Starter sets & expansions
Gundam Assemble Deluxe Set 01 Review - Battle of A Baoa Qu Box Guide
Complete guide to Gundam Assemble Deluxe Set 01, the premium 5-on-5 scenario box featuring 13 miniatures and the Battle of A Baoa Qu.
Gundam Assemble Deluxe Set 01 (DX01) is Bandai’s premium entry in the tabletop miniatures game lineup, built specifically to scale the base game from three-on-three skirmishes to full five-on-five battles. At a $100 MSRP, this set delivers the most content-dense package available at launch, centering on the Battle of A Bao A Qu scenario from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series.
The set launched in November 2026 after slipping from its original October release window at several retailers, suggesting Bandai prioritized getting the more affordable Starter Set 01 into new players’ hands first. Showcased publicly at Gen Con 2026 alongside the starter box, Deluxe Set 01 positions itself as the format’s answer for players who have outgrown teaching scenarios but are not yet ready to build fully custom squads from scratch.
What’s Inside Gundam Assemble Deluxe Set 01
Gundam Assemble Deluxe Set 01 includes 13 miniatures in total, making it easily the most miniature-heavy product in the October 2026 launch wave. The set reuses the Witch from Mercury cast—Gundam Aerial, Gundam Darilbalde, and Gundam Pharact—all supplied unpainted and unassembled, but drops them into a scenario themed on the Battle of A Bao A Qu, a Universal Century engagement from an entirely different era of the timeline.
The complete contents breakdown:
- 13 unpainted, unassembled miniatures
- Full set of unit cards
- Full set of tactics cards
- Set of game tokens
- Two scenario objective cards
- Two separate game maps
- Set of cardboard terrain objects
- Dedicated set of 10-sided dice
- Handbook
- Two quick reference rule sheets
Unlike expansion packs, which ship without boards, dice, or terrain and are designed to plug into an existing starter set, Deluxe Set 01 functions as a standalone product. Every component needed to run the included scenarios comes in the box, making it accessible to players who want to jump directly into larger battles without buying a starter set first.
The Battle of A Baoa Qu Scenario
The headline five-on-five story scenario centers on the Battle of A Bao A Qu, the climactic final engagement of the One Year War fought at Zeon’s heavily fortified space colony turned fortress in the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam continuity. The scenario features two battleship-class units squaring off against each other, giving Deluxe Set 01 a scale and strategic depth the smaller three-on-three boxes cannot match on their own.
Beyond the main scenario, the set ships with four total scenarios:
- The headline five-on-five Battle of A Bao A Qu story scenario
- One additional universal five-on-five scenario
- Two smaller three-on-three scenarios for players not yet ready to field a full 10-unit battle
This scenario-first structure separates Gundam Assemble from pure competitive ladder games. Narrative-driven matches recreating iconic anime battles sit right alongside open build-your-own-squad play in the same rulebook, giving every box at least one guided way to play straight out of the shrink wrap.
The Battle of A Bao A Qu carries real narrative weight for anyone who has seen the original anime. Giving that specific battle the deluxe treatment as Gundam Assemble’s first major scenario box signals which moments in the wider franchise Bandai considers essential enough to build a whole product around.
Cross-Series Design Philosophy in Action
The set exemplifies Gundam Assemble’s original cross-world scenario philosophy by pairing Witch from Mercury suits with a Universal Century engagement. Mobile Suit Gundam The Witch from Mercury only finished airing in Japan in 2023, making it the most recent source series represented anywhere in the October 2026 launch wave. The deliberate mismatch stages matchups the source material never depicted on screen, letting a player field cutting-edge 2023-era suits in a climactic 1979 battle.
This cross-series approach plays out inside a single box rather than requiring separate purchases. The same three Witch from Mercury miniatures also appear in Expansion Pack 02, giving Bandai an early example of reusing tooling across two different price tiers and product formats simultaneously, which likely helped keep both boxes cost-competitive at launch.
Who Should Buy Deluxe Set 01
Tabletop coverage labeled Deluxe Set 01 as the deluxe starter set in its own right, positioning it for players in a specific transition stage. The set targets players who have outgrown Starter Set 01’s teaching scenarios but are not yet ready to build fully custom squads entirely from scratch.
The value proposition breaks down by experience level:
New players: Deluxe Set 01 offers a complete entry point with every component needed to play, though the $100 price point and five-on-five complexity make Starter Set 01’s $35 three-on-three format a more accessible on-ramp for total beginners.
