What kind of Box would u like?

[Gitzdee]

I am getting tired of these VS boxes at the moment. It was a fun thematic thing a few times but i think they overstayed their welcome. It has become a hassle to sell of or buy halves of these boxes.

I would like to see a different kind of Start Collecting box. A smaller force that can be added to an army without the need to go all-in on the theme would be awesome. Maybe around 400-500 points with at least 1 battleline unit, 1 elite unit and 1 buffing unit/hero/monster. That way i can buy and paint a box i like without having to go the full 2000 points and potentially use them as allies. A hero in the box shouldnt be the standard imho, it prevents people from buying multiples. If u would ask me what i would like to buy at the moment it would be something like this: 1 unit Stabbas/Shootas, 1 unit of Fanatics and something like Sneaky Snufflers or a hero. Something that actually works together and not the horrible box GG has now that is actually made for 3 different lists and is essentially useless. 

I also like the design of the Christmas boxes, they have great value and give u an instant army in a box thats the whole package. I have bought one once to get started on an Eldar army when i began playing 40k. But i wouldnt buy any of these unless i want to start a huge project again and with the pile of shame i have lying around i dont think that will ever be the case anymore. Great for starting an army from scratch though.

What would u like to see in a box? What would u like to buy?

Edited March 31, 2022 by Iksdee

[RuneBrush]

Going to agree that I'd like to see more single army boxes rather than the dual ones we do, although I do like them having a narrative flavour.  Most of the time we pick one up only wanting half the box and it's a pain to split as there's only one set of books in it.

[Overread]

The thing I hate about the duel boxes is most of the time I only want half. So I have to go find someone to swap contents with, then post them stuff and have them post me stuff. So whilst I CAN get a good deal on it, it would have been easier if GW just cut the price in half and sold me half the contents. 

 

 

Also its strange because GW puts all this effort into a small battle system and cards and counters to go in the box too, but its all a waste. Totally new people are more tempted by getting started sets and such, the duel boxes are kind of marketed right toward semi-new army builders and current customers. So they really aren't after a side small skirmish game. Esp if they only want one force. 

I'd welcome them doing more single boxes in short runs. Cut out the book and card content, just focus on models. 

[Kadeton]

39 minutes ago, Overread said:

The thing I hate about the duel boxes is most of the time I only want half. So I have to go find someone to swap contents with, then post them stuff and have them post me stuff. So whilst I CAN get a good deal on it, it would have been easier if GW just cut the price in half and sold me half the contents.

Well, yeah - that's exactly why GW does it. They've already got double the money from you so they're laughing all the way to the bank, and then you get to do their marketing for them as you try to find a buyer and recoup the extra cost. You (or at least a significant portion of people like you) might decide it's not worth the bother, and just keep the models - the perfect up-sell.

Arena of Shades is the first dual box I've even considered purchasing, because I actually want everything in the box. Otherwise, I refuse to accept buying stuff that I'll have to sell on. If I can find a friend who wants the other half, that would be fine, but it rarely shakes out that way. Never give in to FOMO.

[pnkdth]

There are probably metrics which show greater profits when creating these dual faction boxes than start collecting for single factions. They cannot create a false sense of scarcity if there's an abundance, after all. The key of the boxes of late is just that, they contain unique models. Now with the upcoming Thondia (or what it is called) we have yet another box with a unique model available nowhere else. Sad part is it works and nothing will change because we won't.

 

[Arzalyn]

1 hour ago, Overread said:

The thing I hate about the duel boxes is most of the time I only want half. So I have to go find someone to swap contents with, then post them stuff and have them post me stuff. So whilst I CAN get a good deal on it, it would have been easier if GW just cut the price in half and sold me half the contents. 

That the main problem with them for me. Unless one of my friends play the army its hard to get any of those boxes, as selling them can be quiet hard depending on the other faction.

To me those boxes seen to fit two porpoise:

1) Try to be a mini "board game" intro for AoS, in the sense that you get thematic missions and the units rules to play with them. It could work if you are trying to start in the game with a friend, but I doubt someone looking to start the hobby alone would probably go for a start collect first.

2) Tempt you to start a new army with the other half. You get the half that you are interested and if its hard to sell why not keep it and start a new faction?

