Spartan Games - Halo License!

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**Compel**

I'm vaguely interested now. - I probably won't be getting it because, well, Star Wars Armada...

Buuuuttttt....

The thing that has always had me just dismiss Spartan Games out of hand was that everything the company produced that I saw just looked so bland and, well, generic. There just seemed to be a lack of style to them all. Having a major license like Halo on the other hand, I'd now be interested.

Again, if it weren't for Star Destroyers.

**warboss**

I'd assume that the minis game takes place during halo 1-3 but that would be a bad time to play in that genre as the earth ships were completely outclassed during the war. Is that big earth ship the one from Halo 4 that you're stationed on or something else?

**RiTides**

There are medium sized pics on the Spartan Games website:

http://www.spartangames.co.uk/spartan-games-is-to-produce-halo-tabletop-miniatures-games

Spartan Games is to produce Halo tabletop miniatures games
Written by Spartan Games | Tags: Halo

Spartan Games has entered into a License Agreement with Microsoft Corporation to design and produce tabletop miniatures games for “Halo®”, the global entertainment phenomenon. The first products will be on sale around the world through Spartan Games’ sales and distribution channels in 2015.

The award winning “Halo” franchise was first seen on the Xbox in 2001, but has since transcended video games to build a worldwide fan base of millions and inspired best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more. Now exciting tabletop miniatures games can be added to the list.

Neil Fawcett, Creative Director, Spartan Games said “Our design team are huge fans of ‘Halo’ and this opportunity is the icing on the cake for them. After six years of successfully creating our own games and models, we can now work with Microsoft to bring epic ‘Halo’ spaceship battles to gaming tables around the world. And if that’s not enough, we’re making fast and furious ground combat games as well. Hard to tell what is more exciting: invading Reach with our Covenant Fleet or assaulting ground defences with Spartans and UNSC Marines?”

For more information keep checking our website at www.spartangames.co.uk

I'm not sure about this, to be honest... it sounds like they're going to do a Halo version of Firestorm Armada and Planetfall (which they just released!) but will they still support their own IP? It's hard to feel confident about diving in to a Spartan Games product for me... but will be interesting to see what they do with this franchise, for sure.

**BrookM**

So, will my dice explode in this game as well?

**Necros**

So, just ships and vehicles, and no Halo figures I can use as not-imperial-guard? :(

**BrookM**

Maybe they're saving the 28mm stuff for when their corridor KS is over and done with?

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

not yet, although they are meant to be working on a ground based game but no hint as to whether that will be 28mm (or bigger/smaller)

**Squidmanlolz**

Color me interested

**Nightwolf829**

I love Halo and I enjoy FSA, but this makes me nervous. Does Spartan have the team size and production capacity to keep up with at least two more games while fully supporting their core five? Do they risk cannibalizing certain portions of their own FSA player base?

**Pacific**

Guessing this is going to be a rules extrapolation of FSA then. Although, that's not necessarily a bad thing, can see it being quite popular with people who already collect FSA and will no doubt pull in a hell of a lot more players just because of the license.

Will be interesting to see what else comes out of it further down the line also.

**Tamereth**

Oh my god yes, Will be picking up at least one of everything they release for this.
Now if someone could just make some stargate spaceships my sci-fi ship collection could be complete.

**BobtheInquisitor**

The spaceship game looks cool, but having worked with Spartan's resin a few times, I can't say I am looking forward to it.

**Hotrod**

Note to self : Buy this.

To be honest, I can't say that I was expecting a space combat game, but seeing as how they'll have both ground and space games, I'm definitely more interested than ever. I'll be keeping an eye on this, and most likely be buying at least a set of both UNSC and Covenant fleets.

**Paradigm**

Kind of annoyed they are doing space combat first (probably the bit I find least interesting), but at the very least, it's awesome to see someone actually has the rights and a ground combat game is in the works....

**Zond**

I'm hoping for plenty more spaceship designs at launch, I don't want to go back to the early days of box sets containing one large, 3 medium and 9 smalls. Or just dump it all as a self-contained specialist game (if Spartan still have that studio going).

I may not want my 6s to explode, but I'll enjoy the models.

**MLaw**

I like Halo as a video game and I think this is a great development.
I can't say I'm overly excited about the space game.. I'm just not into that. The ground game that was mentioned is intriguing though. The prospect of more hard sci-fi vehicles and more well done aliens.. well, it's good times.

**foto69man**

I love their dystopian wars models and game , so I'm interested in this.

**Prestor Jon**

It will be interesting to see if Spartan will actually design an entirely new and different game for Halo or if the game will be more like a Halo themed expansion for Firestorm Armada and Planetfall. I would think it would be easiest to just fit the UNSC and Convenant lists into Firestorm Armada and that way it doesn't interfere with supporting the existing game and encourages gamers to do crossover games as well. Planetfall: Halo would pretty much just be tabletop Halo Wars but if the minis are nice I would probably be tempted to give it a try.

