Quote: (Evil and Chaos @ 03 Jul. 2009, 13:06 )
I was theoryhammering what would be needed for a new boxed set a few years back and came up with something like:
EPIC STARTER SET - THE WAR FOR MACGRAGGE
(at the time 'The Battle For MacGragge' was the 40k starter set)
- New Space Marine sprue x4
- Tyranid infantry sprue x4
- New Tyranid Sprue x1
- Epic Ruins sprue x4
- Rulebook containing Core rules, plus Tyranid & Codex Marine rules
- Dice & whippy stick
- Plastic Blast Markers
New Space Marine sprue would contain 15 Tacticals, 5 Devestators, 5 Assault Marines, 2 Rhinos.
Meaning that 4x sprues would give a full battle company (60 Tactical, 20 Devestator, 20 Assault).
New Tyranid Sprue would contain a Hive Tyrant, 3x Biovores, 3x Zoanthropes and 3x plastic carnifexes.
The two new sprues would cost about £25,000-£30,000 to have created, with the Marine one being a bit cheaper as vehicles can be done in Zinc.
So there you go, contents of a starter set that introduces one new army, and updates the ancient models of another, for a low low price.
Comes in at around 1000pts per side and it could be done in a considerably smaller box than the standard 40k/WHFB or even old Epic boxes and maybe a lower price tag.
You need to weigh up the armies involved. Are SM really entrenched at Epic level, could something radical like Nids and Tau work.
Alternatively a starter kit of everything to play the game plus your choice of 2 starter armies. If you assume new sprues need to be made then an entire core force could be designed to fit a sprue (Main infantry types and transports/tanks)
Probably a bit too much wishful thinking.