Only 5 years ago you could spend $200 bucks and have a ready-made 1500 point army. Sadly those days are long gone. Now it takes a magical mathematical feat just to get 1000 points for $200 bucks, especially if are buying retail. If you adjust for GW yearly price increases you will find that about $320 is the new $200 and even that is stretching it. Now of course most 40kers are savvy enough to avoid paying full price unless they intend on supporting their local shop.
The point of this exercise is to show exactly what you can get for $320 dollars, along with and sample army lists and the reasons why I selected those items on my lists. I will also look at what an average 20% discount can get ya.
Let us look at how to buy a basic Space Marines force.
I have a few methods when thinking about buying any new army. First, always think about what can these models become besides what is said on the box. There are very simple ways to convert units that do not require master techniques. Second, focus on buying variety, that way you can build many combinations of units. This is important also because your initial army design might not last. Lastly, avoid buying metal not because metal is evil per se, you pay more and get only a few bits.
Then there is the topic of Assault on Black Reach. When it was $60 bucks you could buy as many boxes as you want and ditch the Orks. Now at $75 the best way to approach AoBR is to make sure you have a partner in crime when buying it, by buying a set and swaping the appropriate halves. With that in mind, I will have one purchase order assuming two sets of Marines from AoBR and another without any AoBR.
Purchase list full price assuming 2 AoBR Marine Sets for 1 box:
$75.00 (1) Warhammer 40,000: Assault on Black Reach
$35.00 (2) Space Marine Razorback
$57.75 (1) Space Marine Land Raider Crusader/Redeemer
$90.00 (1) Space Wolves Battleforce
$16.00 (2) Space Marine Jump Packs
$13.50 (1) Space Marine Apothecary
Total = $320.25
This purchase list provides an amazing amount of variety. The key to the whole purchase is Space Wolf Battleforce. This battleforce is amazing not because of the exact units you get, but the bits. With the bits you can convert the 20 Space Wolves to generic Space Marines, but you can equip the AoBR Termies as well. You are getting 2 pairs of Claws and 2 Thunder Hammers. Not to mention special weapons.
There is nothing to stop you from making Sternguard as well. The razorbacks always fit my first rule about buying Marines never buy Rhinos: spend the extra 5 bucks; you get a rhino that with magnets is a Razorback! The Land Raider is in the list because you will end up with one at sometime better get in your first round. Now you may be wondering about the last two items on the list. The jump packs come to light because once again the Blood Claw bits you get from the Space Wolf Battleforce. You can easily build Assault Marines or hell Vanguard Vets if you are crazy. With the help of magnets you can always switch them you for more tact squads. So what is the deal with the Apothecary? Well the point of the Apothecary is with all the bits you have acquired and the lame AoBR Captains, you are really close to building a Command Squad. Depending on how you want to use your Termies you can easily make a tricked out command squad without any pain as well.
Here is a list what you get with the items I suggest.
27 Tactical Marines
10 Assault Marines
10 Terminators
5 Scouts
2 Dreadnoughts
2 Space Marine Captains
1 (5) Command Squad
1 Drop Pod
2 Razorbacks/Rhinos
1 Land Raider
With this list you have a solid core of mech along with a few hammer units. Just remember magnets and green stuff are your friends. Do not forget to use all the extra lame Space Wolf heads as trophy racks.
Purchase Order without AoBR
$90.00 (1) Space Wolves Battleforce
$50.00 (1) Space Wolves Wolf Guard
$35.00 (1) Space Marine Command Squad
$35.oo (2) Space Marine Razorback
$41.25 (1) Space Marine Predator or Space Marine Vindicator
$17.00 (1) Any Space Marine Captain
$17.00 (1) Any Librarian or Chaplain
Total = $320.25
So what happens when you do not get AoBR? Well you lose a few things. Instead, you have HQ taken care and gain a solid heavy support vehicle. You also have the full breath of bits to create whatever type of Termies or Command Squad you want. The big loss though is the Land Raider. As you can see trying to get a 2 Marine sets from AoBR is almost a must, as everything just becomes too expensive to buy piece meal.
You can thank GW for it. Not only you have to deal with high prices, but GW made a piss poor $175 Megaforce. I guess you could just upgrade to the Spear of Siciarius for 1k and get a free drop pod!
So what happens when you stop buying from your local store and go hunting for discounts? With eBay and online discount retailers it almost too easy to get a better deal. On average though without spending your day eBay sniping the best you usually come across is a 20% discount for NIB. So for my next list let us see what you can get presuming a 20% discount.
$75.00 (1) Warhammer 40,000: Assault on Black Reach
$35.00 (2) Space Marine Razorback
$57.75 (1) Space Marine Land Raider Crusader/Redeemer
$90.00 (1) Space Wolves Battleforce
$90.00 (1) Dark Angels Ravenwing Battleforce
Total = $318.00 at 20% off
Maybe a better deal than AoBR is the Ravenwing Battleforce. The Ravenwing is a $145 set at $90 dollar price tag and if you add the 20% on the top of that the deal is even more amazing. This purchase is building for the future; you can build into so many different armies with this base of stuff. All you are lacking is a secondary HQ choice and a long-range threat.
Which leads to what to buy next? Make sure whatever you do is buy a secondary HQ. With Nids and Space Wolves running around the best bet is a Librarian because of the psychic hood. If you want to go the super hammer unit route, then the Chaplain is a great choice. After a HQ consider more long-range shooting. Pred or Whirlwind should be in order. Just make sure to avoid metal it is expensive and really limits the ability to make “counts as” models.
So what kind of lists can you make with these armies? Here are a few samples.
As you can see you have lots left over if you want to play larger points. Just remember try to get one AoBR set to make two Marine sets, then you will be well on your way.
I hope to continue this series if there is interest. Remember be savvy and always look for the best deals and if that does not work trading with friends usually nets you the best results.
Questions for Comment:
- How do you go about acquiring a new army?
- Do you support you local store or just look for the best deals around?
- How close are you to your limit when it comes to GW price hikes?