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Full disclaimer: I don't have the app. I use other third party software to rough out an army list, then build it by hand to make sure it's correct.

GW made a lot of promises with their army building app. Does it work? Is it worth the subscription? What's the army building experience like? Is it a resource hog? How big is it? Will I run out of battery before I even finish making an army? Is there an option to print out an army list?

Thanks!

The free version works. You can access the core rules, and they are up to date. You can access the FAQs for each faction. The army builder doesnt work yet.

Does the army builder exist in a malfunctioning form, p5freak, or is it not even an accessible part of the app yet?

You have no reason to ever pay GW for the privilege of using their app with micro transactions when you could just be using any of the free ones for the same content.

The iOS 14 update fubared the Warhammer 40,000 app:

https://www.facebook.com/warhammer40000uk/posts/2756971691290119

There is a shocking amount of posative comments from the community there.

Oh, what a surprise.

It's like there wasnt a beta version of iOS that didnt work with the app either, as "reported" by someone on this forum.

The Android version stopped crashing for me recently, although I'm not sure if that's GWs work or me switching to a newer smartphone.

It's decent right now for checking datasheets etc, but honestly not worth it without the Army Builder if you already own all the 8th edition rule books you needed anyway.

 Dysartes wrote:
Does the army builder exist in a malfunctioning form, p5freak, or is it not even an accessible part of the app yet?

It doesnt exist, yet.

I have it and pay for it. The free version just gives you the core rules (roughly, the parts from the free quickstart pdf of 9th), and the FAQs for each codex and PA book, but nothing more. So its pretty useless.

With the subscription, you get a reference section that includes all the "advanced" rules like terrain etc, but not any of the detachment rules, or any missions or the crusade rules ( ie, you still need the hardcopy rulebook to play matched or narrative play)

It also has every unit datasheet, relic, warlord trait, stratagem, etc, with the current points cost and such, all laid out by product. So, for example, the rules for a custodes shield captain are under codex custodes, but the sisters of silence are under pa: war of the spider. This means that most armies are not under one tab, and smthe space marines have units and rules scattered EVERYWHERE.

All in all, its a useful lookup tool to check up the exact abilities of something, but not a replacement for the hardcopy books. I assume this is intentional.

Of note, however, is that only the 8th ed stats are going to be included in the subscription. When the 9th ed codex drops, you will have to scan a QR code in the physical codex to unlock the 9th ed version of the data.

Ive found it useful enough for the cost so far, particularly in regards to quick reference and manual list building, but its a personal value judgment. It might be worth it in a few weeks if the new wargear rules form codex space marines propagate to the relevant factions and such, as then your hardcopy stats will be inaccurate. We will see


Edit: the best way i can explain it is like this, with what questions you can answer with which part of the app:

"Which models can fight in the fight phase?": free app

"What is the strength of a terminator assault cannon and hiw many shots can it make?" : paid app

"What is the effect of the ork Extra Gubbinz strategem?" : paid app

"How many elite choices are in a vanguard detachment?" : hard copy rulebook

"How do i use requisition points for my crusade force?" : hard copy rulebook

As I suspected, on my slightly older phone (galaxy S5) it is too fancy with how it tries to display information, and the free version frequently crashes and works very slowly when it does work. So I won't be paying for it personally.

xerxeskingofking wrote:
All in all, its a useful lookup tool to check up the exact abilities of something, but not a replacement for the hardcopy books. I assume this is intentional.

Current info, as far as I recall, suggests you will need to buy a book to get the app version of the same data.

xerxeskingofking wrote:
Of note, however, is that only the 8th ed stats are going to be included in the subscription. When the 9th ed codex drops, you will have to scan a QR code in the physical codex to unlock the 9th ed version of the data.

And, because I'm a realist, I would expect the 8th edition data to disappear once a 9th replacement comes along, so if you dont buy the new book, you dont get to keep the old data either.

It still barely works on Ipad, and logging in is a huge pain.
Its probably the worse app i have used in years.

It’s a shame how rushed it was but it’s a good idea so I’m sticking with it and it’s been good to be able to look at all the available army lists. However if they want to charge people for this they need to setup a proper full time team to manage this app. For example the silver Templar’s rule that were in a recent white dwarf are not in here. I expect all army lists o be in here at least 30 days after they are released on paper.

It's comically, epically bad. In any other industry a release this bad would be taken off the app store entirely and then completely rebranded with a new name if they were going to make a second attempt at releasing it.

It feels to me like GW are a bit worried that this might undermine some of their other income streams like people buying codexes and supplements like PA. so they aren’t in a rush to make it too good.

They look like they are adding extra content to the codexes for 9th which won’t be part of the app I expect, such as the build your own chapter function.

