Spartan Games - Halo License!

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**carboncopy**

From Spartan Games' facebook page:

Have you noticed anything different on our website? It's only temporary, but it will be followed by a HUGE announcement coming next week!

Their temporary logo depicts a sci-fi helmet very reminiscent of a halo helmet. It could mean that they have secured the Halo license or they are branching out into another sci-fi game (ala 28mm Planetfall). This most likely ties in with their new terrain KS.

Title edited to reflect the confirmation-K_K

**Absolutionis**

Spartan Games is branching into yet another game?

Halo-themed Yahtzee?

**Kanluwen**

That isn't "reminiscent" of a Spartan helmet, it is a Spartan helmet.

**BrookM**

Maybe this is why they need so much money for their Kickstarter.

**overtyrant**

They will only drop it six months down the line. Give the license to a company who will support it.

**BrookM**

Maybe they'll have a special clause in the contract stating they should at least show some effort and give it a full year?

**NewTruthNeomaxim**

Honestly... look at the model aesthetics for half of the Planetfall stuff. Much of it already looked precariously close to Halo, be it infantry that look straight-up like Mjolnir armor, or the Sorylian flyers which look like Covenant drop-ships.

I'm not surprised... but I do think it means they'll spread themselves even thinner right when Planetfall needs (and deserves) full-time nurturing to get it established.

**Paradigm**

I do hope this is an officially liscenced Halo game, preferably 28mm scale. Halo is just one step behind Star Wars when it comes to franchises I'd love to see a tabletop adaptation of.

**Nostromodamus**

I wonder how much their company name played into securing the license

**Hotrod**

Paradigm wrote:
I do hope this is an officially liscenced Halo game, preferably 28mm scale. Halo is just one step behind Star Wars when it comes to franchises I'd love to see a tabletop adaptation of.

I agree wholeheartedly, especially if it was 28mm scale. Even though I doubt I would have people with whom to play the game, just the idea of having some Halo miniatures that I could display alongside my 40k armies is too exciting to pass.

**Blacksails**

I'm a fan of Firestorm Armada, and generally Spartan this part year or so, but only because I think they've finally sorted themselves out in terms of focusing on the games they can support. Those being the Dystopian world (Wars and Legions), and the Firestorm world (Armada and Planetfall). The rules and models have come a long way and are only improving, but only because they've limited their scope and dropped all the games they were hardly supporting in the first place (Uncharted namely).

This announcement does leave me with mixed feelings, as I want to like what Spartan has done recently in improving themselves, but I'm doubtful they could support a 5th game/3rd universe already.

Time will tell. Maybe the partnership comes with a big cash infusion that they can expand their staff.

**lord_blackfang**

I am looking forward to Halo 2.0 (which will really be the 4th iteration of the same book and the 25th iteration of the same ruleset) in 18 months' time.

**warboss**

BrookM wrote:
Maybe they'll have a special clause in the contract stating they should at least show some effort and give it a full year?

That should be enough time for them to come out with a second edition. It feels like everytime I see news about spartan it is either a new game or a new edition for the one released 2-3 years earlier.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Paradigm wrote:
I do hope this is an officially liscenced Halo game, preferably 28mm scale. Halo is just one step behind Star Wars when it comes to franchises I'd love to see a tabletop adaptation of.

I hope so as well. It might give me a reason to use my scarab besides just as a tau "warlord" titan count as.

**Paradigm**

Hotrod wrote:
Paradigm wrote:
I do hope this is an officially liscenced Halo game, preferably 28mm scale. Halo is just one step behind Star Wars when it comes to franchises I'd love to see a tabletop adaptation of.

I agree wholeheartedly, especially if it was 28mm scale. Even though I doubt I would have people with whom to play the game, just the idea of having some Halo miniatures that I could display alongside my 40k armies is too exciting to pass.

Actually, I think the fact it is based on an established video game (you know, those things that are like wargaming but 'cool'

) would actually make it easier to get even non-wargamers involved. I imagine most people are at least famillair with the name these days, so that may well help a lot (in the same way LotR did for GW a few years ago).

Of course, if we're right and this isn't all just a huge red herring

**overtyrant**

lord_blackfang wrote:
I am looking forward to Halo 2.0 (which will really be the 4th iteration of the same book and the 25th iteration of the same ruleset) in 18 months' time.

This says it all! Have an Exalt good sir!

**Hotrod**

Paradigm wrote:
Hotrod wrote:
Paradigm wrote:
I do hope this is an officially liscenced Halo game, preferably 28mm scale. Halo is just one step behind Star Wars when it comes to franchises I'd love to see a tabletop adaptation of.

I agree wholeheartedly, especially if it was 28mm scale. Even though I doubt I would have people with whom to play the game, just the idea of having some Halo miniatures that I could display alongside my 40k armies is too exciting to pass.

