...and I was wondering what I would need to start off building a 800-point army, but as cost efficiently as possible. Since I am (mostly) Imperial, I want to spread some Imperial Gray around the galaxy. I would prefer to keep it cheap. This is what I am thinking of buying:

Core Set

Speeder Bikes

Scout Troopers

Boba Fett

All positive help appreciated!

Even with decking everyone out with that list you're still underpointed. I'd also say you're probably not as efficient with your pieces as well. It would be a good idea to pick up 1 more unit of anything that you desire, just to give you some flexibility (and get you above 800 points of units.) Personally, I think the AT-ST is a staple of any imperial army but with the addition of Palpatine and the royal guard, that may not be necessary true. For the absolute cheapest route to get to above 800, pick up General Veers or Emperor Palpatine as they are ~$10. I think Palps is way better. Veers, in my opinion, excels with an AT-ST.

Hope that helps and welcome to the game (hopefully!)

20 hours ago, idjmv said:

...and I was wondering what I would need to start off building a 800-point army, but as cost efficiently as possible. Since I am (mostly) Imperial, I want to spread some Imperial Gray around the galaxy. I would prefer to keep it cheap. This is what I am thinking of buying:

Core Set

Speeder Bikes

Scout Troopers

Boba Fett

All positive help appreciated!

If you are looking to play in a regular setting (not just at home) then you will need to pick up a box of Stormtroopers or Snowtroopers to fulfill the required 3rd Corps unit slot. If you go with the Snowtroopers you could be at 794 points.

20 hours ago, idjmv said:

...and I was wondering what I would need to start off building a 800-point army, but as cost efficiently as possible. Since I am (mostly) Imperial, I want to spread some Imperial Gray around the galaxy. I would prefer to keep it cheap. This is what I am thinking of buying:

Core Set

Speeder Bikes

Scout Troopers

Boba Fett

All positive help appreciated!

If you can find someone to split 2 core sets with it's an easy way to build the basics for your army quicker and cheaper

What you're looking to spend with the list you have:
Core- $72
Speeders-$20
Scouts-$21
Boba-$10

Total:$124

What you get:
1x vader
2x stormtroopers
2x Speeder bikes
1x scouts
1x boba

(technically you can't even use that army, not enough storm troopers)

Splitting 2 core sets at $40 each can you get:
2x core-$80
1x bikes $20
1x scouts $21
1x veers/boba $10

which breaks down into:
2x Vader
1x Veers/boba
4x Stormtroopers
3x Speeder bikes
1x scouts

Which will give you a full army and options for roughly $131


You could also look second hand. It's a good way to get a large collection very cheap.

Buy 2 core sets. Period. This was the biggest mistake I made in Legion. They are very, very aggresively costed. If you split them with a friend, or just keep the Rebel stuff in case you need it (like you want to play with a friend who doesn't own the game) what you get is incredibly priced. With Darth Vader, 2 Bikes and 4 Stormies, you have a basic army from which to expand. I wouldn't call this army 'competitve', but, it'll get you started. After this, I'd buy at least 1 Snow, and then 1-2 Scouts

Buy 2 core sets. Buy 2 core sets. Buy 2 core sets.

The core set, frankly, comes with annoyingly few dice so you'll want two sets worth of dice. Spares of several of the other things in the core set are extremely helpful.

The most monetarily efficient way to get an 800 point army of Empire is also two core sets. And this will also give you the extra dice and stuff.

If you"trade with a rebel player" to get the imperial minis, it's cheap, but you'll still want dice and stuff and by the time you add up spare dice and other things you'll wish you had bought two cores. The three products you propose buying cost over half of what a core set does and make an illegal army: you don't have enough corps troops.

Just get two core sets. You'll instantly have 800 points of Empire. To finagle your points of Empire stuff after that, buy stuff like Boba Fett and Veers that don't cost many dollars and keep an eye out for clearance sales on stuff you want.

And if you have two cores, go ahead buy Leia or Han for about $10 you'll have 800 points worth of rebels so that you can run demos, loan out an army to a potential recruit yourself, or because you might decide to play them someday, etc. If you are concerned about painting rebels, there are some awesome speedpainting loopholes that people will be happy to share.

The Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals were crazy on Legion core sets and big vehicles. $44 core sets. $17 AT-ST's. $9 snowspeeders... the Christmas shopping discounts right now aren't that good but they are still pretty cheap if you hunt around.

FFG themselves are selling core sets for $72 on Amazon right now. The three products you proposed buying (which make a technically illegal army) would total $58 and leave you wishing for a $12 pack of dice. It's a no-brainer.

If you are new to all of model wargaming, the extra scenery from two sets will seem like a godsend and so will having extra models to practice your painting on.

Have I mentioned that I think you should buy two core sets and that dead horses warrant a beating?

Thank you all, I was not aware of the 3 corp unit requirements. I will most likely just go with another pack of Storm Troopers if I do get in the game. I will ask some people in my local area for some demo games and see if I like it. But based on what I have read, heard and watched, I like this game!

23 minutes ago, idjmv said:

Thank you all, I was not aware of the 3 corp unit requirements. I will most likely just go with another pack of Storm Troopers if I do get in the game. I will ask some people in my local area for some demo games and see if I like it. But based on what I have read, heard and watched, I like this game!

That is a decidedly more expensive approach. Is there a reason you don't want to get two core sets?