Maybe once they feel like the customers have realised the benefit of still buying codexes they will beef up the app.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also they need to make sure the army builder is better than existing free ones otherwise it will probably kill of this app as paid for

GW's computerized rules not working?! Who could have predicted this!

yukishiro1 wrote:
It's comically, epically bad. In any other industry a release this bad would be taken off the app store entirely and then completely rebranded with a new name if they were going to make a second attempt at releasing it.

Considering how I'm sitting in a meeting about an app release exactly as bad right now, I can assure you that this is perfectly normal for companies living in the past

Fictional wrote:

xerxeskingofking wrote:
All in all, its a useful lookup tool to check up the exact abilities of something, but not a replacement for the hardcopy books. I assume this is intentional.

Current info, as far as I recall, suggests you will need to buy a book to get the app version of the same data.

xerxeskingofking wrote:
Of note, however, is that only the 8th ed stats are going to be included in the subscription. When the 9th ed codex drops, you will have to scan a QR code in the physical codex to unlock the 9th ed version of the data.

And, because I'm a realist, I would expect the 8th edition data to disappear once a 9th replacement comes along, so if you dont buy the new book, you dont get to keep the old data either.

Yep, that has been expressly stated in their posts.

At this stage, what it does, it does fairly well. It’s got the core rules and a functional search engine for those that’s pretty good for looking something up quick. I’ve yet to play a game of 9th myself, but watching friends who have I was able to find answers to rules questions much quicker than they with their books.

Data sheets have Too Much info, fully listing army wide rules under each unit. Every Sisters unit includes the full rules on Miracle Dice for example. They really need to get the army wide rules out of there and into their own sub section. Or at least make them links that pop up a box with the rules like the digital PDFs do instead of a giant wall of text.

It’s Very unfinished. It has no access to any of the new 9th Ed books beyond the core rules. No 2020 Chapter Approved, just the 2019. They’ve said you’ll be able to put in codes with books to get their rules in the app, but currently there’s no where to even enter those yet.

Also no Army Builder. Just a tab that says coming later.

 JohnnyHell wrote:

Fictional wrote:

xerxeskingofking wrote:
All in all, its a useful lookup tool to check up the exact abilities of something, but not a replacement for the hardcopy books. I assume this is intentional.

Current info, as far as I recall, suggests you will need to buy a book to get the app version of the same data.

xerxeskingofking wrote:
Of note, however, is that only the 8th ed stats are going to be included in the subscription. When the 9th ed codex drops, you will have to scan a QR code in the physical codex to unlock the 9th ed version of the data.

And, because I'm a realist, I would expect the 8th edition data to disappear once a 9th replacement comes along, so if you dont buy the new book, you dont get to keep the old data either.

Yep, that has been expressly stated in their posts.

If this is true they have no legitimate reason to charge for the app. The convenience it might provide its worth paying for on top of the books

mrFickle wrote:
If this is true they have no legitimate reason to charge for the app. The convenience it might provide its worth paying for on top of the books

If GW produce something that isn't a FAQ or an errata, they will want us to pay for it (and even that is debatable when you consider chapter approved).
They just didn't understand yet that the point of these apps is to get rid of said published faqs/erratas. They will probably catch up during the next decade though

Yeah, GW has gotten rich off charging people money for what should be free. It's hardly a new strategy for them.

On Twitter GW have confirmed that you can redeem your digital rules with the free version of the app

So once all 8th Ed rules are replaced with 9th the subscription free is literally just buying the army builder. What on earth do they think they can offer to make people pay that and not just go with a free version

Ticks me off that I’d have to just throw away a whole book to go digital. Really don’t want to do that. Why not just let me buy the book through the app?

It also ironically undermines their own market, because there's gonna be a lot of people selling the physical copy at a discount after harvesting the code.

yukishiro1 wrote:
It also ironically undermines their own market, because there's gonna be a lot of people selling the physical copy at a discount after harvesting the code.

Ooh, good call. That might be a good way to get cheap codices if you don't want the app.

yukishiro1 wrote:
It also ironically undermines their own market, because there's gonna be a lot of people selling the physical copy at a discount after harvesting the code.

just write the codex with the same ink and on similar paper that warrenty are made. Those are suppose to be a document that last for 3-12 months, but the ink evaporates after 30-40 days.

Make the codex the same way, after 60 days you can only see the coloured pages, the rest is white pages with some grey scribbles.

yukishiro1 wrote:
It also ironically undermines their own market, because there's gonna be a lot of people selling the physical copy at a discount after harvesting the code.

The code doesn’t give you the “codex” in the app, just the rules. If you want the fluff and all, you need the book. It still undermines their own market because now I can’t give them money for a digital pdf. I’m still going to get them, I just won’t be able to pay GW for them anymore.

 Jidmah wrote:

yukishiro1 wrote:
It also ironically undermines their own market, because there's gonna be a lot of people selling the physical copy at a discount after harvesting the code.

Ooh, good call. That might be a good way to get cheap codices if you don't want the app.

I don't use the app so may do the opposite