40k Chaos Battleforces

[ZeroWolf]

39 minutes ago, Scribe said:

@DemonGSides I do not mean it dismissively! Almost any 'formation' or box set that combines a bunch of stuff seems to always have some underpowered, under loved, under utilized unit or 2 that was conveniently 'never used' in meta lists.

 

AKA: Its included to shift stock.

 

Is that not universally understood?

Except its not, none of these boxes are using existing stock, they're all printed to order for these boxes. Its easier on GW that way.

[Scribe]

9 minutes ago, ZeroWolf said:

Except its not, none of these boxes are using existing stock, they're all printed to order for these boxes. Its easier on GW that way.

 

.... well then never mind my nonsense.

[Marshal Loss]

As part of my infernal pact with GW to buy literally anything with an EC label on it, I will once again pick up this value box despite now having enough models for three armies. 

 

Great value for anybody looking to start an EC army, particularly if they missed out on the Champions of Slaanesh box, hope it brings yet more fans into the warm embrace of the Third. It is a little funny (and sad) though that EC have basically received more battleforce boxes in under a year than we have actual unique units. With such an anemic roster there are only so many variations of these boxes EC fans can buy because we end up maxing out on the e.g. 18 Noise Marines we can take in an army. Hopefully 11th brings us an extra unit or two. 

[Mogger351]

26 minutes ago, ZeroWolf said:

Except its not, none of these boxes are using existing stock, they're all printed to order for these boxes. Its easier on GW that way.

And yet we're left wondering who thought those contents were a good idea and use of time/manpower in that case.

[01RTB01]

16 minutes ago, Marshal Loss said:

As part of my infernal pact with GW to buy literally anything with an EC label on it, I will once again pick up this value box despite now having enough models for three armies. 

 

Great value for anybody looking to start an EC army, particularly if they missed out on the Champions of Slaanesh box, hope it brings yet more fans into the warm embrace of the Third. It is a little funny (and sad) though that EC have basically received more battleforce boxes in under a year than we have actual unique units. With such an anemic roster there are only so many variations of these boxes EC fans can buy because we end up maxing out on the e.g. 18 Noise Marines we can take in an army. Hopefully 11th brings us an extra unit or two. 

 

It's a weird one. If heresy 3.0 had taken off locally I'd have been more interested. However, I'm in the same boat that I really don't need more EC. Defilers however...

[Castellan Wulfrik]

As someone who is blood-curious and tinkers with fantasy that is an interesting proposition but I seem to remember the Daemonkin detachment being very janky from the codex reviews. That combined with the awkward state of Daemons and cross-system units make it almost impossible to justify buying.

[ZeroWolf]

1 hour ago, Mogger351 said:

And yet we're left wondering who thought those contents were a good idea and use of time/manpower in that case.

At this point, I'm debating the dartboard method, either that or all datasheets are turned into paper airplanes and shot at the bin. Any that don't make it into the bin go in the set.

[ShibeKing]

I'd like to pick up the World Eaters or Emperor's Children boxes. The EC seem to have had a really solid line of Battleforces/boxsets to set them up with a full army quickly.

[01RTB01]

1 hour ago, ShibeKing said:

I'd like to pick up the World Eaters or Emperor's Children boxes. The EC seem to have had a really solid line of Battleforces/boxsets to set them up with a full army quickly.

The new battleforce plus the Christmas one is a solid force.

[lhg033]

Nurgle one is tempting. My DG collection is from Dark Imperium and the hachette magazine so I dont have any terminators, I have one easy build lawn mower so could have more and I missed out on Felthius.... but I do have a lot of pox walkers so that is actually a bit of a negative for this one for me.

 

Second would be the Khorne box - I've always been a Khorne fan since second edition but I didnt like the older bezerkers much. Newer ones are nicer but I'm nt sold on the whole range.... but with this and the upcoming combat patrol releeases its a pretty solid way to get back in.

 

The fact is though I will probably get none of them.  Time to tighten belts after Christmas is not the time to get more models. 

[Lord_Ikka]

I have no real want for any of these, as I'm not running a cult CSM army. The EC and DG look ok, even if the EC don't really need another box (it is the best in terms of units I think though). TSons, I'm iffy on. It just doesn't look as good as the others in terms of what you are getting, but I also don't really know the value of something like the beasty. Not a fan of the WE- just seems like they're trying to get rid of some Bloodletters/Bloodcrushers.

[techsoldaten]

These are aimed at people looking to get started with cult armies, not for anyone with an existing collection. Not that that's a bad thing, it just doesn't add anything beyond what most collectors already have.

The Thousand Sons box might be more impressive were it not for the Mutalith Vortex Beast. Most people are going to look at that and think they'd rather have Rubrics. 

[ThaneOfTas]

17 hours ago, ZeroWolf said:

Except its not, none of these boxes are using existing stock, they're all printed to order for these boxes. Its easier on GW that way.

I actually kind of think that it's a little of both. You're absolutely correct that these boxes do not use any existing stock. However, I bet that it can be used to boost internal metrics of mow many units of a currently underperforming SKU are moving. That way at the end of a FY they can say that they moved X number of a product that had only been on track to move Y number.

 

So while is absolutely not about moving existing stock, it's also not a coincidence that they're often are some unpopular models included.

[ZeroWolf]

20 minutes ago, ThaneOfTas said:

I actually kind of think that it's a little of both. You're absolutely correct that these boxes do not use any existing stock. However, I bet that it can be used to boost internal metrics of mow many units of a currently underperforming SKU are moving. That way at the end of a FY they can say that they moved X number of a product that had only been on track to move Y number.

 

So while is absolutely not about moving existing stock, it's also not a coincidence that they're often are some unpopular models included.

