Hey everyone! Adam, from TFG Radio, here to pay homage and pour one out for someone many of you may not know.
Richard Halliwell may not be a name you recognize right away, if at all. He had passed away earlier in the year and being reminded of this recently had brought up memories of seeing his name on many of those early games from Games Workshop. So bear with this old grognard as we explore the games that he helped create and still know some 30+ years later.
Dark Future
Before Gaslands and many of the other post apocalyptic car fighting games, there was Dark Future. It was a very simple game that allowed you the freedom to do almost anything you saw in the movies. If it isn’t obvious, the game is heavily influenced by the Mad Max movie series. In those early days of the late 80’s and early 90’s of Games Workshop the game was pretty popular. they even produced books for the setting as recently as 2006. Although I have seen the game and played a demo or two it really didn’t capture my imagination. There are plenty of people out there though that still play it and carry the torch.
Warhammer/Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
I’m not sure how many people realize that Richard, or “Hal” as his friends called him, had an integral part in the creation of the first edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. Many of the mechanics that were created in that first edition were still being used up to the destruction of the old world. In addition, he also created the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay book. If anyone has ever played or even held the book in their hands it is a hefty tome to say the least. The first edition of Warhammer is the catalyst that began Games Workshop’s rise in the miniature gaming world to what it is today as players began collecting models not just for their roleplay adventures but to battle against one another with an army of models.
Space Hulk
This one is near and dear to my heart and is probably what Richard is most known for, Space Hulk. I cannot tell you how many times I have played this game. I have a copy of the first edition, the best edition, and it’s supplements and I cannot get enough. The suspense and tension this game generates as the genestealers and blips gather towards your terminators as you near your goal is what makes this game great and still good some 30 years later. It really brought home the terror that were genestealers and the heroics of the Space Marines. I will always be thankful to Richard for designing a game that is easy to learn and extremely fun to play. Now I want to build a Space Hulk map with actual corridors and stuff. Time to get the 3d printer going.
Good bye Richard, I cannot express the joy your games have brought me and those that played the games with me. I know that you are probably still designing games no matter where you are.
That’s all for this week. Hope you enjoyed the article. Let me know what you think, and what early Games Workshop games you enjoyed or wish to play, in the comments section below. Don’t forget to visit our Facebook, Twitch, and Patreon pages to stay up to date on what we’re up to and when episodes drop!
And remember boys and girls, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart
