I had an opportunity to sit down and interview avid "Warhammer 40K" tabletop gamer Clint Walker. Clint has been playing the tabletop game "Warhammer 40K" for 13 years now. I sat down with Clint to gain an understanding of the tabletop game, and to see how accurate the new "Warhammer 40K: Space Marine" video game is to the original story by Games Workshop. This is the interview.
Mike: How long have you been playing the tabletop Warhammer 40K?
Clint: Since about 98? So, about 13 years.
Mike: How did you first get into playing Warhammer 40K?
Clint: Well, I had some friends that played it since they were teenagers. As soon as I saw the models, which have evolved in the past 13 years to be much cooler than they were, I realized that it wasn't like Dungeons and Dragons. I had no interest in playing "D&D", but they got me to play a game with them, and showed me how it all worked. At that moment, I was hooked. You think about when you were a kid playing with your "GI Joe's" with your friends, and trying to do that with someone else, and putting that into a game where you have a set of rules, and play smooth and it works, and be able to kill your opponents guys is very cool.
Mike: What is it you love most about the tabletop game?
Clint: I would have to say it's the strategy involved. It's not like a game like "Risk" that you can just pick up and play, and win the game because you overtook the countries first. Warhammer 40K starts out with you building an army, which actually has as much strategy as when you are actually having a battle. Another thing I love about it is you are facing a live thinking opponent who is trying to out play, and out think you, and when things happen that are totally unexpected (like your little grunt kills their leader by a freak of dice rolling), it's pretty awesome.
Mike: We can see there is a level of strategy involved, but would you say that a large part of it is a "luck of the roll"?
Clint: It is a dice based game, so there is some luck involved. You can shoot your space marine's bolter at someone, but you have to roll the dice to see if you even hit them. There are varying levels of skill as far as the models stats... Sometimes you'll have an entire game where the "Dice God's" are not smiling upon you, but a good commander, through tactics, will be able to pull off a win. But sometimes it can be a one sided game, and you end up losing.
Mike: Before I move onto the "Space Marine" video game, is there anything you would like our readers to know about the tabletop game?
Clint: It's a replay-able game. Every game that you play that takes a couple of hours, could be equivalent to an entire story in a video game. We'll compare it to playing golf as a hobby. You have to buy your clubs, you have to practice so that you can get better. In "Warhammer 40K" it's the same thing where you have to buy the models, and you have to practice to get good, and can continue playing with the same models every time. Five years later when I'm done with my golf clubs, and want a whole new set, I can't sell my old clubs for near the price that they were initially worth. If you are a decent painter, and can assemble your models neatly, I could have a set of models for 6 to 7 years, and sell them for more than double of what my initial cost was.
Mike: There is endless amounts of story to this, but since our readers may not know a whole lot about "Space Marines", can you give us a quick background?
Clint: It's based way into the future in the 41st millennium... man has spread throughout the galaxy, but then these immense warp storms occur, and separate interstellar travel causing all of the different planets in the galaxy to become isolated from each other for thousands of years. This caused some races to become barbaric, some stayed the same, some became more enlightened. When the warp storms abated, the Emperor set out on a crusade and created the genetically altered superhuman's known as the Space Marines, based off of 20 prime arch's. A prime arch is compared to a space marine, as a space marine is to a normal human. So, the Emperor sets out on this crusade with these legions of space marines to reunite the galaxy. Long into the crusade, the Emperor sends one of his favorite prime arch's named Horus, in charge of this crusade. In an alternate universe where demons are created and thrive on human psyche, emotion, and feelings, there are Chaos God's, and each represents one negative aspect in the human's lives. There is a god of death and decay, a god of change and mutation, a god of lust and pleasure, and a god of blood and murder. Eventually Horus falls prey to these chaos gods, and was seduced by them. Horus was able to get over half of the Space Marines to side with him, and they all turned to chaos. In a great heresy called "The Horus Heresy" he took his side and fought a great war against the Imperium. In a climatic battle with Horus and the Emperor, Horus dies, and the Emperor is badly injured causing him to be encased in a life support system where his great psyche permeates the galaxy. There are these psychic navigator's that are then able to guide interstellar space ships through the warp to fight all manor of evil, and reunite humanity and rebuild the galaxy. In Warhammer 40K, there is always war.
Mike: "Warhammer 40K: Space Marine" came out on September 6, 2011, and you've played through the game, right?
Clint: Yes.
Mike: What did you like most about "W40K: Space Marine"?
Clint: As a computer gamer, it was like the trailers for the game promised; a cinematic adventure. When I first played through the game, I wanted to stop and look around after each battle was over because everything was so detailed, and the cinematic sequences were really fun to watch. From a tabletop gamer's prospective it brings the world that I play on the table to life, and lends all of the truth from the fictional novels that are written about the 40K universe where a group of 5 space marines can take on a whole army and come out victorious. That all comes out in Space Marine where there are 3 Space Marines that are wading through hundreds of Orks at a time, and through these overwhelming odds. It's like being a kid in a candy shop because it brings my figures that don't move, into this video game, and brings them to life.
