Love the models but hate how the rules are sold

[Overread]

Don't forget, most beginners don't need it all. 

The Core rules and Battletome is enough to make the game work and for a beginner to get used to the game and see how it functions. Most of the rest of the rules is support material. Either adding new features to the game or adjusting stats/wording on abilities or providing clarification. It enhances ,but doesn't actually change much in the way of the games core mechanics.

 

So you can easily grow what you use and own as you learn and get more into the game. You dont' have to start with it all and the first handful of games are likely going to be just bare bones of functionality of the game. 

 

 

[Lucio]

Personally I buy the digital copies these days. They get updated with the FAQ, and with the app it's all in one place

 

The General's Handbook updating the points is a good thing for tournaments, despite the extra bulk, as it means there's a concerted effort to balance and update the game. The book gives GW the financial incentive to do it too.

[amysrevenge]

I buy my battletomes digitally, but I never read the warscrolls in the ebook.  I use the app to read the warscrolls and allegiance abilities.

I bought Malign Sorcery digitally, but only to read the story bits.  I use the app (and a bootleg hardcopy of the realm items) for the details.

I bought the GHB digitally, and read it through.  I sometimes use it to read the details of battleplans, but I usually locate a physical copy somewhere at another table at the store because it's quicker and easier to flip to that page and make 3 or 4 quick notes about the details.

I got the big main rulebook as part of Soul Wars box.  I've read the fluff.

I haven't looked at ANY of these, in paper or digitally, during gameplay (other than the above mentioned battleplan notes) in months.

All of these I could have borrowed instead of buying, if I didn't care about reading the lore.  (Other than paying for the battletome in the app to unlock the allegiance abilities.)

 

But all of this is possible only because I already know what's going on.  Mostly from following along here on this forum.  If I was green, and all my buddies were also brand new, we'd all have to buy everything and study and bring them along to every game.

[loki]

It will get more complicated now that White Dwarf is back to printing "official" rules.  Life runs in cycles. We had the same discussions 10 or more years ago. Too much new material spread over too many sources, and people complaining about it. Then GW started to to pull things back and made less sources of official rules. People then start complaining that the WD has become a sales catalogue , there are no updates for factions/armies without codexes/battletomes.

Unfortunately there isn't a perfect solution. At least GW are now utilising the internet better. 

[Brad Gamma]

My one wish that would make me switch to getting everything through the app?

Link the Azyr app purchases to the warhammer digital store instead of tying them to the apple and android app stores.

I have an android phone and an iPad. I already begrudgingly pay twice for the azyr subscription. But to buy a book through the app? Knowing that I only have access to it on one system? Knowing that if I want to switch at some point that i'll effectively lose that content? No I can't bring myself to do that.

I will continue to buy the physical books, or occasionally the epubs through warhammer digital.