27 minutes ago, idjmv said:

Thank you all, I was not aware of the 3 corp unit requirements. I will most likely just go with another pack of Storm Troopers if I do get in the game. I will ask some people in my local area for some demo games and see if I like it. But based on what I have read, heard and watched, I like this game!

You might want to check out the Rules Reference Guide on the Legion website. It has the army building guidelines as well as expanded rules info.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/star-wars-legion/

12 minutes ago, TauntaunScout said:

That is a decidedly more expensive approach. Is there a reason you don't want to get two core sets?

1 additional trooper units - $25
1 additional core set - $70-90

You get more bang for your buck with a second core set (that's the route I went,) but if you're purely trying to save cash, I don't see how $70-90 < $25

39 minutes ago, idjmv said:

Thank you all, I was not aware of the 3 corp unit requirements. I will most likely just go with another pack of Storm Troopers if I do get in the game. I will ask some people in my local area for some demo games and see if I like it. But based on what I have read, heard and watched, I like this game!

Highly recommend a Snowtrooper unit over the Stormtroopers. Snow's get flamers so you'll have more diversity. Plus their mechanics are a bit different.

20 minutes ago, Xiervak said:

You get more bang for your buck with a second core set (that's the route I went,) but if you're purely trying to save cash, I don't see how $70-90 < $25

It's so much more bang that it does save money.

He asked about cost efficiency. A 2nd core set is the most cost efficient approach. He already said he wants a box of speeder bikes. Plus now stormtroopers. $45, plus the cost of the inevitable spare dice you're up to $57. May as well pony up the $13 for a core set and get the 4th squad of troopers if you're gonna play imperials. You'll want more squads eventually, the game sorta revolves around them. And either have a spare rebel army or sell it. If you sell them for even a small amount you come out ahead.

The dead cheapest price tag for 800 points at normal retail, is probably a core set, Palpatine, and snowtroopers or stormtroopers if you're feeling thematic. You can use tons of upgrades and hit 800 with that. Not a particularly effective army but it's legal and full size...

Just now, TauntaunScout said:

It's so much more bang that it does save money.

He asked about cost efficiency. A 2nd core set is the most cost efficient approach. He already said he wants a box of speeder bikes. Plus now stormtroopers. $45, plus the cost of the inevitable spare dice you're up to $57. May as well pony up the $13 for a core set and get the 4th squad of troopers if you're gonna play imperials. You'll want more squads eventually, the game sorta revolves around them. And either have a spare rebel army or sell it. If you sell them for even a small amount you come out ahead.

The dead cheapest price tag for 800 points at normal retail, is probably a core set, Palpatine, and snowtroopers or stormtroopers if you're feeling thematic. You can use tons of upgrades and hit 800 with that. Not a particularly effective army but it's legal and full size...

Not that I disagree with choosing a 2nd core set, but if he's purely trying to save money, 90+25 = ~115, vs. 90+90=~180. I get the feeling OP is looking for the cheapest route possible (after looking at my checking acct, I can hardly blame him.)

53 minutes ago, Xiervak said:

Not that I disagree with choosing a 2nd core set, but if he's purely trying to save money, 90+25 = ~115, vs. 90+90=~180. I get the feeling OP is looking for the cheapest route possible (after looking at my checking acct, I can hardly blame him.)

But he's talking about buying Speeder Bikes already, so that's another $17 or so to account for. Stormtrooper squad is $19 or so. The dice are at least $12. You're already up to $48 of the $72. It's only $24 difference. May as well save up another month while you paint the first core set. If he lives in an active community he can sell his rebels for way more than $30 and pay less than your proposed $115 in the end. If he doesn't have a community he'll need that army to loan out.

So for less than $115 he'd get 800 points and the dice, rulers, and barricades for free.

To Idjmv, here's something someone might not have explained yet: the core set doesn't come with enough dice to roll the base attacks of basic units like Vader without memorizing your roll and re-rolling. You WILL end up wanting more dice, so the cost of a pack of dice has to be factored into all calculations.

I thought I could just use one set of dice. I was so wrong... If you need to save money, you can't afford NOT to buy 2 core sets, or at least find another player to swap core set contents with.

I'll go a step further. I have an unopened core set in my house right now. If the OP wants, I'll trade the imps out of it for the rebels from his core set. We each pay our own shipping, OP ships first. Anything to advance the number of players.

2 hours ago, TauntaunScout said:

But he's talking about buying Speeder Bikes already, so that's another $17 or so to account for. Stormtrooper squad is $19 or so. The dice are at least $12. You're already up to $48 of the $72. It's only $24 difference. May as well save up another month while you paint the first core set. If he lives in an active community he can sell his rebels for way more than $30 and pay less than your proposed $115 in the end. If he doesn't have a community he'll need that army to loan out.

So for less than $115 he'd get 800 points and the dice, rulers, and barricades for free.

To Idjmv, here's something someone might not have explained yet: the core set doesn't come with enough dice to roll the base attacks of basic units like Vader without memorizing your roll and re-rolling. You WILL end up wanting more dice, so the cost of a pack of dice has to be factored into all calculations.

I thought I could just use one set of dice. I was so wrong... If you need to save money, you can't afford NOT to buy 2 core sets, or at least find another player to swap core set contents with.

There’s of course also the issue of equipment. If he isn’t planning on getting the Speeder Bike expansions, and expansion units of snowtroopers or stormtroopers, getting only core sets means he won’t have access to Impact grenades and Grappling Hooks or the comm jammers Upgrade as all those don’t show up in the core set.