Starter Set owners: Players who have mastered the teaching scenarios in Starter Set 01 gain access to larger battles, battleship-class units, and narrative scenarios without needing to purchase multiple expansion packs.
Experienced miniature gamers: The set delivers genuine tactical depth through its five-on-five format and scenario-driven structure, giving established war game players a reason to jump in at a higher tier rather than starting with the basic box.
Assembly and Hobby Work
Like every product in the Gundam Assemble line, all 13 miniatures finish at roughly 5 cm (approximately 2 inches) tall and ship completely unpainted and unassembled. Players are expected to snap or glue the parts together and paint them before playing a match. There is no pre-built option at any price tier.
The kits follow standard Gunpla assembly conventions. Bandai even sells a dedicated Nero 1 paint pack accessory bundle for players starting from zero hobby experience. Early coverage consistently notes that cleanup and painting represent genuinely rewarding hobby work, and Gunpla veterans in particular will feel instantly at home with the build process even once the drastically smaller scale takes some adjusting to.
Reviewers who examined early releases flagged real mold lines that demand cleanup work before painting can start. The plastic itself ships on chunky runners and sits noticeably cheaper than comparable Games Workshop miniatures, though not quite as crisp in finer sculpted detail. Sanding sticks are recommended over standard hobby knives for cleanup on certain kits.
Comparison to Other Launch Products
| Product | Price | Miniatures | Scenario Count | Max Battle Size | Includes Board/Dice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Set 01 | $35 | 6 | 2 | 3v3 | Yes |
| Deluxe Set 01 | $100 | 13 | 4 | 5v5 | Yes |
| Expansion Pack 01 | $40 | 3 | 0 | - | No |
| Expansion Pack 02 | $40 | 3 | 0 | - | No |
Deluxe Set 01 sits between the mass-market entry point of Starter Set 01 and the modular expansion packs. At $100, it costs nearly three times the starter but delivers more than double the miniature count and scales battles to five-on-five with four dedicated scenarios.
The set’s November 2026 release timing, pushed back from the October wave that included the starter and two expansion packs, suggests Bandai wanted new players to begin with the more affordable and accessible teaching box before stepping up to the premium product.
Release Schedule Context
Bandai committed to a release cadence closer to a trading card game than a typical model line. Reporting from mid-2026 detailed six products landing across January, February, and March 2027 alone, including four more $40 expansion packs, a $170 Deluxe Set 03, and the format’s first-ever $55 scenario pack. More than 30 total items are planned worldwide within the first year.
Deluxe Set 01 represents just one step in an aggressive rollout schedule. Bandai has already signaled more scenario-focused content with a dedicated Scenario Pack 01 announced for early 2027, suggesting scenario design will grow as its own distinct product category rather than staying a bonus tucked inside other boxes. Treating scenarios as standalone products sold apart from new miniatures is unusual for a plastic model company and indicates Bandai sees the storytelling layer as valuable independent of which suits happen to be in a player’s collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Deluxe Set 01 suitable for beginners?
Deluxe Set 01 includes all components needed to play, making it technically accessible to new players. However, the $100 price point and five-on-five complexity mean Starter Set 01’s $35 three-on-three format offers a gentler learning curve and lower financial commitment for total beginners.
Can I use Deluxe Set 01 miniatures with Starter Set 01?
Yes. The 5 cm miniature scale and card-based rules remain consistent across all Gundam Assemble products. Suits from Deluxe Set 01 integrate seamlessly into existing starter box squads for custom scenario or competitive play.
Do the miniatures come painted?
No. Like all Gundam Assemble products, the 13 miniatures in Deluxe Set 01 ship unpainted and unassembled. Players are expected to cut, clean, assemble, and paint the parts before playing, following standard Gunpla hobby conventions.
What makes the Battle of A Bao A Qu scenario special?
The Battle of A Bao A Qu recreates the climactic final engagement of the One Year War from the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam series. The scenario features battleship-class units and five-on-five scale, offering narrative weight and tactical depth beyond the teaching scenarios in smaller boxes.
Can I play without owning Starter Set 01?
Yes. Deluxe Set 01 includes two game maps, dice, terrain, tokens, and reference sheets, making it a standalone product. Unlike expansion packs, which require a starter set’s board and components, Deluxe Set 01 provides everything needed to play the included scenarios.