Best Warhammer 40K Army Builders for Creating Army Lists

If you just want the short version: a 40k army builder is a piece of software — official or third-party — that lets you pick a faction, add units, and automatically tracks your points, detachment choices, and legality so you don’t have to do it by hand. Right now the two most commonly recommended starting points are Battle Forge, the free official Games Workshop app (limited to one active list unless you subscribe to Warhammer+), and New Recruit, a free, community-maintained web and mobile tool that also covers other tabletop systems. Which one is genuinely best for you depends on a few things:

• Whether it’s current on 11th Edition rules, detachments, and points
• Whether your faction is fully supported
• Whether the free tier actually lets you build a usable list, or just a preview
• Whether you’re on mobile, desktop, or browser
• Whether you need it for casual games or tournament-legal lists
• Whether you can export or share the finished list

The rest of this guide walks through the real options, what they’re actually good and bad at, and how 40k army building works under the current rules — so you’re not just trusting a tool blindly.

Information in this article was last checked on September 14, 2026, against Games Workshop’s Warhammer Community site and each tool’s own current documentation.

What Is a Warhammer 40K Army Builder?

A Warhammer 40K army builder is a digital tool that helps you construct an army roster: you choose a faction, add units up to a points limit, pick a detachment (or combination of detachments), assign characters, add wargear and enhancements, and the tool checks whether the result is legal under the current rules.

Specifically, a good army builder handles:

• Points tracking — adding up unit and wargear costs as you build, referencing current Munitorum Field Manual values
• Unit and detachment legality — enforcing unit limits, detachment tags that can’t be combined, and Detachment Point (DP) budgets
• Leader/Support attachment — since 11th Edition splits attached characters into Leader and Support roles chosen at list-building time
• Enhancement limits — most current rules cap you at two Enhancements in a 1,000-point game and four in a 2,000-point game
• Export/sharing — turning your finished list into something you can print, share as a link, or submit to a tournament organizer

It’s worth being precise about the difference between related tools:

• An army builder helps you construct and validate a list.
• A points calculator is a narrower tool that just totals costs.
• A roster creator may just record units you own, without full rules validation.
• A full rules-reference app or site (like a rules wiki) helps you look up how something works but doesn’t necessarily build the list for you.

Even the best army builder is only as current as its last data update. Points and detachments change with balance passes, so it’s worth cross-checking an important list — especially before a tournament — against the current official Munitorum Field Manual and any recent FAQs or errata.

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Best 40K Army Builders at a Glance

Tool	Official or Third-Party	Platform	Free or Paid	11th Edition Support	Faction Coverage	Best For	Main Limitation
Battle Forge (Warhammer 40,000 App)	Official (Games Workshop)	iOS, Android	Free tier + Warhammer+ subscription	Yes, confirmed updated June 2026	All current factions, but full rules locked behind codex codes	Players who want the authoritative official source	One active list at a time on free tier; most factions need a paid codex code
New Recruit	Third-party, community-maintained	Web, iOS, Android	Free, optional paid tier	Yes, though the team has flagged the 11th Edition dataset as still being manually verified	Broad — 40k plus 20+ other systems	Players who want a fast, free, multi-system browser tool	Newer 11th Edition data was still being actively bug-fixed as of late July 2026
BattleScribe (via BlueScribe/community front ends)	Third-party, community-maintained data	Desktop, Android	Free	Data-dependent on community maintainers	Broad, historically	Players already used to BattleScribe-format data	Original app is no longer actively developed; rely on maintained data sources
Wahapedia	Third-party, community-run reference site	Web	Free	Yes, added July 2026	All current factions	Rules and points lookup alongside a separate list builder	Not a dedicated list-builder/validator
40k.app	Third-party, community-run	Web	Free	Yes	Datasheets, detachments, stratagems for current factions	Quick browser-based list building and sharing	Community-run; verify update speed before an event

Table notes: “Best for” reflects each tool’s stated purpose, not a ranking by popularity. Verify current pricing, ad presence, and account requirements directly on each tool’s site before relying on it for a tournament.

Official Warhammer 40K Army-Building Tools

The only genuinely official army-building tool is Battle Forge, part of the free Warhammer 40,000 app published by Games Workshop. It launched alongside 10th Edition and was updated for 11th Edition, including the new Detachment Points system and Force Dispositions, with Games Workshop confirming the update on June 17, 2026.

