The year is coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean your hobbying has to! Check out the best kits to buy for your Christmas battleforces right now.
Every year, GW rolls out some fantastic bundles for their biggest games (AoS and 40k) right around the holidays. If you are wanting a great deal or start off your tabletop adventure with a smart purchase, these are the best to pull from right now. In addition, you might be wondering on where to go next after the first big step into a new faction. We will be looking at the best combinations of Box Sets as well as which individual kits would be the smartest buys, branching out.
Using a previous Trav’s Hot Takes article we’ll be looking at the value of the Stormcast side of Soul Wars combined with their 2019 Battleforce., and vice versa for the Nighthaunt.
Age of Sigmar: Soul Wars Box Set Combined with 2019 Battleforces
Take a closer look at the points, value, and battlefield roles you’ll be mashing together if you got one of each.
The Soul Wars Box Set was first released at the start of AoS 2.0 and can still be purchased on GW’s webstore.
As for the Battleforces coming to AoS this holiday season, you’ll be able to grab a box for the Stormcast and Nighthaunt. A great building block if you wanted to expand from your Soul Wars selection that you split with a friend.
Important Note: some of the box contents give you a few more models than what individual kits offer. We’ll be calculating in the minimum number of individual kits it takes to get as close to what is offered in the bundles. (for example, if a box gives you 8 models but they are sold online in boxes of 5, we’ll be calculating the cost of two boxes).
Stormcast Eternals
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If you took the Stormcast half of Soul Wars and added it to the Stormcast Eternals Exorcism Soulstrike 2019 Battleforce, this is what you’d have altogether. Looking at the contents under the lense of a 2,000+ point roster:
- Lord Exorcist: 120 Points, Leader 1 of 6 $35
- Lord Arcanum on Gryph Charger: 220 Points, Leader 2 of 6 ??? Not sold individually, the Mounted Named Arcanum is $40
- Knight Incantor: 140 Points, Leader 3 of 6 ??? Not sold individually probably in the range of $30
- 8 Evocators: 440 Points (220 for 5) $60 for five models
- 5 Castigators: 160 Points (80 for 3) 3 ETB come for $15
- 18 Sequitors: 440 (with horde discount, but 130 for 5): Battleline 1 of 3 $60 for ten models
- 6 Evocators on Celestial Dracolines: 600 Points (300 for 3) $120 total ($60 for three)
- Celestar Ballista: 110 Points, Artillery 1 of 4 $25
Total 2490 Points.
Individual Kits Total MSRP: $520
Soul Wars Cost: $160 ($80 for Stormcast if you split it with a friend).
Stormcast Battleforce Box Set Cost: $185
Box Set Combination Total MSRP: $265
Total Savings: $255
Nighthaunt Combined Value
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For the Nighthaunt, their half of Soul Wars and their 2019 Battleforce will get you:
- Kurdoss Valentian, the Craven King: 200 Points, Leader 1 of 6 $45
- Lord Executioner: 80 Points, Leader 2 of 6 ??? Lord Liekoron is a named Executioner at $30
- Guardian of Souls: 140 Points, Leader 3 of 6 ??? No individual kit for him. Probably like other characters at $30.
- Spirit Torment: 120 Points, Leader 4 of 6 ??? No individual kit for him. Probably like other characters at $30.
- Knight of Shrouds on Ethereal Steed: 120 Points, Leader 5 of 6 ??? No mounted version sold individually, probably $40.
- 30 Chainrasp Horde: 240 Points (80 for 10), Battleline 1 of 3 $120 total ($40 for ten).
- 19 Grimghast Reapers (4 are converted stalkers): 320 Points (160 for 10), Battleline 2 of 3 $90 total ($45 for ten).
- 5 Hexwraiths: 140 Points, Battleline 3 of 3 $35
- 10 Dreadscythe Harridians: 160 Points (80 for 5) $45
- 10 Bladegheist Revenants: 180 Points, (90 for 5) $45
Total 1480 Points.
Individual Kits Total MSRP: $510
Soul Wars Cost: $160 ($80 for Nighthaunt if you split it with a friend).
Nighthaunt Battleforce Box Set Cost: $185
Box Set Combination Total MSRP: $265
Total Savings: $245
Skaven Corrupting War-Swarm
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The Skaven box pulls from every clan in some way except Moulder. And while Moulder has some awesome Monster/Elite options, Skaven is an army where you want to fill out with numbers first.
Depending on which way you want to go, Clanrats and Plague Monks are both good options. It really just depends on how you want your army to synergize. Both of these boxes are $35 for twenty models. But you’ll need at least two more boxes to really start seeing combat effectiveness from either side. You’re looking at $70 there.
These units are mostly for screens and if you’re a fan of Skryre, Stormfiends are absolute mortal wound monsters. They’re relatively cheap for the points in terms of combat effectiveness and are a great option to keep bubble wrapped with smaller rats. These come in a box of three for $65.
Gloomspite Gitz Caveshroom Loonz
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And lastly, there’s the Gloomspite Gitz box which is probably the most awkward of all the boxes. It’s awkward because you get two unit options to build. Either Squig Hoppers or Boingrot Bounders. The obviously better option to build is the Boingrot Bounderz. Squig Hoppers are just outclassed by them. However, if you take your Loonboss on Mangler Squig as the General, you can take Squig Hoppers as Battleline. But ultimately, they’re probably the worst Battleline option for the army to take.
