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I mean, board game expansions tend to be a mugs game from the start: it's obviously a way to get more money out of a hooked fanbase. I think you loop in GW's ruthless pricing strategy, and this isn't surprising.

the price sucks, but so did the price for the Ambul and commissar/Ogryn.

Biggest problem here is that you probably can't bankroll the card bits of the expansion by selling the models as everyone who wants them probably already has them at an even lower price.

Im not going to buy the nurgle expansion.

I suppose on the plus side, Poxwalkers might make decent objective-sitters for pure Servants of the Abyss..?

Has anyone kitbashed some rules for new inquisition/ rogue trader, and Adeptus Mechanicus teams, yet?

Not in for these ridiculously priced First Strike leftovers.... If anything, the hell with them,and it is time to start talking house rules for Khorne, Slaneesh, Tzeench, and Nurgle minor troop demons, as well as Genestealers and Cult teams, and Maybe even Space Marine, and Xenos Teams.

The reason I'm annoyed about the price is because I want to have all of the expansions for BSF, but the BSF pricing strategy is making that almost unbearable. I eventually stumped up nearly £30 for the Commissar/Ogryn one, but I have these Nurgle models a dozen times over already, so I'll be paying £37.50 minus discount for just the cards. At least I got 2 nice models last time I got gouged. This one is a definite no from me, and will in all likelihood mean I won't continue buying in as I can't 'catch them all' to quote Pokémon.

It is what it is, but yeah it's frustrating that rules for a bunch of random expensive models are in the Annual, while rules for some models that are easily available and loads of people already have are locked in a box with yet another set of those minis.

As others have voiced, thats a pretty steep price for that expansion. In the least this expansion was a missed opportunity to release some of those blind box Japanese exclusive Deathguard.

Board Game expansions are generally expensive. Check out this one for Descent: Journeys in the Dark:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fantasy-Flight-Games-Expansion-Forgotten/dp/1616618361/ref=sr_1_4?crid=22XF79UA82QET&keywords=descent+journeys+in+the+dark+second+edition&qid=1581544573&sprefix=descent%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-4

I mean there are more minis in there but they are PVC minis and there is significantly less card, tokens etc or at least about the same. I think the price of these expansions is about on par with other similar ones for other games. Whether that is good value or not is subjective but i don't think you can reasonably say only GW is doing it.

But how often do we know exactly how much the included minis are "worth" because GW already sells them for much less via multiple different SKUs, and we see that the overall price of the new product is over twice the cost of said minis.

The lack of new sculpts means much less value for an already expensive expansion price point. Gw already sells the models included, and they have sold several small card decks independently of models. The actual new content is only equal to one of those de la plus a white dwarf article, but they are charging full xp price.

Compared to non-GW products is irrelevant. Kingdom Death monster cost 400$ does not mean GW boxed game at 300/200/100$ is a great or acceptable price.

Not a good value, not going to buy. EoS.

Dread Master wrote:
Not a good value, not going to buy. EoS.

That's basically been the case for this game since right after the core, at least for me.

Kinda suck having some cool models held hostage behind very expensive cardboard and cards.

Although I'm happy when the cultist box is only 25US bux, so there're good thing coming from BSF, under other brand I don't think they will be that cheap.

Necronmaniac05 wrote:
Board Game expansions are generally expensive. Check out this one for Descent: Journeys in the Dark:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fantasy-Flight-Games-Expansion-Forgotten/dp/1616618361/ref=sr_1_4?crid=22XF79UA82QET&keywords=descent+journeys+in+the+dark+second+edition&qid=1581544573&sprefix=descent%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-4

I mean there are more minis in there but they are PVC minis and there is significantly less card, tokens etc or at least about the same. I think the price of these expansions is about on par with other similar ones for other games. Whether that is good value or not is subjective but i don't think you can reasonably say only GW is doing it.

US SRP on that set is $35 which is nearly half the $60 for this. It's just old and not widely available anymore. I paid around £20 for each of those sets:
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/descent-journeys-in-the-dark-second-edition/products/crusade-of-the-forgotten/

And in fairness, as the Descent product line went, those sets were not great value either.

Board game expansions can be expensive, but they are also assessed by a different measure - it's not the number or coolness of the minis, but how much extra content they add to the game. In that case, there's nothing to choose between this and the the other two smaller expansions. But having said that, they still feel overpriced for the amount of content they actually add.

