Make sure you read this before you shell out those hobby dollars for these new minis! Shadowspear looks great, but is GW repeating sins of the past?
Shadowspear is proving to be one of the most anticipated Box Sets of 8th edition. Both factions are getting all completely new models. However, if you go all in on this box set, there may be some problems for your hobby budget ahead…
No Leftovers on the Shadowspear Sprues
Looking at the Shadowspear sprues that Warhammer Community previewed a little while back, it looks like there won’t be any leftover bits on the sprues. That means that the units inside won’t be getting any extra weapon options to choose from.
The Primaris Suppressors will be getting the same kind of autocannon. The Eliminators will be getting the same sniper rifle, and etc. The problem with this may be that we’ll see individual boxes of these guys hit the shelves later in 2019. What’s worse is they’ll probably come with different weapon options that make the guys inside the Shadowspear box obsolete.
We saw the same thing with Dark Imperium when 8th dropped back in 2017, and some hobbyists were left holding the bag when new multi-part kits dropped just months later…
Dark Imperium Obsolete
Speaking of Dark Imperium. That Box Set kicked off the new Primaris units with Death Guard on the release of 8th edition At the time, there was only one kind of Bloat Drone, one kind of Primaris Hellblaster weapon, one kind of Intercessor boltgun etc. However, as time went on and we started to see individual boxes hit the shelves, they introduced all different kinds of weapon options for Primaris and Death Guard alike.
For example, Primaris Intercessors only had the bolt rifle at first. Now, they have the auto bolt rifle and the stalker bolt rifle.
The Inceptors initially only had the cheaper assault bolter. but eventually got access to the plasma exterminators.
Looking at Death Guard, the Plague Marines out of the Box Set only had access to plasma. However, once their codex dropped and their individual boxes came out, they got access to blight launchers which have been proven to be the better option.
Multipart Death Guard With all Codex Options
The Hand You Hold is The Hand That Holds You Down
What we’re trying to say is that GW could be just giving us a taste of the weapon options for the units found inside Shadowspear. Who knows, in a month or two, they could get their own individual boxes just like Primaris and Death Guard in 2017. If they do there is a good chance they will come with weapon options that are objectively better than what came inside Shadowspear.
The hype of the new models may be enough for you to pull the trigger on buying the Box Set. But keep in mind that even more options may be headed our way in the near future.
Should Games Workshop continue to hold the hobby hostage with thier Easy To Build stater sets, or should they come with all the options that will be available later down the road? Are hobbyists minds already made up to either wait for possible Multipart kits later on, pull the trigger now, or both?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