Actually, I think the fact it is based on an established video game (you know, those things that are like wargaming but 'cool' ) would actually make it easier to get even non-wargamers involved. I imagine most people are at least famillair with the name these days, so that may well help a lot (in the same way LotR did for GW a few years ago).

Of course, if we're right and this isn't all just a huge red herring

True enough, and chances are that the price point will be much more accessible than 40k as well. I can't tell you the amount of times people I know have lost an initial interest in Warhammer simply due to the cost of building an army. If this truly is the announcement of a Halo tabletop game, then perhaps I could afford two armies on my own, allowing my friends/family to play with me without a large investment on their part.

Alas, we'll find out shortly enough. Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up, but I'm finding that difficult to do...

**Paradigm**

Hotrod wrote:

Alas, we'll find out shortly enough. Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up, but I'm finding that difficult to do...

Agreed. If this is true, it will a) be the most awesome release of the last few years, and b) probably bankrupt me for quite some time... So long as it's no scale below 20mm, and the models are good, I may be spending an absolute ton.

**Pacific**

Can I ask why such a big deal is made of Spartan releasing Dystopian Wars & Firestorm Armada 2.0? Most of the comments you read share a similar sentiment, that it was a revision that was required and the new rules are much tighter. Think I paid £15 for the original Dystopian rulebook, it's not like I've shelled out hundreds and then forced to throw the books away?

This looks interesting in any case, it's a massive license so will be interesting if they can make a decent go of it.

**Blacksails**

Pacific wrote:
Can I ask why such a big deal is made of Spartan releasing Dystopian Wars & Firestorm Armada 2.0? Most of the comments you read share a similar sentiment, that it was a revision that was required and the new rules are much tighter. Think I paid £15 for the original Dystopian rulebook, it's not like I've shelled out hundreds and then forced to throw the books away?

This looks interesting in any case, it's a massive license so will be interesting if they can make a decent go of it.

I believe the sentiment is more about Spartan's somewhat lack of attention span when it comes to their rules. Their first few years were a never ending cycle of revisions and half measures and starting up new games only to neglect them or other games. The new 2.0 rules mark a change where they've finally sorted out the problems and more or less established their 'core' products.

We'll see how this partnership affects that.

Either way, the 2.0 rules are a marked improvement over previous releases and are truly finished and quality products, both the new kits and the rules/books themselves.

**BobtheInquisitor**

Kanluwen wrote:
That isn't "reminiscent" of a Spartan helmet, it is a Spartan helmet.

It looks like a dirt biking helmet. Maybe they're making a dirt biking game!?!

**Piston Honda**

BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
That isn't "reminiscent" of a Spartan helmet, it is a Spartan helmet.

It looks like a dirt biking helmet. Maybe they're making a dirt biking game!?!

Excitebike miniatures game?

I'm sold.

**Nostromodamus**

Piston Honda wrote:
BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
That isn't "reminiscent" of a Spartan helmet, it is a Spartan helmet.

It looks like a dirt biking helmet. Maybe they're making a dirt biking game!?!

Excitebike miniatures game?

I'm sold.

I think if that were true, rather than Halo, a lot of people would be referring to it as "Disappointbike".

**H.B.M.C.**

Alex C wrote:
I think if that were true, rather than Halo, a lot of people would be referring to it as "Disappointbike".

Ahahah! That's clever.

**Sidstyler**

If it is the Halo license then I can't think of a more appropriately-named company to get it.

**Ronin_eX**

Huh, I would have though Halo would have been too rich for anyone's blood as a license in this industry. Intriguing if nothing else.

**Pete Melvin**

lord_blackfang wrote:
I am looking forward to Halo 2.0 (which will really be the 4th iteration of the same book and the 25th iteration of the same ruleset) in 18 months' time.

QFT

Im also looking forward to the various player made cheat sheets that are more understandable than the official ones. I look forward to flipping back and forth in the rulebook for a rule that, for example, should be in the movement section but is in the morale section.

**Sarus**

Just had this come through so will add it here.

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?"

**OrlandotheTechnicoloured**

BoW (http://www.beastsofwar.com/halo/halo-space-ship-miniatures-game/) shows that the first game is space combat

(I guess a re-skin/minor rewrite of firestorm armada)

with a ground combat game to come

**Daba**

Piston Honda wrote:
BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
That isn't "reminiscent" of a Spartan helmet, it is a Spartan helmet.

It looks like a dirt biking helmet. Maybe they're making a dirt biking game!?!

Excitebike miniatures game?

I'm sold.

We don't have many racing miniatures games. This sounds like a great idea, and you can make racetracks around the bases made with the scenery we use.

**Nostromodamus**

From BoW, spoilered for size:

Spoiler: