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YouKnowsIt wrote:
Bearing in mind the starter set comes with 2 Hunters and 3 Scout Ghosts, those are some pretty bold prices!

Best thing is to buy 2 starters, then your new releases are pretty cheap.

If you bought 2, only stuff youd really wanna get is a pack of Hogs, elite minors on ghosts (since they don't come in starter) and the scenery kits.

the one pack of hogs gives you all the weapon options x2, so one pack gets you what you need to field 2 of each then

Definitely agree the prices are a little out there, but yeah, the universe is worth it.
The Phantom and Pelican are looking like better investments now that we know they come with whole units! Overall there are good reviews of the game, but there has obviously been issues with shipping. I have not been updating this as much as I would like as, simply put, I don't have my copy yet, and it's hard to provide content when I am having to use other people with the set to take the pics etc for me.
The terrain is looking nice and I am so glad this is all being released. Very exciting!
http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/SearchResults.asp?Cat=2107

Those add on sets sure have some brass ones for cost. That is highway robbery for 15mm figs.

Was all set to pick this one up but Christ alive I ain't paying those prices. It's a shame as the models look really good and would love a unsc force.
Will be sitting this one out me thinks.

Yeah,

About $35USD for 4 hunters, $8.75 each. Even if they are actually 20-25mm in size that's a lot. But that is msrp, might end up being less from actual retailers. I hope.

str00dles1 wrote:

YouKnowsIt wrote:
Bearing in mind the starter set comes with 2 Hunters and 3 Scout Ghosts, those are some pretty bold prices!

Best thing is to buy 2 starters, then your new releases are pretty cheap.

If you bought 2, only stuff youd really wanna get is a pack of Hogs, elite minors on ghosts (since they don't come in starter) and the scenery kits.

the one pack of hogs gives you all the weapon options x2, so one pack gets you what you need to field 2 of each then

Good advice!

Are we sure they're not doing the same dumb thing they did with HFB where they include variant stat cards, etc. for units that are only available in the upgrade boxes, thereby forcing you to buy them instead of just doubling up on starters?

For the new weapons such as the warthog gauss and rocket launchers and the elite minor on ghost, you will need to buy thise packs as they are new and not in starter

DagScrilla wrote:
Yeah,

About $35USD for 4 hunters, $8.75 each. Even if they are actually 20-25mm in size that's a lot. But that is msrp, might end up being less from actual retailers. I hope.

Oh without a doubt you'll be able to get them cheaper online like you say but this just strikes me as whacking a premium price on because on the name. Hell if this were a ww2 game we'd all be looking at different company's for the minis. Sadly this is impossible in this case.
Like I said earlier I was going to be all over this.
Who ever does pick it up I hope they have a good time with it mind.

 xKillGorex wrote:

Like I said earlier I was going to be all over this.
Who ever does pick it up I hope they have a good time with it mind.

Just wait a year, and a bunch of this will probably end up in one online retailer's clearance section or another, just like every other game Sparten makes.

OK this is the first release from Spartan that I've actually liked. Generally their resin models look more like they were hewn with a chisel from a lump of rock rather than sculpted from resin.

Something always felt a bit off about the Halo Fleet Battles minis too. Never did put a finger on it.

These certainly look and feel more evocative and dynamic. Scale seems nice too. Except maybe the Pelican and Phantom. They look and feel WAY too... Big of all things. Well maybe not the phantom... Maybe.

I've already invested and trust in Hawk for my mass battle games but I would have certainly been tempted by this. Prices seem really rather excessive though. I could see 4 hunters for £20, maybe £24 as an absolute limit but £26 is taking the biscuit

infinite_array wrote:

 xKillGorex wrote:

Like I said earlier I was going to be all over this.
Who ever does pick it up I hope they have a good time with it mind.

Just wait a year, and a bunch of this will probably end up in one online retailer's clearance section or another, just like every other game Sparten makes.

Considering they have a 3 year contract to produce models, I don't see that happening. It is Halo.


On the note of the prices, one thing to consider is the cost of the IP. Who knows what % Microsoft wants from letting them use the IP, so they have to make a profit. I don't agree with it being high, but I get why it is.

Spartan has heard people saying the Warthogs are over priced, so it released a statement saying its looking into how to make it cheaper (just sell special weapon mounts / split the box to 1 hog/ etc)

The game itself is great. Very fast and very quick. It needs another solid wave of tanks/more options to really get the best feel for it, but playing with 2 starters is solid.

