The End of Free Warscrolls

[HollowHills]

The latest pre-orders have gone up and as many of us expected free warscrolls are no longer listed for download on the website.

Based on reboxing we also know that the warscrolls included only show stats and not abilities.

Therefore the only official way to get rules currently is to purchase a full physical battletome.

GW seem to have permanently ditched digital books. The official form of digital rules will only be the currently non existent aos app that will form part of the paid for warhammer+ sub.

In the transition from 2nd edition to 3rd we have lost the free app, free rules on the website and access to digital books.

This during a global pandemic where many people have faced financial challenges and where GW continue to earn record profits.

My view is this is incredibly anti consumer and should be met with universal scorn from hobbyists everywhere.

I will continue to access my rules elsewhere, but I'm not linking anything as it may violate forum rules to do so.

Edited September 11, 2021 by Gaz Taylor
Tweaked title

[Gaz Taylor]

+++ Mod Hat On +++
Firstly to make it very clear - I’m not a fan of not having the warscrolls on the GW site but I’m expecting you all to reply to this topic following the forum rules. 
 

Secondly - @HollowHills I’ve tweaked the title of this topic as what you had was just negative and set the tone for this topic in a negative way. Do not change it

[Clan's Cynic]

I'm expecting they'll stick them behind Warhammer+ and then act like they're still free.

[Howdyhedberg]

Its a bummer, but I recall back in the old days, you only had the rules in the books. So I'm not that shocked. I hope the warscrolls on paper last for a long time this edition though!

I'm fine to be able to see my rules in an app too, but I did like the ability to look on other factions units in the app, especially those that you encounter. It helped my friend and I to know the rules for most of the units and remind each other if we missed something. 

[sandlemad]

Disappointing. Not a huge surprise but still a disappointing retrenchment into classically bad GW consumer practices, part of what appears to be a harsh ‘locking down’ of many aspects of their stuff and a return to a higher barrier to entry in some regards. As has been said before, ‘GW definitely wouldn’t do this’ turned out to be incorrect pretty quickly.

I’m also uncomfortable with this idea being put around (not specifically on TGA) that it’s not so bad as GW used to have no free rules at all. Free warscrolls have been a feature for six years, the entire lifespan of AoS, people are right to feel like it’s an important part of their game. Moreover people are right to feel sore about it; if all narrative rules (or multi-part minis or certain factions or painting guides or another aspect of the hobby) were scrapped and their absence justified with ‘well, once these didn’t exist so you’re just back to how things used to be’, people would be entirely right in feeling that the game was poorer for something being taken away.

It feels like overall it’s there to prop up an app that frankly we have no real reason to have high expectations of, one that may well be a significant step down from Azyr and/or Warscroll Builder.

What’s unfortunate is how the scrapping of warscrolls really hurts casual or narrative players most, anyone who just wants to chuck some dice around their plastic soldiers.

[ManlyMuppet88]

37 minutes ago, Howdyhedberg said:

Its a bummer, but I recall back in the old days, you only had the rules in the books. So I'm not that shocked. I hope the warscrolls on paper last for a long time this edition though!

Yeah, it feels like going back to how things used to be. Disappointing but not surprising.

I'm not a gamer so it doesn't affect me but I buy battletomes on occasion because I generally enjoy them. Guess GW just wants to sell more of them.

Are there warscrolls in the Generals Handbook?

[Gaz Taylor]

My thoughts as I have a moment (and no hats). I think having free rules and warscrolls are great. It’s a great way to keep the game open to new players and to let existing players look at what does what. Keeping the army wide rules in the books made sense and was a nice hook for players who wanted to use more in their games.

I can however see why GW are doing this as it makes it easier to maintain the warscrolls if changes are made and gets people using their Warhammer+ service. I’m not going to get my pitchfork out though as I gave up trying to collect all the books and try and know everything (from the number of scrolls and rules it’s very difficult). 
 

I hope that this is just a temporary measure and they get released at some point, but like I said I’m not going to be upset if that doesn’t happen. 

[Gaz Taylor]

4 minutes ago, ManlyMuppet88 said:

Are there warscrolls in the Generals Handbook?

Only for the updated Endless spells. The generals handbook is just rules, scenarios and points. 

