Is the Stormcast Vanguard Start Collecting worth it?

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**Red Comet**

OP says it all. I know 2nd edition is around the corner, but I've been eyeing those Vanguard Stormcast models and this start collecting box has so many nice models. I was wondering if this box is a good place to start with the Vanguard chamber or if it might be better for me to just pick up more of the Palladors and/or Hunters or whatever units are good with a Vanguard list. Any advice would be appreciated!

**Red Comet**

Lord Kragan wrote:
Red Comet wrote:
OP says it all. I know 2nd edition is around the corner, but I've been eyeing those Vanguard Stormcast models and this start collecting box has so many nice models. I was wondering if this box is a good place to start with the Vanguard chamber or if it might be better for me to just pick up more of the Palladors and/or Hunters or whatever units are good with a Vanguard list. Any advice would be appreciated!

If you want to run a pure vanguard list that box is almost a must buy (at least one). You want the palladors and the lord aquilor. Youneed the latter to unlock hunters as battleline, whom are in turn your bread and butter.

If you can split blightwar with someone else get that box too. With the SC!+Blightwar and a box of hunter you will get up to 1500 points with a bit of wiggle room to change (namely swap either gryphounds for a 4th unit of vanguard hunters or viceversa) all for 180 euros at MSRP (so if your store has like 10-15% it will come in fairly cheaply.)

Awesome! Sounds like it's the place to start with them then! Shame that gryphounds aren't that great since they look pretty cool, but I'll definitely be picking up that start collecting box. Thank you!

Unfortunately I don't know anyone that wants the Blightwar Nurgle stuff so I'll have to pick that stuff up on my own.

**Red Comet**

Kanluwen wrote:
Red Comet wrote:
Lord Kragan wrote:
Red Comet wrote:
OP says it all. I know 2nd edition is around the corner, but I've been eyeing those Vanguard Stormcast models and this start collecting box has so many nice models. I was wondering if this box is a good place to start with the Vanguard chamber or if it might be better for me to just pick up more of the Palladors and/or Hunters or whatever units are good with a Vanguard list. Any advice would be appreciated!

If you want to run a pure vanguard list that box is almost a must buy (at least one). You want the palladors and the lord aquilor. Youneed the latter to unlock hunters as battleline, whom are in turn your bread and butter.

If you can split blightwar with someone else get that box too. With the SC!+Blightwar and a box of hunter you will get up to 1500 points with a bit of wiggle room to change (namely swap either gryphounds for a 4th unit of vanguard hunters or viceversa) all for 180 euros at MSRP (so if your store has like 10-15% it will come in fairly cheaply.)

Awesome! Sounds like it's the place to start with them then! Shame that gryphounds aren't that great since they look pretty cool, but I'll definitely be picking up that start collecting box. Thank you!

Unfortunately I don't know anyone that wants the Blightwar Nurgle stuff so I'll have to pick that stuff up on my own.

Instead of the Start Collecting, look into the Vanguard Brotherhood box. It gives you more Gryph-Hounds(which are actually fairly good when run in packs--their ability to strike and then exit combat immediately is huge), a set of Raptors, and double the number of Hunters you would get normally. The Battalion it comes with is also pretty dang nice.

If you're not getting Blight War's half? This is a good alternative to the SC, at least to start out with. The SC is meant to actually pair with the Blight War half(hence the lack of Raptors in SC), from what I was told early on.

After seeing the previous post I actually went out bought the Start Collecting. It's too late now. I appreciate the input though. As of right now I have the Start Collecting box and 10 Vanguard Hunters in addition to that. If Soul Wars wasn't right around the corner I'd go out and buy some more raptors, palladors and gryph hounds.

**Red Comet**

I didn't realize they were all so pricy unless they are bundled together. It blows me away that Palladors are 60 bucks for only 3 of them. Sometimes I forget how expensive this hobby can be.

No worries! I definitely agree with you that the box you linked is a MUCH better purchase. I just got too excited with wanting to get some Stormcast Vanguard models that I didn't think if there was maybe some holdovers from Christmas.

**Red Comet**

Kanluwen wrote:

Palladors are pricey for sure, but once you get them built? You realize they're comparable to the old $25 metal 'monster riding hero' kits. They're also way better than the damn $65 for 2 Dracothian Guard.

If I were you and I were looking for a kind of natural progression path to go with?

1) Start Collecting Vanguard
2) Blightwar
3)Vanguard Brotherhood

Now, I realize that if you can't find someone to split Blightwar with it's hard to do...but try to make the split happen as hard as you can. If you know a Maggotkin player on the fence who doesn't have Horticulous? Push 'em on that box. Point out that it is the only way to get the physical "Wheel of Corruption" that comes in the box. It might sound corny but that thing makes a huge difference in play IMO. The Warscroll Battalions in there aren't too shabby either, especially if you and the other person are just learning to play.