Mike: As far as the video game story goes, how does it compare to the story that Games Workshop created for "Warhammer 40K"?
Clint: It's actually really accurate, and I think that there is a lot more to it than the regular gamer would understand, (compared to what) a Warhammer 40K veteran would understand. An example I can give is that normally the 3 Space Marine's would not be fighting by themselves. Normally there would be a Veteran Sargent leading a squad of 9 space marines, and a captain would be leading multiple squads. But it goes back to the very beginning of the game where the 3 space marines decide to take on an Ork cruiser, and then get split up. Eventually they reunite, and do communicate with other space marine squads, and meet up with other squads in the game, but from my experience, squads would stick together to complete objectives. In the video game, you meet up with an Inquisitor, and how he is portrayed in the game is very accurate. One other thing that I thought was very well done is the way Chaos functions in the game. Chaos is always working in the background, and then strikes when it feels it should, which is exactly how it happens in the game. On a side note, each of the previous "Warhammer 40K" video games have had a book written on them, and I fully expect a book to be written about this game.
Mike: You talk about the game being accurate to the story of the tabletop game, was there anything that inaccurate added?
Clint: There were types of Orks that I've never seen before, like power weapon toting Orks, and Orks with big shields, but as far as the basic Orks go, they were spot on. The way they talk is accurate, the way the space marines are able to kick the Ork'sbutts is accurate, and even with the way the chaos works with possession, and guile, and sneakiness. Even the way that they bust out when they see their moment and waste what they need to get their motives secured. They'll sacrifice a whole world for one guy's motives, which is all spot on to the real story. There wasn't one time where I stopped and said "Now wait a second, that's some bull!".
Mike: In the game you perform finishing moves to gain health, and to fill up what is called the "fury meter". When you fury meter is full, you can release it. When it's released, Captain Titus is able to regain health, every enemy becomes a one hit kill, and everything goes into slow motion when you aim your bolter to shoot an enemy. Is there anything like that in the tabletop game?
Clint: Not really. I think that was a concept that was added to the game, which I felt was a good decision. I don't like to play a game where you have to stand back, regain your health, and then jump back into the battle. I love the fact that you have to stun an enemy, and then perform these very cinematic finishing moves to regain your health. Every time I saw a new finishing move, I couldn't wait to try it again. Sticking your character's ax into a "Nob's" head, and Captain Titus nonchalantly walking up to it and pulling the ax out, causing the Nob's head to explode is awesome. I found it really refreshing, and an interesting way to do it. It makes it so you get into the thick of the battle, which is exactly how Space Marines fight. I loved the fury meter, because it allows you to get out of tight situations that you probably couldn't get through unless you used it. The nice thing is that you don't always have it, which makes it challenging, and causes you to save it for those hard parts of the game.
Mike: We've talked about how these Space Marine's are very powerful men. In "W40K: Space Marine", you play as the beloved Ultra Marine chapter. Do you think that there is a more appropriate chapter for this particular game?
Clint: I think that they were a really good choice for this game. There are dozens of other space marine chapters that would have footed the bill just fine. The Ultra Marines are the epitome of the "by the law, and by the rules" of space marine chapter. They would be the ones to be an example of what it means to be a space marine. There are actually several space marine chapters that stray away from the standard, but I think that it was appropriate in that, space marines need to be a master of all types of warfare. The Ultra Marines embody that very well. I've heard some other people say that because of all of the up close battles, and blood and gore that is in the game, that the game should have been about the Blood Angels or Space Wolves. Would I have liked to have seen another chapter in this game? Sure! It'd be neat to see some other ones, but I think that the Ultra Marines were appropriate for this particular game.
Mike: To give our readers an idea of what a bolter is, and what it fires, I'd like to explain that a bolter is the space marines main firearm. It fires a .75 caliber bullet which is rocket propelled, and explodes on impact. Do you feel that was well represented in the game?
Clint: Well, when you first meet up with the Chaos marines, and (you fight) human soldiers, I believe it takes two shots to kill them. In the 40K universe, one shot from a bolter would tear apart any human being. So that wasn't so accurate. But I can understand why they put that in there, so that the gameplay was more fluid. Orks are notorious for having their arms blown off, and still fight until they are dead, so that was accurate because they took more shots to kill. I have to say that I was a little disappointed when I first started playing the game, and noticed how many shots it took to kill an Ork with my bolter pistol. All of the other weapons in the game were very well depicted in the game, and really fun to play with.
Mike: One thing that is made very clear is that Space Marines are a very powerful breed of warrior. They stand 7 feet tall out of their power armor, and are even bigger in it. They go through a brutal trial period before they can even be accepted as a battle brother. Even after they become a battle brother, they have to go through what is called the "Gene Seed" process. The gene seed process takes time, but is where the space marines receive 19 different organ implants to make them stronger, see better, and take more damage from injuries. They are the ultimate warrior. Did feel this sense of power when you played this game?