**Swastakowey**

Hi Folks,

I thought I would answer a few questions on the forum to help us all acclimatise to the exciting news that we will be working with Microsoft to design tabletop games for the phenomenon that is Halo.

So, here goes:

1) The IP for Halo is owned by Microsoft. Spartan Games' role is to work with the Halo team to bring the stunning imagery of the Halo Universe to the tabletop.

2) Spartan Games owns the IP for Firestorm Armada, Firestorm Planetfall, Dystopian Wars, Dystopian Legions, Uncharted Seas and so on. These are game settings we are very proud of and this thrilling new development will not impact our existing plans for any of our games.

3) One of the questions raised, was that of manufacturing capacity. Halo is a game that is being realised in plastics, and we are proud to say that it will be manufactured in the United Kingdom. This external manufacturing process will ensure that our resin and pewter manufacturing will not be adversely affected.

4) As to whether our Halo games and other Spartan products can work together is not an issue. They are distinct gaming products that use their own rule set and mechanics - they are not designed to operate together because they exist in two completely different science fiction genres.

5) We have been working on the Halo project with Microsoft since early 2014 and have been careful to factor in its release schedule to complement the release schedules of our other games. Indeed, look out for many more announcements regarding existing and new products directly from Spartan Games.

Rest assured that we will be working on all of our games over the coming years, and we are hugely excited to be given the opportunity to work with Microsoft as bring such an exciting Universe to the gaming table.

Cheers,
Spartan Neil

**Paradigm**

Plastic and UK produced? I guess that's Renedra then?

**Kid_Kyoto**

Y'know having lived and worked in Beijing and breathed the 'air'...

3) One of the questions raised, was that of manufacturing capacity. Halo is a game that is being realised in plastics, and we are proud to say that it will be manufactured in the United Kingdom. This external manufacturing process will ensure that our resin and pewter manufacturing will not be adversely affected.

This makes me happy!

Never played the video game, can't say I'm interested in this, but mad props to them for getting the license.

**Swastakowey**

Im not a fan of Halo, but I hope they benefit from this because I want more ships for my fleet and more Planetfall!

Looks like Microsoft or whoever is actually gonna be a helping hand in getting this sorted. It would probably explode interest if it was announced by Microsoft or something.

**Ronin_eX**

UNSC ships in plastic? Likely using a variation of the FSA rules? Yeah, I'm in to that. FSA is by far their best realized ruleset (and one of the best rulesets in the industry in general in terms polish and even balance) and UNSC ships are a beautiful variation of the engines-attached-to-guns theme. Getting them in hard plastic is just icing.

**Hulksmash**

So I'm someone who:

-Never got into FSA due to available players
-Am going in heavy on Star Wars Armada
-Isn't a huge fan of the Halo universe

That said I'm horribly tempted because of plastic ships, large IP (i.e. increased interest), and I do like Spartan Games mechanics. Hopefully the table top is 10mm and plastic as that would be fantastic!

**MLaw**

Renedra for plastics could be interesting. I own a few of their scenic pieces and they are of good quality. I don't know that some fences and similar are any measure of what miniatures would be like though.
Spartan seems to have been quick to point out that there is distinction in the systems.. this may also indicate a distinction in scale. I'm going to wager (safely) that the future aspects of this are covered by various NDAs and other agreements.

**Swastakowey**

Hulksmash wrote:
So I'm someone who:

-Never got into FSA due to available players
-Am going in heavy on Star Wars Armada
-Isn't a huge fan of the Halo universe

That said I'm horribly tempted because of plastic ships, large IP (i.e. increased interest), and I do like Spartan Games mechanics. Hopefully the table top is 10mm and plastic as that would be fantastic!

If their other games are anything to go by, I think eventually we will have 1 28mm, 1 10mm and one fleet game for it. Firestorm has the fleet, 10mm and the 28mm is coming out next year. Dystopian wars has that set up too.

So lots to consider in the future I guess.

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

I would not be too quick to assume Renendra,

These are spaceships with a (relatively) simple appearance so they could be working with somebody new as they'd be a lot easier to tool than 'human' minis

(plus if it was Renendra they might well specifically say so just because of it's positive reputation)

**Avrik_Shasla**

I am very excited for this. The new rules edition made this game not only playable, but incredibly fun. Now having Halo ships in plastic will only make this better, plus they are making 28mm? Well, here we go!

**Piston Honda**

Interested in buying some just to paint. But not too excited about Spartan games' tendencies.

**Pacific**

Paradigm wrote:
Plastic and UK produced? I guess that's Renedra then?

What about Plastic Soldier Company?

They're doing the plastics for the retail AvP game, perhaps they're getting involved with this also?