bad timing for a n00b?

I think I picked a very bad time to stumble on AT-43. This is a table-top war-game similar to Warhammer 40'000. But instead of being a fully comprehensive hobby including miniatures-building and collecting, AT-43 is more of a straight-forward customizable skirmish miniature-gaming. How straight-forward? Read an army-book, and together with the freebies from Rackham's own website full of preview materials, you can start building your army. So really, AT-43 has one of the more affordable start-up costs for gaming.

But... naturally, that doesn't stop me from foolishly spending a bunch of money. Here's my first legally playable company:Like WH40k, AT-43 requires a playable army follow a specific pattern. In gaming terms, it's what makes playing a game balanced. In WH40k you need a powerful unit known as an "HQ" and then a pair of regular units known as "Troops." This is known as the regular "Organization Chart." In AT-43, the same sort of thing is called a "platoon pattern." But this is where things kind of fall apart for me.

Last week being an impatient idiot, I randomly grabbed a "Hero" box from the shelf. Thankfully, after reading the Therians army-book, I found a pattern I can legally follow using her as the priority-slot on the pattern (it's called the Web-Striders faction). But now I've also picked up a unit of Bane Goliaths for her to join (since fielding her alone would be kind of ridiculous).

Now... naturally, you ask, if I say it's cheap to start-up... how much? I'll be bluntly honest.
The Nina-Zero/Babylon-Zero hero box was $45 (I've forgotten to photograph the large Babylon-Zero model). And the Bane Goliath set of 3 was $45. And to at least play the game, I've already purchased the army-book about $18. So even before the rule-book (which I bought even though it's not particularly necessary to get started), I've already spent just over $100.

Now here is where we get to: Just because it's playable, will it be enjoyable. In my experience, the answer will likely be "no." You can only do so much with a single unit. I'm sure I could wreck havoc but how much strategy can be had with a single team of fighters? Not much. Run, shoot, hide, shoot, and then run some more. But I can tell you right off the top where you find savings... It's time. And you won't be investing in tools and paint either.

...now that I'm out of my little high from reading the books for the first time... I should probably start shopping around. But the fact is, I would much rather support my local stores because if not, there's a small chance they'll stop carrying AT-43 now that the news has broken: Fantasy Flight Games will no longer be distributing for Rackham. It's time to rally!!! Show support so that Rackham will find a new distributor or ...something.