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I am considering changing my army management software. I currently use QuarterMaster. I am aware of Army Builder but have never actually tried it. What are the other options? Which one is best? Is it worth changing from QuarterMaster?

I use a variety of Apple Products, iMac, iPad, iPhone, if that makes a difference.

Thanks!

Quartermaster is a really good option for the devices you use, I will admit i like army builder more, its got a lot more tools and features than quartermaster and also seems to have rules updates quicker.

Excell. Oh wait, you don't have windows. In all seriousness, Army Builder should work well.

While I'm not familiar with quarter master our any of the others, I ADORE Battlescribe. It's fast, easy and updated frequently. The free version works very well for my purposes (basic to say the least) and the pay version looks to be even more useful. JUst a helpful alternative.

FM Argos

Army Builder is pretty good if you want to spend the money. Of course it has not been updated to 7th edition.

Battlescribe is free, and is available for most computers/smartphones. The files are generated by players, so you usually don't have to wait too long after a codex is released to get a file. Although there are occasional errors, most issues can be fixed yourself with a little time.

I forgot about battlescribe, that's another one that does work very well.

I still prefer army builder, i build the list on my computer and then through the app I can pull the lists up on my ipad.

I used to love ArmyBuilder, until 7th dropped... I paid $$ for it, yet its still not updated. But my free Battlescribe has already been updated..

Battlescribe. If you find an error in one of the lists, its pretty easy to fix yourself.

Never found a reason to use another but battlescribe.

Its just better, and free.

My personal preference is Army Builder, but as others have stated, it doesn't seem to have been updated for 7th Edition yet. Of course, if you're the kind of person who stays away from Unbound or multiple FOC, that's hardly an issue, seeing as how the standard FOC didn't change one bit.

I'd recommend giving Battlescribe a try before you get into Army Builder, though. I personally find Battlescribe to be really clunky (I often think that I'd be able to make lists faster using pen+paper or Excel, just typing/writing out units and upgrades), but a lot of other people seem to like it, plus it's free.

I love battlescribe. It's just brilliant.

Battlescribe is an excellent piece of software. Use it all the time. I don't think the guy has done a version for iPad yet, but he has iPhone/iPod and Mac versions.

Quartermaster has never let me down and the army lists get updated crazy fast! Love it on my ios devices!

Battlescribe, since it can abuse dropbox to synchronize data across platforms!

Thanks everyone. Sounds like Battlescribe might be a viable option but I don't hear an overwhelming reason to make the jump from QuarterMAster.

@RandomDude... I copy my army lists from the QM email output and put it in an Excell spreadsheet (yep MS makes Excell for Apple :-) In that spreadsheet I have all the special rules. I then use VLookUp to pull the pertinent rules into my army list. I then print from Excell so I have my army list and all list specific rules in hand as I play.

Thanks again!

Battlescribe is amazing. It's so good I bought it even though I didn't need to. Community updates it and does so often.

 urbanevil wrote:
I used to love ArmyBuilder, until 7th dropped... I paid $$ for it, yet its still not updated.

You paid for the program, not the datafiles. That's how they can operate without GW Legal coming down on them.

I use and enjoy Battlescribe. My only real issue with it is the output, which I feel is too cluttered.

Not that Army Builder is much better in that regard.

 Ghaz wrote:

 urbanevil wrote:
I used to love ArmyBuilder, until 7th dropped... I paid $$ for it, yet its still not updated.

You paid for the program, not the datafiles. That's how they can operate without GW Legal coming down on them.

And i wont make that mistake again.

I've used the lot, and there is a reason Army Builder costs - it has the most accuracy, applies all rules for you including wargear restrictions, and has the best printable output. The others are second best, but that's ok - their free and do the job, and this is the main argument supporting them (and it's a good one).

Army Builder is a step up - but a luxury. Up to you to decide if it's worth it. I personally don't regret a cent, it's so well done it was well worth.

 SHUPPET wrote:
I've used the lot, and there is a reason Army Builder costs - it has the most accuracy, applies all rules for you including wargear restrictions, and has the best printable output. The others are second best, but that's ok - their free and do the job, and this is the main argument supporting them (and it's a good one).

Army Builder is a step up - but a luxury. Up to you to decide if it's worth it. I personally don't regret a cent, it's so well done it was well worth.

But don't you feel hindered? As opposed to Battlescribe, which is free and updated more quickly. I understand the data file editors are volunteers, but paying for a program that effectively is not functioning correctly? Im with yah, AB can be great, but i would'nt know, i have been waiting months for a 7th ed update, yet 6th ed. updates are rolling out. Just my 2 cent's tho, to each their own.

That is annoying and the main downside, I usee battlescribe until the rollover. AB is very tthorough for every bit of Wargear tweaking it can't be fast to do, although some sense of urgency would not go astray I agree.

I have both Army Builder and Battlescribe Pro, and I personally think Battlescribe beats it.
I also have Battlescribe for my android phone, it's what I always reach for first if I want to mess around with list building.
Extremely user-friendly.

 Nevelon wrote:
I use and enjoy Battlescribe. My only real issue with it is the output, which I feel is too cluttered.

I go with BattleScribe, too.

I like the fact that I can make/correct any data if needed (e.g., in the DA data there was a wrong banner cost, or how I cut the now lost warp quake or astral aim from GK data, or just inserting a brief summary for rules, traits and so on), or how you can "ignore" errors just to make a list of all the models you own.

As for the unsatisfying output, I usually export it, open with word, and edit in multiple ways (simple and practical, "official" munitorum/administratum report, fully detailed etc.)

 urbanevil wrote:
But don't you feel hindered? As opposed to Battlescribe, which is free and updated more quickly. I understand the data file editors are volunteers, but paying for a program that effectively is not functioning correctly? Im with yah, AB can be great, but i would'nt know, i have been waiting months for a 7th ed update, yet 6th ed. updates are rolling out. Just my 2 cent's tho, to each their own.

Not just volunteers, they are players themselves.
So they update not because it's a job, but because they probably need it themselves.

Are you really waiting that long for an update on AB?
Meanwhile at BSdata Space Wolves are done and are about to be released.

I'm subscribing to this thread so I can read it later, I've been looking for a program for a while

>:3

Data can be edited in AB too. And considering the tons of faults I've found in battlescribe and am yet to date to find even one on Army Builder, I don't think this can be counted as a plus. Also, you can do the same thing with AB with the output although it's never really required.

AB is so easy to use and impossible to make list mistakes with. It's a great tool and really is better than any alternative. The question is whether it's worth $40. That's something only you can answer, but rest assured you are paying for the most optimized and efficient program. I use Battlescribe for my iPad however.

I find Battlescribe is great. Its free, fast and intuitive (the tablet version more so than the desktop) and you can print just the basic list, or add in rule references, wargear stats and all sorts.

It sounds like all of the systems work pretty much the same way. The users create army templates. The programs provide an interface to the template.

I'm hearing three software choices...
Battlescribe
Army Builder
QuarterMaster

Battlescribe seems to be getting the most love. Sounds Army Builder might be the most sophisticated. I suspect because you have to pay for Army Builder and its more complicated that Army Builder might have a smaller user base. Because the templates are created by the user base, it would make sense that the templates would take longer to be shared.

To save starting a new thread on n ppths, how long after a codex does the Battlescribe repository take to update after a new codex? In other words, should I hunt down an individual Wolves data set, or will it come soon as part of an update?