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I was mulling over the contents of the new DE battleforce and I have to say I don't think there is a more useful one out there. Most other battleforce boxes suffer from not being able to use all of the units in a great manner -- my Craftworld brothers get some sucky guardians thrown in, and only 5 dire avengers; The War walkers also compete for Force organization slots. I'm sure a lot of you will also agree that aside from maybe Dark Angels Ravenwing battleforce, most contain units you'll never use.

It's my understanding that you can use everything in the box in an effective army. Reavers are commonly taken anyway, and Raiders are the transport of choice. The only guys that will be "left out" are either your warriors or wyches if you're making a themed list, which aside from fluff players I don't imagine many will do?

Anyway, let's hear your thoughts. DE battleforce, best deal/most usable yet?
Is there any "staple units" you'd rather see in it instead?

It's a pretty solid battle force. Reavers are probably the the most likely to get shelved (which is a shame since they are some of the best models imo).

Looks really solid, I almost want a DE army, but I'm getting into terrain instead.

I don't know what it is with battleforces and bikes. If you're into jetbikes it's a great buy, otherwise it's best to get the contents elsewhere.

I think the old cadian battleforce was the best ever, you got a russ and a load of troops. The new one is alright but a lot of people don't like sentinels. The command squad is nice though and if you plan to use the sentinels it is a good buy.

It would have been perfect if they had dumped the reavers and put in either a ravager or the new talos.

tgf wrote:It would have been perfect if they had dumped the reavers and put in either a ravager or the new talos.

I'm pretty positive the jetbikes are the proverbial wooden spoon, like the Ork bikers in the Ork battleforce, scouts in the Marine battleforce, etc. There's always one unit that most people don't take in their army lists and doesn't usually sell as well, and this is their way to get more off the shelves and in peoples' hands. It makes sense, financially. If they put a Ravager or Talos in the box, then people wouldn't be buying the Ravager or Talos, and GW would be losing money to their own battleforce boxes.

Brother SRM wrote:

tgf wrote:It would have been perfect if they had dumped the reavers and put in either a ravager or the new talos.

I'm pretty positive the jetbikes are the proverbial wooden spoon, like the Ork bikers in the Ork battleforce, scouts in the Marine battleforce, etc. There's always one unit that most people don't take in their army lists and doesn't usually sell as well, and this is their way to get more off the shelves and in peoples' hands. It makes sense, financially. If they put a Ravager or Talos in the box, then people wouldn't be buying the Ravager or Talos, and GW would be losing money to their own battleforce boxes.

I've been wondering why they didn't just have a mini-battleforce box, I play orks so I'll use that example - In the mini box you get the 20 boyz, a trukk and then as an extra you can pick up a box of nobz/bikerz/kommando/lootas/buggies etc. sort of troop assortment + your choice of elites/fast/heavy. they'd charge the same but more flexability.

Trickstick wrote:I think the old cadian battleforce was the best ever, you got a russ and a load of troops.

It was the worst in the range, value for dollar wise compared to buying the kits separately, though.

It's pretty good. I'd probably want something besides jetbikes, but oh well.

I have to agree that the old cadian battleforce was the best. All those soldiers *plus* a Leman Russ.

I like it a lot. Wish it had come 3 months earlier; now I already have the contents.

The adddition of jetbikes is a good idea, IMO. They aren't obligated to give you the perfect competitive mix, but units that see play and embody the army's unique style. Reavers are a very good representative of the sleek, fast, fragile mechanic of Dark Eldar, in addition to looking utterly cool.

Sephyr wrote:I like it a lot. Wish it had come 3 months earlier; now I already have the contents.

The adddition of jetbikes is a good idea, IMO. They aren't obligated to give you the perfect competitive mix, but units that see play and embody the army's unique style. Reavers are a very good representative of the sleek, fast, fragile mechanic of Dark Eldar, in addition to looking utterly cool.

What heresy is this? You can never have enough wyches, warriors and/or raiders.

Plus you need to buy more bikes if you want to fill out the squad, so good move on gw's part.

I thought it was pretty average.
I haven't seen Reavers used much, and lots of lists seem to have Warriors or Wyches, but of course Warriors could be trueborn with a few spare weapons.

I think its good, not great, but pretty solid. Two of them with an extra raider, 2 venoms and a HQ would make a solid base for an army (2 9 model Wych units and 1 10 model Warrior squad in Raiders, 2 Trueborn squads in Venoms and 6 Reavers. A Haemy in each Wych squad).

That's nearly 1250 points for £~200, and unless you play against really good competitive payers, its a pretty good list (if you add 2 Ravagers for 1500 points).

