Let’s break down the new Holiday Age of Sigmar Battleforce boxes Games Workshop, that are headed your way this weekend!
Games Workshop has announced four new Age of Sigmar Battleforce boxes: Stormcast Eternals, Tzeentch, Death, and Kharadron Overlords.
Coming in at $170, these are all fantastic deals financially (see this article by James Rodriguez). However, are they worth it in terms of points and unit type?
Stormcast Eternals: Vanguard Brotherhood:
- 3 Vanguard Palladors (220 points – no unit type)
- 1 Lord Aquilor (200 points, leader)
- 10 Vanguard Hunters (280 points total, 2 units of 5 are 2 of 3 battleline units)
- 3 Vanguard Raptors (160-180 points, no unit type)
- 6 Aetherwings (120 points, no unit type)
- 12 Glyph Hounds (480 points, no unit type)
Total (1460 – 1480 points)
For me, this is a great add on set both to the Age of Sigmar Starter Set or the Blight War Set. Let’s break it down for each one.
The original starter set already has 820 points worth of units, with two of those being battle line and two leaders (you will need to add two Retributors to max out that unit). If you add in a Lord Aquilor, the Vanguard Hunters then become your third battle line unit. As well, there are a unit of fast moving Palladors and some Aetherwinds, with range support from the Raptors, and a unit of the fan favorite Glyphhounds.
The Blight War box, meshes better with this set in that you already have five Vanguard Hunters, three Aetherwings, three Palladors, three Raptors and Neave Blacktalon, all about 700 points. By adding the Lord Aquilor as your general, you now have three battle line units with the hunters, two units of Palladors or one massive unit, Neave who can ride the wind with them, and then lots of ranged support with your Raptors. One negative is why would you ever need 12 Glyphounds? Yes there a fan favorite and very cute and we should all own one, but 12 is about 10-11 too many.
Final Judgement: BUY! Great for an add on to either of the starter sets, and could be a decent stand alone set in that it contains two of your battle line units and adds a host of other models. Maybe you could even trade some of the extra Glyphounds for other models?
Grand Alliance Death: Blade of the Blood Queen
- 2 Morghast (220 points, no unit type)
- 1 Neferata Mortarch of Blood (400, leader and behemoth)
- 10 Grave Guard (160 points, no unit type)
- 20 Skeleton Warriors (160 points, no unit type)
- 1 Wright King with Baleful Tomb Blade (120 points, leader)
Total (1060 points)
This is one that you could add as a general army of Death, and it almost fits the bill as being able to go stand alone. Skeletons really need to be maxed out so you’re looking at buying another 20 Skeletons and then looking for two more battle line units. What hurts Death here is that death right now has too many allegiances and not enough models in them to make this work as an allegiance army.
Final Judgement: MIXED Decent add on if you have a lot of Skeletons and other Death battle line units, or if you are looking to start a Death army. However, be ready to buy at least 20 more Skeletons to max out that unit, and then you will need to buy some more battle line units.
Tzeentch Arcanites: Changecult
- 3 Tzaangor Skyfires (200)
- 3 Tzaangor Enlightend (160)
- 1 Tzaangor Shaman (160)
- 20 Tzaangor (360)
- 20 Kairic Acolytes (200)
Total (1080)
This set works as a stand alone army because armies of Tzeentch have a larger list, though its one you can really build on. Coming in at 1080 points, you get at least three battle line units, either two units of 10 Kairic Acolytes and a unit of 20 Tzaangors or switch that around. Then the Skyfires, Enlightend, and Shamen can buzz around the battlefield doing loads of damage from afar. So, it makes a solid stand along set, or it is a good starting point to build a 2000 point force onto.
Final Thoughts: BUY! Love this one as it can be used on its own, but adding to this is even easier. You are over halfway there two having two massive regiments in the Acolytes and Tzaangors, and you have some elite units. Be ready to shell out some cash to max out your Tzaangor unit and Kairic Acolyte units, as well as some leader models, but this starter set gets you very close.
Kharadron Overlords: Skyfleet
- 1 Grundstonk Gunhauler (220 points, artillery)
- 1 Arkanaut Frigate (280 points, behemoth )
- 3 Sky Wardens (100 points, no unit type)
- 10 Arkanaut Company models (120 points, battle line)
- 1 Arkanaut Admiral (140 points, leader)
Total (860 points)
The new kids on the block in the Warhammer World, these guys are a tough sell because they only have one battle line unit in the Arkanaut Company. So, you are already in the hole financially by having to shell out another 90 bucks to get two more to field an all Kharadron Overlords army. Because this army comes in at 860, this also leaves up a lot of ground to make a 2000-point army. You could buy this to get some allegiance options to fill up other armies.
Final Thoughts: DON’T BUY BUT… This is about as close to a start collecting Kharadron Overlords set as there is, so if you are looking to field a force of Overlords this would be a good start. Just be ready to shell out some serious cash to finish off the force. As an ally it would give some fun options to fill out 400 points.
There you have it! Two great buys with the Stormcast and Tzeentch Battleforces, a decent buy with the Death Battleforce, and a not so great buy with the Overlords Battleforce. However, like I mentioned there is no start collecting Kharadron Overlords, so if you have your heart set on collecting them this is the best start your going to get. Overall though they are great deals for loads of models, so if you are collecting these forces already they are excellent add on boxes. I certainly would not be upset to see any of them underneath the tree outside the Kharadron Overlords, even though they are really cool models.
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About the Author: Travis Perkins
