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Hoping won't make it so. Assault On Black Reach now costs $90 so there's no reason to believe it will be otherwise for Island Of Blood.

What armies are in it?

Ewoks and Hobbits. Seriously, that info is already here multiple times and in the email from GW that generated the topic thread.

The picture is the same one from the front of the new book like I said a few days ago.

Expect more models like Black Reach, and I would expect to see some of the models from the picture, just not all of them.

That terrain piece with the egyptian statue looks like it is the three up of the piece from the Dire Avengers sprue mounted on a Mines of Moria block. I would be a little surprised if it was included in the set as they went all models with Black Reach, but not overly surprised.

I think even at $90 it will be a good deal as it will include pretty close to a battalion of units plus the small rule book, templates and some of the small dice.

I just find all these unsubtle hints of high elves and skaven a bit tooo obvious. Could be wrong.

I don't mind that it's high elves vs skaven... but, with the majority of the game's fluff being built around the empire, how come they didn't make the box be empire vs (insert bad guys here)?

And I guess this means the skaven army book was built for 8th edition? I got the idea that in 40k, they did a lot of stuff for marines & orks because that's what was in the starter box and thus, most common armies. So, I guess this means they have a lot of new high elf and skaven models planned? Haven't been following the rumors but are high elves next on the list for a redo?

I'd like to see em do different starter boxes too.. like if they kept skull pass models but just gave you the newer mini rulebook if you wanted those models instead, something like that... even if it was a direct only kinda thing.

Necros wrote:I don't mind that it's high elves vs skaven... but, with the majority of the game's fluff being built around the empire, how come they didn't make the box be empire vs (insert bad guys here)?

And I guess this means the skaven army book was built for 8th edition? I got the idea that in 40k, they did a lot of stuff for marines & orks because that's what was in the starter box and thus, most common armies. So, I guess this means they have a lot of new high elf and skaven models planned? Haven't been following the rumors but are high elves next on the list for a redo?

I'd like to see em do different starter boxes too.. like if they kept skull pass models but just gave you the newer mini rulebook if you wanted those models instead, something like that... even if it was a direct only kinda thing.

See this is what they should do for 40k starters. Don't focus on one army for every new edition. This helps promote different armies for newbies and a good way to start for veteran players other than focus on same old army every edition plus random evil race.

NixonAsADaemonPrince over at Warseer summarized the rumours on the starter box contents:

High Elves:

Prince on Griffon
Mage on foot
20 Sea Guard
10 Swordmasters of Hoeth
5 Ellyrian Reavers

About 1100 points in total, assuming full command on all units, a smattering of extra equipment, Lvl 2 Mage but no magic items.

Skaven

Warlord
Warlock
40 Clanrats
20 Slaves
Poisoned Wind Mortar
Warpfire Thrower
2 Rat Ogres with Packmaster
5 Poisoned Wind Globadiers

About 800 points in total, assuming full command on all units, a smattering of extra equipment, Lvl 2 Warlock but no magic items.

Various small pieces of terrain

And the box will include a small booklet with the full rules, as in Skull Pass.

Pah.

Stupid High elves.

Kroothawk wrote:NixonAsADaemonPrince over at Warseer summarized the rumours on the starter box contents:

High Elves:

Prince on Griffon
Mage on foot
20 Sea Guard
10 Swordmasters of Hoeth
5 Ellyrian Reavers

About 1100 points in total, assuming full command on all units, a smattering of extra equipment, Lvl 2 Mage but no magic items.

Skaven

Warlord
Warlock
40 Clanrats
20 Slaves
Poisoned Wind Mortar
Warpfire Thrower
2 Rat Ogres with Packmaster
5 Poisoned Wind Globadiers

About 800 points in total, assuming full command on all units, a smattering of extra equipment, Lvl 2 Warlock but no magic items.

Various small pieces of terrain

And the box will include a small booklet with the full rules, as in Skull Pass.

And I winz! Finally GW has made a box set including two of my armies! Now they need to just come out with Dark eldar and I'll be bankrupt this fall.

If that list of models from Warseer is true, and not just a grab bag of stuff that people want in plastic, then it sounds pretty good. But, I think it would probably be much more than $90. The other starter sets only have about 500pts for each side.

No Skaven HPA as rumored?

JohnHwangDD wrote:No Skaven HPA as rumored?

Take
10 Clanrats
10 Slaves
2 Rat Ogres
throw them in a bag, add plenty ammounts of plasticglue, shake well and voila: HPA!

Skavenarmy content sounds fun, will be a pleasure to swap them for those pointy ears.

JohnHwangDD wrote:No Skaven HPA as rumored?

You mean: As wishlisted like the Bell?
No, the big museum pieces stay out of the starter box as usual.
HPA is in production but will come later and separately. As probably a plague catapult and a new warp cannon.

HPA is in production but will come later and separately. As probably a plague catapult and a new warp cannon.

Nice to hear the HPA is in production; I thought it was one of the cooler-sounding units in the army book. I'm definitely picking up one of these; if there's a HE player interested in splitting two sets with me (I get the Skaven, you get the HE, we each a set of templates/rules) let me know. I'll be happy to split the costs according to whatever model ratio there is since it seems like skaven models will likely outnumber HE by quite a bit.

