#fantac games

[oldschoolfrp]

Space marines, their allies and enemies (David Sutherland illustrations from Space Marines, tactical miniature wargame by A Mark Ratner, FanTac Games, 1977) Ratner reused much of the background for Space Marines when he co-authored FGU's 1980 RPG Space Opera.

[oldschoolfrp]

Battles and equipment of the 22nd century (David Sutherland and William McLean, Space Marines, sci-fi miniature wargame by A Mark Ratner, FanTac Games, 1977)

[oldschoolfrp]

In case you’re wondering when “space marines” first appeared in Games Workshop’s White Dwarf, it was issue 8, August/September 1978, when Mike Hodson-Smith reviewed A Mark Ratner’s Space Marines sci-fi skirmish rules by FanTac Games

[oldschoolfrp]

Space Marines, the 1977 sci-fi skirmish game from FanTac -- From A Mark Ratner’s 5-page article with detailed designer notes, explaining the different inspirations for the races, some rules corrections, and adding new rules, Dragon 14, May 1978.  He starts with a nod to Guidon/TSR’s Tractics and John McEwan’s Starguard!, then adds his justification for ground combat in a far future setting, something some people still seem to struggle to understand.

[oldschoolfrp]

A very large tank makes a very large silhouette on the ridge.  (David Sutherland I believe, Space Marines, FanTac Games, 1977)

[oldschoolfrp]

Space Marines take cover in a desert city beneath twin suns far, far away.  (Will McLean, Space Marines, Fan Tac Games, 1977)

[oldschoolfrp]

Cowboys vs Blarad, rules for slug throwers in sci-fi gaming, or “How the hell do you tell a bear to draw?”  (Will McLean from Space Marines, FanTac Games, 1977.)

[oldschoolfrp]

Don't forget Space Marines!

FanTac Games ad for Orbit War and Space Marines, printed in Dragon magazine #11, December 1977, the year both games were released.  Orbit War was a boardgame depicting space combat around a single planet.  It was written by Claire Curtis and Carl Frederick and is unrelated to the Orbit War released by Steve Jackson Games in the 90s.

Space Marines, "The Game of Tactical ground combat between Humans and Aliens in the 22nd century", was a miniatures game written by A. Mark Ratner and illustrated by David Sutherland.  It included rules to convert stats for D&D and Metamorphosis Alpha characters, which seems odd in retrospect but is similar to the intent of the multi-genre cross-over rules in the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide.  Fantasy Games Unlimited released a version of Space Marine in 1980, and adapted the setting for their Space Opera RPG.  Some of the Space Marines miniatures are still available from Stan Johansen under the name "Star Armour".