Rules: The poor layout of the rulebook only adds to the confusion of a ruleset that requires at least one game devoted solely to learning how to play. After stumbling through a few turns (both solo and with friends) I finally got comfortable with how a turn is supposed to be played andonce the ball gets rolling, SH:DA does a good job of capturing the feel of an elite team of Space Marines beset on all sides by horrifying alien creatures.

Gameplay: My experience with the game varies. As a solo game (once I got the hang of the rules) it plays quick and easy. With a group, things tend to run a little longer due to the small space the game occupies and the fact that players generally gravitate towards discussing the best courses of action. In both cases, SH:DA succeeds in delivering tense moments where success or failure hinges upon a die roll. The luck factor is mitigated some by the ability to gain re-rolls, but sometimes you’ll lose a team member in the blink of an eye.  If a player loses both of their team members, then they are eliminated from the game completely – a huge black mark for me.

Overall: This game is well worth the price of entry for something to pack up and play either with a few people or by oneself – especially if you’re a 40k fan. However, there are several other games that will scratch the same itch with less frustration at the rules and without the possibility of player elimination.The aforementioned Print on Demand expansions (Marine Pack 1, Mission Pack 1, Tyranid Enemy Pack and Deathwing Space Marine Pack) add some nice new options to the game and are well worth picking up, but do little to mitigate the luck/elimination factors.

While it might sounds like I don’t think too highly of this game, I have to say that it holds a place of honor in my collection.  It’s random and difficult and the rules are frustratingly stacked against the players, but it’s a very satisfying experience to go through – even when you lose horribly to a horde of Tyranid horrors so large that you never had any hope of defeating them.