Expanding your Spearhead to 1,000 points

Your Spearhead box is already a good chunk of a full-size army. The models don't change when you move up to 1,000 points — what changes is that you choose what goes in the army, instead of the box choosing for you. That freedom is exciting, and it's also where most wasted money happens. Here's how to do it deliberately.

How a full-size army is put together

In Spearhead, your army is fixed. In full Age of Sigmar you build a roster up to a points limit, and it's organised like this:

• Regiments — each one is a Hero plus the units they lead. Most of your army sits in regiments, and each regiment can deploy in one go.
• Your general — one of your Heroes leads the whole army.
• Battle profiles — Games Workshop's published points cost and unit size for every unit. Your army's total has to fit the game's points limit.
• Extras you choose — things like enhancements for your heroes, a battle formation for the whole army, and spell or prayer lores if you have Wizards or Priests.

The official Age of Sigmar app can build and check a roster for you, and it's the easiest way to see current points while you plan.

A buying order that avoids regret

1. 01

   Step 1

   Build a 'wish list' roster before you buy anything

   Put your whole Spearhead into a roster, see how many points it comes to, and note the gap to 1,000. Then try a few different ways of filling that gap on paper. It costs nothing, and it stops impulse buys.

2. 02

   Step 2

   Add a second Hero early

   Every regiment needs a Hero to lead it, so a second Hero is usually what lets you field a second regiment. Pick one that fits how your Spearhead already plays.

3. 03

   Step 3

   Fill the regiment with units that cover a weakness

   Look back at your Spearhead games. Did you lack something that hits hard, something that holds objectives, or something fast? Buy to fix that, not to duplicate what you already have.

4. 04

   Step 4

   Consider reinforcing units you already love

   Many units can be taken at double size as a reinforced unit. If a unit in your box has been pulling its weight, a second box of it can be a better buy than something new.

5. 05

   Step 5

   Leave the fancy extras for last

   Big centrepiece models, manifestations and faction terrain are great fun, but they're rarely what makes a first 1,000-point army work. Add them once the core is built and played.

Things I'd avoid

• Buying for a list you saw online. Competitive lists change with every points update; your first 1,000 points should suit how you like to play.
• Starting a second army at the same time. Finishing one army to 1,000 points teaches you far more than two half-finished ones.
• Assuming the Spearhead rules carry over. Spearhead's own card decks don't come with you; the transitioning guide covers exactly what does.

Next: Transitioning to full Age of Sigmar rules.