It was not a popular set. You can buy a case of it for less than $100 today despite the fact the pieces are still legal.

I'll echo the majority. Counterassault is clearly the best stand-alone set. AoD may be the better choice to buy due to it lasting a year longer in tournamnet play and the mechs/card will combine with future mechs/cards.

If money is tight, I would not buy boosters -- focus on singles.

LI is a good set , but the clock is ticking. Retirement in just 10 months away. I would not buy boosters and end up with a lot of extra pieces that you cannot sell, trade, or play.

CA is a good set, but I read that it was "sold out" months ago. You may not find boosters.

FP has a few good vehicles and a lot of good infantry. If you want Clan Jade Falcon, then buy boosters, because you will probably get a bunch of Falcons. Otherwise, avoid the boosters because the mechs are a waste. No Bannsons or SW pieces in this set.

AoD is an interesting set -- Mechs with slots, gear, and pilots. AoD will be tourney legal longer than any of the previous sets. It also offers a good variety of pieces, just no RoTS or Liao. If really want to buy boosters, I would spend my money on AoD.

But really -- buy singles.

Another good strategy to get the most value for your money is to go to sealed events. You buy three boosters, get to play for some LE Mechs, and don't need to worry about going up against veteran players who already have the uber pieces. Some venues will even give you a deal on boosters you buy for events.

What is the best place to buy singles online? None of the retail stores or venues around here sell single pieces. I found singles on www.popularcollections.com, but a lot of their stuff was out of stock or too expensive (although infantry was priced really nicely).

I have had the best luck with eBay. There are a few sellers that open several cases and sell it all in nice sized lots. I try to buy several lots at once to save on shipping.

Other online sites tend to price their items high.

I can PM you the names of several sellers on eBay that I have dealt with and trust highly.