Review: Warhammer 40.000 & Age of Sigmar Christmas army boxes (inc. savings breakdown)

It’s that time of the year again when Games Workshop bundles up a set of army boxes offering savings of up to 40% compared to buying individually. This year, there are six Battleforces for Warhammer 40,000 and four for Age of Sigmar. Based on the experiences of previous years, they’ll sell out fast, especially at independent retailers, so preorder now. But which boxes are particularly worth it? Here comes our review and savings breakdown.

This year, there will be six Battleforces for Warhammer 40k, and four Battleforces for Age of Sigmar. The RRP of each 40 box will be £140 / 180 € / $230, while the AoS boxes are £135 / 175€ / $225. So compared to last year’s £130.00 boxes, there’s a £5/10 increase. Nevertheless, the boxes still offer substantial savings, some up to £100 / 40% off. The boxes will be up for preorder on Saturday, November 11th, 2023, with a preorder window of one week (not two, like the last couple of GW releases), so right now when you read this. The Battleforces are only available while stocks last. Based on previous years, I expect that the 40k boxes will sell out very quickly, so don’t hesitate if you want one.

Warhammer 40.000 Battleforces savings breakdown

• Space Marines – Spearhead Force: Perhaps the least attractive box, as the selection of models is very specific and may not suit every chapter. While it includes many of the recently released jump pack Marines, it also features Outriders, which many Space Marine collectors should already have. With approximately 30% savings, this box falls on the lower end. Total value: £197.50 / 257.50€ / $330.00
• Astra Militarum – Cadian Defence Force: The highlight of the box are the two Rogal Dorns, which can be relatively expensive when purchased individually. Otherwise, it offers more Cadian infantry and a Command Squad, which overlaps with the Combat Patrol. The savings are approximately 33% compared to buying the items individually. Total value: £207.50 / 275.00€ / $345.00
• World Eaters – Exalted of the Red Angel: In the case of the World Eaters, the inclusion of Angron is yet another centerpiece. Additionally, the Exalted Eightbound are quite expensive when purchased individually. All in all, the box provides the most points for the money, around 900 points, and the savings of 35% are very good. Total value: £215.00 / 285.00€ / $355.00
• Orks – Beast Snagga Stampede: The box offers a strong thematic focus, and it includes an expensive large model, the Kill Rig. However, the Beast Snagga Boyz have already been included in many sets. Nevertheless, the savings of approximately 37% are excellent. Total value: £220.00 / 287.50€ / $365.00
• Leagues of Votann – Defenders of the Ancestors: The box provides many Hearthguard and vehicles, making it an excellent addition to the Combat Patrol box. Furthermore, the savings of around 40% are the highest among all sets. Total value: £237.50 / 312.50€ / $385.00
• Tyranids – Onslaught Swarm: The box includes many of the new models and has no overlap with Leviathan, which is a plus. It also contains a large centrepiece model, the Norn Assimilator, which is rarely found in discount sets. However, the savings here are also “only” around 30%. Total value: £200.00 / 262.50€ / $330.00

Overall, these boxes offer great value despite a small price increase compared to previous years. Make your choice wisely and check our partner stores if the boxes are still available:

Age of Sigmar Battleforces savings breakdown

• Slaves to Darkness – Warhorde of Eternus: The box is also less attractive, as all models except for Eternus were already available in the army set and the Vanguard box. Nevertheless, the box provides a good foundation for a new army. The 30% savings are also rather moderate. Total value: £192.50 / 260.00€ / $310
• Seraphon – Primordial Starhost: The Seraphon Battleforce is one of the best boxes. Even though some models overlap with the Vanguard box, only models from the latest release wave are included, and the selection is well-balanced. Kudos for including the Hunters of Huanchi instead of the old Skink models. The 33% savings are okay. Total value: £202.50 / 267.50€ / $325
• Ossiarch Bonereapers – Praetorian Spearhead: The Bonereapers have a manageable number of kits, and many collectors may already have enough infantry and cavalry. The Morghast models are also somewhat older. However, the 41% savings are the highest among all the boxes. Total value: £230.00 / 300€ / $380
• Soulblight Gravelords – Vengorian Court: One of the less attractive boxes, as many models overlap with the Vanguard box. Additionally, the 30% savings are on the lower side. At least, there are a few critters. Total value: £192.50 / 250.00€ / $320

For me, the Age of Sigmar Battleforces seem slightly less well-put-together than the 40k boxes. Nevertheless, if you’re considering starting one of the four armies, there is no more budget-friendly way to lay the groundwork. I suspect that the Age of Sigmar boxes will not sell out as quickly as their 40k counterparts, so check here if the boxes are still available:

Where to get

Limited amounts of the Christmas army boxes will be available at our 🇬🇧/🇪🇺 partner stores Wayland Games, Element Games, and Firestorm Games, at 🇩🇪 Taschengelddieb and PK-Pro, and at 🇺🇸 Noble Knight Games, with a welcome discount of up to 20% over RRP. Using our links helps to support Tale of Painters at no additional cost to you, so thank you very much for using them!

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