Clint: Yes. Especially because Titus is a Captain, and not a man to mess with. When I got into my first battle with the Ork's and he picked up a 300 to 400 pound Ork, and threw him on the ground to
"donkey stomp" his head into oblivion, I really felt like I got that sense of power. Not only are Space Marines powerful human beings, their armor makes them even more powerful because of the fiber muscle bundles in their armor...
Mike: For fun, if you could pick any chapter of Space Marine to live as, which would you pick?
Clint: Oh, jeez! That it is a tough one. I've been playing as the Dark Angels for the longest, but I don't know if I'd like to live as one. In their story they have the secret shame. Their whole goal is to right the wrongs of the forefathers, basically. I'd have to say the Ultra Marines would be a great gig. They have a great home planet, and a good system. It's the epitome of culture in the galaxy. Being a Space Wolf would be pretty cool. They drink a lot, and are more barbaric in the way they live, and the way they fight. Not that I want to drink a lot. (Laughter) But if I was a Space Wolf I would. (Laughter)
Mike: If you were to give this a 1 to 5 star rating, what would it be?
Clint: As a video gamer I'd give it a 4 or 4.5 out of 5. But as a person that plays as a table top gamer I'd have to give it the 5 star rating because they really brought the whole world that has been a hobby of mine for the past 13 years, and really brought it to life for me. Also because of it's replay value. I'm already on my second play through, and the game just came out on the 6th. The Multiplayer aspect of the game is really fun and allows you to customize your Space Marine as if you were painting your own model, which makes it even more fun for me.
Well, there you have it folks. I'd like to thank Clint for the opportunity to interview him, and for sharing his opinion on Warhammer 40K: Space Marine. If you haven't picked up the game yet, I highly recommend it.
Until next time, keep on gamin' on!
Mike: To give our readers an idea of what a bolter is, and what it fires, I'd like to explain that a bolter is the space marines main firearm. It fires a .75 caliber bullet which is rocket propelled, and explodes on impact. Do you feel that was well represented in the game?
Clint: Well, when you first meet up with the Chaos marines, and (you fight) human soldiers, I believe it takes two shots to kill them. In the 40K universe, one shot from a bolter would tear apart any human being. So that wasn't so accurate. But I can understand why they put that in there, so that the gameplay was more fluid. Orks are notorious for having their arms blown off, and still fight until they are dead, so that was accurate because they took more shots to kill. I have to say that I was a little disappointed when I first started playing the game, and noticed how many shots it took to kill an Ork with my bolter pistol. All of the other weapons in the game were very well depicted in the game, and really fun to play with.
Mike: One thing that is made very clear is that Space Marines are a very powerful breed of warrior. They stand 7 feet tall out of their power armor, and are even bigger in it. They go through a brutal trial period before they can even be accepted as a battle brother. Even after they become a battle brother, they have to go through what is called the "Gene Seed" process. The gene seed process takes time, but is where the space marines receive 19 different organ implants to make them stronger, see better, and take more damage from injuries. They are the ultimate warrior. Did feel this sense of power when you played this game?
Clint: Yes. Especially because Titus is a Captain, and not a man to mess with. When I got into my first battle with the Ork's and he picked up a 300 to 400 pound Ork, and threw him on the ground to
"donkey stomp" his head into oblivion, I really felt like I got that sense of power. Not only are Space Marines powerful human beings, their armor makes them even more powerful because of the fiber muscle bundles in their armor...
Mike: For fun, if you could pick any chapter of Space Marine to live as, which would you pick?
Clint: Oh, jeez! That it is a tough one. I've been playing as the Dark Angels for the longest, but I don't know if I'd like to live as one. In their story they have the secret shame. Their whole goal is to right the wrongs of the forefathers, basically. I'd have to say the Ultra Marines would be a great gig. They have a great home planet, and a good system. It's the epitome of culture in the galaxy. Being a Space Wolf would be pretty cool. They drink a lot, and are more barbaric in the way they live, and the way they fight. Not that I want to drink a lot. (Laughter) But if I was a Space Wolf I would. (Laughter)
Mike: If you were to give this a 1 to 5 star rating, what would it be?
Clint: As a video gamer I'd give it a 4 or 4.5 out of 5. But as a person that plays as a table top gamer I'd have to give it the 5 star rating because they really brought the whole world that has been a hobby of mine for the past 13 years, and really brought it to life for me. Also because of it's replay value. I'm already on my second play through, and the game just came out on the 6th. The Multiplayer aspect of the game is really fun and allows you to customize your Space Marine as if you were painting your own model, which makes it even more fun for me.
Well, there you have it folks. I'd like to thank Clint for the opportunity to interview him, and for sharing his opinion on Warhammer 40K: Space Marine. If you haven't picked up the game yet, I highly recommend it.
Until next time, keep on gamin' on!
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