite - the genestealer.” That sounds like the kind of thing a genestealer would say.
Kidding aside, I remember seeing these games & articles, but never had the chance to play them. The plastic scouts with the ludicrously oversized heavy bolters & that chaos dreadnought are the two things I remember most vividly.
We. Wait. THOSE Genestealers are just a great bunch of lads!
I always thought those scouts must have the worst shoulder pain, their pauldrons are even bigger than their bolters!
Where the hell did this awesome channel pop up from?!
I can tell, I am REALLY gonna enjoy this channel. 🥰
Ha, thanks for the support! Hope I can keep the fun stuff coming with a few ideas I’ve got for next year
I got StarQuest for Christmas in the early 1990s. I was maybe 9 or 10 years old. I can remember slowly unpacking the game and being amazed. Since I had the German version, the weapons were non-lethal, which I didn't think was realistic because of the dark atmosphere. So I changed that for myself and soon started to modify the rules, too. A heavily worn but loved copy is in my cupboard. And it was the beginning of my interest for the 40k lore
An incredible Christmas gift! I’m still amazed how much stuff they managed to fit into the boxes for this and HeroQuest, just amazing gaming value
I would get it for the cover art only. Awesome game, one of my favorites! Fun, not too complicated and again much fun
Great video Jordan, not sure why but SC popped up in my consciousness the other day and I'd been feeling the heady tug of nostalgia. Nice to see someone has created a video.
I had the base set and the two expansion packs and, man, did we play that game - sometimes consuming entire bank holiday weekends with it in a somewhat altered reality state in the 90s/2000s.
Its serious usage was reflected in many of the push-fit weapons losing their plugs, broken off arms, the thin plastic control panels getting cracked and the cardboard doors separating but my gosh was it super fun.
I ended up donating it to a mate who had kids although he did suggest returning it to me just before the covids hit (and says it's pretty much unused by them) so I might see if I can take him up on it now.
I wonder what's happened to all the original moulds (if that's the right term), artwork and such like.
Surely now's the time for a reissue, I see there's a Space Crusade set going for £300 on ebay!
They did a great job didn't they - it felt infinitely replayable at the time! Lovely that you at least gave it the chance to have a new life with a new generation, even if it didn't appeal to them in the end! And yeah, any way to get hold of a copy these days that's not at those wild ebay prices is worth a go!
Thanks for the video, was a great trip down memory lane! I remember playing Space Crusade on the Amstrad, so many good times. I remember my friend having Tyranid Attack and thinking the exact same thing about the vomit inducing board pieces haha
I saw you have a few other really interesting topic vids so I'm going to check them out, thanks for the fantastic break down and keep up the great work
Thank you for the comment, glad to know I’m not the only one repulsed by those hive fleet interiors!
Excellent video, I totally missed out on space crusade when I was younger but found myself becoming interested in it and old miniature board games during Covid which allowed me to start a number of 3D projects with the first being Heroquest, I am now working on. 3D version of Space Crusade and this video will give me the extra inspiration to get the job done so many thanks 🙏🏼
Happy to have helped! I really like the idea of doing updated Space Crusade and HeroQuest sets using modern citadel minis, love the idea of doing it in 3D too!
Great video. I always wanted Space Crusade board game and my folks never got them. When space crusade came to to the Amiga, I was able buy it. Still have the game and box.
You’ve done well to keep that! Do you still have the Amiga to fire it up on?
Excellent rundown!
Thanks!
Space Crusade was a huge part of my childhood. I’m a writer now - and I don’t think I’d know how to capture the senses of dread, loneliness, paranoia, and impending doom if I hadn’t had my imagination fired by this sinister, traumatic game. It is ideal for children with active imaginations, because it has the quality of teleporting the brain into the ruins of space, where horrible nightmares lurk round the corner. Brilliantly conceived, utterly terrifying.
Completely agree, they made something really special!
I still have this game. It’s definitely coming out over Christmas now and I’ll see if my daughters will play! Thanks for the video. Oh one last thing … for me this game has all the 40k you need in one box!
It’s a perfect little 40K time capsule! I’m glad to hear there’ll be at least one extra Space Crusade game this Christmas, that’s my job done!
