$67.99 pre order at CSI, so street price no where near $100. I'm in for 2 core sets. Like X-wing, lots of value compared to single ship sales, ESPECIALLY at that price point.
Price Point -- Breaking the Bank
2 core sets may not be such a great value here.
You can use at max 3 VSD's in a single list, and that's with next to no upgrades or fighters. So that may not work very well. That means a 2nd core set, may give you a 3rd VSD you have no real use for. That's assuming that FFG puts different upgrades in the VSD expansion pack, which seems to be a fairly safe assumption.
2 core sets may not be such a great value here.
You can use at max 3 VSD's in a single list, and that's with next to no upgrades or fighters. So that may not work very well. That means a 2nd core set, may give you a 3rd VSD you have no real use for. That's assuming that FFG puts different upgrades in the VSD expansion pack, which seems to be a fairly safe assumption.
Certainly possible, but all the stuff aside from the VSD will be valuable. And the VSD itself will be sellable by itself. Many collectors for just the models (I bought second sets of the X-wing Cr-90 cards quite readily).
Certainly, if it turns out the entire second core is not needed, easily re-sold on Ebay. Especially at the pre-order price.
All is well.
After this year at GC, I have to say I can see where the money for this game is going - to a team of high-class professional staff of employees who value their customers and think long and hard about how to treat them right. While I am saddened by the fact that the price point alienates a portion (a significant portion, IMO) of potential customers, I intend to find every way I can to encourage people to purchase this company's products, even if people have to band together to split the cost.
I am so impressed with this company, I just wish more people in my area were able financially to play their games.
The price increase is unfortunate, but I don't think FFG is trying to gouge people. Armada's prices are quite reasonable when compared to other tabletop games, and I'm not talking about GW games. It's unfortunate that people may not be able to afford Armada, but these prices are quite reasonable for big, top-notch prepaints that come with a heap of gorgeous cards and other bits on the side. That's to say nothing of the chunkier size of the minis, either.
Most of the backlash is really attributable to people who are new to mini gaming being exposed to the cost of the larger hobby, imo.
Edited by TheTuninatorMost of the backlash is really attributable to people who are new to mini gaming being exposed to the cost of the larger hobby, imo.
Honestly, the prices for Armada isn't really any higher then X-Wing. $30-40 for ships the same size and perhaps even a bit bigger then the X-Wing large ships that go for $30-40. Packs of 8 Fighters for $20, which means $2.50 per fighter.
Sure the core set cost more, but you're also getting a lot more. Imagine if the X-Wing core set was a Firespray, Decimatator and Falcon...
I'm reasonably sure all of this has been said, but...
I don't think you can directly draw parallels between the cost of the X-wing and Armada starters. Armada's starter gives you one SD, in a game where you will probably have three max , whereas Xwing's starter gives you two ties in a game where you may need up to eight , or one X-wing where you'll probably need another 2-3.
Allowing for swapping your two rebs for another Victory, you can start playing 200 pt games on one starter easily keeping in mind you could do the same thing in xwing, and then a month or two later you can buy one more ship and have a regulation 300 pt fleet no problems.
As far as the actual box costs go, the capital ship miniatures of Armada look like they have a -much- higher material cost than X-wing snubfighter minis(perhaps closer to X-wing's large base ships). The bases and gaming aids themselves are far more complex as well, which also adds to cost of manufacture. This makes it far more difficult to quantify how much of the difference in cost between the boxes is purely material and not just the dreaded retail markup.
As far as dollar investment goes... MM already has the Armada starter up for a $69 preorder. Buy that, order one ship expansion as funds allow(and expansions will be much easier on the wallet bought singly over time), swap either the Victory or the rebel scumships for something more appropriate, and enjoy getting into a completely new, completely different flavor of game for around $100.
This... I find to be shockingly reasonable.