I calculated how many of each current product you'd need to own to be able to field all possible 100-point non-epic lists, taking into account not just how many copies of the cheapest non-unique pilot will fit but also how many of all upgrades are needed in the worst case.

EDIT: This is a theoretical amount, posted purely for curiosity.

The total is based on MSRP. I did not include Wave 6, S&V, or the Imperial Raider. I also didn't consider legal any Crew that only benefit huge ships, even though they can technically be put on any ship with a crew slot.

I put a detailed spreadsheet up at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nl5GeZkHCVBo3o1Rn6vbFbTf7CjEfse2kJqLaX5jCHg/edit?usp=sharing

You may possibly have too much time on your hands...

RoV

Expensive, but for $200 you can get a reasonable number of ships for a single faction, or enough ships to make 2-3 lists for both factions.

Total buy-in for Armada right now (or when Wave 1 releases) is about $300.

That's actually not too bad. I'd be curious to see some comparisons. How much would it cost to be able to field every Warhammer 40K list (for whatever the most popular tournament format is)? I've got a feeling that the $2,100 would get beat without even finishing out the first faction.

Expensive, but for $200 you can get a reasonable number of ships for a single faction, or enough ships to make 2-3 lists for both factions.

Total buy-in for Armada right now (or when Wave 1 releases) is about $300.

If I'm adding things up correctly $300 is about the price of the core set plus one of each expansion. That doesn't seem like what OP has added up for X-Wing. I have no idea what fleet building in that game is like but I've got a feeling that you'll be able to use two or three copies of each expansion and the core set in building lists. I wouldn't be surprised if Armada is already around $1000 if you went through the same exercise with that game.

That's actually not too bad. I'd be curious to see some comparisons. How much would it cost to be able to field every Warhammer 40K list (for whatever the most popular tournament format is)? I've got a feeling that the $2,100 would get beat without even finishing out the first faction.

Every possible WH40k list for a single faction (even just limiting it at 1.75k points) would probably be $10k. The FOC is any combination of 6 Troops, 3 Elite, 3 Fast Attack, 3 Heavy Support. Plus the option for Dedicated Transports. Multiple units fulfill each role, and depending on the faction it may require multiple purchases to fill a single slot (Stupid Terminators, and especially stupid Broadsides). A single list at 1.75k (tournament range) points is easily $300.

Expensive, but for $200 you can get a reasonable number of ships for a single faction, or enough ships to make 2-3 lists for both factions.

Total buy-in for Armada right now (or when Wave 1 releases) is about $300.

If I'm adding things up correctly $300 is about the price of the core set plus one of each expansion. That doesn't seem like what OP has added up for X-Wing. I have no idea what fleet building in that game is like but I've got a feeling that you'll be able to use two or three copies of each expansion and the core set in building lists. I wouldn't be surprised if Armada is already around $1000 if you went through the same exercise with that game.

I actually get $405 as the SMRV for all of X-Wing (excluding all Huge ships and S&V). Which means at Miniature Market you could probably get em all (assuming they were in stock which is something I would not bet on) for $280.

Expensive, but for $200 you can get a reasonable number of ships for a single faction, or enough ships to make 2-3 lists for both factions.

Total buy-in for Armada right now (or when Wave 1 releases) is about $300.

If I'm adding things up correctly $300 is about the price of the core set plus one of each expansion. That doesn't seem like what OP has added up for X-Wing. I have no idea what fleet building in that game is like but I've got a feeling that you'll be able to use two or three copies of each expansion and the core set in building lists. I wouldn't be surprised if Armada is already around $1000 if you went through the same exercise with that game.

I actually get $405 as the SMRV for all of X-Wing (excluding all Huge ships and S&V). Which means at Miniature Market you could probably get em all (assuming they were in stock which is something I would not bet on) for $280.

The $300 (think it is actually a couple of bucks less ) was for buying one of everything for Armada using the prices list on FFGs website. Every possible Armada list in whatever the standard format is going to be quite a bit more than that.

I dont even wanna calculate what I have into this... and what I'm gonna spend in the coming year... egads!

Now take 33% off of that for buying online. Also, this is a bit misleading. You really need 6 decimators for that awesome *sarcasm* ruthlessness card? You also get 2 copies of it so that would still be 3 anyway. 6 squad leader? It's unique. But really an individual person only needs one decimator. Also 2-3 core sets is better than buying more tie fighters/ xwings.

Realistically you could get everything you need to build any list for like $600 (or for like $200 you could have several options). This thread is just going to scare away and mislead new players.