What it offers:

• The full current Core Rules, playable for free
• Battle Forge army planning, with automatic points and legality checks sourced from the online Munitorum Field Manual
• A “War Journal” feature for tracking scores, missions, and terrain during a game — separate from list building
• Combat Patrol datasheets included for free at launch

What to know before relying on it:

• The free tier limits you to one active army list at a time. Planning multiple lists (for different armies, or different event formats) requires a Warhammer+ subscription.
• Most factions’ full datasheets, detachments, stratagems, and enhancements are locked behind a code printed in that faction’s physical or digital codex — so a paid book purchase is generally required on top of any subscription to fully unlock an army.
• Because it’s the official source, it’s the one place list data is guaranteed to reflect Games Workshop’s own current rules and points, which matters most before an important or sanctioned event.

Best Free 40K Army Builders

If you don’t want to pay for a subscription or codex codes just to build a list, a few tools are worth trying — but “free” should mean the core army-building workflow actually works without payment, not just a limited preview.

• New Recruit — Free to build, validate, and share lists, with an optional paid tier for extra features rather than a paywall on core list building. It supports 40k alongside many other tabletop systems and includes offline use and one-click link or QR-code sharing. As of its most recent public update notes, the team was still actively refining its 11th Edition dataset, so it’s worth double-checking a competitive list against current official points before an event.
• 40k.app — A free, browser-based way to build and share lists and browse current datasheets, detachments, and stratagems, with an in-browser battle tracker for game day.
• Wahapedia — Free for rules and points lookup once you’ve built a list elsewhere; not itself a list-validation tool.
• BattleScribe-format tools — Free, but rely on community-maintained data files rather than a single actively developed app, so check that the data source you’re using has actually been updated for 11th Edition before trusting it.

None of these require an account just to browse; account creation, where offered, is generally there for saving and syncing lists across devices rather than gating core functionality.

Best 40K Army Builders for Beginners

New players should look for a few specific things in a tool:

• A simple, uncluttered interface that doesn’t bury faction selection
• Clear running points totals as you add units
• Plain-language explanations of illegal choices, not just an error code
• Guidance on detachments and Force Dispositions, since these now shape both your army and the mission
• Explanations of wargear options on each unit
• The ability to save rosters so you’re not rebuilding from scratch each time
• Mobile access, since most games happen at a store or club table, not a desk

A simple beginner workflow, regardless of which tool you use:

1. Choose a faction
2. Select the battle size (commonly Incursion at 1,000 pts, Strike Force at 2,000 pts, or Onslaught at 3,000 pts)
3. Choose your detachment(s) within your Detachment Points budget
4. Add a Leader (and Support character, where relevant) to key units
5. Add core/Battleline units
6. Add support units to round out your battlefield roles
7. Check your running points total against the limit
8. Review Enhancement limits and any detachment tag conflicts
9. Export or save the list
10. Do a final check against current official points and any recent errata before the game

How to Build a Warhammer 40K Army List

Beyond just using a tool, it helps to understand the actual process the tool is automating:

• Choose a faction. Your faction determines available units, detachments, and special rules.
• Understand your faction’s current rules. Codexes and Faction Packs define what’s available; some armies also draw from Legends units for older models, where a format allows it.
• Select a game size. This sets both your points limit and your Detachment Points budget — for example, 2 DP at 1,000 points and 3 DP at 2,000 points under the current system.
• Choose your detachment(s). Since 11th Edition allows combining more than one detachment under your DP budget rather than picking exactly one, this is a bigger decision than it used to be — and detachments with the same “tag” can’t be combined.
• Select units, respecting unit limits (such as doubled Battleline allowances in some contexts).
• Add wargear where units have loadout options.
• Add Enhancements within your limit — commonly two at 1,000 points and four at 2,000 points, with certain “Upgrade”-tagged Enhancements able to apply to multiple non-Character units while still counting as one choice.
• Assign Leader and Support characters to the units they’ll join, decided at list-building time rather than at the start of the game.
• Check keywords and restrictions, including anything tied to your chosen Force Disposition.
• Confirm the list is legal for your intended format — a friendly game, matched play, or a specific tournament’s event pack, which can add its own restrictions on top of the core rules.

