Are box tops better than Table War Cases? Tune in and find out what one of our writers has to say about his experience with both!
Hello my fellow Americans. Today, we’re going to go over the Pro’s and Cons of using a box top to carry your army versus using the Table War Tower Case, who wore it best edition.
Cost
Box tops: They come free with purchase of a starter box. Most of us have at least two, top and bottom.
Table War: Clearly, Table War can’t compete on this level. It’s unfortunate because I really would have liked a Free Table War Tower.
Fact: You get what you pay for.
Ease of Use
BT: Really, when it comes down to it, it’s hard to beat just throwing your mini’s into a box. If you’re really classy you expertly lay them in one by one, so they’re all standing. If you have enough of them they MAY even stand up. I have Oruks, big bases, loaded down, 7 out of 10 models they stayed put.
TW: Magnets. Seriously, that picture of the alien’s guy from the history channel saying aliens? Replace the word aliens with magnets. No, I didn’t want to take the time to make a meme. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Regardless, magnets are freaking magical. Like unicorns. Table War sells magnets that fit in those tiny holes in a 40mm base. They stick really well. 6 out of 10 well.
Accouterments
BT: Um, you can take one box top and put it ontop of another, assuming the models aren’t tall.
TW: Table War also makes Unit trays. these plastic trays sit ONTOP of the metal inserts that sit ONTOP of the plastic frame/drawers. If you have a bunch of units on standard size bases this is great. However, with GW increasingly making models on all sorts of bases this, in my opinion, isn’t a great option any more. Regardless, if you still have any army that’s on one base size this allows you to visually see if any of your models are missing.
P.S. If you’re an Oruk player this doesn’t work for your brutes because they don’t make 40mm trays.
Style
BT: I rocked my Oruuks inside my Horus Hersey Box for at least a year. People were SO confused. They saw the box and thought, “oh, cool 30K! Imperial Fists!?” and then looked inside and said, “wait, those are yellow Orks?” So much confusion. Worth it.
TW: Back in Black. Since I’ve gotten my Table War Case I feel like LL Cool Ironjaw. If I want to fly my nerd flag I face it plexiglass out. If I want to look like James bond I face it plexiglass in. Seriously, there is not a more bad ass looking case on the market. Period. End of Sentence.
Portability
BT: I literally drove 2 THOUSAND miles to the LVO in my Honda Civic with my Orruks riding shotgun on the floor of my 2005 Honda Civic. Mistakes where made. Models where chipped. Hobby had to be done.
Editors Note: Felix was made incessant fun of in the days leading up to said trip by all Spikey Bits Staff members and cats.
TW: Well, I only drove a few hundred miles to my new home in Phoenix but they made it safe and sound. However it did take up more space.
Display-Ability:
BT: Um, zero display-ability value. You have a 0 in 1000 chance of bringing the hobby box as is to your next tournament. Could you hobby it up? Maybe. Will you win? You’d have a 1 in 1000 chance.
TW: A solid 9 our of 10. It’s not a legit display board but each tray could be hobbied to be it’s own display board. Will you win a display board competition at Adepticon or LVO? No, I don’t think you can because those dudes are INSANE; they bring the hobby back and take it to the last level. Could you win at your local GT? Probably, but it will take some work, each tray is basically a frame.
TSA-Ability
BT: This will 100% fit inside an overhead compartment. So will the rest of the models. People may get mad at you as you hold the up the line getting them all back inside the box.
TW: The full tower display case will not fit inside an overhead compartment. Could you get the insane N45+ magnets, take it to gate, and then have it put in the cargo hold via valet? Yes. Is it recommended? No. Will I be trying this soon? Probabaly.
Editors Note: I would not try this. Planes shake, this case is not designed or intended to be abused in this way. It’s the Ferrari of cases.
Conclusion
If you have the dollar bills to splurge I’d get one for every army you own. If you don’t fly to tournaments this case is a no brainer. If you’re a bit limited on cash but have lots of shelf space, you could get multiple trays and magnets for each army and then just swap them out as needed.
If you’re rocking a new Warhammer: Age of Sigmar army, odds are those new models don’t fit in a square peg; this is really the only solution I’ve found that works without consuming vast amounts of space. My Oruks are big and fat and have lots of — spikey bits; they don’t fit well in foam.
They don’t fit well in citadel cases; I own one, I tried and failed to get my 2,500 army inside of it, it didn’t work. They fit decently in an open box top but as mentioned above they can get chipped and broken over time. The half case doesn’t hold my entire army. The tower case does. This case is, in my opinion, a winner.
Final AoS Rating: Hit 2, Wound 2, Rend -3, Save 2
Final 40k Rating: 2+ Save, 3+ Invul (re-rollable), Toughness 8