To go back to Descent, they're broadly equivalent to the small box expansions like this one:
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/descent-journeys-in-the-dark-second-edition/products/manor-of-ravens/

That adds two heroes, three monster groups, and six missions with new tiles for the missions. And is 50% cheaper.#

The larger Descent expansions are $60 and add loads of stuff (4 heroes, 5-6 monster groups, a full campaign 10-12 missions), new tiles and new mechanics.
https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/descent-journeys-in-the-dark-second-edition/products/labyrinth-of-ruin/

Albeit those boxes were around £45 in the UK and this can be had for around £30 here.

But yeah, as board games go, they are not good value expansions (except for Escalation).

Lets dial it back a bit.

Me, as explained, I'm a sucker for BSF. It are grate. And I've every expansion so far.

Yes, to the naked eye they look a bit expensive, but that's only if you're consider only the model content, yes? When what they also do is add further replay value to an already great game. Variety has a value unto to itself.

But so far, everything I've bought for it has come with Shiny New Models I cannot purchase anywhere else. So as well as the intrinsic value of adding models to my collection, variety to my game, exclusivity does account for some of the price.

This one? Well, not so much. I've already got the models through Conquest, and if I was desperate for them otherwise, I could source them cheaper.

Yes, it's largely arbitrary, but welcome to the very definition of Value. I think someone spending hundreds of thousands on a car they'll never get to drive at top speed, and which makes others assume things about the owner's manhood seriously needs their bumps felt. Others think the same of me (and possible the same manhood questioning, who knows) because of how much I spend on Wargames, Beer and LARP. Value is always subjective.

But this one, I'd say, is the closest BSF has come to be objectively poor value.

 aka_mythos wrote:
As others have voiced, thats a pretty steep price for that expansion. In the least this expansion was a missed opportunity to release some of those blind box Japanese exclusive Deathguard.

They can't necessarily do that, if the same deal as the earlier stuff exists. They're not manufactured by GW proper but rather another company under license.

I wouldn't be shocked if Death Guard and the BA Terminators get "Necron Labyrinth" styled boxes though.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Lets dial it back a bit.

Me, as explained, I'm a sucker for BSF. It are grate. And I've every expansion so far.

Yes, to the naked eye they look a bit expensive, but that's only if you're consider only the model content, yes? When what they also do is add further replay value to an already great game. Variety has a value unto to itself.

But so far, everything I've bought for it has come with Shiny New Models I cannot purchase anywhere else. So as well as the intrinsic value of adding models to my collection, variety to my game, exclusivity does account for some of the price.

This one? Well, not so much. I've already got the models through Conquest, and if I was desperate for them otherwise, I could source them cheaper.

Yes, it's largely arbitrary, but welcome to the very definition of Value. I think someone spending hundreds of thousands on a car they'll never get to drive at top speed, and which makes others assume things about the owner's manhood seriously needs their bumps felt. Others think the same of me (and possible the same manhood questioning, who knows) because of how much I spend on Wargames, Beer and LARP. Value is always subjective.

But this one, I'd say, is the closest BSF has come to be objectively poor value.

Value is always subjective.

I don't play X Wing so some of the prices for a micro machine fighter with cards and tokens are silly expensive at first glance.

If I buy one however and two years later , I'm still playing a weekly game, I would definitely have had value for my money.

As an aside, I did buy the Tantive IV as it's my favourite ship from the films. I've still never played a game of X Wing but I feel I've had my value with it as a display piece.

It is a very nice model. And given it can sometimes be found quite heavily discounted on Amazon, a decent display purchase.

Counter example? Super Star Destroyer for Armada. Man, that is once nice looking, huge model. And of one of my favourite ship designs.

But. The cost. £166.49 from Element Game, who are normally pretty decent on price. And that's after discount. For me, that's too rich. And may even be so if I did play Armada.

Others will of course disagree, and they're perfectly entitled to.

But with this particular boxed set? Without the Model Exclusivity, and even Pedigree (Ambull tickled me, because old classic updated, ditto Zoat), for me it's value is inherently reduced, whether or not I already have those models.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:


Counter example? Super Star Destroyer for Armada. Man, that is once nice looking, huge model. And of one of my favourite ship designs.