Now take 33% off of that for buying online. Also, this is a bit misleading. You really need 6 decimators for that awesome *sarcasm* ruthlessness card? You also get 2 copies of it so that would still be 3 anyway. 6 squad leader? It's unique. But really an individual person only needs one decimator. Also 2-3 core sets is better than buying more tie fighters/ xwings.

Realistically you could get everything you need to build any list for like $600 (or for like $200 you could have several options). This thread is just going to scare away and mislead new players.

Using MSRP I'm up to $750 in just Outriders, Decimators, Falcons, and Firesprays (6 of the first 3 and 5 of the last one). I'm wondering if OP isn't a little on the low side.

EDIT: If anyone cares I was using Intimidation, Stay on Target, and DTF on Black Squadrons and Proximity Mines on Scimitars to arrive at those quantities.

In reality you will never need more than 4 of any single upgrade, which is generally just buying 2 of everything (you can skip the second YT-2000 in my opinion, but Slave-I and Millenium Falcon you probably need 3 of since VI is just amazing). and 3 of some things (B-Wing, TIE/In, TIE/Ln, Z-Wing).

It'll probably end up at around $400 after all online discounts.

Now take 33% off of that for buying online. Also, this is a bit misleading. You really need 6 decimators for that awesome *sarcasm* ruthlessness card? You also get 2 copies of it so that would still be 3 anyway. 6 squad leader? It's unique. But really an individual person only needs one decimator. Also 2-3 core sets is better than buying more tie fighters/ xwings.

Realistically you could get everything you need to build any list for like $600 (or for like $200 you could have several options). This thread is just going to scare away and mislead new players.

Using MSRP I'm up to $750 in just Outriders, Decimators, Falcons, and Firesprays (6 of the first 3 and 5 of the last one). I'm wondering if OP isn't a little on the low side.

EDIT: If anyone cares I was using Intimidation, Stay on Target, and DTF on Black Squadrons and Proximity Mines on Scimitars to arrive at those quantities.

Fact of the matter is this is an extreme example, and while a few players insist on doing this, it's hardly an entry barrier to the game. Especially because a squad like that isn't even competitive whereas playing a squad built around one falcon,outrider, or decimator is.

A new player getting into the game right now could easily just buy one of each of those ships and be fine. Maybe two firesprays, and that's only to try out more firespray squads with most wanted. So that would be more like $115 from amazon/online stores than $750. The much, much, MUCH bigger concern is waiting for restocks on certain ships.

Squad Leader is unique so no need for 6 tie adv

Now take 33% off of that for buying online. Also, this is a bit misleading. You really need 6 decimators for that awesome *sarcasm* ruthlessness card? You also get 2 copies of it so that would still be 3 anyway. 6 squad leader? It's unique. But really an individual person only needs one decimator. Also 2-3 core sets is better than buying more tie fighters/ xwings.

Realistically you could get everything you need to build any list for like $600 (or for like $200 you could have several options). This thread is just going to scare away and mislead new players.

Using MSRP I'm up to $750 in just Outriders, Decimators, Falcons, and Firesprays (6 of the first 3 and 5 of the last one). I'm wondering if OP isn't a little on the low side.

EDIT: If anyone cares I was using Intimidation, Stay on Target, and DTF on Black Squadrons and Proximity Mines on Scimitars to arrive at those quantities.

Fact of the matter is this is an extreme example, and while a few players insist on doing this, it's hardly an entry barrier to the game. Especially because a squad like that isn't even competitive whereas playing a squad built around one falcon,outrider, or decimator is.

A new player getting into the game right now could easily just buy one of each of those ships and be fine. Maybe two firesprays, and that's only to try out more firespray squads with most wanted. So that would be more like $115 from amazon/online stores than $750. The much, much, MUCH bigger concern is waiting for restocks on certain ships.

I don't see where the OP makes any sort lf claim that $2100 is what you should expect to pay if you want to be able to play X-Wing or even that their calculations were even useful in any sort of real world scenario. It was obviously a calculation of an extreme case that no one would ever need to do to play the game.

The use of the word "minimum" in the title is a bit odd though. I assume that it means that in any case where an upgrade had more than one source, the cheapest source for each upgrade was used.

That is NOTHING compared to a few months of buying 40K.

One of the nice things about this game is that you only have to buy as much as what interests you. If you want to field a list with just 6 TIE Fighters, you can do that and still have a competitive list to fly with. I've only one Falcon and don't really see a need for another, I'm happy with just that one for the time being. S&V doesn't interest me too terribly at the moment either: I can wait to buy into that.

I have gotten the majority of my ships from miniature market. They run sales every couple months on different ships and you can pick the smalls up for $7.50. They just ran a sale on the outrider and decimator together for $35. They should save you many hundreds.