I am absolutely loving the name "Island of Blood" for some reason, even though I would normally find something like that corny as hell.

Turalon wrote:If that list of models from Warseer is true, and not just a grab bag of stuff that people want in plastic, then it sounds pretty good. But, I think it would probably be much more than $90. The other starter sets only have about 500pts for each side.

Lets see, 5 Termies (200 pts), Dread (110 pts), Tactical unit (170 pts), and Captain (120 pts).
Thats about 600 pts.

Yup I'm buying this box and going to sell/swap some skaven.

I want to say the box will be only $90, but the older ones were about $60 when including a slimmed down $40 book (or a good 50% over the book's cost). If we do that with the current range, it'd put the set more at about $105 USD.

Which, frankly, wouldn't surprise me with the above numbers on content. They could get away with the model count in BfSP because one army was a few Dwarves and the other had barely 500 points in troops with a decent chunk relying on pimped-out characters (280 in Gobbos, 40-60 in Troll, 80-215 in characters, 160 in Spider Riders). GW can still say it's giving you a steal (because, by their terms, it is: One of the army's content alone makes up for the whole thing), and that you have no right to complain. Heck, them going all the way up to $150 USD - while absurd - wouldn't surprise me (as, once more, it is technically a saving).

Hey Minsc don't encourage GW to hike up the price.

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Hey Minsc don't encourage GW to hike up the price.

Not encouraging, just don't want it to feel like a sudden surprise to people when it does happen. At this rate it's only a few years before the new 40K Book and Starter Set puts you back for more than a PS3.

Grobrotz wrote:

JohnHwangDD wrote:No Skaven HPA as rumored?

Take
10 Clanrats
10 Slaves
2 Rat Ogres
throw them in a bag, add plenty ammounts of plasticglue, shake well and voila: HPA!

Skavenarmy content sounds fun, will be a pleasure to swap them for those pointy ears.

I lolzed. But anyway I could use some swordmasters, not exactly fan of griffin, i prefer dragons but it's all good .

Me, I prefer a Griffon, so this makes me happy as picking up a plastic one should be relatively easy and inexpensive soon!

Yeah I like the idea of cheap EBay griffons flying home for my Empire army.

Shellfishguy wrote:Yeah I like the idea of cheap EBay griffons flying home for my Empire army.

You and me both, apparently - now don't be bidding against me there either!

Ah, smug mode. Just had delivered a skaven battalion and by the time that's finished, island of blood will be on the shelves. I'm a winner!!

Harry on the High Elf sculptor:

No more sausage fingers.

Martin Footitt has sculpted most of the HE stuff.
He did the Lustria characters, the Hero/Lord set, the Mage set, the Dragon Rider, etc.
Expect more of the same.

He didn't sculpt the Dragon .... just the Elfy armour and the rider.

... and on the not yet finished Hell Pit Abomination:

Coming on nicely though.

No more sausage fingers, but the Sea Guard WILL be having Fish Fingers!

Kroothawk wrote:Harry on the High Elf sculptor:

No more sausage fingers.

Martin Footitt has sculpted most of the HE stuff.
He did the Lustria characters, the Hero/Lord set, the Mage set, the Dragon Rider, etc.
Expect more of the same.

He didn't sculpt the Dragon .... just the Elfy armour and the rider.

... and on the not yet finished Hell Pit Abomination:

Coming on nicely though.

The most important question...

Is he redoing the abomination that is Alith-Anar or should I go ahead and make my own along with a cadre of Shadow Warriors from Charioteer bodies?

Bloodwin wrote:I think they drip feed because it creates more hype. If we new the exact details there wouldn't be half the discussion and discussion is free advertising. As for how the drip feed works, I think it's partly intentional and partly inevitable. They know full well that once they send out the new rules to 1000's of employees one of them will end up spilling the beans. I also think they have staff members they allow to post on forums and talk to people who run forums so they know what will get leaked and roughly when. All the uncertainty of the big box is making people feverish which means some who might have waited for the box will cave in and buy the big book. Also those that are interested in those armies will start to buy auxiliary units to pad out what they expect will be in the box.

You are a far wiser person than most

Kroothawk wrote:NixonAsADaemonPrince over at Warseer summarized the rumours on the starter box contents:

High Elves:

Prince on Griffon
Mage on foot
20 Sea Guard
10 Swordmasters of Hoeth
5 Ellyrian Reavers

About 1100 points in total, assuming full command on all units, a smattering of extra equipment, Lvl 2 Mage but no magic items.

Skaven

Warlord
Warlock
40 Clanrats
20 Slaves
Poisoned Wind Mortar
Warpfire Thrower
2 Rat Ogres with Packmaster
5 Poisoned Wind Globadiers

About 800 points in total, assuming full command on all units, a smattering of extra equipment, Lvl 2 Warlock but no magic items.

Various small pieces of terrain

And the box will include a small booklet with the full rules, as in Skull Pass.

You are trusting Warseer? Really? Because its not like they have never gotten something wrong before

On another note, I wouldn't be surprised if GW came out of a left field and hit us with something like Ogre Kingdoms and Brettonians.

I trust some posters over there blindly, beyond that I can deal with non-confirmed rumours quite well. I would classify the starter box content rumour as partly confirmed and close to the mark. I wouldn't call it a confirmation though, just a rumour summary as I said.