Output Options - Request/Recommendation

[Jason Skee]

Some suggestions I have based on using Army Builder for Flames of War.

1) there should be some kind of option to date stamp a army list when printed. Similar to what you have in excel for the formula (=today). That way if you are printing out a number of variations of an army list you can help identify the generation of the army list. This could either be as a header or footer.
2) There should be an option to have the file name, or army name and the above recommendation print out on every page. I have witnessed a number of people struggling trying to identify one army list from another after the first page when they bring multiple lists to a casual game.
3) Weapons summaries, you should have the option to either have the weapons stats listed within each platoon or just a weapon summary at the end of the army list. Similar to what you would see in any army book where the weapons are listed at the end. Just an abridged version for only those weapons contained in your army.
4) Formatting options, there are a lot of options for formatting font color etc. however you do not have finite enough control. For example if I want to highlight a specific unit I can not, I can highlight the name of all units but I can not cherry pick each one. I would like to see a more finite level of control over output.
5) Unit model count - I am not sure if this is unique to FOW or not. The unit count that has the little stick figure next to it does not accurately reflect the actual number of models. For some reason it is also counting each of the weapon summaries as well. For example my German HQ consists of 2 stands with SMG and Panzer Faust, 1 stand with Panzershreks, and 3 1/2 tracks that are armed with Selfdefense AA mg and Hull mounted MG. This is a grand total of 6 models, however the unit count output shows 13.
6) Platoon strength - this is unique to FOW, and might be served with either a formula that makes this count or a notes field that users can update. For FOW you have a platoon strength count that is different from the model count. For example my panzergrendier platoon has 3 sections and a platoon HQ. There is a total of 7 infantry bases, and 4 transports. Model count is 11 however the platoon strength is 7.
7) Point break down - this may be unique to FOW or not. But once you decide to add upgrade options to a unit you no longer see the cost for each upgrade. It is rolled up into the total point value of the platoon. It would be nice to have at least the option to have these point values show up in the display when you are building your army and to also have the option to have this print out on your army list.

All in all a good product and have enjoyed using it, but some of the lack of customization and option results have had me moving back to the excel databases that I have found and modified to my desires. I think these options plus many of the other suggestions that I have seen can make this a great product. Thanks for putting out a such a good tool.

Skee

 

[Colen]

Thanks for your suggestions, Skee.

1) If you want a date stamp, the best way to do it would probably be to put it in the army title (e.g. a name of "Panzer Strike Force, 8/12/10"). I'll add the army title to the top of every page, along with the page number and so on, to fix problem #2.

3) This is something controlled by the data files. Options can be marked as "footnotes", meaning they get output at the end of the roster after anything else. If you think this is a good idea for specific weapons, you should contact the data file author (through the Help menu) and send him a nice email asking about it.

4) When you say you want to highlight a specific unit, what's your motivation behind that? I.e., why are you trying to do it? Understanding your objective here will help us figure out the best way to add something like this to Army Builder.

5) This is another issue with the data files. In the data files, individual units (like the weapons) can be marked as counting as 0 models, so they don't get included in the model count for a squad.

6) This would ideally be something that could be implemented in the data files as a roster statistic, which you could then view in an info window. (Army Builder 3.3 is going to add more space for people to view roster statistics on large monitors, among other things.)

7) Do you mean in the printed roster output, you want to see the points costs for each individual option? Or are you thinking of something else?

Thanks!

 

[Jason Skee]

Hi Colen, thanks for the responses.

When you refer to data files, am I correct in understanding that author of the file set creates not something that I have control over as user. Is that correct?

With regard to highlighting, I was thinking something along the lines of Highlighting either with a background highlight or text change for a specific type of unit. Say in Warhammer 40k highlight my elites as red, or pick out my unit of terminators with blue. This way if I am playing with a large army list I have an quick and easy reference to find my unit for any quick reference.

With regard to point output, both when working within army build and the printed output. And to have the option for how that prints out on the output. For example, when working in Army builder I have my German HQ that the total cost is 135 pts. This is based on a base cost of 75 points, and 60 points worth of options. However at a glance all I see is the 135 pts. If I am looking to make an adjustment to my army list to make room for another unit with a specific point value I have to go through each and every entry and look at each of the units and then each of the options to see what point value they have. On my army list it shows each line and option as zero points, I feel it should show point value at the end of each line/option on the army list as the point value for that line. From what I am starting to understand this may also be a data file issue.

Thanks,

Skee