Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

so hi, I am a new player to this whole thing, I have an army set up (its pretty noob, but I'm not looking to play competitively) and I just wanted to get your opinion on the design and deals of the start collecting boxes.

All depends on which army you play.

Some are awesome, some aren't so much. I'd also look t the battleforce box sets as well as some of those are better than the start collecting options.

The savings, quality of units and quality of Formations varies between the boxes. Which one are you interested in? The Skitarii box for example has great savings, useful units and a usable Formation but the Ork set has not-so-great units in a bad Formation for a reasonable saving.

Edit: I will add that it's great that GW are offering up these boxes at a reduced price compared to the individual kits and I sincerely hope they carry on the trend. It's quite unusual for their bundles to include any savings at all and an extra detachment to use isn't a bad thing either even if some of them aren't really powerful.

I think the key is to choose your army, and then decide how much of the start collecting force is of use to you, the savings make them appealing anyway, if you're gonna use all the models even better.
I just wish they had put transports in them instead of dreadnoughts/ dreadnought equivalents. But I guess the recent troop+transport sets explained that decision.

I should add, if you like the models as well then it's a no brainer.

I think you misunderstand me, I already have an army, I just wanted to see what you guys thought, because new players first look at this. Also Huron I think that they put the dreadnaught in because it looks cooler than a tank. it sells them models.

I think they're a decent idea. While they do supply the basics, I actually think getting behind Kill Team as getting started boxes would be more effective.

"Getting Started with... KILL TEAM"

A small rulebook with a few miniatures to paint and play with allows quicker entry to the hobby/game. Expanding on it with Battleforce or expansions (current getting started boxes?) would allow a more seemless entry into the larger 40k game.

Hi.

7 of us purchased start collecting to start.

Every single person was happy with them.

Another alternative is for 2 of you to go buy dark vengeance and split the armies (one chaos, one space marines).

Blood Angels start with a tank.
Ultramarines start with a dreadnought.

Each set will get you to about 500 points, which is enough to play fun, quick games right off the bat. Also, they ship with formations that actually are quite powerful.

Good value, some more than others. The power level in the formation rules differs across the factions.

But if you like the look of the models...then go for it. They'll still be cheaper than buying them individually.

So long as you don't try and power build (say put a SW Wolf Lord on Thunder Cavalry and arm them to the teeth) and stick to what's actually in the boxes, you should be fine playing against one another.

It depends a lot on the box.

Some of them include monopose HQs who might not be good long term. Other sub-par units. Sometimes both.

Looking at the two from the armies I play:

Space Marines:
TDA captain
Ven Dread
Tac squad

Terminators are kinda meh and hard to work into a list. There are very few cases where you would want TDA armor over artificer armor for your captain. His weapon load is very jack-of-all-trades in a game that promotes specialization. So he’s a model you might not even want, and if you are getting more then one start collecting box, extras are going to get very dusty, very fast.

I love dreadnoughts. Very iconic, and the ven dread kit is one of my favorite things I’ve put together. Tons of options, so you can build a half dozen and have them all be unique. Not the strongest unit on the table. Better then they used to be.

Tac squads. You play marines, you need a bunch of these guys. However, they are included in pretty much every bundle box GW puts out.

So the box is a mish-mash of units, the formation is OK, but probably not worth it. Savings are nice to have, but if you don’t want elements from the box (looking at you, TDA captain) then you are not actually getting a deal.

Eldar:
Farseer/warlock on bike
3 bikes
Fireprism/Nightspinner

Getting only 5 models in a SC box is a little lame. However, they are all usable (mostly)

Farseers on bikes are good. You could use one or two in a list. You could also build him as a warlock, either to make a seer council, or add to the bike squad. So if you get more then one of these kits, he will see some good use. Even if adding on to an existing collection.

Bikes are good. One of the most powerful units in the game, and you can never have too many.

The tank is the “weak” unit in the box. Generally Eldar players have better things to do with their points/HS picks. However, that doesn’t stop the prism/spinner from being decent. It just suffers (like 80% of the codex) of not being one of the broken units. But in more casual lists you can field them. The fact that the kit can be built as either tank, and both can be squadroned, means that the SC box is spammable. You can just keep adding more, and still have a valid army. A reasonably balanced one at that.

