The True Cost Of A Bargain

I have been thinking about the Island of Blood starter set, which is soon to be released.

Now I know you don't get something for nothing, but when I got tired of WFB last year and decided to start a 40k army I listened to the advice on podcasts and went for the Assualt on Black Reach starter set.... 'its' great value!'... or so Chipley said....

At the time I was torn between an IG army, that I was going to paint as a Police division - I really like the idea of Cadian's with 'Politizei' transfers on their helmets, and Chimeras converted to riot vehicles - a Space Wolf army - because I had read the first Space Wolf trilogy - and a bunch of Orks - well because I have always liked Orks/Orcs.

When I bought the boxset I was still torn between whether to paint the Marines or the Orks. The decision was pretty straight forward once I looked at the figures and my Ork army was born - and in part because I couldn't get my head around the unit construction in a Space Wolf army.

I then got a good deal on the Ork megaforce - which was sweet because whatever else I bought I was going to need 60 boyz as the basis for my army. I have bought various other bits and pieces, and the majority of the army has been painted - but largely it has become a project that has sat on the back burner, and the figures have been waiting patiently in their case.

We'll leave aside for a moment that I did try to sell it on ebay - and I have to admit that I am rather glad that no one was willing to pay my 'reasonable' price.

The problem I have now is that when writing a list, I have a whole bunch of stuff that I don't want.

My current thinking is that I want two battlewagons with a Mek and 4 meganobz in each, two deff dreads, 2 blocks of thirty boyz as my troops, some looted wagons with boom guns, and some fast attack stuff. The trouble is that I have a host of nobs, bikerz, gyrocopters, a warboss, a trukk, and burnaboyz that don't really have a place in my army.

And far from saving me money, by buying the things the way I did, I am in a position in which I will have to spend roughly the same amount that I have already spent in order to get what I want - i.e. I will have to spend twice as much because of my attempted thrift.

Which brings me to the Island of Blood.

I found myself yesterday idly speculating about buying the boxset for the rule book and maybe keeping one or other of the armies when I was reminded of my folly with the Orks. And also reminded that I am not made of money. And then further reminded that High Elves and Skaven are two of my least favourite armies.

When I first played Warhammer getting on for twenty years ago, my regular oponent had High Elves against my Dwarfs. Perhaps it is the grudge bearing Dwarf in me that has kept this passion burning brightly. Yes I know they do compete in every aspect of the game, but they are still High Elves!

And I, perhaps, would consider the Skaven, if only to get to use the Screaming Bell and the warp lighting cannon, but when I went had a look at what I would need to buy in order to get a decent force, and thought of the time it would take to paint, and the reality that were I to go down this path I would be a) inviting madness, and b) once more delaying the army that I really do want - namely Orcs and Goblins.

Well let's just say I pulled myself up short.

We are all well aware of the Crackhammer nature of the hobby - and how easy it is to get sidetracked between projects - but sometimes one does need to find some focus.

Right - focus.... repeat after me 'I am going to buy nothing more from the Island of Blood set than the rulebook on ebay....'

And after the Ogres are finished and I am given say relaease from child care to play them, the next task is to get on with the Orks.

Oh and while I think about it.

Last week I ordered some steel paper from Products for Wargamers along with some magnets from Maelstrom - the magnets were out of stock - oh and it may or may not be of relevance to the story that money had to be transfered into paypal to pay for the steel paper. Anywho... the magnets duely arrived but no steel paper. So after paranoidly checking that I had given the correct address, I emailed to enquire if the order had been sent. They said it had. So I emailed back to make sure there was a proof of postage etc should I have to make a claim for lost post. As with the way of these things, this morning the package arrived.

I mention this more as an anecdote regarding the ineffable law that post always arrives the day after you contact to find out where it is - or not in the case of post that is lost (but that breaks the rule and spoils my moral tale).

oh and the steel paper is excellent and I would heartily recommend both retailers.

peace:)