Oh man how are they that expensive? Dracothian Guard aren't even that big.

Is the wheel of corruption an actual in game effect for AoS? I thought it was just some kind of board game mechanic. I'm not super familiar with Blight War so I always thought it was a board game like Silver Tower. Would I be using everything from those sets though? Like is 15 Gryph Hounds actually something I'd end up using? Don't I need more Raptors? I've seen them run in normal Stormcast lists all the time.

**Red Comet**

Kanluwen wrote:
Red Comet wrote:

Oh man how are they that expensive? Dracothian Guard aren't even that big.

Combination of factors. Prices for Stormcast stuff were high at the start. Abnormally high. The fact that it could build a pair of Heroes and the like seemed to escalate the price significantly.

Is the wheel of corruption an actual in game effect for AoS? I thought it was just some kind of board game mechanic. I'm not super familiar with Blight War so I always thought it was a board game like Silver Tower.

It's not a board game. It's like Forgebane, Stormclaw, etc. It's a starter set effectively. The Wheel of Corruption is Nurgle's ingame mechanism--like the Idoneth "Tides of Death".

Would I be using everything from those sets though? Like is 15 Gryph Hounds actually something I'd end up using? Don't I need more Raptors? I've seen them run in normal Stormcast lists all the time.
In most normal lists? No, you probably won't run 15 Gryph-Hounds. There's a few weird one-off lists I've run with them against summoning heavy armies and they are worth their weight in gold at that point.

Raptors are actually the least expensive thing for a Vanguard player. $35 nets you the Raptors and Aetherwings both.

I forgot that Stormcasts were originally from old GW. Explains that huge cost.

Oh I had no idea it was more along the lines of Forgebane than say Silver Tower.

Hmm Alright. I was curious how many gryph hounds I really needed. As cheap as all of the sets are if I won't get a lot of use out of everything I feel like it's money not spent wisely if that makes sense.

Thank you for all of your help! I appreciate it.

**Red Comet**

Ghaz wrote:
Red Comet wrote:

Oh man how are they that expensive? Dracothian Guard aren't even that big.

Have you seen the price on the Varanguard?

These used to be Blood Knights right? I remember that back in the WFB days.

Karol wrote:Ok thanks and sorry for the thread hi jacking.

No worries!

**Red Comet**

Ghaz wrote:
Red Comet wrote:
Ghaz wrote:
Red Comet wrote:

Oh man how are they that expensive? Dracothian Guard aren't even that big.

Have you seen the price on the Varanguard?

These used to be Blood Knights right? I remember that back in the WFB days.

No, they're not Blood Knights. They're Chaos models, not Death.

How are they 100 dollars for three? Are they bigger than Juggernauts? That comparison picture looks sort of deceiving.

**Red Comet**

Kanluwen wrote:
Red Comet wrote:
Ghaz wrote:
Red Comet wrote:
Ghaz wrote:
Red Comet wrote:

Oh man how are they that expensive? Dracothian Guard aren't even that big.

Have you seen the price on the Varanguard?

These used to be Blood Knights right? I remember that back in the WFB days.

No, they're not Blood Knights. They're Chaos models, not Death.

How are they 100 dollars for three? Are they bigger than Juggernauts? That comparison picture looks sort of deceiving.

They're big models. They also, effectively, are heroes in and of themselves.

I looked up some images later on and noticed how big they are. I don't think they are worth the price GW set for them, but they are actually much bigger which makes it seem not as bad that they are priced so highly.

Galas wrote:They are overpriced, to be honest. I would pay 30€ for one of them to make a custom Chaos Lord because the actual kit is beautifull... but the full box is... yeah.

It was one of the first AoS kits, in the age of overpriced stormcast and naked fire dwarfs.

Oh so this released along with a lot of the early Khorne stuff from AoS?

Tiberius501 wrote:From one of the General's Handbook 2018 reviews, I managed to squint at the blurry unit profiles and it looks like Hunters are going down to 120pts per 5, Palladors are going down to 200pts per 3 and Gryph hounds are getting a unit cost for multiple of them rather than each one costing 40pts and Aether-wings are getting a change of some kind. Don't quote me on the actual point costs because, as said, the vid was hella blurry but that's what it looked like. At least had the Asterisk next to their names to say their points were changing. So they may be worth running as an army now if the point changes are enough

Which review is this? I'd actually like to see if I can read it myself.

**Red Comet**

I'm having a hard time making it out too. Hunters could be 130 points per 5 as well. It's too blurry for me to make out. It's either 120 or 130. I'm not sure which. Looks like Palladors are 200 points without a doubt. Those are some good points drops. Thanks for the video. Before watching it I had no idea that Stormcast would be getting endless spells!

**Red Comet**

We've gotten a confirmation on that Battletome! It'll be releasing the week after Soul Wars drops. I can't wait to get it in my hands!