Its a nice solid battleforce with useful units for pretty much any DE player definately

however the cost @ £60 from the older one @ £50 makes it worse value for money :(

Wyches = £15
Warriors= £15
Raider= £20
Bikers= £23
total = £73

thats only a £13 saving in comparison to the older battleforces with a much bigger one :(

If they had kept the cost @ £50 or heck even raised to £55 it would have been great not just good

redeyed wrote:Its a nice solid battleforce with useful units for pretty much any DE player definately

however the cost @ £60 from the older one @ £50 makes it worse value for money :(

Wyches = £15
Warriors= £15
Raider= £20
Bikers= £23
total = £73

thats only a £13 saving in comparison to the older battleforces with a much bigger one :(

If they had kept the cost @ £50 or heck even raised to £55 it would have been great not just good

Hmm, I don't know the £ costs, but in Euro prices they were selling the old one at €80, whilst the new one is €75. It's actually the cheapest Battleforce, with all others being 80 or 85 (of course, they will hike the price soon enough...).

The models you receive in the battleforce are pretty decent but the thing I look at is "How much do I save if I buy the battleforce instead of each model?"

Turns out that the Dark Eldar battleforce is the WORST battle force when it comes to savings. You get a savings of $22.25 if you get the battleforce, which isn't too bad but when you compare that to the Space Marine battle force which saves you $41.50 or the Tau Empire battleforce that saves you $55, you kinda have to wonder where all the savings are going. And for those that are wondering, the Ork Battleforce had the least valued battleforce before at $25.25 savings.

So is this the best battleforce yet? No way.

SirRouga wrote:The models you receive in the battleforce are pretty decent but the thing I look at is "How much do I save if I buy the battleforce instead of each model?"

Turns out that the Dark Eldar battleforce is the WORST battle force when it comes to savings. You get a savings of $22.25 if you get the battleforce, which isn't too bad but when you compare that to the Space Marine battle force which saves you $41.50 or the Tau Empire battleforce that saves you $55, you kinda have to wonder where all the savings are going. And for those that are wondering, the Ork Battleforce had the least valued battleforce before at $25.25 savings.

So is this the best battleforce yet? No way.

Definitely an interesting perspective, mostly just qfeing.

I think sadly this will be a future trend for all Battleforces. The prices will go up and the savings will diminish somewhat.

Well if the Blood Angels and now Dark Eldar battleforces are anything to go by

and the offence that is the tomb kings battalion in fantasy (it actually put me off doing a new army)

Backfire: whoa maybe GW is actually giving the eurozone a break for once hehe

I don't think its that bad, I actually bought 3 of each of everything in the Battle force, and run nearly every model. Even if its not the "best" value, every model is one I use every game, as opposed to lets say the ork box where the truks are crap, and the bikes don't get used every time. Or the SM box, where they come with assault marines, which in codex aren't used often (because they are just marines and aren't good in CC), and the scouts, while good aren't in every list. So that leaves a combat squad a full tac, and a rhino as being the worthwhile parts of it? Bleh.

Most battle forces look like a good deal, until you get into what units you actually are going to use. If there is even a single unit in box that you won't be using, then they tend to lose their good value. Since virtually every box has as least 1 unit or more of things you probably wont take (like eldar heavy support weapons and guardians), they become bad deals.

The DE one? If it was available when I bought the core of my DE army, it would have saved me quite a bit of money. If I didn't like running jetbikes? It would be a bad value.

notabot187 wrote:I don't think its that bad, I actually bought 3 of each of everything in the Battle force, and run nearly every model. Even if its not the "best" value, every model is one I use every game, as opposed to lets say the ork box where the truks are crap, and the bikes don't get used every time. Or the SM box, where they come with assault marines, which in codex aren't used often (because they are just marines and aren't good in CC), and the scouts, while good aren't in every list. So that leaves a combat squad a full tac, and a rhino as being the worthwhile parts of it? Bleh.

Most battle forces look like a good deal, until you get into what units you actually are going to use. If there is even a single unit in box that you won't be using, then they tend to lose their good value. Since virtually every box has as least 1 unit or more of things you probably wont take (like eldar heavy support weapons and guardians), they become bad deals.

Well, I think part of the logic is also that they are supposed to be pitched at "new" players. To some extend I can see someone totally fresh to the hobby being drawn in by Space Marine Scouts, Dark Eldar Reavers or Ork bikes. They are units people "might" want to ply around with. With Reavers in particular, I think they are quite an "oooh shiny" unit that will appeal to people buying visually and without thorough knowledge or interest (yet) in building a an army to a pre-designed list and/or a competitive idea (indeed, it's the latter players GW would not want to have buying boxes, because those will likely buy "anything" if it fits their "competitive vision" and therefore do not "need" a deal to convince them of a purchase).