If you have read this blog for any amount of time then you know that I will often include GW business discussions in my article line up. Usually I try to stay as neutral as possible and take of my gamer hat, sometimes I fail miserably.
Well, today Im bringing to you a bit of (old) news about box sets that GW recently put together to sell. You would think they just hired a genius for a day or two to work for them.
I made the pictures large so that you can better se what the boxes include. Lets start with the Space marine box ($215.00)
- Landraider Redemmer pattern! (no godhammer crap for you son!)
- Drop pod
- 20 marines
- 5 scouts
- Land Speeder Storm
- Command squad
- Ven dread
- Commander
- Retail cost of: $294 savings of 36%
Wait, is that 2 troops, 1 HQ and misc army bits that would actually make a viable starting force!?!?! Holy cow batman!
Now on to the Dark Eldar:
- 2 raiders
- 15 wyches
- 10 warriors
- 1 venom
- 5 wyches?
- 5 scourges
- 9 bikes
- 1 archon
- Retail Cost of $299 Savings of 36%
Wow, again we have an actual viable force.
Lets compare these two boxes to the current Battleforces (Which new gamers usually buy to start their armies.
Marines: ($95)
- 5 assault marines
- 15 Tactical marines
- Rhino
- 5 Scouts.
- Retail cost of $153 Savings of 37%
Dark Eldar: ($95)
- 10 warriors
- 10 wyches
- 3 reavers
- 1 raider
- Retial cost of $125 savings of 24%
I can see not having elites and Hvy support, but seriously, no HQ? This isn't even leagal according to their OWN RULES.
I personally like the new army boxes, I don't think that they should drop the battle box simply because it is a lower price point for people who are cost concise, but these new ones are great if you're planning on starting a new army and have money to spend.
So, what I want to hear from you people of the internet is this: If GW made better army sets would you buy them? I know almost nobody who starts a new army with a battleforce, however if I knew someone who wanted to start right now I would 100% lead them to the big boxes mentioned here.
Would you buy the bigger box to start a new army?
Duke
I purchased several boxed armies back in the day when GW made them. As you pointed out even then the savings was huge and you got a ton of stuff that let you start playing and was legal.
ReplyDeleteThe old Necron Army was the Lord (metal), Spyders, Warriors with Scarabs, etc...
Tomb Kings was the Priest, Standard Bearer, King/Prince Model, plenty of core and other goodies.
They also had a clever perk of a "limited edition" model that made it more appealing for most boxed armies. Usually for Fantasy it was a Standard Bearer for example.
GW really got away from good marketing.
Ohhh, a limited edition model only acaloable with the boxed set would be great! Too bad they don't do that :(
ReplyDeleteAlso, I just noticed that I completely botched the retail prices of the big boxes... Don't write and feed a baby at the same time. Lol. However, the point still stands overall.
Duke
I've gotten several of their big boxes in the past, one for SM and two CSM. Can't remember what they call them, but the "bigger than battlforce" ones, for like $110-140.
ReplyDeleteLike all box deals, it's a deal IF you'll use all or most of the stuff in the box (or can trade/sell the things you won't use for a reasonable amount). If you want to play DE but have no interest in jetbikes, it's a lot less of a deal, for example.
Well, instead of buying bigger boxes, why not just make viable smaller boxes?
ReplyDelete215$ is a lot of cash to 'playtest' a new army.
95$ is a lot less. While it's awesome that the bigger boxes offer a better selection of models, it doesn't let GW off the hook.
I'd say make the 95$ boxes legal, usable 500-750 point armies. Make them equal in power and points.
@brisbane: I'm working on another article based on what you just said. Intro boxes should be small, equal points levels and legal armies... I know, crazy idea, right!? Lol
ReplyDeleteI cannot argue that both boxes are quite a bargain.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the Dark Eldar Megaforce is unplayable as it is.
1. There is no HQ Unit (no Archon inside)
2. There are too many Reavers. They should have just put in 2 Boxes of Jetbikes and instead fill in another unit of Warriors.
I don't think many people will use that many Reavers in a typical (1750-2000 points) Dark Eldar Army.
The Space Marine Megaforce is really great value with usable Units all over but what else would you guess for GW's Flagship Army. ;-)
@anon: Wow, you're right... There is no archon. I was going off looking at the small picture, I suppose you could convert the model up, but sometimes GW makes me scratch my head. You're right thought that The Space marine one is pretty decent.
ReplyDeleteThat was the first thing I noticed when I saw the Megaforces. Everyone get's a HQ (also the WFB ones) but not the Dark Eldar. :-(
ReplyDeleteThe reason for this seems pretty simple. Most other Armies have HQs in Plastic, but the DE don't.
I suggest that every army without a plastic HQ won't get one in a Megaforce Box cause all models in such a box are plastic. No Execption.
Sure you can convert one yourself but that wouldn't be the same.
They do have fine cast though, yes it isn't plastic, but stil. They should have included an Archon.
ReplyDelete@Duke:
ReplyDeleteYou're right!
It would surely make sense for such a expensiv box that one can play the game straight "out of the box" so there should always be the mandatory HQ and 2 Troops inside even if it means to put in a fail.. err finecast Model.
That would make these boxes a lot better as a starter.
I would take 3 of those Marine boxes for a start and end to a force!
ReplyDeleteThink about it, you save $240 and spend about $650. But what you get with 60 Marines on the ground, 3x Pods/ LandRaiders /Dreads /Speeders /Command Squads (that can play as Vets too), this is almost done for me.
I could work this force into 4 different armys easy, and adding a IC here or there could change everything.
If I knew then what I know now about my spending habit I would easly save up and do this 3 times and be happy about it.
Who uses Land Speeder Storms? Or CC scouts outside of Wolves?
ReplyDelete@rick: i do. if more people thought outside of the box, they would realize that scouts are excellent, rather cheap objective holders that can still provide you with some (unreliable) missles. the thing is though, giving the other scouts bolters or sr is pretty much wasted. ccw on the other hand provide you with the ability to overpower small support squads in backfield and being slightly harder (for non dedicated cc squads) to shift off objectives in cc. i would trade that ability for a couple of ineffective shots any day.
ReplyDeleteand LSS arent thaaaat bad either, its the concept of thinking (vs driveurboxupshootshootwingame) that throws most people off though. :)
I don't really use a Land Speeder Storm, but it is one of those units that if used properly could throw someone off just a little bit. I must say though, I loved the idea of the LSS when it first came out.
ReplyDeleteDuke
so i was looking at those boxes and thinking, "wow, those new boxes are a good idea!" then I noticed something. 36% savings on the newer boxes is good, but its less than the older boxes. That means more appeal and less savings! Someone at GW should congratulate themselves on that.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, it gets to buy models you wouldn't normally buy. The land raider makes no sense! its a redeemer, so its an assault vehicle. but there is no squad there that is assaulty! so extra cash there. And as someone above mentioned, too many of the wrong DE units as well, plus no leader. So extra profit there with the inherent upsizing, due to you buying models you wouldn't otherwise.
while i like the better options, its amusing to see the costs are also overall moderately higher. Honestly though, this is what GW price hikes should be like. A barely noticable increase, and in return you get a fantastic model selection.