Jump to content

How many points do you need to survive edition changes?


andozane

Recommended Posts

So, was talking with a few guys the other day...and this is something that I'm wondering about....

 

For any of us that have played 40K over the years and many...many rules changes (this really goes for any miniature game I suppose, as all will have these same types of changes over time), how many points of your army do you really need to cope with and keep your army playable with new rules?

 

My stance is, let us say a standard game is 2000 points.

 

If you hope to have long lasting playability, over the course of multiple editions, you need much more than 2000 points of an army.  If you only have a set army at 2000 points, with no options to speak of beyond that, you will only become frustrated with the game and your inability to adapt to new rules.

 

Do you need 2500 Points? 3000 Points?  4000 Points?

 

How many points of your army do you need to make sure the game will be fun now, and in the future?

 

Thoughts?

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say, at a minimum, 3500 points of accessible units is probably a good basis for an army that can weather multiple editions of 40k. If you have even more (4k+ points), then your chances are better by far. My answer is based on an old thread (similar to this one) where people discussed the minimum amount of points they purchase for an army that won't bore them. About half of the players said they buy units to cover the minimum amount of points needed for the current tourney scene (typically between 1500 and 2k) + at least 1k of extra units for the sake of variety. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would say between 3&4K out of the sheer fact you don't know what will still be good or not.

In my time in 40K I've had the same core army. Only thing I've added was the Harlequins and now for first time in ages I got a steal of a deal on a WraightKnight so I grabbed 'em.

The new Quins stuff I'll do what I did last time, pick up any named characters to add them to my display board... after that not sure what I'm going to do.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Armies which overly specialize in a certain edition's rules/codex are the ones that suffer in edition/codex change. The size of the collection is meaningless if it doesn't include enough variety, at least in regard to edition/codex change.

 

Special characters and non-GW model represented wargear options are the most likely to undergo major changes.

 

Each codex also includes new units, often which make old purchases obsolete, or less viable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd put it around 4K for a 2K meta. Maybe a bit lower, but not too much. Basically, if you can throw together two completely different Armies, you've got decent odds of being able to pull together one that suits any given current Edition.

 

That is, of course, leaving out major game-changers like Flyers. You're probably still going to have to invest in at least countermeasures when something comes out that shakes up the Game that much.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say it's about the models, not the points. Points can be consumed in intangibles like wargear.There's also the question of keeping an army "good"- not even competitive, but not sucking- involved.

 

I've spent most of my hobby budget the last few years trying to edition-proof my armies (CSM, DA, C:SM).

 

I now have 2.5 battle companies with transports, 2-3 of each kind of tank, and a full 1st company, with all sarges magnetized, 6 of each heavy weapon, and 6 of each assault weapon. 6th rolled around, I was missing flyers and fortifications. This is for my C:SM only. Oh, and 45 scouts.

 

For my chaos, I have 2-3 of each cult squad available, each option available (for instance, I have 3*7 Plague Marine squads, one with two flamers, one with two meltaguns, one with two plasma guns), and three different armies- NLs, IWs, and BL. My NLs, I have all FA represented. My IWs, I have all (almost) HS represented. Rolling forward, it's BL HQs and a mixed crusade for me.

 

Take Marines. I'd say an edition proof Tactical squad would have 10 men, a magnetized sarge, magnetized heavy/special, a rhino, and a drop pod available. Anything else isn't edition invariant. You need at least two of these, a preferably magnetized captain, Librarian, and Chaplain, and some armor and you are probably OK.

 

Take Eldar. 1-2 of each Aspect Warrior squad (or 1 of each up to full size with magnetized Exarchs), a Farseer, a Jetseer, Warlocks, Jetlocks, Autarch, Jetarch (Is that a term?), 1-2 Guardian blobs with a full range of heavy weapon options available, 2+ Wave Serpents, 1+Falcon, 2+Vypers, and 1+ units of jetbikes would be edition invariant. And 1-2 WLs.

 

As pretre said, it's more about collections.

 

Personally, I'd say you want the full range (by type, I'm not talking 6 squads) of your troop options available in any configuration, you want your HQ options, and you want armored support, minimum. Those seem to be both most and least variant as they change things around.

