This past weekend Games Workshop put the new 9th Edition Starter Sets up for pre-order, allowing everyone to get started with the joys of the New 40k. Now when I previously talked about these sets, I noted that we didn’t know what the MSRP would be for them, but we estimated that they would probably around the same price as the previous 40k starter sets. Well, since the pre-orders have gone up we have been able to see the official prices, and it appears the cost of the sets is a bit higher than we expected.
This isn’t too surprising. After all, prices going up every so often is as much a part of the hobby as arguing which Primarch is the best*. But it does raise the question. Are these sets good value for money, and are they worth it for new and existing hobbyists? That’s the question we are planning to answer today.
We are going to look at each of the new starter sets and work out the approximant value of the contents compared to the cost of buying the components separately, as well as looking at the forces included from a gaming prospective. Now it is worth noting at the time of writing this, we do not know what the cost of some of these kits will be when sold on their own, but we do have other similar products to compare them to. So when we look at the costs, we will be comparing the models to their closest real life counterparts, in order to get them best approximation of their prices.
So, with all the formalities out of the way, lets looks at each set.
Recruit Edition: MSRP £32.50
Let’s start with what could be described as the taster box set. The Recruit Edition is design to allow you and a friend the chance to dip your toes into the hobby and test out the game before moving on to more advanced products. The set includes the new Space Marine Lieutenant, five Assault Intercessors, a Necron Royal Warden, as well as ten Necron Warriors and three Scarab Swarms. A nice selection of units that gives you two small forces of around 200-250 points a side. Coming in at £32.50 for the box, lets see what the estimated value of this set is.
- Space Marine Lieutenant: £20
- 5 Assault Intercessors: £17.50
- Royal Warden: £17.50
- 10 Necron Warriors and 3 Scarab Swarms: £22.50
Estimated Value: £77.50
Estimated Saving: £45
Overall, the box appears to be great value for money, giving you the start of two Combat Patrols and saving you around £45 off buying the contents separately. I reckon a big part of the value in this set are the two HQ’s, which are always on the pricy side when starting an army. But what do you get if you are willing to send a little bit more?
Elite Edition: MSRP £65
The Elite Edition of the game is aimed at giving players a go at playing with more varied units, and as you would expect comes with a few new models to play with. Included in the set are the Assault Intercessors, Necron Warriors and Scarab Swarms from the Recruit Edition, as well as the new additions of a squad of Outriders and Skorpekh Destroyers. This set also replaces the Lieutenant and Royal Warden with a Space Marine Captain and Necron Overlord, giving both sides a little bit more hitting power. But do these new additions justify the increase in price?
- Space Marine Captain: £22.50
- 5 Assault Intercessors: £17.50
- 3 Outriders: £35
- Overlord: £17.50
- 10 Necron Warriors and 3 Scarab Swarms: £22.50
- 3 Skorpekh Destroyers and a Plasmacyle: £30
Estimated Value: £145
Estimated Saving: £80
The answer appears to be yes. Again, you are saving a decent out of money off buying everything separately. Additionally, the increased unit count gives you around 340-390 Points a side, bring you ever closer to a complete Combat Patrol force for each faction. So, we are two for two in terms of value. Can we go for a hat-trick?**
Command Edition: MSRP £105
The Command Edition comes with everything included in the Elite Edition, but doesn’t include any addition models for either the Space Marines or the Necrons. It does however contain a copy of the Rulebook as well as the Battlefield Expansion Set, giving you the complete Warhammer 40,000 experience. Now I know some people will be disappointed that this set doesn’t contain any addition models. But the idea of this set is to give someone everything they need to get starter with the 40k hobby, which includes giving them a board to play on. But how does the inclusion of a Rulebook and a ton of Terrain affect the value of the set?
- Space Marine Captain: £22.50
- 5 Assault Intercessors: £17.50
- 3 Outriders: £35
- Overlord: £17.50
- 10 Necron Warriors and 3 Scarab Swarms: £22.50
- 3 Skorpekh Destroyers and a Plasmacyle: £30
- 9th Edition Rulebook: £40
- Battlefield Expansion Set: £55
Estimated Value: £240
Estimated Saving: £135
Well, that’s quite a saving now isn’t it. Well under half the price of buying everything separately, proving that despite the price increase these starter sets are still amazing value. Sure, a few more minis would have been nice, but you can’t argue with the saving you will be making on these sets. So, if you are looking to introduce someone the wonderfully grim world of Warhammer 40,000, or are get started yourself, you can be sure that whichever starter set you pick up you will be sure to get your moneys worth.
All three of these sets (along with the new starter paint sets) are currently up for pre-order at Games-Workshop.com and will be making there way to your local gaming store soon. So you will not have long to wait to get in on all the action.
I hope this article has been of some use to you. If you are planning on getting started with one of these sets, or just want to chat and meme about 40K, then let me know in the comments below or contact me via twitter @MTGTengu directly. If you have enjoyed todays article, please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all we do here at Master of Magics. You want to support the site directly; you can join our Patreon for as little as a $1 a month. Until next time though remember “Death is honor.”
*It’s Sanguinius by the way.
**Does football still exist in the 41st millennium?
