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Guys, say we meet up at a FLGS. Instead of a codex/army book I have a tablet with the codex/army book on it. My reasoning is that my codex is getting beat up taking it everywhere with me, and this will especially be the case with the new hard backs.

What's your response to this? On one side I COULD be pirating the book, on the other the reasoning isn't too unbelievable.

I find the concept of pirating a 30 dollar book while fielding a 300 dollar army a bit absurd.

I know a few people that do the same thing except they but the army books when they come out and just get a pdf copy so no one hates.

I would say buy the book because it is kind of lets put it this way there is a writer that spends his time writing it and he does deserve to get paid.
Anyways I have no problem if you check out the army book or codex online and such to see if you like what you see but most of the time if its on a pdf most people take very long to find a rule or something when they need it so the book is easier and better.

I was thinking about this the other day tho buy a copy of the book and get a code to down load it for free off itunes or the gw site using the code. I would have no problem with that personally.

But ya if they are slow finding stuff it is very aggravating if it takes so long.

Oh, I'm totally in favor of getting the books. In regards to fantasy, I love the fluff. As for 40k...well still I've no problem getting the book. It's just books like my IG codex, or my old VC book...yeah they aren't looking so hot anymore.

I was wondering how long it would take to look stuff up. I don't own a tablet, but surely there's a way to set up chapters and stuff right? Like skip to a certain section at the touch of a button.

Also, one thing I adamantly opposed is dice rolling on a tablet, or any other electronic device.

Yes there is scrolling but those people that have it on tablet usually dont know it inside and out like some of us book readers
My friend did it and i almost strangled him since it took him so long to find the page he needed.

GROSSSSSSS!!!!!!! Ya no electronic dice rolling. If I didnt get to roll me my dice then I would quit this game so fast

I do want a gw electronic codex/ army book copy Since my BA and Woc book and mini rule book is dying on me :(

Lol, idk. I've been IG since I started 40k, still can't remember some weapon stats. I guess I just need to play more. Guess it's numbers vs fluff thing. I can't begin to tell you the point cost or stats for any VC unit, but I can tell you about all 5 of the different vampires and their histories.

I've only had one person try the e-dice on me. Can't recall if it was a tourny or not, but he was real quick about it and never showed me the results soooo yeah I'm sure he cheated a time or two.

Personally I get myself a pdf copy of the book when deciding about a new army but after decision is made, I always buy the book. Especially the new hardcover O&G rulebook is so intimidating as a weapon!

angelshade00 wrote:Personally I get myself a pdf copy of the book when deciding about a new army but after decision is made, I always buy the book. Especially the new hardcover O&G rulebook is so intimidating as a weapon!

IDK, 41 pts (USD) is bit much for a great weapon! Sure it's effective, but at that price, sheesh.

Necroshea wrote:

angelshade00 wrote:Personally I get myself a pdf copy of the book when deciding about a new army but after decision is made, I always buy the book. Especially the new hardcover O&G rulebook is so intimidating as a weapon!

IDK, 41 pts (USD) is bit much for a great weapon! Sure it's effective, but at that price, sheesh.

Imagine though, almost everyone still have the old rulebooks. I am the only one so far with a hardcover book. It's scary! Plus, it doubles as a shield too. And as a throwing weapon. I love my book.

The BRB is better. GW that causes d3 wounds!

Cerebrium wrote:The BRB is better. GW that causes d3 wounds!

Yes but has the always strike last rule. Too bulky. It does make up for it with the d3 wounds of course.

It also give you loremaster

1.) Every pdf-copy floating around is illegal. I won't believe that you scanned the army book yourself (damaging it severely in the process).
2.) Putting a pdf-copy on a 500$ tablet just so your 30$ book doesn't get beaten up is also absurd. Better buy a home and a gaming copy.
3.) It is easy to manipulate pdfs. I wouldn't trust them as I trust an army book.

Kroothawk wrote:1.) Every pdf-copy floating around is illegal. I won't believe that you scanned the army book yourself (damaging it severely in the process).
2.) Putting a pdf-copy on a 500$ tablet just so your 30$ book doesn't get beaten up is also absurd. Better buy a home and a gaming copy.
3.) It is easy to manipulate pdfs. I wouldn't trust them as I trust an army book.

I've made pdf copies. It doesnt damage the book if you do it right. The binding on my ig codex was too stiff, so I used my high-res digital camera. Its perfectly legible. And I do it with all of my codices because in my line of work, I have lots of down time, so I carry my tablet with my codices loaded on it, so I dont have to carry 20+ books around with me. They get real heavy, real fast. That way I can make up an army list real quick if I get inspired by something. The only books I actually carry are my brb and usually my guard codex, since I use them the most. Its actually helped me find page references when posting on dakka. And I always have my hard copy available for games.

My tablet was $220.
My codices (26x$30) cost roughly 650-700, since not all of them were $30 when I bought them. This doesnt include the 4 rulebooks I have. Two of them are 3rd edition, cause I thought I lost one, and bought a replacement. I did have a pdf for it, but I bought it anyways because I dont like it when people say my pdf files are illegal.

