Anyone know if FFG has plans to make the hero miniatures available for separate purchase? I know that each faction has a new box sets of three heroes but I'm asking about the leaders currently available only in the Dust Tactics expansions (e.g., Markus from Seelowe) or currently unavailable from the original Dust Tactics core set (e.g., Sigrid).

I could see buying the expansions if I planned to play Tactics but I'm really only interested in Dust Warfare as a tabletop miniatures game. Paying $40 for two minis just isn't worth it.

Marximus said:

At this time they have no plans to release them.

Proxy, modifcation, or alternative mini's are your best bet.

or you could boy the box set and split the cost with an opposing faction player that's what I did to get my Angela model. I have a friend who is the happy new owner of a Chef model.

It is not that bad if you really really want that character. Spending 30-40 bucks to get 2 character figures is quite a bit by dust standards, especially if you don't play dust tactics. If you do play tactics then you get some good stuff for the money. If you don't play tactics and if you only want the characters, it is a little bit pricey. But when you factor in what some of the characters give to your army when you add them in, it really isn't outrageous or anything like that. Just pretend you are buying 40k models that day. To spend 20 bucks per model for GW special characters is a good price price for that system and they don't give you tank traps and ammo crates terrain for free

If you really want that Angela or Markus model for your army for example, then you pay the piper. The ones in the campaign boxes are normally the most powerful of the powerful as well and so you pay the premium for them. Again, it seems like more money if you don't want the tactics stuff. And the hero box 3 packs that are available are actually a great deal. Even after shipping, it is only 16 bucks to my door for it and you get 3 really cool heroes to play with… and they are pretty good too. I know people that would easily pay 16 bucks just to have Action Jackson for their army all by himself. One of the most fun allied lists I have played was an Action Jackson with Red Devils, Rhino with Hammers and BBQ squad, 3 platoon 350 point list where they all had airdrop. It was soo much fun and I would have payed 16 bucks just for the thrill I got out of that one game… and I have the model forever along with 2 other heroes that I am sure I will use at some point. I am looking forward to using the badass in alist, and medal of honour sounds sweet as well.

I don't have the axis hero box yet but I am sure I will soon. Zombies are just too good to pass up for long and the axis box gives you both zombie heroes… worth 16 bucks to any zombie lover for those two alone, I would think.

Proxy till they release the rumored heroes box for warfare.

Strombole said:

I have my cart loaded at Coolstuff with the base set and a few axis expansions and had originally planned to get the gorillas. I held off because I wondered whether it would be worth it without Markus. Based on your comment, I'm thinking about going for zombies instead and picking up the hero pack.

But the gorillas look sooooo cool… In terms of performance on the battlefield, does it make much of a difference having a zombie hero with a zombie squad (and likewise for gorillas)? Or, should I just get a squad of zombies and a squad of gorillas and forgo the heroes altogether?

I haven't seen them in action too much, but considering that you have to push the zombies and gorillas into close combat, they are likely going to get shot up a lot. I think they would certainly be better with heroes attached, or if you just have a whole bunch of units of them, then that would work too.

I've played with both Zombies and Gorillas. Without heroes, they are wasted AP unless you bring several squads of them and are using them as meat shields. With heroes, they are awesome! Especially the Gorillas. Markus' Charge Special Ability gives them a 21" threat range to attack. With the Sturmgrenadiere Kommandotrupp-led Platoon, a Blitzkrieg order extends that to 27" ignoring terrain less than 6" high (climb). Absolutely devastating.

If Markus gets a squad of Gorillas in range, something will die.

felkor said:

I agree with shadowace. Consider this. A unit of Zombies with Totenmeister. Between the blitzkrieg order, march move and fast, they are moving 24" on one turn. No matter the deployment type tat puts them right down your throat in one turn. Between the 6 models, that's 9 wounds with armour save 3 and no suppression. You will have to throw the kitchen sink at them to keep them from assaulting you with panzer gloves and the Blut kreuz next turn. And if you can manage somehow to kill enough of them with concentrated fire ( considering wiederbelebungsserum lets totenmeister roll a dice for each wound he takes and recover the wound on each hit plus giving him the medic rule for the zombie unit) you probably shot at them with everything you could. That unit with hero is 47 points. Even in a 200 point game, there is another 150 out there that you didn't deal with by trying to kill enough of the zombies to keep them from unleashing 10 panzer gloves plus all the combat attacks of the blut kreuz. When you consider that there are gorillas and zombies right behind them and walkers taking shots at your units and suppressing them, it is a scary proposition. I really think the scariest lists right now could possibly be zombie/gorilla heavy lists And as Shadowace said, Markus and gorillas are pretty terrifying. And you don't have to build all gorilla or all zombie platoons to accomplish this. In fact, I think it is better not to as you would lose the support slots and the cheap walker support. Between the sturmgrenadiere platoon (which you want for the blitzkrieg order (and a unit of gorillas can go in the 2nd section) and the blutkreuz platoon (where you could get 3 more units of zombies or gorillas) you could make a scary fast army with lots of zombies and gorillas AND walker support. With sturmpioniere leading the blutkreuz platoon you could even bring back any non-zombie casualties that didn't get saved by the medic/sserum and bring them back as more zombies.

Strombole said:

Yep. Markus and a Gorilla squad is another 48. That leaves 105 points in a 200 point game, and 205 in a 300, for long range suppression.

Also, it's pronounced, "Shadow Force" not "ace". Years ago when I came up with the name, I wasn't aware of Internet leet-speak making 4's into A's, lol.

Sorry about that Shadowforce

I think I might try a 300 point list based on those platoons I mentioned with totenmeister led zombies and Markus led gorillas. Heck, I will even buy the lightning war platoon upgrade. If I get the unprepared deployment, look out! If I don't, well then the Hans can still come in from reserve using lightning war and be very threatening to the enemy (Although if I read the rules correctly, just having fast and reserved rules would allow for an automatic "lightning war" move without using the platoon upgrade). Especially if they leave a 12" space in the rear of a tank. Flank a tank!

Strombole said:

Nom, nom, nom… Sounds delicious! Yeah, a Hans coming on board behind even a heavy is a threat. Which is why I recommend taking two.