I have all the ships I need for 2 factions and have probably only spent a few hundred dollars (including postage). Having said that, I'm an OT man.

I shudder to think what I've blown at GW and I don't even play the game. For gamers, that cost would skyrocket. 1 rule book and 2 codices and you're already up in the hundreds before you even have a model in your hot little hands.

Interesting calculation from the OP though. Obviously he/she is not stating an average or minimum buy in amount, but rather (what seems to me) to be the maximum amount you could spend to field what ever force you like - without limitation. Very amusing.

I do not own every ship. It is not anywhere near required. I also don't own more than 1 of most expansions - notable exception being the shuttle and the TIE Phantom.

I do just fine in tournaments and local play. I am very involved in my local community x-wing and know enough about the game and tactics to make YouTube videos.

I cannot stress this enough - multiple copies of each ship is not required AT ALL. The people who are going to spend that kind of money to catch 'em all and then get four copies of each ship just have very, very different priorities than most people. Well that and a startlingly good net on their budget (I hope).

I research the cards and ships, discuss with others, and come to my own conclusion about what expansions I would most want to purchase in order to play the way I wish, within my means. I already know precisely what I'm purchasing of Wave 6 and have no intention of deviating from that unless I come into a windfall. If I decide later that I want to pick up a Scyk, I need to sell a pair of heels. It is as simple as that.

Obviously as the game grows the price to buy everything inflates as well, but you should really be asking yourselves - why do I need everything? Why do I need 2 of everything? Do I use everything? Do I need to increase my storage every few months because I keep acquiring more and more and more? Am I even playing this game often enough to warrant such aggressive expansion of my armada? Do I just want to put it all on a table and take a picture and show it here? Is a picture once worth all that cost?

Anyways - flame on.

I don't think the OP said anything about buying $2k worth of ships a requirement. It was just a calculation of how much you would need to spend to field anything you want.

I know there are some people on here that have more than that into the game.

Buy whatever you want, and fly whatever you want.

I don't think the OP said anything about buying $2k worth of ships a requirement. It was just a calculation of how much you would need to spend to field anything you want.

I know there are some people on here that have more than that into the game.

Buy whatever you want, and fly whatever you want.

I'm not suggesting the OP said that, either. I'm saying that you don't need to buy one or more of every expansion in order to have fun and win with this game. So while yeah the minimum amount to buy 1 of everything will ever-grow as the game grows, it isn't needed to play, have fun, and win.

There is potentially nothing less attractive than unmitigated spending, rationalized.

I've only bought two expansions more than once...the firespray and defender.

Firespray because it's awesome, and not too likely to get an "aces' re-release.

The defender because even after wave 6 it will STILL be the only release to have predator, and I really needed that second predator...

Going by what I've consistently seen on the table, the minimum full playset for wave 5 is somewhere between $45 and $55

I do not own every ship. It is not anywhere near required. I also don't own more than 1 of most expansions - notable exception being the shuttle and the TIE Phantom.

I do just fine in tournaments and local play. I am very involved in my local community x-wing and know enough about the game and tactics to make YouTube videos.

I cannot stress this enough - multiple copies of each ship is not required AT ALL. The people who are going to spend that kind of money to catch 'em all and then get four copies of each ship just have very, very different priorities than most people. Well that and a startlingly good net on their budget (I hope).

I research the cards and ships, discuss with others, and come to my own conclusion about what expansions I would most want to purchase in order to play the way I wish, within my means. I already know precisely what I'm purchasing of Wave 6 and have no intention of deviating from that unless I come into a windfall. If I decide later that I want to pick up a Scyk, I need to sell a pair of heels. It is as simple as that.

Obviously as the game grows the price to buy everything inflates as well, but you should really be asking yourselves - why do I need everything? Why do I need 2 of everything? Do I use everything? Do I need to increase my storage every few months because I keep acquiring more and more and more? Am I even playing this game often enough to warrant such aggressive expansion of my armada? Do I just want to put it all on a table and take a picture and show it here? Is a picture once worth all that cost?

Anyways - flame on.

You're right. I have a single CR-90, VT-49, and YT-2400. Everything else I have multiples of, up to 18 TIE/ln and 18 TIE/in. I'm guessing it balances out to around 6 of each? I collect them, paint some of them, and then play exclusively solo. Yes: the priorities are very, very different.

All the "ask yourselves" questions could possibly be pared down to just one: Is it worth the investment to me? Absolutely, in my case, but it will mean different things to different people.

OP's figures are an interesting thought experiment, but I agree that it might be misleading to new players. If your priority is to have fun in tournaments and local play (which strikes me as being the norm) then it really doesn't require a lot to make this work.