Interesting, I never thought of it like that, would explain some interesting choices that go into these.

[Norman Paperman]

4 hours ago, techsoldaten said:

These are aimed at people looking to get started with cult armies, not for anyone with an existing collection. Not that that's a bad thing, it just doesn't add anything beyond what most collectors already have.

The Thousand Sons box might be more impressive were it not for the Mutalith Vortex Beast. Most people are going to look at that and think they'd rather have Rubrics. 

The MVB is the most tempting part of the whole box, likely for new and existing collectors alike.  If anything were getting swapped out for Rubrics to attract new players to the Trim Show, it would be the second 5-pack of termies, not the centrepiece. 

 

And I think they try and straddle the line with making something that existing collectors might like, while keeping 1st time buyers as the main idea. This box pairs really nicely with the Combat Patrol IMO. 

[Norman Paperman]

2 hours ago, ThaneOfTas said:

I actually kind of think that it's a little of both. You're absolutely correct that these boxes do not use any existing stock. However, I bet that it can be used to boost internal metrics of mow many units of a currently underperforming SKU are moving. That way at the end of a FY they can say that they moved X number of a product that had only been on track to move Y number.

 

So while is absolutely not about moving existing stock, it's also not a coincidence that they're often are some unpopular models included.

 

I really don't think that the fudging of internal metrics is at all a decision point in how they pack these boxes. I'd think that mold life and value would be a slight consideration, but I think this is more about how they think players want to buy. I think they try and straddle the line between what a new buyer to the faction would want, while also keeping appeal for someone who's been collecting a little while and hoping to go from 1000 to 1500 points or something like that. Someone with a modest collection might already have their staples and be looking to expand with some slightly less popular units. 

[sitnam]

4 hours ago, techsoldaten said:

These are aimed at people looking to get started with cult armies, not for anyone with an existing collection. Not that that's a bad thing, it just doesn't add anything beyond what most collectors already have.

The Thousand Sons box might be more impressive were it not for the Mutalith Vortex Beast. Most people are going to look at that and think they'd rather have Rubrics. 

 

I disagree on the MVB. I can't recall any box set that Thousand Sons have had with the MVB, and it's one of the pricer TS kits. For a player who's already got one or two of the last boxes, this box would round out a collection pretty well.

[de Selby]

I'm one of the people who is interested in adopting a Mutalith Vortex Beast but in my case it's the trio of sorcerors I already have that I don't want. As mentioned, at current price points you need to want everything in the box so they are best for new players.

 

I basically already have that Khorne army, and the Nurgle one is a little odd to my eyes (again I already have those units).

 

The emperors children one looks the most like a real army to me, but then there are just so few units to choose from. Agree with lhg033 that just after christmas is not a great time to buy a new army.

[Halandaar]

4 hours ago, techsoldaten said:

The Thousand Sons box might be more impressive were it not for the Mutalith Vortex Beast. Most people are going to look at that and think they'd rather have Rubrics. 

 

IMO the Mutalith is actually the thing making the box interesting; it's not something that ever usually gets included in these sorts of boxes, and as a pricey standalone direct-only kit, any chance to get one at a discount is welcome.

 

Rubrics on the other hand are readily and cheaply available by virtue of having been in pretty much every prior TS bundle.

[Uprising]

On the topic of the Mutalith, it became a boss enemy in Space marine two a few months ago.  So that is probably why it is included (also nice to see).  

 

On the topics of the box, glad they exist but I am not the target here as I have enough for all four cult armies.  

[The Praetorian of Inwit]

With how zealously GW has tried to separate models between systems I am surprised the MVB is still in the TS codex,  let alone part of a new box. 

 

The cynic in me says it will be dropped when/if TS get their own unit. The super cynic in me says it will happen in 11th and GW just wants to knock out a few more from the mould while it's still in 40k. 

 

These boxes do showcase how, Death Guard aside, the TS, WE and EC have such depressingly small ranges. Surely WE could have had another character? Surely after ten years GW could have come up with more than a basic robot unit for TS? Surely EC could have at least kept Helbrutes and Predators? 

 

Ah well. At least GW have been putting resources into refreshing GK & updating the Drukhari. Oh, wait...

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Friendly Mod here - I've hidden about a half dozen posts that were essentially just off topic sniping back and forth.  Please constrain all further posts to a discussion on the 4 boxed sets and refrain from personal attacks.

 

And a happy new year to all.

 

Dr. R.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

This is the first EC box I'll be skipping out on - the only thing that I would need out of it (at least in the short term) is the demon prince, as I definitely don't need a 4th and 5th squad of noise marines (or a 10th and 11th if you count my older versions), or another 20 infractor/tormentor ontop of the 30 I already have.

 

Not to say I think its a bad box - I think its great for anyone who missed the release box set, as essentially it is a repeat of that with the Lord Exultant swapped for a demon prince (and no cards or codex).

 

I likewise think the other boxes are pretty good, offering a decent selection of units without any real loser units, though some of the kits a bit old (I'm looking at you bloodletters).

Edited January 2 by Dr_Ruminahui

[Flaherty]

I'd be curious to know how many launch boxes/battleforces GW has had over the past few years. It feels like they've ramped up these releases dramatically in the last 18 months. Four off the jump in 2026 is a lot! We will also probably get at least two Combat Patrol equivalents for each of the four end campaigns (Titus + Necrons, Red Corsairs + Aeldari Corsairs, etc.) Not to mention the FOMOization of the regular combat patrols.

[MadEdric]

The Khorne box would net me all the demons, a second Juggernaut, which is fine, and my 4th or 5th unit of Bezerkers. Since the new Bezerker models are aces in my book, that'd be a win as well. Getting a second LoJ lets me model Invocatus, and be able to run them both.