20:38 I remember this edition of WD well... it was the first one I ever possessed! Bought for me by my mum, who saw it at the paper shop and correctly recognised that it was connected with the Heroquest game I'd got the year before(?) for Christmas. She thought I might find it interesting. Little did she know the journey this would set me upon... I think I read that edition of WD from cover to cover multiple times. Alas it met its demise at the hands (paws?) of the family dog, who ate half of it.
If your hobby life has been anything like mine, that dog was trying to save you a lot of money in the long run!
Fantastic video, this game certainly kick started my love of 40K…… particularly that genestealer ambush card, still painting and playing with genestealers and other Tyranids to this day.
One slight correction is that Necrons got their first mention before the third edition rulebook in a couple of issues of White Dwarf. You even got a free metal Necron warrior on the front of one of the issues. There were ludicrously overpowered rules for a Necron raiding force, in which the basic Necron warrior was equivalent in power to a Space Marine terminator, these were very fun and very narrative rules! So Necrons got their first rules at the tail end of second edition, but they didn’t get a full range and the proper Codex treatment until third edition.
You are quite right!
I was lucky in that I experienced both HeroQuest and SpaceCrusade through my cousins. My eldest brother was into GW games at that point and suggested my parent's buy me SpaceCrusade as a joint Xmas/birthday present. Luckier still, I had both of my brothers and a family friend willing to play the campaign with me.
I still remember that time we used the expansion which included the tarantula weapon for the marines and my brother used it to block my genestealer in a room, as my maximum damage would never defeat the tarantula's armour.... happy days :)
Absolutely perfect games to tear open on Christmas Day! Sounds like your brother was playing to win! Fantastic use of circumstance - I love it!
I played tons of HeroQuest with my brother and friends, but never even heard of this. I missed out!!
Brilliant and detailed review
That TV ad reminds me of those 80's-inspired 40K ai art generations going around on UA-cam. I would love to see something like this (especially a David Lynch version i.e. Dune)
David Lynch’s 40K would be something special!
I ended up with quite a few advanced space crusade board tile sets for 50p a set when my local games workshop had a sale in the 90s
Love those random discounts that lead to unusual gaming opportunities like a 10 board mega Space Crusade game!
I remember holding the Eldar attack box in my hands at the local tabletop game shop and finding out it was just an expansion I wanted to get Space Crusade, but it was sold out and no longer available.
I ended up buying the Aliens boardgame instead, which I didn't regret. But the yearning for Space Crusade that I'd missed by just a year or so finally got to me so I bought Space Hulk and Tyranid Attack and though I played them I got the most out of it using the minis for 40K games.
I did have Space Crusade on the Amiga though, so I did get to play it.
Oh brutal, so close yet so far! Glad you at least got the virtual experience though!
I loved Space Crusade as a kid, and I still have a complete copy that gets dusted off now and then - it's a great game.
I'll wait for a "History of Necromunda" video with much anticipation :)
It’s a topic in the Patreon vote right now, but Mordheim currently has the edge!
(though I’ll no doubt get round to it eventually in any case!)
Had me cracked up with that line about the real space crusade being "in here" all along until the end of the video😂
Wow space crusade is a blast from the past absolute quality game and probs like everyone else my introduction to 40k. think I was about 5 or 6 when my dad bought me this for Christmas, i spent countless hours staring at that grey board n cardboard doors. I seem to remember some kind of mounted weapon team n other add on packs we got from virgin megastore but that might of been for Warhammer n I just used them with SC. I had the game for the Amiga but I can't really remember it that well. Thanks for a bringing back some great memories, cracking video😃
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and that it brought back some good memories! Speaking of which, you mentioning Virgin Megastore just gave me a vivid flashback to their RPG department and glass cabinet full of Ral Partha minis! Cheers mate!
German here, our version was.....different, but I kinda have the exact same memories as you.... Thanx for the great vid!
It certainly sounds like a different take on 40k lore! Thanks for watching!
I still own the original Space Crusade plus both Eldar Attack and Mission Dreadnought. Played all the missions and it was great fun.
Space Crusade is not only the game that made my brother (and later, me) fall into W0k, it was, and still is in my opinion, the best board game ever made.