Kroothawk wrote:1.) Every pdf-copy floating around is illegal. I won't believe that you scanned the army book yourself (damaging it severely in the process).
2.) Putting a pdf-copy on a 500$ tablet just so your 30$ book doesn't get beaten up is also absurd. Better buy a home and a gaming copy.
3.) It is easy to manipulate pdfs. I wouldn't trust them as I trust an army book.

1.) Use someone elses. If you own the book, I can hardly see why getting someone else's off the net would be illegal. (I'm not pretending to know the law here. I fully well accept the likelihood that I might be wrong about this)
2.) Never said you would buy the tablet specifically for that use. Yes, getting a tablet to carry around an electronic army book is quite absurd, but in this situation, someone simply has one and decides to put their books on it.
3.) Sounds like you need to hang around better players if trust issues are that bad.

Still, valid points regardless.

Necroshea wrote:Oh, I'm totally in favor of getting the books. In regards to fantasy, I love the fluff. As for 40k...well still I've no problem getting the book. It's just books like my IG codex, or my old VC book...yeah they aren't looking so hot anymore.

I was wondering how long it would take to look stuff up. I don't own a tablet, but surely there's a way to set up chapters and stuff right? Like skip to a certain section at the touch of a button.

Also, one thing I adamantly opposed is dice rolling on a tablet, or any other electronic device.

Yeah, if you have adobe reader, you can set up bookmarks for whatever pages you want, be they special rules, wargear, the army list, or even the summary.

And rolling electronic dice is silly. Theres no easy way to prove that the program hasnt been tampered with, or that it was even designed properly in the first place.

Not to mention there's just something satisfying about trying to roll more die than you can physically hold. Lasguns coupled with FRFSRF come to mind.

Oh undoubtedly.

Nocturn I can see that that makes sense with the pdfs and such.
Personally the people I know as I have said before and are very slow with it I dont mind it on a screen and I play for the fun of the game so Im not too worried about ti being modified or anything its just the time it takes to find it is excruciating.

Rolling more than you can hold is wonderful feels even better if you get to roll a ton of dice (unless its to save your guys).

If the book gets dropped, sit on, stolen or spilled with beer, I rather like it to be the paper copy than a tablet.
And yes, owning a legal copy doesn't allow you to own an illegal copy as well.

Kroothawk wrote:If the book gets dropped, sit on, stolen or spilled with beer, I rather like it to be the paper copy than a tablet.
And yes, owning a legal copy doesn't allow you to own an illegal copy as well.

I have a water/shockproof case for it, and I never let it out of my sight. If you'll recall, in my earlier post I stated that I use my hard copies for my games, not the tablet, so it certainly limits the opportunity of it being stolen.

The laws my be different in Germany, but in the U.S., if you own some form of media, be it a CD, movie, or book, you have the legal right to own other copies of it, provided that you do not distribute it or utilize it for personal gain.

And I would love for someone to try and steal it from me while I'm at work.

Except the GW books say that "NO part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means"

Gamesworkshop Copyrights their stuff in the United States, so it is illegal to copy any part of their books without permission.


Basically, only portions of books like the Fallen Giant Template or Foot of Gork pages may be copied(and only for personal use)

According to USlegal definitions:

A library is a collection of books or other written or printed materials, including manuscripts and pamphlets, posters, photographs, motion pictures, and videotapes, sound recordings, and computer databases.

In accordance with:
TITLE 17 > CHAPTER 1 > § 108 of the United States Code:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title and notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, it is not an infringement of copyright for a library or archives...to reproduce no more than one copy or phonorecord of a work, except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), or to distribute such copy or phonorecord, under the conditions specified by this section, if—
(1) the reproduction or distribution is made without any purpose of direct or indirect commercial advantage;

No commercial advantage or monetary gain, no copyright infringement.

Just throwing this out there, I've heard GW is notorious for trying to make up their own laws.

Emphasis on heard.

Also, the below statement isn't in any of the codices I own, nor is it in the brb.

"NO part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means"

@ Kroothawk: Most modern smartphones (which most people seem to have now) have PDF viewers so you hardly need to buy a special tablet PC. I used a PDF for my ork codex when the binding started to weaken on the centre pages I'm not paying GW another 17.50 for a book I already own because its falling appart. I still own the original copy OFC but I dont use it much.

@Necroshea: Although GW are awesome at making up their own laws I very much doubt they il ever bug an individual over having his codex PDFd to his Iphone or simillar. I always use my smart phone for carrying round the FAQs and Errata documents too as you can view them on the fly without having tonnes of bits of paper wedged in your rulebook/army book. Not to mention I have my actual army list itself on my phone too normally.

While GW might not sue you, they could ban you from Tournaments.

And most Independent tournaments will also require an actual copy of the codex/army book. How do they know you havn't altered it?