Monday, October 7, 2013

The Cost of Getting Started with Space Marines


So I was wondering what it would cost to get started in 40K as Space Marines now.  So I worked up a quick list of some basic units to see.  So we have 1 commander, 1 dreadnought, 2 tac squads 10 man, 2 rhinos, 1 scout squad 5 man, 1 Assault squad 5 man, 1 landspeeder, and 1 predator.  That will kit out to about 1000 points with some very limited options.  Add in the just the rules book and the new codex and you line up at almost exactly 400 dollars.  I am not including paints, tools, glue, etc.  Just a very basic playable force and the rules.  That is getting to be real money.  If you are playing with a friend can you really tell them that 400 dollars to get started is the way to go for gaming.



For X-wing which I thought has pretty expensive parts 410 dollars you can get 2 starters, add an addition X-Wing and Tie Fighter, 2 of each of the Y-wings, A-Wings, B-Wings, Tie Advanceds, Tie Interceptors, Tie Bombers, Hawk and then 1 each of the Falcon, Slave 1, and Shuttle.   Essentially everything you need to play a huge variety of lists especially on the rebel side.  As Most of us get into these games through networks of friends and selfishly you want as many friends to play as possible but with 400 dollars to start not an easy introduction.

The new space marine strike force can get you started for less but since it is fixed you probably will end up adding more units faster and having other not used.  They do not currently list a space marine battleforce so no option there.  Maybe you do not mind Dark Angels even though your friend told you new Space Marines are better that probably knocks you down to 300 but that is still a pretty big investment.   Even if you roll back to the vary minimum to play the game which is the starter box and codex you are now at 150 dollars compared to 90 at the last edition.  66% increase in the bare minimum start up cost.  While GW knows that their stuff is addictive like crack to the right people they seem to have forgotten that you got to get people that first taste at a level where they will take it home and get started.  I wonder if the Redshirts immediately start to upsell on the starter boxes thinking that their is a good chance they will never see the customer again or do they down play the additional costs like lacking the real unit rules in the starter box.  I bet they play it by ear and respond to price concerns by downplaying all the missing stuff while try to upsell those who do not flinch at the 100 dollar starter box.

Is there a better way for GW to do this?  I wonder if they started something like buy a battleforce and army codex and get a free download of the game rules.  You still get 150 dollars out of the player to get the basic start going but they have more freedom in terms of picking that first army and you are getting that money without pushing so many extra starter set minis onto the secondary market.  The battleforces do not come with a commander normally so add in another 20 later.  This method also would be better for GW since it is useful to new players but essentially useless to the existing players base after the first time unlike the 60 dollar Black Reach set which probably depressed sales of terminators, tactical squads, and dreadnoughts.  Maybe it only cuts like 50-80 dollars off the start up but might even it out between the different races and get more people starting with a non space marine army which they will probably add a space marine army since everyone has one of those.  Would a promotion like that be helpful to beginners?

5 comments:

  1. I think that would be helpful. An alternative would be to put unit rules, stats and points cost, plus army special rules, in the box with the minis. This way a beginner could buy two troops and an HQ and get started without having to buy a codex.

    It strikes me that the 'one click' purchase system GW currently love could then be used to buy armies at set points levels 500, 750, 1000 and 1500. They could easily put a variety of armies on the web at no extra cost to themselves, and with the rules in the box people wouldn't need a codex to get started (though they would inevitably get one later to use more options).

    Imagine a ready to go 600 point box, with army rules, at a GW store. It would be a perfect gift and a great way to start an army, better than Dark Vengeance for the player who already has friends with the rules.

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    1. I think that they missed an possible solution when they put out the rules as a ~50 dollar hard cover. Now anything they want to do there is going to be undermining its sales.

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  2. The closest thing right now GW offers is the Space Marine strike force, which is actually a nice box. you get 1 commander, a command squad, 2 tac squads a sniper squad assault squad, a venerable dread, razor back and droppod for 250 bucks. it's not perfect and lacks the rules but if someone was just starting space marines it'd definatly be my "reccomendation to start"

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    1. I mention the Strike Force in the post but add in the 110 dollars for rules and you are still at 360 and that is essentially a single purchase. That takes some serious commitment.

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    2. ohh agreed. long term I think GW is in for troubles with their pricing. it's going to make people getting into the game step back and go "wtf"

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