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So I'm interested in starting AoS, more specifically a Seraphon force, with the new Handbook and the positive direction the game seems to be having. I was wondering, what's a starting size for an AoS army? It looks like a lot of people are playing 1000 points right now, how does that compare to a 40k army model-wise? Starting a new 40k force can be daunting on the sheer amount of models you need, especially if you're going for an 1850 list that isn't a deathstar. Am I looking at 20 models? 50? 100?

Also, I see that the Handbook has all the points and the Lizardmen PDF on the site has all the rules, what's in Battletome: Seraphon that I need to buy then?

Thanks!

It's kind of hard to compare how many models you would have in Warhammer 40k due to the sheer amount of armies you have to choose from, for example I play orks and if you have a 1500 point army it can go far over 100 models. I'm not exactly certain what the other armies would run you, but I'm pretty sure you could play grey knights and easily keep it under 50 models.

True, I play Necrons and if I play Infantry it can be quite a bit but something like Wraithspam with Destroyers is relatively low model count.

I'd imagine that obviously the case in AoS as well, but I was just kind of looking for a general ballpark number.

It really depends on the army, for ogres it's around 15 to 20 models, and I saw a freeguilds list with over 50. The start collecting box for seraphon puts you at 600 pts, which allows some room for customization. Grab some skinks, and a bastiladon and you should be good to go. total investment should be less than 200, possibly less than 150 if your a savvy shopper. As for the book, it's fluff and formations, since formations cost points (can't wait for that to make it to 40k) they aren't mandatory, so I'd hold off on the book until you're sure it's for you.

As a Seraphon player with 100+ models I'd say a good base for regular games is around 20 saurus or guards as core, a strong side unit like Kroxigors, Knights, Salamanders, etc; then a leader, maybe a second side character and 1 to 2 behemoths.

An example of a list my wife just run with her Seraphon at 1000pts is roughly (I think we might've made it 1200pts but you get the idea)

15 Saurus Guard
5 Saurus Guard
1 Old Blood on Carnosaur
1 Skink Priest
1 Skink Starpriest
3 Ripperdactyls
10 Chameleon Skinks.

That's obviously a pretty elite/tanky kind of list, but should give a rough idea of model count a Seraphon player might expect to field.

Thanks for the replies! Yeah I'm hoping to start not too big, and I do like running elite armies (plus, very looking forward to running big stompy Dinosaurs). 30-60 models seems pretty reasonable, especially with the discounts my nearby FLGSs have.

Is the Get Started box a good starting point? I heard somewhere that the Knights are a bit meh, and I don't know about the other models.

The Knights are just terrible, unfortunately. :-p

Saurus Warriors are fine, and a decent, cheap, battle-line unit, but odds are if you're running pure Seraphon, which unlocks Saurus Guard as a battle-line option, you'll never us anything but. :-)

That said, Carnosaur w/Old Blood is AMAZING, so if you buy a get started, you essentially get the Warriors/Knights for free anyway. :-)

NewTruthNeomaxim wrote:
if you're running pure Seraphon, which unlocks Saurus Guard as a battle-line option

Sorry for going slightly off topic here but your comment gives me occasion to ask a question: I've recently gotten the handbook and noticed the battle line/pure faction army connection while going through Bonesplitterz points section.
The way I get it: a "pure" faction army (for example, in my case, all models having the "Bonesplitterz" keyword) being able to select a slightly stronger unit version as battle line. These units would not count as battleline in a mixed Grand Allegiance Army, for example Bonesplitterz and Ironjawz, right?
What I missed is what the battlelines requirements actually are. Does an army need a certain amount of battleline units?
Sorry for the long question.

The Starter collecting sets are all somewhere in the region of 500 points, they usually contain somewhere between 10 and 20 models. So 1000 points would be between 20 and 40 models. If you want to go super elite you can have a legal 1000 points beastclaw raiders army (2 battleline 1-4 leaders 2 behemoths max 2 artillery max for the person who is asking) with just 6 models. A pure horde army like skaven would be about 60 or 70 models.
For the Seraphon a start collecting box, a box of saurus guard and a hero would get you a decent army for £100 or £80 with online discounts. That would be about 30 models. You could then buy the monster bundle which would get up up to 2000 points using your maximum monster allowance. This would make about 40 models.

 He_Man_Russ wrote:

NewTruthNeomaxim wrote:
if you're running pure Seraphon, which unlocks Saurus Guard as a battle-line option

Sorry for going slightly off topic here but your comment gives me occasion to ask a question: I've recently gotten the handbook and noticed the battle line/pure faction army connection while going through Bonesplitterz points section.
The way I get it: a "pure" faction army (for example, in my case, all models having the "Bonesplitterz" keyword) being able to select a slightly stronger unit version as battle line. These units would not count as battleline in a mixed Grand Allegiance Army, for example Bonesplitterz and Ironjawz, right?
What I missed is what the battlelines requirements actually are. Does an army need a certain amount of battleline units?
Sorry for the long question.

Yes, you got it right - if every unit in your army has the same faction keyword, new units count as battleline. The battleline requirements, as well as limits on heroes, monsters and war machines, differs depending on the size of the battle you play. You can find them in the Matched Play section of the book.

Bottles painting thread mentions school league format which is 30 models. If you have a friendly opponent you could start playing with a lot less. I am painting up everything for my other half and I which means when everything is finished (new table and terrain as well) we will play our first game but will only be using 5-10 minis each, otherwise we will never actually get round to playing!

The buy in point for aos is a lot lot less than 40k but that just means its easier to accidently buy too many projects at once!

Solaris wrote:
Yes, you got it right - if every unit in your army has the same faction keyword, new units count as battleline. The battleline requirements, as well as limits on heroes, monsters and war machines, differs depending on the size of the battle you play. You can find them in the Matched Play section of the book.

Great, cheers!