Usually I really don't like Spartan games, but they did a good job on this

Yeah, those warthog prices are kind of nuts. Compare them to the price of Dropzone tanks. Does the IP justify over double the price?

http://www.hawkwargames.com/products/gladius-heavy-battle-tanks

 TheWaspinator wrote:
Yeah, those warthog prices are kind of nuts. Compare them to the price of Dropzone tanks. Does the IP justify over double the price?

http://www.hawkwargames.com/products/gladius-heavy-battle-tanks

Just taking a page from Games Workshop. A lot of companies are now in the footsteps of GW policies now.

From YungFlaco Jose

"So after being messeged from spartan, i have amazing news to tell you guys!
After messeging them about doing other heroic characters since they are doing noble team, they said the cheif will come when it is his time.
After asking about ODSTs we will be getting a jet pack variant as well as ones that deploy in drop pods.
As for the covie's having a ODST type unit we will be getting elite Ultras with their own pods.
Banished will be a playable faction.
Banished units WILL look and play differently"

Also, Spartan has said they're willing to break down why the prices are at what they are if there is enough public interest. Spartan has also made some important updates regarding their other game systems and have been actively responding to community feedback. I'm really impressed with how genuine they seem to be about getting things on track and making real improvements. Spartan owner Neil even chimed in with several updates, including a blog post detailing his plans for Spartan's other game systems

I spoke with one of the designers at Gencon, he said they had rules for Master Chief already done up. He cost 1500 points by himself and was literally a 1 man army, because 343 insisted that the tabletop game be true to the video game. He didn't offer any indication as to when it would be released or if it was guaranteed to be released, just that he figured it would see the light of day eventually.

As a veteran of HG who witnessed both ends of an utterly broken super elite army that was loyal to the fluff in term of power and how unfun it was for BOTH sides, I'd say that they should focus on gameplay first and not staying 100% true to a completely different medium.

As for the prices, it's sad to see they didn't take to heart the lessons they were supposedly taught with the largely DOA IMO hfb game. :( I suppose they'll bandaid it next year with the inevitable Spartan oops! Rules revamp.

Yeah, I'm kind of cautious upon hearing that. The problem with that kind of thing in a game like this is that it is going to probably be very all-or-nothing if you make him that strong. It could get very rock-paper-scissor-y depending on what kind of enemy armies are strong or weak against the super-soldier player-avatar.

It sounds like something that could have been said sarcastically, no?

There seems like there should be ways to do it without being so, well insane.

Like, thinking of the other games I play with similar questions, Marvel, LOTR and Batman, the way you do it is have them be amazing but have them be amazing at one thing at a time.


Maybe play up the two gun thing. When the chief takes out a unit, he then needs to reach that units position to retrieve more ammo or a new gun.

 Compel wrote:
It sounds like something that could have been said sarcastically, no?

There seems like there should be ways to do it without being so, well insane.

The only thing that might exclude it for me is NOT gameplay balance or mechanics but finances. It doesn't make much profit to sell a single 15mm human sized figure as an army when you could sell dozens of minis at overblown prices instead.

chaos0xomega wrote:
I spoke with one of the designers at Gencon, he said they had rules for Master Chief already done up. He cost 1500 points by himself and was literally a 1 man army, because 343 insisted that the tabletop game be true to the video game. He didn't offer any indication as to when it would be released or if it was guaranteed to be released, just that he figured it would see the light of day eventually.

There was some statement on the FB group on this. a official email from Spartan said Master Chief will be for the table top in his own blister/box. I imagine it will have special missions that fit his cost and it would be hard to use in normal/tourney play.

One way to fix it might be to have a super-version with its own special scenario rules and a more reasonable version for normal play. One-man armies at this figure scale has the potential to be really silly.

 warboss wrote:
As a veteran of HG who witnessed both ends of an utterly broken super elite army that was loyal to the fluff in term of power and how unfun it was for BOTH sides, I'd say that they should focus on gameplay first and not staying 100% true to a completely different medium.

Again, Master Chief was done that way at the insistence of the licensor, Spartans hands are tied on the matter and the feeling I got was that the Spartan design team didn't fully agree with it but didn't have a choice. Its the same issue that HFB had (which wasn't DOA, it was dead months later when they wrapped up their current set of releases and then switched gears to promoting HGC full time), 343 insisted on changes to certain ships statlines on the basis of fluff, etc. and thus Spartan did what they were told to do. It seems 343 has since realized the error of their ways and requested further changes, etc. which has prompted the pseudo-2nd edition/revised rules that are coming our way.

chaos0xomega wrote:
It seems 343 has since realized the error of their ways and requested further changes, etc. which has prompted the pseudo-2nd edition/revised rules that are coming our way.

