40k Buying Guide: Current Bestselling 40k Products

Warning

40k Buying Guide is rated empty your pockets. These articles are meant to help you continue complaining about GW pricing schemes at the same time you are buying used models on Ebay

As you may or may not know Games Workshop has an interesting feature on their website that has comes and goes. Whenever you go and check out the Warhammer 40k tab on the GW site you will notice filters, and one shows their bestselling models. This is an interesting look into the highly secretive company making our favorite toys. We can assume the list represents the top selling models ordered through the GW site, and seems likely they are not trying peddle any poor selling kits on us. Last time I broke the list down was back in on August 8th, 2015. Keep in mind the list isn’t done in any numerical order. Let us look to see if anything has changed since the Summer.

Tyranid Swarm

$170.00

A surprising new entree into the list is the Tyranid Swarm. It is great deal no doubt, but units are hardly anywhere near optima when it comes to designing good Tyranid armies. If you look at it from a kid or parents standpoint is does give you the most possible models you could ever hope for if you are just getting into the hobby.

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Cadian Defense Force

$165.00

Just like the Tyranid Swarm, this one is all about value regardless if it is good on the tabletop of not. If you bought these items individually you would spend $210, so you are saving 45 bucks about the cost of the Leman Russ tank. Even if Imperial Guard are not the Tops in competitive play all these units are useful and standard for any Imperial Guard army, making this one of the best army sets to can buy.

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Imperial Knight Warden

$157.00

No surprised here, everyone knows by now Imperial Knights print money. This kit also had the money grabbing job of instantly making all one year old Imperial Knights feel obsolete. The Imperial Knight Warden is one of the best models GW has ever made and deserves to sell even if the price is approaching “too damn high” levels.

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The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth

$150.00

That was fast! It isn’t a surprise either, it only took two weeks for this box set to crack the Top 13. The reception has been great and continue for this amazing value to sell through the holidays, and should end up being the biggest selling GW product of the year.

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Khorne Bloodthirster

$116.00

Another new entree is the Bloodthirster, I was surprised it didn’t make the list in August, it seems people are getting around to buying what everyone hopes is the first of the Great Daemons. Since, the list is expanding I have to wonder was it in the Top 13 all along, but just didn’t make the Top 11 from months ago.

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Stormfang Gunship

$81.00

Here we get our first Marine entire into the list (half the list are Marine things) the Stormfang the Space Wolf flyer is a year old and still selling well enough to make the list. Traditionally the GW flyers have sold fantastically, so why should this one be any different? You can understand especially in the context that no newer flyer has come out since.

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Space Wolves Venerable Dreadnought

$57.00

This kit is by far the strangest one to make the list. It has been a year since it’s release and to think there is enough Space Wolf players who use Dreadnaughts is shocking. So why would people be buying this model? The easiest explanation is one of two things; this kit makes four different unit choices, not only that, but gives you bits and options to use on other Dreadnoughts. It is this hidden value that could be propelling sales, as well you may have noticed many painters are using it the centerpiece.

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Blood Angels Tactical Squad

$43.00

One of the most underrated releases of the year, the Blood Angel Tactical Marine box is chock full of bits and signature pieces to really separate them from the generic Tactical Marine box. It was also the first box to feature the larger base size, making it any easy pick up for a lot of players. I do though expect this kit to fall from the list next year as Marine kits are converted over and people release they can buy the bases separately.

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Harlequin Troupe

$40.00

The only Eldar kit comes in the form of the Harlequin Troupe. As you will notice the list is filled with the basic Troop choices for armies, so it is no wonder Harlequins crack the list. Also don’t underestimate any kit that goes from metal/resin to plastic, especially one with a lot of pent up anticipation, even if everyone is getting tired of the Elf hopping on one leg sculpts.

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Space Marine Tactical Squad

$43.00

The real number one seller and a kit never to leave the top of the charts, is the Space Marine Tactical box. This iteration of the models is also still fairly new, and when you need grav-weapons you really have no choice. To put things in perspective at one point the Space Marine Tactical box has sold more units in one month than the entire Fantasy range for the same period. I wonder if Age of Sigmar has changed anything…

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Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarii Vanguard

$39.00

Another expected box on the list. The Skitarii Vanguard have so many things going for them. Good price point, part of new model range, basic troop choice, great sculpts. If it wasn’t for supply chain problems GW could’ve sold even more units, but it didn’t stop the kit from making into the top.

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Drop Pod

$37.25

If you ever got the chance to tell Tom Kirby to his face that tournament 40k players can drive sales, you would use the Drop Pod as the prime example. Now with the Drop Pod being a free upgrade for most competitive Space Marine lists, we have a direct correlation to rules = sales.

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There you have it, the current top 12 Warhammer 40k kits. We still don’t see any single model kits or Finecast kits making it into the list. If you break it down, by army only three boxes on the list come from true Xenos factions. The only one item dropped out from the previous list (Necron Battleforce), in its place we got the Bloodthirster, Tyranid Swarm, and Betrayal of Calth Box Set. GW seems to update the list haphazardly, if only they had some sort of rhythm I think it would be an interesting tool to track trends and sales.