Eleganza Extravaganza!

Today we are going to talk about extravagance.

Also, if you've not watched any of RuPaul's drag contests, you're missing out.

Right now I'm reading Double Eagle by Dan Abnett, a book about an air war during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. Most often we get to watch the foot soldiers, sometimes with tanks, those offer nice human faces we can experience the 40k universe through. In a few of my favorite examples we scale up to Titan's and their crews duking it out like gods. But only in some short stories that I have found do we get to hang out with pilots. This book is 40k Top Gun, and I'm enjoying it.

But I'm not actually here to do a book review, I'm here to talk about an army that was inspired by Double Eagle, the costs of the army, and the costs of getting it painted.

Alright, here is the Phantine Skyborne army list I will be working from at 2000 points.

HQ

235 Company Command, 2 plasmaguns, vox caster, medic, carapace armor, 2 body guards, plasma pistol, officer of the fleet, astropath

Troops

165 10 Veterans, Grenadiers, 3 plasmaguns, vox caster, missile launcher

165 10 Veterans, Grenadiers, 3 plasmaguns, vox caster, missile launcher

165 10 Veterans, Grenadiers, 3 plasmaguns, vox caster, missile launcher

150 10 Veterans, Grenadiers, 3 meltaguns, vox caster, missile launcher

150 10 Veterans, Grenadiers, 3 meltaguns, vox caster, missile launcher

Fast Attack

260 2 vendettas

260 2 vendettas

260 2 vendettas

Heavy Support

190 Thunderbolt Fighter, Chaff Launcher 

Alright, the Forge World order will give me 65 troops to work with, lascannon kits for the Valkyries, 5 sets of weapons( for 10 total meltaguns and 11 plasmaguns), 6 missile launchers, and the Thunderbolt. Total $792.45, but hey free shipping.

 

From GW 6 Valkyrie kits, a Lord Commissar, a Primaris Psyker, and a group of Regimental Advisors comes out to $444.25.

Now to get them all Microart Bases. I chose the desert theme because they have them in all the correct sizes and in Double Eagle, the ground battles have so far been in the desert. 

7 sets of 25mm bases is $41.93, 6 60mm bases for the missiles is $53.94, and 7 120mm bases for the flyers is  $125.93. 

The cost of models so far is $1,236.70. Accessories are $221.80. 

For a total materials cost of $1,458.50.  Excluding tax and shipping. 

Alright, now to get them painted, I would use Thomas aka. Goatboy. Because I know him, I like his work, and he does it for a reasonable price. You can find his services at http://fullofmonkey.com. 

I would be going for a light-medium gray with dark blue accents for my drop troop army. 

For the troops at his Tier 1 paint level for all 60 25mm based soldiers would be about $600, build costs of $1-$3 each, and a painting cost of $8.00. 

For the 6 missile teams on 40mm bases it would be $96. Build costs of $3-$5 each, and a painting cost of $12 each. 

For the command squad, advisers, and extra HQ models for options we get $140 at his Tier 2 painting. With build costs of $1-$3 each, and a painting cost of $12 each. 

For the 6 Vendettas painted at Tier 1 we get $210, build cost $5-$15 each, and painting of $20-$30 each. 

And finally for the Thunderbolt I would want something special, so Tier 2 painting for this fighter ace. About $115, the Forge World model prices vary greatly. Build cost $20-$50, and fancy Tier 2 painting $60-$100. 

Painting total costs roughly $951.

Alright that brings our grand total for an almost entirely Forge World army, all in flyers, with professional painting to $2,409.50. That includes free shipping on all the models, but taxes for all of it and shipping on the bases would be extra. 

So there we have it folks, if I won the lottery I would be paying off my student loans, and my girlfriends, pre paying rent for a year on an apartment, buying all the equipment I need to start a law practice out of my home or an office, then buying an entire fancy 40k army and having it painted.