Because rules and points get updated between codex releases and balance passes, treat any list a tool produces as a draft to double-check against current official sources before something important — not an automatic guarantee of legality.

40K Army Builder for Different Game Sizes

Current standard battle sizes are commonly referred to as:

• Incursion — roughly 1,000 points, a smaller, faster game
• Strike Force — roughly 2,000 points, the most common standard game size
• Onslaught — roughly 3,000 points, a larger-scale game

Smaller “Combat Patrol” games, built from a fixed box of models per faction, are also supported for free in the official app and are a common starting point for brand-new players. Narrative and campaign play may use custom or scenario-specific point limits set by the players or organizer rather than a fixed official number — if a format isn’t formally defined in the current core rules, treat it as a community convention rather than an official category.

Army Builders for Specific Factions

Coverage generally spans the full current roster of factions — Space Marines, Astra Militarum, Orks, Tyranids, Aeldari, Necrons, Adepta Sororitas, Chaos Space Marines, T’au Empire, Adeptus Mechanicus, Genestealer Cults, and others — but coverage quality can vary by tool and by how recently a given faction received its 11th Edition codex or Faction Pack update. Newly updated factions are sometimes the last to get fully verified data in third-party tools, simply because the data has to be added after each official release. If you play a faction that just got a new codex or a big rules update, it’s worth checking a tool’s update notes or changelog before trusting it fully for that army.

This matters because detachments, Enhancements, and unit restrictions are faction-specific — a builder that’s accurate for one army isn’t automatically accurate for another until its data has actually been updated for that faction.

Army Builder Apps Versus Web-Based Tools

	Mobile Apps	Browser-Based Tools
Offline use	Often available, varies by app	Varies — some offer offline/PWA support, others need a connection
Account sync	Usually built in	Usually built in for saved lists
Export/sharing	Varies by app	Commonly link or QR-code sharing
Screen size	Optimized for phones at the table	Better for detailed list-building on a laptop
Update speed	Tied to app-store release cycles	Can push updates instantly
Privacy/accounts	Often requires an account for saving	Some allow browsing and even list viewing without an account

In practice, many players use a browser-based tool at home for detailed list construction, then rely on a phone (app or mobile browser) at the table for quick rules or points lookups during the game.

How Accurate Are 40K Army Builders?

Army builders are genuinely good at:

• Automating points math
• Enforcing basic unit and detachment limits
• Flagging obviously illegal combinations
• Keeping a roster organized and shareable

They’re less reliable when it comes to:

• Data lag right after a new codex, Faction Pack, or balance dataslate drops, while maintainers catch up
• Community-sourced data that hasn’t been independently double-checked yet (several tools flag this openly during major transitions, as New Recruit did for its early 11th Edition dataset)
• Event-specific restrictions — a tournament’s event pack can add rules on top of the core system that a general-purpose app has no way of knowing about
• Rules interactions that require actually reading the datasheet or stratagem text, not just a pass/fail validity check

For anything beyond a casual pickup game, cross-check your list against the current official Munitorum Field Manual, any recent FAQs or errata, and your event’s specific rules pack.

Common 40K Army Builder Problems

• Incorrect or outdated points — usually resolved by forcing a data update inside the app or tool
• Missing or partially supported factions — check the tool’s own changelog for that faction’s last update date
• Subscription restrictions — the official app’s free tier caps you at one active list
• App crashes or slow performance — a recurring complaint on the official app after some updates; try reinstalling or checking for a pending update
• Login or sync problems — usually a server-side or connectivity issue rather than something wrong with your list
• Export errors — try a different export format (link, PDF, plain text) if one method fails
• Duplicate units or wargear entries — often caused by importing an older list into an updated ruleset; rebuild the affected unit manually if it looks wrong
• Confusing detachment or Force Disposition choices — read the detachment’s rule text directly rather than relying only on the tool’s summary
• A list that passes the app but fails event requirements — always check the specific tournament’s event pack, since it can restrict things the core rules allow

