Last Chance to Buy?? Start Collecting vs Vanguard Fyreslayers

[@brynnyon7293]

Shifting from Start Collecting to Vanguard/Combat Patrol has been one of the worst decisions GW has made in the past few years when it comes to getting new people into the hobby. In 2017, with the right deals, a Start Collecting box could be around $65, the perfect box for anyone getting into the game who also has to account for paints, tools, and books. A new person getting into the hobby is just not going to spend a whopping $140 to buy a box unless its one of their huge two-army boxsets. Once you go past that $100 threshold for miniatures, that illusion of being able to just dip your toes into this hobby is completely fractured. There is no thing as just "trying out" Warhammer in that environment. You're either dead-set on collecting miniatures as your new hobby from the start, or you're not buying into Warhammer. They could have introduced the Vanguard/Patrol boxes as an intermediary for the hobby, for when you're past the "Start Collecting!" phase and need to grow out your army more. But they didn't, and instead seem hellbent on replacing it entirely. GW seems to not understand that this new line does not appeal to new hobbyists in the same way the SC boxes did. And, if they are appealing to intermediate hobbyists, their atrocious way of deciding what goes *into* these boxes doesn't appeal to that crowd, either. Their only philosophy for these boxes seems to just be "put whatever we have tons of stock of and costs little to produce in there." It's lazy, and it shows just how incompetent GW can be at preserving the business model that fuels their success. Games Workshop's whole modus operandi is to get new people into the hobby, and have them hooked after they get a taste of their universes. These new boxes fail to appeal to that crowd, and the intermediate crowd that they seem to be targeted to have no love for these boxes. They're just worse versions of what we've had before. But then again, what do I care. I've been buying recasts since the price increases anyways.

[@zdron07]

Ya basically I've seen killteam/necromunda being the 40k intro games now cuz you need only your one squad of dudes. Which is still a whole ass fucking 60$ usd for a squad of infantry. Assuming there's already a group there to bring them in. Otherwise...well... No one's going to drop 200$ on something they know nothing about

[@songohan1075]

@Brynn Yon 100% agree, This is why I only buy new modells on -20% discount online sellers, there are so many good retail shops with -15/-20% discount or I'Il buy cheap modells on ebay too. Sometimes I find new sprue very cheap. GW price politic is a big shame, I like this hobby so much but GW price politic...

[@songohan1075]

I am starting a Fyreslayers army my first buy was a Start Collecting for -20% discout and the Fury of the Deep Box -20% discount too (keep only the Fyreslayers stuff rest is for sell, give me some money back. With this I don't need the Vanguard box only for the Battlesmith is not worth, is better for me buy it solo. Maybe I can get one more cheaper Start Collecting Fyreslayers, because solo Modelle of the Magmadroth for 112$ is very expensive without a -20 discount. Better is looking for Start Collecting boxes on ebay or other not GW sellers.

[@jakea3950]

Thing is you can get vanguards for cheap when people resell. Vanguards are bad for gw impulse buyers, great for second hand market and eBay. I got a vanguard new at like 40% off plus the savings form the box and lgs prices. So that leaves a mag which is now a sc box price but tbh not gonna miss the vulkites as you get those in everything. Most lists you only want 1x mag anyways unless you spam them which yeah sure if you love that model. One is plenty. Also the hero from fury goes for cheap still due to that box. All in all I still think this is a great army to collect. I get the Vanguard hate and gw does suck but in reality it's not even bad like everyone on the net pretends. The only real loser is the one why buys direct from gw. After that it all depends on your patience and smarts.

[@BudgetWaaagh]

Great points all around. The loss of the magmadroth was a bummer with this one but I agree there is a lot of value to be found in the vanguard kits. Some of them are as good or just flat better than their predecessors

[@Geekmandem]

It seems weird to me. Start Collecting is a perfect name for what these boxes are. The name change is weird.