3 hours ago, Iksdee said:

What would u like to see in a box? What would u like to buy?

Honestly the think I want the most of those boxes would be that they they total points values were around the same range and the units featured in it work together. The most important function of those boxes for me are being good starting points for the faction. Something I can point people toward to get a function bunch of miniatures that they can assemble and play with right way. I expected they would do something similar to this with the Vanguard boxes, but so far we only saw one of them...

[Chikout]

I'd love a saurus themed army box. Give me a cold one mounted hero an unit of new saurus warriors, new saurus knights and a new astrolith bearer in a box and I'll be very happy. 

[Gitzdee]

Kurnothi archers.

Kurnothi cav.

Big insect.

The dream.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Iksdee

[EccentricCircle]

As I've said elsewhere, I'm finding the current year's focus on dual army boxes a little frustrating. I genuinely don't mind single hero battletome updates too much, but it annoys me when they are stuck in a box with lots of other stuff you don't necessarily need. I like getting a big pile of models to build as much as the next person, but I can't (or perhaps shouldn't) be doing it every single month. Those big sets seem to be where most of the stuff I'm excited about are being released though, so I need to be careful and choose which I will actually get the most out of.

I've picked up a few of them over the years, but only when I actively collected both armies, I've never been tempted to start a new army because I got it in a box and couldn't sell it on. But its a personal thing really.

A few years ago I was actively collecting AoS armies, and so any chance to get a batch of models at a discount and quickly flesh something out was a good deal. I got a lot of the christmas battle boxes over the years. However, nowadays, most of my AoS armies are pretty much where I want them. I might want a few small things here and there, but there is no guarentee that those will be in any given box, and frequently they will come with lots of stuff I already have if they are. I've still been getting a few of the 40K battleforces and start collectings, but as that collection matures, and I start "finishing" my armies, I do see a time when I don't really have a use for big boxes anymore.

What I'd like to see really is more start collecting sets. I like how Seraphon and cities have various SC sets, which cover different themes of the army. I suspect that will change now that we are getting these new, bigger boxes like 40K has been getting. So far none of those 40K ones have seemed nearly as good a deal for the price point as the old SC boxes did, the increased price just makes them a bit too big to pick up casually, whereas back in the day when I was mostly getting SC boxes, £50 was the perfect price point to feel like I was getting something good, without breaking the bank. It felt like quite a deal compared to the Old WFB battalion boxes, which were more like 70. I got quite a few of those back in the day, for Lizardmen, Tomb Kings, and Dwarfs, and those were great sets that really had the core of your army in them. SC's never had quite so much, but the cheaper price point and the fact they usually had a big monster sold me on them.

So maybe something more like those, not quite as big or focused as a vanguard box or whatever they're calling them now, more like the old WFB ones where its just your core troops for your army in an easy to get package.

But then again, as I say, I've probably already got all the core troops for all my armies now, so while that was great back in the day, its not personally as appealing now.

[Popisdead]

Apocalypse like packaging.  Yes it's a massive blow out on product but no way GW didn't print money from the first wave.  In fact in subsequent releases I know GW lost money as people went into the local GWs asking what massive packaging they had then left empty handed.  It is a weird "sets-precedence" issue for people who have been around enough but GW needs to get people into buying into armies, not walking away empty handed.

[zilberfrid]

I'd like smorgasboard boxes. Give a nice bit of variety with versatile kits.

Replace the hero with an Underworlds team. Get a battleline unit in there, and something nice.

For instance 

• Thundrik's Profiteers
• Arkanauts
• Arkanaut Frigate

Something else:

• Vortemis the all-seeing &Eyes of the Nine
• Tsaangors
• Ogroid Thaumaturge

[Ferban]

4 hours ago, Overread said:

Totally new people are more tempted by getting started sets and such, the duel boxes are kind of marketed right toward semi-new army builders and current customers. So they really aren't after a side small skirmish game. Esp if they only want one force. 

Just wanted to comment that I think the boxes are actually fairly new player friendly.  You get enough for small army engagements (enough to move around multple units, but not enough to be overwhelming).  You get some basic army rules.  You get warscroll cards and tokens.  And with Arena of Shades, you even get a core rulebook.  It seems like they are targeting these boxes for new players.  