Then you also get a regular Loonboss on-foot. He has a command ability that works only on Grot units. It just so happens that Squig Hoppers, Boingrot Bounderz, and Fanatics don’t have the Grot keyword. Speaking of Fanatics, they can only be deployed if you have a Moonclat Grot unit (i.e Stabbas or Shootas unit). Essentially, he’s a wasted hero option unless you buy into three boxes of Moonclan Grots (which is what we recommend at the minimum).
Moonclan Grots boxes come with twenty models for $35. However, most armies run about 100+ Grots in their list so you’ll want to buy about five boxes to really get started off on the right foot. If you plan on taking your army in a different direction like Squig-themed exclusively, this box is great. And lastly, the Troggoth option is good, but definitely not worth the buy if you want to build an all-Troggoth force.
Ultimately, if you don’t plan on building a Squig army off of this box, you’ll be off to a very weird start. You’ll probably have to spend the most money branching out from this box from all the others.
40k: Which Kit Goes Best With my Battleforce?
Each of the 40k Battleforces throws loads of different units at you. This is to get the best bang for your buck and the overall “feel” for different exclusive units your faction offers. But taking into account the different/best detachments to bring in your games, here are the kits that you can combine with your boxes that would be the smartest buys.
Blood Angels Crimson Spear Strike Force
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The Crimson Spear Strike force is decent, but there are a few options that you’ll want to either never build or sell somewhere else. The Baal Predator and Terminator Captain are easily the weakest link in the chain here. We already saw GW phase-out stratagems for the Vindicator and Predator. It’s probably only a matter of time before the Baal Predator gets left in the dust as well. And as for the terminator Captain, he’s WAY too slow. In a Blood Angels army, you need speed and want to make full use of all the Jump Pack Stratagems at your disposal.
Sold for $60 on GW’s Webstore
For future buys, another box of Intercessors for Troops can’t hurt. This will flesh out a Battalion as you already can have two squads of five built from the box.
Next, you’ll probably want to use the thunder hammer from the Terminator Captain and find some spare bits to make a jump pack Marine. This will be your handy dandy Smash Captain. You can usually go to an LGS and dig through a bits box to find what you need for a few bucks.
Tyranids Bioswarm
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You’ve got a lot of options for whichever way you want to branch out from the box. However, Gargoyles are hardly ever seen on the tabletop nowadays. And as for the Hive Tyrant on-foot, you’ll want to give him some wings. Mobility is huge in the meta right now.
So if you were to branch out, you really couldn’t go wrong with more Termagants. massed S4 assault 3 shooting with Stratagem support is one of the faction’s strongpoints right now. But ultimately, they need a new book. Genestealers are also good but you’ll need to buy a ton of boxes as only 8 come in a box for $35.
Tau Starclaimer Hunter Cadre
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Looking at the Tau Battleforce, it’s pretty obvious that you’ll want your next purchases to be two more Fire Warrior units and a Cadre Fireblade. You can always split the ten-man squad into two five-mans to save money. This will help flesh out a Battalion and gett you started on the right foot. From there, you can go with Riptides, Hammerheads, or even an awesome stealth suit list. But the most important part is moving from a Patrol Detachment to a Battalion.
Fire Warriors are sold at $50 for ten models. As for the Cadre Fireblade, he’s $25 by himself. But ultimately this will serve as solid ground for you to build your force up from there.
Space Wolves Talons of Morkai
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For this Battleforce, the same thing goes. You’ll probably want to get one more HQ and one more box of Troops to make a Battalion. The most popular right now are the Intercessors. Remember, Intercessors, are sold as a box of ten for $60.
A Rune Priest definitely can’t hurt either, as this opens you up to the Chapter’s Psychic power tree. You can get one relatively cheap at $25. And if you like the style of the Wulfen, you’re in luck because they’re also one of the army’s most competitive units. They’re pretty steep, however, at $60 for five models.
Drukhari Poisonblade Raiding Party
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You’re off to a strong start for Dark Eldar in this box. With twenty total Kabalite Warriors, you only need one more HQ to bring a Battalion. If you’ve seen the Dark Eldar flying lists and that appeals to you, you can always grab another cheap Archon and start funneling your money to Voidraven Bombers and such. If you want to build an army of something like Grotesques/Taloses, you’ll want to get a Haemonculous to start. Either way, this box is very good.
Chaos Space Marine Vengeance Warband
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As for this Battleforce, it’s not terrible but it definitely could be better. The strongest units out of this box are the Havoc squad and ten-man Chaos Marine Troops units. You can split these guys into five-man units and only need another box of Marines for $60.
CSM Havoc unit- You normally want the Chaincannon
As we mentioned the Havocs, they’re also a top Chaos unit. However, their kit only comes with one MONEY weapon. That being the Chaincannon. If you want to get the full use out of these guys, you’ll need to come up with three more minigun bits before you completely assemble these guys. Luckily, POP Goes the Monkey sells alternate bits including multibarrelled rip cannons.
Terminators are usually just too slow, although they aren’t quite as bad as Loyalist Terminators and the Chaos Rhino is just a points sink for the meta at this point in time.
With all of these Battleforces and combos covered, what will you be getting yourself for the holidays? Have you thought about gifting this to a friend to bring them into the hobby?
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