[SunStorm]

The units on pre-order today have their warscrolls available for free from GW:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2021/09/10/the-stormcast-eternals-bring-immense-range-and-lots-of-gryphs-to-the-tabletop-with-these-warscrolls/

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2021/09/09/these-warscrolls-show-how-dangerous-the-kruleboyz-are-at-all-ranges/

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by SunStorm

[Infernalslayer]

I guess they figured out that a number of people who buy their miniatures care for the rules and playability of them before they purchase them, so now you have to buy in blind and hope for a playable unit.

I am a casual player and don't go to tournaments, but i still want my minis to give me a chance at the tabletop, so if i don't know the rules for them i am not buying them.

The selling point of Age of Sigmar (other than the beautiful miniatures) since the beginning was the ease of access for everyone. I will refrain from preordering anything new and might order new miniatures in the future if i come into their full warscrolls first, without purchasing a physical battletome that will be outdated by the time i manage to paint the army.

 

[Ogregut]

Correct me if I'm wrong but can't you veiw all the 40k datasheets in the 40k app without paying?

 

[Kronos]

Ah man this news is a downer. I don’t even play but always enjoyed reading a tidbit or lore or unit special rules and background. You’re making it difficult to love you GW. 
 

But next cool release I’ll be smitten and don’t care how they treat me 😂

[Ogregut]

The way I see it, they've removed the downloadable warscrolls from the GW website to get people to download the apps (yes I know the AOS one isn't available yet). 

It seems the 40k data sheets for all armies are free to view so we have no reason to expect AoS warscrolls won't be. 

Yes, you'll need to buy the battletome to access the full rules but that has always been the case. 

Sure you can play with just the warscrolls as presented but if you want battle traits, command  abilities you need the battletome. 

So to me it seems that's were in a waiting patten as there is no app at the moment but once available everything will be as it was just in a different place. 

[madmac]

1 hour ago, Ogregut said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but can't you veiw all the 40k datasheets in the 40k app without paying?

 

I'm not sure this is true. Looking at the community articles on the subject, it just says you can view all "current" datasheets for free, (Until a new codex is released). Need confirmation from someone who actually uses the 40k app, I guess.

[schwabbele]

4 minutes ago, madmac said:

Need confirmation from someone who actually uses the 40k app, I guess.

New orks says needs codex to see ability 

Edited September 11, 2021 by schwabbele

[Ogregut]

3 minutes ago, schwabbele said:

New orks says needs codex to see ability 

But you can veiw the data sheets right? 

You had to buy the battletome to access the command traits and so on in Azur. So again once the AOS app is released nothing has changed. 

[schwabbele]

3 minutes ago, Ogregut said:

But you can veiw the data sheets right? 

 

Yes

[Ogregut]

9 minutes ago, schwabbele said:

Yes

Thank you, I wasn't sure as I never had the 40k app before but do now as part of warhammer+ so didn't know if the datasheets were free or not. 

[schwabbele]

11 minutes ago, Ogregut said:

warhammer+

Wait , i have w+ too. Loggeg out and now I can’t view anything from orks.

[Ogregut]

30 minutes ago, schwabbele said:

Wait , i have w+ too. Loggeg out and now I can’t view anything from orks.

Ah, okay then! We got there in the end!

Still don't see it as a major issue as you've always needed to buy the full battletome to access all the rules. 

It's still best to wait to see what happens with the AOS app. I do hope it's more like Azur than the 40k one, otherwise I'll go back to what I've used for years to create army lists - pen and paper. 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Ogregut

[Marcvs]

2 hours ago, Ogregut said:

But you can veiw the data sheets right? 

You had to buy the battletome to access the command traits and so on in Azur. So again once the AOS app is released nothing has changed. 

I have the 40k app in the free version (i.e. no subscription) and I can't see any datasheet, old or new, so not at all like azyr

[azdimy]

Really disappointed with this marketing decision. Having the old warscrolls still available to download on their website makes all this even more confusing. I predict this will negatively impact aos and hurt GWs bottom line

[JackStreicher]

And we’re back to the 80s

 

[mojojojo101]

Will have to wait for the app to see for sure but for me free warscrolls is one the core, fundamental things about AoS that attracted me to the game. I'm already pretty dissatisfied with GW and AoS at the moment. Lets just say, this isn't helping me to get more involved again.

[Televiper11]

I’m am not in this hobby to look at screens. I am in it for an analog experience. As soon as WH+ was announced, I figured that the transition of the hobby would start so that by AoS4, all warscrolls and rules will be locked behind a paywall. I might bow out at that point.