And if you really only want the new hero or one particular side, you could always just wait.  They almost always sell those "exclusive heroes" separately after several months.  And, in Dominion and Soul Wars, you got better units later (Now you can get Gutrippaz with musicians and banners, for example.  Or boltboyz with a leader).  So waiting might even be beneficial in that sense. 

[yukishiro1]

VS boxes are generally bad for the consumer and great for the company selling them. Probably 30% of people buying them tell themselves they'll resell the half they don't want, and then just never get around to it. There's a reason they'll give you plastic that would cost you almost double as much if you bought everything separately, and it's not out of the goodness of their hearts. 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by yukishiro1

[Nos]

I actually think the Duel Sets are pretty neat products. They do a good job of establishing context, theme and simple rules and are getting more inventive with it. The value of the models is very good. I know most people who buy them ignore the context in which they're released but that dosent mean that side of the product isn't well done.

They make them, like they make everything, to make money, so I'm not claiming its out of the good of their hearts or anything.

But if these sets didn't make money, they certainly wouldn't replace them with products that allowed a buyer to make a big saving no strings attached. They're not a charity. 

[Noserenda]

Theres one V box id love.

Skaven versus their most DEADLY FOES... SKAVEN

[Craze]

I really like the dual boxes as I have a group of friends I'm regularly playing with a lot, so there is always someone that needs that "other half" of these boxes and then it is a good deal for both.

I can nonetheless understand the frustration of people that do not have this background and always have to look for someone to take the other half and start negotiating and so on...

[EntMan]

11 hours ago, Noserenda said:

Theres one V box id love.

Skaven versus their most DEADLY FOES... SKAVEN

Ironweld Arsenal Vs Skaven war machines!

[JackStreicher]

I agree, they've overstayed their welcome.

I'd prefer such boxes to include more (or only) new units and have the box consist of only 2 units for eacht side so people can easily stock up on some small new releases. Additionally it'd be nice if there was some actual story progress inside of those boxes, not just a small booklet with some McGuffin story.

As it stands now I've lost interest in these boxes a year or two ago. The one special hero is boring and one can get those from ebay. I don't see much of a value for new players either since those boxes have become to expensive for anyone new to the hobby to just buy one. The confusion about those boxes containing matched-play legal rules has also never been answered and GW usually does not put those new points or warscrolls into any of their apps.

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by JackStreicher

[Overread]

They are certainly at their best when most of the contents are new because then they appeal to new and existing gamers. When the content is one or two new things and mostly older stuff they aren't as appealing. Eg when GW did the new Banshee boxed set there were 2 new model sets (leader and troops) but the rest of Eldar were really old plastic vehicle kits. Fantastic for new people, but really not much use for existing fans who already have more than enough of both falcons and vypers. 

The current AOS set shows this well too. The new Daughter of Khaine leader is great, but I only need her as a new model and only sisters of slaughter to compliment my forces. I don't need any more horse riders nor khinerai - even if they are amazing models. 

 

The more new stuff the more interesting the set, otherwise I'm hunting ebay for a good deal on a split set. 

[novakai]

I like those  Broken realm box if I was an existing collector of those army and needed that particular unit in mass.

If I was starting out I would either prefer something like combat patrol boxes or those launch boxes when a new release came. Of course they have only release one launch box for AoS so far ( Realmlords) while 40K have release 3 plus the Knight one coming out soon

[RexHavoc]

I like the Vs boxes, but then I usually can find use for both sides of the box. The ones I haven't brought are the couple that I've just had no use for or already owned all the models. I never bother selling halfs of boxes, they either go towards club armies or into the conversion pile. I wish they wouldn't paywall new heroes/units in these big boxes, but then so far none of the sets I've brought have had items in that I can't make a use off so its yet to bother me directly.

I really like most of the underworld sets, I think the sets are really good for the most part and seems to be a good way for the design team to get some more unique sculpts into the world without having to design and gamble on a whole range. I do think they shine a bad light on GWs pricing though, they can release a set of 4-5 minis all of which are unique sculpts but then a standard non-name AoS character can cost the same as one of these sets (The vampire lord/crimson court baffles me for example)
I just wish they would put them out at launch without the cards in them. The cards just end up in the bin and its such a waste.

