Thursday 11 February 2010

Rogue Trooper

Rogue Trooper was a Boardgame published in 1987 by Games Workshop. Designed by Richard Halliwell the game was based on the popular 2000AD comic strip of the same name. This was a game for 2-6 players although it worked best with 4 or more. A typical game could last a couple of hours so it was a good evening filler.

Rogue was a Genetic Infantryman on the world of Nu-Earth where the Southers fight the Norts in a dirty battle of chemical and biological warfare that has made the atmosphere lethal. The genetic infantry were designed to survive and breath this toxic atmosphere but were almost completely wiped out in the Quartz Zone Massacre. They were betrayed by someone on their own side and the sole surviving GI, Rogue, has dedicated his life to hunting down the traitor.

The Boardgame takes a few liberties with the storyline allowing all six players to play a different GI, all searching for the traitor. (Picture from Boardgamegeek.com). The game used a hex game board representing different areas of Nu Earth and several packs of cards for equipment, encounters and enemies.

Games workshops even produces a metal Rogue Trooper model which I bought and painted to accompany the game. Unfortunately I don't know what happened to my model - I presume it went with the game when I gave it to a friend. I've recently seen a couple of near mint copies up for sale on EBay but they always seem to fetch a very high value at the end of the auction, certainly beyond my limited means. Now I look back and curse myself for parting with both items because I remember it being a great game.

7 comments:

  1. I lost a lot of great items from my childhood because of carboot sales and a fascist mother :P

    Among the things I regret losing are my Transformers and Warhammer Quest. One thing I've always managed to keep hold of is Star Wars Monopoly special edition with the brass coins.

    ReplyDelete
  2. How many times I have found myself buying back a premium stuff I dumped.
    John

    ReplyDelete
  3. Still got my copy, and the Judge Dredd boardgame that GW produced, before the Rogue Trooper game (if memory serves me right). I keep thinking one day I will get them out of the loft to play with the kids! But then they will probably end up getting damaged!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I meant the boardgames not the kids getting damaged!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can't say I ever enjoyed this game. Preferring Talisman and its expansions to RT.

    Sold my near-mint copy on E-bay about six months ago and never missed it.

    However there are other games that I really miss. I sold Trireme (again mint) and have regretted ever since.

    Tony

    ReplyDelete
  6. If you're looking for figures to play the game (or any game, for that matter), you could try Bronze Age Miniatures who do look-alikes - http://www.bronzeagemin.com/miniatures_html/25MM/SCI-FI/Mercs/32mm-Sci-Fi%20Adv-3.htm and http://www.bronzeagemin.com/miniatures_html/25MM/SCI-FI/Mercs/32mm-Sci-Fi%20Adv-7.htm - including a couple of Venus Bluegenes for go with Rogue, Bagman, Gunnar and Helm (or Friday, Eightball, Top and Lucky, depending on your 200AD preferences)

    ReplyDelete
  7. This was another classic played during 3-week stints on Mount Troodos while based in Cyprus back in the 80's...great stuff. Always had to keep an eye open on cheats though, sneakily adjusting their ammo markers :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment. I always try to reply as soon as I can, so why not pop back later and continue the conversation. In the meantime, keep rolling high!