The formation bonus is nice. Little boost, but nothing game breaking. The fact that the units are solid on their own merits means we don’t need broken rules here to justify the box.

I'm just wondering, do the boxes come with rules for the models?

NivlacSupreme wrote:
I'm just wondering, do the boxes come with rules for the models?

No, they come with a formation, but you'll need the big rule book and your codex. Hence, start collecting, and not, start playing.

if you have nothing, dark vengeance is a decent way to start, too, as it includes rules and dice.

NivlacSupreme wrote:
I'm just wondering, do the boxes come with rules for the models?

Don't quote me, but I think the instruction manuals (also included) have the stats for each unit.

Not sure about weapons and any codex specific rules they have though. I think you'll need to buy the books (which sort of takes the point away).

They come with the basic rules for the models which show their stat line and and war gear options, as well as an included formation. You still need the Codex to play the army aside from going against a similar box, and even then the points can be skewed by gear choices.

The issue I have with some of the formations are the ones that have specific requirements for your troop selection (i.e. Skitarii taking Rangers when it could say Rangers/Vanguard). This can cause you to have to buy more in the long run, and not even use some of the models previously made after you outgrow that formation. Or you could go into it with a plan for expansion and just enjoy the money you save by disregarding the included formation. My last few GW purchases have been SC boxes of MT, so I can field my army from one-four boxes alone.

Other formations include less than ideal models like the the SC Orks, which was actually my second GW purchase after the DV Box set. Deff Dreads are a bit too slow, as are the Orks themselves without a transport. It was easy enough to add a Trukk in my case, but I have no desire to ever field the Dread. For that Army you are probably better off buying the models separately, or maybe pick up one of the new Box Sets that include Boyz and a Trukk.

All in all I think they are a good value and give you a chance/reason to branch out and try something else.

 Marmatag wrote:

NivlacSupreme wrote:
I'm just wondering, do the boxes come with rules for the models?

No, they come with a formation, but you'll need the big rule book and your codex. Hence, start collecting, and not, start playing.

if you have nothing, dark vengeance is a decent way to start, too, as it includes rules and dice.

I already have everything. I was just wondering because the only one I bought was BA and I just threw out all of the paper except from the formation after I was done building.

The value for money is a bit off but its still cheaper than buying those kits seperatly

The Start Collecting box are all good deals but not all are born equal. The Scions and Tau box save you a lot money while ones like the Space Wolves box are only marginal savings. As for the models contained? Again, Tau is the clear winner here. Battlesuits and Fire Warriors are incredibly valuable and with the savings the Etheral is just the icing on the cake. The Space Marines box is... questionable. A Terminator Captain isn't the best since a Captain with artificer armor and an iron halo is superior in durability and flexibility. Tactical marines are mediocre but if you're running Gladius spam you can get decent mileage out of them. Ven dreads are also mediocre but it's a cool model. The Ork start collecting has a lot of bad units but also is a decent saving. But then again, if you want to be competitive you don't play Orks in 7e.

As for the formations contained within? They're okay. They are built so that a new player can put his models down and start playing right away. And they do the job.

I've always thought that the start collecting boxes should have included rules.

For the armies I play

Tau-Love it
Marines - already have too many, but good set
Eldar - all models are good, love it
Nids - warriors man.... every set... their useless!

armies I'm looking at

guard: good set
khorne deamons: good set

very positive about them overall

I picked up two copies of the IG starter boxes. Everyone wants leman russes, you can never have enough infantry, $79 between those two kits, and then you get a HWS ($16 or 3 for $40) and a commissar ($21), so saving $31 or about 25% off.

Again, the russ and troops are stuff everyone needs, a HWS for $6 more is nice, and having some spare commissars is always helpful.

As to the formation, it's okay. Cover to models near the russ is a cool idea, but ultimately 10 guardsmen with a 4+ cover save and only 1 special weapon (only flamer or grenade included), 1 HWS that'll snap if we're actually utilizing the moving cover, and a basic commissar won't put out much of anything. It's basically just bubblewrap-ception, the tank bubble wraps the guard with cover while the guard bubble-wrap the tank with cover.