I love the start collecting sets and have brought hundreds (maybe not, but feels like it!) but sad to see them being replaced with the new vanguard type sets. which I'm not so keen on.  They were obviously better when they first came out but even with the price increases, most of them had some good value in them especially if you were creative with the bits, left overs and use of the models.

The Christmas battleforces were good, but I do feel they took a bit of a nose dive last year. I only brought the Slaanesh one because I'd guessed that we might see one and I wanted to get the Myrmidesh kit to bulk out my Slaanesh-stormcast models (and they should have plenty of left overs to convert even more of the cheap stormcast models) but had held off buying them on release. Other years I've brought multiple sets, as they were a great way to stock up on models and parts.

I really liked the Broken Realm sets, though more for the art on the boxes than the contents of the sets themselves. The art looked really nice on the shelves and a lot less clinical than the rows of white boxes that AoS has had (at least up to dominion era red & gold boxes).

I would like to see something more like the old WFB regiment sets make a return for new boxes. An affordable set of minis that come with an entire unit in the set, with spare parts to make banners, heroes, general etc. I'd like to see them make more sets interchangeable between boxes as well. Like how Oathmark sets, the parts work between both foot troops & rider sets. GW love making their complex sculpts and all plastic is convertible, I just miss the ease of being able to mix and match heads and weapons with out the extra chopping. 

[Kaleb Daark]

I'd like them to be like the old battalion boxes in old fantasy.

You basically got the framework to buildld an army on. The only thing missing was the hero, but otherwise there was your core troops and a chaff unit and a middle weight unit.

iirc it was enough to field a legal 1000 point army or thereabouts.  I think the closest we get is the christmas battleforces, and even then they're not a one drop purchase, you'd still need to add to them.

That would be nice to have again, but with a hero. buy, paint, and play in one box.  

then again I suppose the clue is in the title, it's start collecting, not start playing..

@Skreech Verminking what was it, a couple of battalion boxes of skaven and you were good to go if I remember?

Edited April 20, 2022 by Kaleb Daark

[Skreech Verminking]

On 3/31/2022 at 10:46 PM, Noserenda said:

Theres one V box id love.

Skaven versus their most DEADLY FOES... SKAVEN

That would be perfect😂

30 minutes ago, Kaleb Daark said:

 

@Skreech Verminking what was it, a couple of battalion boxes of skaven and you were good to go if I remember?

I mean that depends,

if we are talking about new skaven releases, I’m pretty certain that my attention would be at buying a couple of these boxes.

if they are just going to throw in some of the worst looking models that have existed for over 2 decades, theres a good chance I won’t even consider it worth looking at.

 

[Kaleb Daark]

3 hours ago, Skreech Verminking said:

That would be perfect😂

I mean that depends,

if we are talking about new skaven releases, I’m pretty certain that my attention would be at buying a couple of these boxes.

if they are just going to throw in some of the worst looking models that have existed for over 2 decades, theres a good chance I won’t even consider it worth looking at.

Totally agree.

I just remember back to the warriors fo chaos battalion box - two of those got you 40 marauders, 10 warhounds, 36 warriors and 10 knights. done.

I think there's an argument especially with ToW coming around to just bin off all those old ex fantasy sculpts and consign them to history.  Give AoS their new aesthetic and be done with it.

Like those plague monks- just give you a new box of more dynamic poses, and subtle tweaks, I mean look at chaos warriors and knights in the start collecting box - absolutely ace and proving you don't have to reinvent the wheel to refresh something so well known.

Anything that came out in the last edition of whfb was such a departure in design that it was always intended for AoS anyway, just look at the Khorne farmers in iron dungarees, and the dwarf irondrake and gyrocopter releases, and also the skaven steampunk gattling gun rat ogres - all AoS ready models hidden in plain sight.

I mean, for you guys to have a unit or two of island of blood skaven slaves to cheaply bulk out your armies would be great for you.

 

[Skreech Verminking]

48 minutes ago, Kaleb Daark said:

I mean, for you guys to have a unit or two of island of blood skaven slaves to cheaply bulk out your armies would be great for you

Yeah that boxset was amazing.

I believe that at some point I was able to get 5 of those boxes 😂

Yet I have no idea how