The latest 40k Meta shift may not be based on factions but currency aka our hobby dollars instead. Dollars for points? Big RIP!
It seems like you used to be able to buy certain units that would take up a large chunk of points in your army for a decent price. It was a good way to get new hobbyists in the game without them having to spend a ton of money upfront.
However, the hobby may just be getting more expensive altogether. Let’s take a look:
40k Meta: Impulsor Vs. The Razorback
Dollars for points, there are new releases that are creating a large deficit in the scale. For example, the Impulsor and Razorback are both in the Dedicated Transport section of army building. The main difference is that Impulsors have a few more bells and whistles and updated rules over the Razorback. However, dollar for point, they’re on the opposite ends of the scale.
The Primaris Impulsor is weighing in between 75-100 pts depending on wargear and is going to cost $75.
Meanwhile, the Razorback is weighing in between 87-115 pts depending on wargear and only costs $45. That’s a $30 deficit for the same battlefield role and points.
But that’s not the only thing…
New Named Primaris Characters Vs. Old Named Characters
All of the named HQs that have crossed the Rubicon Primaris have come out with nearly-double the cost as they had once before.
For example, characters like Dante, Gabriel Seth, Mephiston, Njall, Arjac, Belial, etc. are all sitting at the $22-$25 price range. However, of the characters that have turned Primaris, (Shrike, Kor’sarro Khan, Marneus, etc.) are all sitting around $40-$55.
The crazy thing is that after a model rework, the only major changes to their in-game datasheets are normally +1 wound, +1 attack, and a damage bonus in some form.
Primaris Eliminators Vs. Devastators
Devastators (besides grav) have pretty much fallen to the wayside in the current meta to make room for the new Heavy Support hotness, the Primaris Eliminators. Devastators are flexible T4 damage-dealing units that you almost always want to take in a squad bigger than 5. (Just for the obligatory wound soak).
However, hobbyists have to pay $50 for three T4 models when it comes to Eliminators, but Eliminators and Devastators are sitting at the same price monetarily as of right now. So while Eliminators are cheaper in points, they lack any kind of wound-soaking capabilities in the form of larger unit caps.
With that said, Eliminators are insanely flexible and are usually run in three squads of three. This translates into about $150 for around 200 pts.
To break it down further, that’s $150 for just 10% of your 2k-points list. By the same margin, you would have to drop over $1,000 on a full-strength tournament force.
The Solution?
Buying straight from the source might be out of some people’s price range. However, there are plenty of great ways to get started. You just have to get more creative and willing to put in a little more elbow grease. eBay , of course, is a fantastic place to scour regularly to find an army lot that might just need to be cleaned up a bit.
If you buy in bulk, you usually get things cheaper. Usually, these armies are either unpainted or just completely primed. If something isn’t painted exactly how you want it, you’ll just have to strip it and start over.
In some cases, it’s a great sustainable way to afford an ever-changing Warhammer hobby!
What other hobby avenues have you gone down to get your models cheaper? How much have you spent to get started in the hobby?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
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.
