SPACE HULK: RULES FOR AUTOMATED GENESTEALER PLAY

(BY RECURVE)
Introduction
This document assumes you are familiar with the rules of Space Hulk, a strategy board game
by Games Workshop. It does not take into account Deathwing, Warhammer 40,000, or any
other supplements or revisions to Space Hulk.
It replaces the rules for automatic Genestealer play that are provided with the original Space
Hulk rules. It is intended for players who wish to play Space Hulk as a solitaire game, or for
two players who wish to play the Space Marines cooperatively against an automated foe. These
rules work well for Missions in which the goal of the Genestealers is simply to wipe out the Space
Marines. These rules work less well for Missions in which the goal of the Genestealers is
something abstract, such as destroying an object or getting away from the Space Marines.
Quick Rules
1. Place the Genestealer Blips from highest number of Genestealers to lowest at the available
entry areas on the map in alternating fashion. The first is placed closest to a Space Marine,
the second rolled randomly, and so on, alternating continuously throughout the game.
2. Convert all Blips off-board. Select the Genestealer that is closest to a Space Marine. Move
this Genestealer toward the Marine (opening any doors in-between them) until the
Genestealer either: is able to attack the Marine, can’t move any farther, or dies. If the
Genestealer has Action Points remaining after it reaches the Marine, it attacks the Marine
with each remaining Action Point until either: the Marine dies, or it can’t attack anymore. If the
Genestealer has Action Points remaining after the Space Marine dies, it moves toward the
next closest Marine, again attacking if able. Repeat this process until the Genestealer has
either: exhausted all its Action Points, can’t move any farther, or died.
3. Repeat the instructions in step 2 until all Genestealers have either: exhausted their Action
Points, can’t move any farther, or died.
In most cases in which two or more things are equally close to one another for purposes of
determining Genestealer actions, roll randomly between the things.
Detailed Rules
1. Selecting the Closest
In Sections 2 and 3 below, you will be directed to select: the Genestealer entry area that “is
closest to a Space Marine,” the “unused Genestealer that is closest to a Space Marine,” the
“Space Marine that is closest to the Active Genestealer,” and the “closest board position that
would allow the Active Genestealer to engage in Close Assault with the Targeted Space
Marine.” The method for testing and selecting any of these things is the same. In general, to
select the closest X to Y you:
1.1. First locate the non-Marine board position (Genestealer, Blip, or entry area). If you are
testing a Genestealer entry area, assume that you begin exactly one square beyond the
entry area, off the edge of the map.
1.2. Count each board square between your starting point and the Marine in question, along
the shortest path, stopping at the first board square that could engage that Marine in
Close Assault. Count as a Genestealer would move, going diagonally around corners,
taking free 90 turns, and counting one extra for each closed door along the way. Count
flamed board squares normally, ignoring the fact that they are interdicted.
 1.3. Determine the facing of the Marine with regard to the board square where you stopped
counting. If the Marine is facing that board square (i.e. it occupies one of his forward
squares), add one to the count. If the Marine is not facing that square and, instead, one
of his sides is presented to the square, add 2/3 to the count. If the Marine is not facing
that square and, instead, his back is presented to the square, add 1/3 to the count.
1.4. If, after counting distance this way, you determine that two or more instances of X and
Y are equally close to one another, select the instances that include Marines who are
not on Overwatch, if any. (If all the “equally close” instances involve Marines on
Overwatch, you roll randomly to select among these.)
1.5. If two or more instances of X and Y that include Marines not on Overwatch are equally
close, you roll randomly to select among these. (A 10-sided die will cover most
situations that a 6-sided won’t.)
2. Placing Genestealer Blips
2.1. Odd-Numbered Blip Placement (Closest). After drawing Blips, choose the unplaced
Blip that represents the highest number of Genestealers. This Blip (and every
subsequent odd-numbered Blip for the rest of the game) is placed at the entry area that
best meets the following conditions, in order:
2.1.1. Has not been secured by the Space Marines.
2.1.2. Has the fewest number of converted Genestealers plus Blips at it.
2.1.3. Is closest to a Space Marine, per Section 1 above.
2.2. Even-Numbered Blip Placement (Random). Choose the unplaced Blip that
represents the highest number of Genestealers. This Blip (and every subsequent even-
numbered Blip for the rest of the game) is placed at the entry area that best meets the
following conditions:
2.2.1. Has not been secured by the Space Marines. (There are no other conditions for
placing even-numbered Blips, which are intended to be placed randomly.)
