Well, I got the ball rolling on my minimal investment Grey Knight army here yersterday with the bits box search.
Today we'll look at stages two and three.
Click yonder link to read more...
Lets dive right back in.
Part Two - Have A Plan
As illustrated quite clearly yesterday, we can all build up random collections of unused and unpainted models (impulse buys) that sit around gathering dust. Why? Because we like the look of them and "will use them one day".
To avoid going and buying 'cool looking' Grey Knights I need a plan. The best way to do this is look through the codex, look at all the pictures and have a read of all the fluff and rules. There's guys I want because they look cool, and guys I want because I'll hope they'll fight cool on the table. This results in:
Models I want to use -
Dreadknight
Assassin
Terminators
Units whose rules/fluff I like -
Purufiers
Interceptors
Henchmen
The next thing to do is build up a list taking what you want from model and rule perspectives into account.
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| Kid in a candy store. Yes, that's you. |
Here's what I figured out as my initial list:
Inquisitor + wargear
Henchmen
10 Purifiers
10 Terminators
5 Interceptors
5 Strike Squad
Dreadknight
Rhino
Razorback
Chimera
O.K. How does this relate to cheap armies right? Enough waffle.
The list above takes into account my existing models listed yesterday. I have the Inquisitor (though I might make a new one from parts in the bits box). I have enough Henchmen and enough parts to make any I don't have. With the old metal GK's and the left over new arms I have 5 Strike/Interceptors and also 5 Terminators and all the listed vehicles.
That leaves me a chunk I still need which leads to...
Part Three - Funds and Shopping
Now I'm lucky having a chunk of this but, if you don't, there's ways to get it cheap. You can get a whole new Rhino on the sprue on ebay for £10 if you're patient and similar for a Chimera. If you buy a bottle of something that strips paint then look at painted mini's on there also, especially anything badly photographed - they attract less attention - I've seen items not sell when an identical lot has gone for £20 just because of a bad photo.
Then there's 40k sites here on the web. I got the Rhinos from BitsAndKits for £10 each. There's also Santa Cruz Warhammer's barter bucket and similar where you can trade or buy on the cheap. Worth looking around at.
Finally there's dozens of discount sellers of GW stock. Wayland Games, Maelstrom Games, Dice Bucket and my personal favourite (support your local and all) Dark Sphere. Dark Sphere is excellent because the do 25% discount online and, if any of you are in London, if you order over £100 of GW at full retail price you get the 25% off and can pick them up free (less and you only get 20% off at the shop).
For the above list I still need to spend a chunk of cash. Now you can just splash out but, if we're watching the pennies, how else can you afford it. What do you have that you don't need? Warhammer? An old bicycle? Clothes? DVD's? Computer games?
It all goes on ebay if you want it less than your new army! Don't sell everything, try and think what you don't actually wnat rather than ending up owning nothing but toy soldiers!
I have a PSPgo I've used twice in 18months
I sold this for £85 on ebay!
So, I now have some funds. For my army I need 3 boxes of Grey Knights, 1 box of Terminators and a Dreadknight. £122 from GW or £92 from Dark Sphere with 25% off!
So, I spend the PSP money (after ebay take their share), add £11 and I have:
Add another £20 for the Rhinos:
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| Impatiently started building! |
So there you have it. £30, an unused handheld game and a rummage through the bits box and I have a full 1,500 point army!
I know this changes nothing about GW's upped prices. I know not everyone has a huge bit box. I also know some people don't care and will buy GW at what ever the price! BUT, if you don't want to break the bank and still want a nice new army then, with a little thought, planning and shopping around you can get pretty good results out there!
Definitely worth considering.
Over the next few weeks (at my sporadic rate of posting) I'll show more of the stuff I've bought. I'll be converting the Dreadknight slightly, everything else will be pretty standard but with nice bases. I have 147 points to figure out my Inquisitor and his Henchmen and they'll hopefully be nice one off models. All will be revealed over coming months (in much left wordy, waffley posts!).
That's all for tonight, way past my bedtime!