And you said everything that had to be said, lovely video xD
Want if you want a memory on this game, I remember playing it with a friend and his sisters, I was the alien player, and I had put my dreadnought just in the front of the imperial fist starting point, destroying her squad in a single turn xD
I also remember, in the first mission of Dreadnought Mission, I was again play the alien, but this time with much older friends (like 10 years after the other game I was talking about). They had only 2 marines left: a captain and another guy with the tarentula, they were struggling with the armored door (in this misssion, you have to escape through a corridor with armored doors you have to destroy.) but my reinforcement were in the next room. the guy abandoned the tarentula in front of the doors so that my reinforcements could not go through and they won this way :D
Very interesting to know the origins of MB Games.
I raised in Spain and Space Crusade was barely known. I bought HeroQuest (my parents did) because I watched the cool TV ad, and also because I was interested in dungeon BoardGames with minis, dice, etc. HeroQuest seemed the perfect game to me (and still is).
I don't remember to see Space Crusade in the toy and boardgames stores. There was a version of that game launched in Spain (Cruzada Estelar), but I am sure the Spanish kids who were interested asked for their parents a copy of HeroQuest because Space Crusade had a poor success in the market.
You can see how HeroQuest is still a legend, whereas Space Crusade has been forgotten, in the relaunch of HeroQuest and its many, many expansions. The then expansions and the new ones. Now, the business is on the expansions, rather than in the proper game system.
11:27 yo that commercial was awesome
It’s still one of the best!
A lovely little dive into the history of the game, I was always drawn to the dungeon delve style of board games whether fantasy or sci-fi.
Which probably owes a lot to the long shadow of D&D as the forebear to a lot of these games and which I knew about before even getting into the miniatures hobby.
I started out like many with the release of Heroquest in 1989 , which in a lot of ways my first step into my lifelong hobbies of Warhammer and RPG's. I played that many times over the next couple of years and actually got into Warhammer 40k and Fantasy before ever playing Space Crusade which I picked up second hand at a flea market a couple of years after that. I picked up a second hand copy of Tyranid Attack sometime around the same time too and have to say I actually really enjoyed it and played both SC and TA quite a lot with friends and cousins as they were quick to set-up and jump right into play with pretty simple rules.
Unfortunately as tends to happen with a lot of young gamers, I didn't look after them very well, all the boxes died a death; but I do still have all the components for all 3 games in storage boxes (actually I picked up a complete set of Heroquest a while back).
Thank you for an awesome and interesting video, take care ;)
Thanks for sharing and for your comment! You’ve done well to keep all the pieces, those games are true classics - sorry to say most of mine got damaged, lost, or sold off over the years before I started a proper collection again. Always found Space Crusade to be a great ‘plug & play’ game, and really fun too!
The best thing about HeroQuest is StarQuest! Love both, but StarQuest/Space Crusade has always been my favourite!
It’s a brilliant game!
Space crusade was my entry point to the world of 40k. 29 years later and I'm still going strong.
And as for the re release idea. I'd never heard of it and frankly I'm glad the idea of sexy marines in space fell flat on its face.
It’s amazing how many lifelong gamers it’s responsible for! I’d thankfully avoided the dodgy Prodos stuff until recently too, and am equally glad they didn’t stick around!
Twas this and Heroquest that sparked my interest in miniatures, it was all so confusing as an 11 year old but so captivating, that bastard dreadnought!!
Great video. I still have the space crusade Marines as well as a complete advanced space crusade, the tyranid plastic is looking a bit worse for wear now.
Some classic minis in that ASC box!
Another great video mate, enjoying these. Happy holidays!
Thanks so much! Happy Christmas and merry Mondstille!
Great content, your research it's amazing, please keep going doing this wonderful job and I expect to see more about 40k genesis in the early years and development to become what its today
My best friend owned a copy of HeroQuest back in the day, now he owns 3 or 4 of them. We weren't able to get our hands on a spacecrusade/StarQuest copy but it didn't stop us: we downloaded the boards and doors, and bought ourselves various 40K sets to create our own version!
Creating house rules for both games.
I will have you know that an AoS reskin using Kharadron Overlord Grundstok Thunderers vs Tzeentch Forces works surprisingly well. The Ogroid Thaumaturge makes for an excellent dreadnought.
This actually sounds amazing
Good video. Me, my little brother, and my friends still play Space Crusade fairly often :)
Thank you! That’s ace, I couldn’t get my brothers to play it with me even once over the past 25 years so I’m jealous!
I loved the game; I had the Amiga version of it too; and Space Hulk; loved them both. Like many it got me into Space marines and for a long time at least partly into Warhammer 40k.
It was a compelling recruiter for the Imperium!