3. Moving Genestealers
3.1. Convert all Blips. Convert all Blips off-board. At this point, all Genestealers are
considered “unused.”
3.2. Select a Genestealer. Select the unused Genestealer that is closest to a Space Marine
per Section 1 above. This Genestealer will be subsequently referred to as the “Active
Genestealer.” It is now “used” and may not be considered “unused” for the purposes of
subsequent selection.
3.3. Select a Target. Select the Space Marine that is closest to the Active Genestealer per
Section 1 above. This Marine subsequently will be subsequently referred to as the
“Targeted Marine.”
3.4. If Possible, Attack.
3.4.1. If the Active Genestealer is not able to engage the Targeted Marine in Close
Assault because it has no Action Points remaining, return to step 3.2.
3.4.2. If the Active Genestealer is not able to engage the Targeted Marine in Close
Assault because the Targeted Marine is not in the Active Genestealer’s front
square (or a closed door separates them), go to step 3.5.
3.4.3. Otherwise, the Active Genestealer spends an Action Point to attack the Targeted
Marine.
3.4.4. If the Active Genestealer has died, return to step 3.2.
3.4.5. If the Targeted Marine has died, return to step 3.3.
 3.4.6. Otherwise, return to step 3.4.1.
3.5. If Not, Move.
3.5.1. If the Active Genestealer has no Action Points remaining, return to step 3.2.
3.5.2. Select the closest board position that would allow the Active Genestealer to
engage in Close Assault with the Targeted Space Marine per Section 1 above.
3.5.3. Plot the shortest path from the current board position of the Active Genestealer to
the Targeted Marine. Count as a Genestealer would move, going diagonally
around corners, taking free 90 turns, and counting one extra for each closed
door along the way. Count flamed board squares normally, ignoring the fact that
they are interdicted. If two or more paths are equally short, you roll randomly to
select among these.
3.5.4. If the next board position between the Active Genestealer and the Targeted
Marine along the plotted path is obstructed by a closed door, the Active
Genestealer spends an Action Point to open this door. If, as a result, the Active
Genestealer dies, return to step 3.2. Otherwise, return to step 3.3. (In most cases
nothing will change and you may actually go to step 3.5.1 or 3.5.5 as a shortcut.)
3.5.5. If the next board position between the Active Genestealer and the Targeted
Marine along the plotted path is obstructed by another Genestealer or a Flame
Counter, return to step 3.2.
3.5.6. Otherwise, the Active Genestealer turns freely (if necessary) and spends an
Action Point to move one board space toward the Targeted Marine along the
plotted path. If, as a result, the Active Genestealer dies, return to step 3.2.
Otherwise, return to step 3.3. (In most cases, nothing will change and you may
actually return to steps 3.4, 3.5.1, or 3.5.4 as a shortcut.)

Closing Notes
Although the Detailed Rules may seem complex and prohibitive at first glance, they are merely
thorough. In practice, the Quick Rules provide everything you need to know to execute this
Genestealer strategy.
You will most likely find (as I have) that the first couple turns of executing the Genestealer’s
moves under these Rules take a while  as you count and recount the distances from each entry
area to the closest Marine. But after a couple turns, you will get an intuitive feel for how far away
each Marine is from the closest entry area (and from the closest Genestealer). And developing
this sense will make you a faster and better Space Hulk player in every situation.
You may freely distribute, amend, or adapt these Rules as long as you credit me and leave the
trademark () symbols intact.
If you have an idea for a simple Genestealer strategy (i.e. you can express it as clearly and briefly
as my Quick Rules section above) that you find is repeatably more efficient than what I have
described here, I would love to receive it. You can email me at: recurve7@yahoo.com .
Thanks and Happy Gaming,
…Recurve =)