But. The cost. £166.49 from Element Game, who are normally pretty decent on price. And that's after discount. For me, that's too rich. And may even be so if I did play Armada.

You how much now?

I'm still umming and aaahing over buying a CRASSUS!!! after how many years.

To be fair, it is 2 foot long. So it is 100% an impressive piece, with FFG typically excellent detail.

But, for me, as I'd solely be buying it for display? Too rich for my blood.

Well, value is subjective. To me, this is a much better value than paying the same price for an expansion with a single ambull. It's more models and two different types of enemy, so seems like it will add more to the game. And the models are also potentially useful to me outside Blackstone Fortress, like for a Kill Team.

That said, it's still probably not enough for me to actually buy it for $60. But more likely than the previous expansions.

Looking at it from the perspective of people that haven’t got those models it’s not as bad (I know, who hasn’t right?), but a BSF player wouldn’t have them, only a 40k player.
So I guess this may still sell ok. Reason being the only negatives are from BSF players who are also big 40k nerds, I mean we wouldn’t be on the forums if we were just a casual BSF player most likely..
Just a thought..

What I'm afraid of , is that this kit releases and sells poorly and the GW bean counters look and go..."hmmm, looks like interest in BSF has waned significantly, send a note to the design studio to stop working on expansions for this dying game."

That's, IMHO, the real tragedy of this situation.

I'm not a huge fan of the Nurgle set, but I own all the other BSF items out there. I really like the traitor models and will definitely purchase the Zoat. If GW just focusses on the monstrous redesigns from the old glory days of RT, I will be a happy person.

I frankly suspect that the Traitor Guard and Chaos stuff are there for the newer players, while people who grew up with 1st Edition (like me) will get the creature expansions.

Things they should produce: Enslavers, Dominators, and Catachan Devils.

 Fango wrote:
What I'm afraid of , is that this kit releases and sells poorly and the GW bean counters look and go..."hmmm, looks like interest in BSF has waned significantly, send a note to the design studio to stop working on expansions for this dying game."

That's, IMHO, the real tragedy of this situation.

Or, it's a case of 4D chess by GW where they know that will be a concern to players, which in turn will rocket up sales of the Zoat because "we have to show that BSF content is still desirable everyone!"

In reality, I expect that GW's targets for this one are much lower than usual because their margins are going to be a lot higher without new models inside; as such lower unit sales might not really translate into a loss of profits. I'm quite ambivalent about this one as I do already have the models and unlike Escalation there's not going to be a great market for just the card content on the market I suspect. Might pick it up if a FLGS mis-marks the price though as that's how I ended up with Traitor Command but even if I didn't have the models I'm not sure it's really compelling in comparison to AT and SoB stuff (the latter of which has to start coming out at some point, right?).

Luckily we kniw the Zoat is coming and we may seen it in 1-2 months and show GW BSF interest it's still high for odd and new models and not just cheap cashgrab.

And then maybe maybe the next "big" expansion with more heroes this time bringing some odd and rare Xenos ones.

I’d really like a Xenos Explorer expansion.

I really like the Escalation models, but an increased Xenos presence is always welcome.

Perhaps a Tau, Dark Eldar, Freebooter and, erm....a Squat?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Fango wrote:
What I'm afraid of , is that this kit releases and sells poorly and the GW bean counters look and go..."hmmm, looks like interest in BSF has waned significantly, send a note to the design studio to stop working on expansions for this dying game."

That's, IMHO, the real tragedy of this situation.

Absolute good example of when to tell GW directly. They can then better gauge from feedback beyond a balance sheet.

Though given this is the first to use existing sculpts, it’s relatively low risk for them. It’s not as if they’ve sunk tooling investment only to see it potentially not be returned with profit.

BSF is an excellent show case for the small and the kooky. Stuff which won’t necessarily make sense in 40k, but works nicely as a sample.

Heck, they could get really wild, and introduce a new Eldar Aspect Warrior. I mean, there has to be an Aspect of the Lone Warrior? A sort of Ronin equivalent. Keeps no temple, operates on their own far from home. Think an Aspect to Rangers, as Dire Avengers are to Guardians?

Hell, I may even suggest such a thing!

I'm hoping for hrud to appear in an expansion.