So, they're already coming out with a 1.5 or 2.0 version of a ruleset for a game they just released?

Seriously?

infinite_array wrote:

chaos0xomega wrote:
It seems 343 has since realized the error of their ways and requested further changes, etc. which has prompted the pseudo-2nd edition/revised rules that are coming our way.

So, they're already coming out with a 1.5 or 2.0 version of a ruleset for a game they just released?

Seriously?

Its Spartan... are you surprised? Their systems never really click until a second go around, and then just as they really get it going well, they usually drop the game for their next thing. I say this as a critic, but also out of frustration because I often LOVE their games.

The risk of dropping it is low as Microsoft will have their heads in such case.

Has anybody got a close up of the Elite Zealot? I had thought of using that scheme on a Swords of Sanghelios Fleet - but I'm getting a pinkish colour using their scheme rather than a deeper crimson, so I wanted to see how close I am (Not very I suspect).

Tyran wrote:
The risk of dropping it is low as Microsoft will have their heads in such case.

There is no risk for 3 more years atleast. They are bound by contract to product miniatures on a set timeline for Halo Ground Command. Ofcourse Microsoft/343 could change that, but Spartan cant.


Also where is the source of them making a 1.5 2.0 edition of the rules?

 Warpig1815 wrote:
Has anybody got a close up of the Elite Zealot? I had thought of using that scheme on a Swords of Sanghelios Fleet - but I'm getting a pinkish colour using their scheme rather than a deeper crimson, so I wanted to see how close I am (Not very I suspect).

If you have a look at my signature, I outline the scheme I use for my Honour Guard CCS on page 3 which should be close to what you're after

As a sidenote guys, I've been having a few chats about upcoming things but I can only speak vaguely. 343i is working closely with Spartan and it is really paying off. ODSTs are on the horizon, and apparently, the "bullfrogs" (jump pack ODSTs) are looking amazing.

The 343i liaison cooperating with Spartan is actually a tabletop gamer, nice guy and a huge fan of the Spectre, so even though they weren't seen at Reach he has said he will strongarm 343i into having it made, so good news all around!

Also, the tanks are now up for sale!

The Scorpion looks really nice, but again their pricing points are absurd, totally absurd.

I can pick up a not Scorpion from Critical mass games for £12 and a platoon of three for £35 (under the Kaamodos Dominion range). Spartan's is not worth £29 or even close to it.
http://www.criticalmassgames.com/default.asp?itemnumber=KAVH3a&cat=kaamados&rtntag=kaamadosvehicles

Critical Mass also does some great UNSC troopers/ODSTs and not Spartans in the Arc fleet range.
http://www.criticalmassgames.com/default.asp?category=arcfleet

Lop off the ears and paint and you could get some "elites":
http://www.criticalmassgames.com/default.asp?itemnumber=PRSC1&cat=protolenes&rtntag=scouts

Khurusan does some good not-Spartans and even some passable not-Elites or not-UNSC soldiers.
http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/federal-set-1.jpg
http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/sepulvedan-provisional-army.jpg

Chop off the tail and get some "elites":
http://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/soriog-inf1.jpg

Ground Zero games also has some potential UNSC grunts and not Spartans.
https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/15mm-stargrunt/infantry/oceanic-union-defence-force-oudf-/sg15-o01.html
https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/15mm-stargrunt/infantry/new-israeli-ni-/sg15-z01.html


Mad Robot was doing some not jackals, and Clear Horizon has some not ODSTs.

Lastly, Art Crimes does an amazing not-Noble Team. Minor conversion of one of the shotgun models made Jun and painted up you won't know the difference.

Licensing isn't THAT ludicrous, as you can also pick up the slightly larger scale MacFarlane Micro Ops toys for something like half the price of the Spartan stuff and it is painted to boot. It is harder to find now, but ebay tends to have it. You could get your ghosts and warthogs that way. A little big for 15mm, but they look just as good and I think I paid $20 something for three warthogs, including shipping.

Found this online today:

http://community.spartangames.co.uk/index.php?/topic/19777-should-i-jump-in/#comment-338674

The most prolific HFB video battle report youtuber has pretty much given up on the game which is why we haven't seen much from him on the game in months. Checking out the other posts in that thread, it looks like it's been pretty much dead since I stopped checking regularly back around may. No new releases and none planned for the rest of this year until some time next year and a nebulous rules revision still pending... all while spartan is chasing the next squirrel that got their attention. With Dropfleet Commander coming out in a few weeks, I think it's time to put a fork in this game as it's done. :( Shoulda waited for DFC...