 

The fluffier your collection, the more likely you can fill out your points in every edition, although no guarantees it will be good.

 

The more extreme variant your army- Feral Orks, Mercenary Kroot- the more financially I'd say it's just not work the risk.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, was talking with a few guys the other day...and this is something that I'm wondering about....

 

For any of us that have played 40K over the years and many...many rules changes (this really goes for any miniature game I suppose, as all will have these same types of changes over time), how many points of your army do you really need to cope with and keep your army playable with new rules?

 

My stance is, let us say a standard game is 2000 points.

 

If you hope to have long lasting playability, over the course of multiple editions, you need much more than 2000 points of an army.  If you only have a set army at 2000 points, with no options to speak of beyond that, you will only become frustrated with the game and your inability to adapt to new rules.

 

Do you need 2500 Points? 3000 Points?  4000 Points?

 

How many points of your army do you need to make sure the game will be fun now, and in the future?

 

Thoughts?

I don't think its a function of points exactly since new units get introduced that you're USUALY under no obligation to use.  I probably have to spend $300 when a new codex comes out to keep up, and that only happens once every couple years. 

 

So if you know and love the army you have then adjusting to a new edition is probably a $30 a month expense, or however fast you tend to purchase and paint things.

 

Grey KNights for example really required me to spend zero to update to it.  Tau cost me about $350 to get the planes and some PathFinder Drones I needed plus the Fireblade and two Riptides.  Chaos Space marines cost me about $60 plus a trade to get a Helldrake and the Mutilaors I wanted.  So that one was a really easy transition.  I bought a Shrike model and made some trades but really didn't pay much for Space marines.  for Eldar I bought War Walkers and Vauls Wrath, so that was aout $300

.

 

But this comes from a guy who chooses to have a ridiculous number of armies.  Most people don't and shouldn't own as many as I do.  It doesn't help you focus or make you super good at your codex if you bounce around like I do.  Most people are smart enough to sell off the armies they dont play or donate them to friends to prepetuate the hobby.    And if you're just playing one army primarily, then you're not looking at more than maybe $300 every couple of years to update yourself to a new codex, really.  Small price to pay for the fun we have.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say it depends on how over powered they make NEW models that never existed. There always seems to be MUST buys that come with new codexes. As for rules, a little of everything never hurt, but I'd say 3-4k puts you safely in that mode. As long as most of it isn't spamming the same unit and then finding yourself nerfed as a whole.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think its a function of points exactly since new units get introduced that you're USUALY under no obligation to use.  I probably have to spend $300 when a new codex comes out to keep up, and that only happens once every couple years. 

 

So if you know and love the army you have then adjusting to a new edition is probably a $30 a month expense, or however fast you tend to purchase and paint things.

 

Grey KNights for example really required me to spend zero to update to it.  Tau cost me about $350 to get the planes and some PathFinder Drones I needed plus the Fireblade and two Riptides.  Chaos Space marines cost me about $60 plus a trade to get a Helldrake and the Mutilaors I wanted.  So that one was a really easy transition.  I bought a Shrike model and made some trades but really didn't pay much for Space marines.  for Eldar I bought War Walkers and Vauls Wrath, so that was aout $300

.

 

But this comes from a guy who chooses to have a ridiculous number of armies.  Most people don't and shouldn't own as many as I do.  It doesn't help you focus or make you super good at your codex if you bounce around like I do.  Most people are smart enough to sell off the armies they dont play or donate them to friends to prepetuate the hobby.    And if you're just playing one army primarily, then you're not looking at more than maybe $300 every couple of years to update yourself to a new codex, really.  Small price to pay for the fun we have.

I agree with most of this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say it depends on how over powered they make NEW models that never existed. There always seems to be MUST buys that come with new codexes. As for rules, a little of everything never hurt, but I'd say 3-4k puts you safely in that mode. As long as most of it isn't spamming the same unit and then finding yourself nerfed as a whole.

My space wolves are a bit of both (spamming and collecting). They do fine in most edition changes. I bought a bunch of new models with the last release, not because I needed them for the update, but because they were cool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...