Tips for Making a Better 40K Army List

• Start with a clear battlefield role in mind for the list as a whole, not just for individual units
• Avoid taking units only because they’re popular online — check what your list actually needs
• Balance scoring, damage output, durability, and mobility rather than stacking one type of unit
• Build with your Force Disposition and likely mission objectives in mind
• Check for genuine synergy between units, not just strong units in isolation
• Avoid putting all your points into one type of threat (e.g., all anti-tank or all anti-infantry)
• Understand your list’s weaknesses as clearly as its strengths
• Play a list a few times before overhauling it after a single bad game
• Keep a record of list revisions so you can track what’s actually changing your results
• Check for recent balance updates before an important game
• When in doubt about format rules, ask your opponent or the event organizer directly

No single list is universally unbeatable — the best approach is usually the one that matches your local meta and your own playstyle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Warhammer 40K army builder? There isn’t one universal answer — it depends on whether you want the official source (Battle Forge) or a free, actively updated third-party tool (like New Recruit). Check current data-update dates for your faction before committing.

Is there a free 40K army builder? Yes. New Recruit and 40k.app are both free for core list building, and the official app’s Battle Forge is free for a single active list.

Is the official 40K army builder free? The app itself is free to download, and it lets you build one active list at a time for free. Building multiple lists at once requires a Warhammer+ subscription, and most factions’ full rules require a codex code.

What app can I use to make a 40K army list? Battle Forge (official) and New Recruit (third-party) are the two most commonly used current options, alongside browser tools like 40k.app.

Can I build a 40K army list on my phone? Yes — Battle Forge and New Recruit both have mobile apps, and browser-based tools generally work on mobile browsers too.

How do I check 40K army points? Use an up-to-date army builder, and cross-check against the current online Munitorum Field Manual for the latest official points.

Are third-party army builders accurate? Generally yes, once their data has caught up to the current rules — but right after a new codex or edition change, data can briefly lag behind, so check a tool’s last-updated date.

How do I know if my 40K army list is legal? Validate it in an up-to-date army builder, then cross-check against the current core rules, your faction’s codex or Faction Pack, and any event-specific rules pack if you’re playing in a tournament.

Can army builders track detachments and enhancements? Yes — current tools generally handle Detachment Points budgets, detachment tag conflicts, and Enhancement limits automatically, though you should still read the actual rule text for anything unfamiliar.

What is the best army builder for beginners? Look for one with a simple interface, clear points totals, and plain-language error explanations — New Recruit and the official app’s Battle Forge both fit this for most new players.

Can I export or share a 40K army list? Yes — most current tools support exporting to PDF/text or sharing via a link or QR code.

Why does my army builder show different points from another tool? Usually a data-update timing difference — one tool has pulled the latest Munitorum Field Manual or Faction Pack values and the other hasn’t yet. Check each tool’s last-updated date and, when in doubt, trust the official Munitorum Field Manual.

Conclusion

There’s no single “best” 40k army builder for every player — the official Battle Forge app is the authoritative source but gates most content behind subscriptions and codex codes, while free third-party tools like New Recruit trade a small amount of update lag for zero cost and broader accessibility. Whichever you choose, the underlying 11th Edition army-building process is the same: pick a faction and battle size, spend your Detachment Points, assign Leader and Support characters, stay inside your Enhancement limits, and double-check the result against current official points before an important game.

Army-Builder Comparison Table

(See Section 7 table above — reproduced here as the standalone comparison-table deliverable.)

Tool	Official or Third-Party	Platform	Free or Paid	11th Edition Support	Faction Coverage	Best For	Main Limitation
Battle Forge (Warhammer 40,000 App)	Official	iOS, Android	Free tier + Warhammer+	Yes	All, codes required per faction	Authoritative official source	One list free; codex codes/subscription needed for more
New Recruit	Third-party	Web, iOS, Android	Free + optional paid tier	Yes (dataset actively refined)	40k + 20 other systems	Free, fast, multi-system	Newer edition data still being verified
BattleScribe (community front ends)	Third-party data	Desktop, Android	Free	Community-dependent	Broad, historically	Familiar existing users	Original app not actively developed
Wahapedia	Third-party reference	Web	Free	Yes	All current factions	Rules/points lookup	Not a list validator
40k.app	Third-party	Web	Free	Yes	Current faction