Aesthetics of Sampler Box armies vs. Spam armies

[BlacknightIII]

Why is spam more than two of the same anything? Maybe it would be better called redundancy. Certain armies need copies of units to get the job done. One of my friends has a huge collection of IG and he usually takes three of everything and still sometimes the units wont accomplish their assigned tasks. Same thing with Ork and Nid troops, you need massive amounts of the same option especially if you running on foot. The only army I think can't get away with spaming is Space Marines and thats because you usually only need one of something to get the job done, maybe two.

[BlackKnight15624]

I honestly see the difference between unit redundancy and spamming as being an argument of power levels. For instance, melta weapons are extremely rare and precious, so you wouldn't normally see almost a company of veteran guardsmen in the same vicinity kitted to the teeth with them. Obviously, this is based on my perceptions of the fluff, so if you disagree, feel free.

I justify (to myself, anyway) that I don't spam because I take 3 tactical squads all kitted out with what I consider "standard issue," i.e. flamers and missile launchers. I see this as unit redundancy, as the frequency of specialist kit is proportional to how much an average unit of a given type would have access to.

[Melissia]

Err, you're thinking of plasma. Melta isn't THAT rare.

[BuFFo]

An army that looks aesthetically pleasing is always nice, but it is secondary to effectiveness.

In my opinion, I see an army as opposite from what you said.

For me, the aesthetics of an army is more important than an army's ability to WAAC.

I understand that some people play to win, and some play to have fun by not caring if they win. I, for instance, put my models on the table with the goal of having exciting turns, awesome die rolls, and great turn of events. I don't care if I win at all, I just want to enjoy the experience rather than the ending.

I would rather have two armies looking unique, awesomely converted with various unit choices slugging it out than two Chaos Marine lists with double Lash and4x Plague Marines units trying to over power the other play to win.

As for the army boxes, I don't care for them personally, so I have no opinion about them. If they are made for starter players, then they should be more balanced, but if they are made to compliment an army already in use, then they should have a variety of units.

[Gotthammer]

It'd be like fielding an army where you have a single lascannon in the whole army, and if you miss, whoops, that's that. Try blowing up that tank next turn. Multiple copies of the same unit give you extra chances.

I only take a single lascannon in my 1500 Marine army - he's never killed a vehicle, not even the Vyper he hit six times... I also only take one meltagun (I'm thinking of splashing out on a second).

I like it in that should something fail, I have something different to use. So rather than rolling for 4 lascannons I'm rolling for a Lascannon from long range, a multi-melta from the close up attack bike, krak missiles to the rear from the Land Speeder and Melta Bombs from the charging scouts etc. Variety being the spice of life and all that.

[Melissia]

Be glad your army list actually HAS variety then.

[the jeske]

I wonder how people play necron or nids without spaming .

[Melissia]

'Nids have multiple troops choices at least. Genestealers, Warriors, gaunts, gants, tervigons...

[Gotthammer]

True that Marines have more variety, but I mostly run big blocks of Tac marines with a couple of support units, only varying wargear.

If I were to run Sisters they'd probably not be the most effective as I'd take things like Dominions, Inquisitors (also good for taking my SoB Land Raider) and Arbites to have a more 'first line of defence' feel to them - ie an =I= shows up just before heresy strikes and gets together with the SoB and Arbites to arrange the smackdown.
I'd probably also induct so I can use my SoB Dreadnought (though that is cheating a bit).

I really liked the Witch Hunters codex when it came out, but the limited all-metal line for the SoBs put me off a full scale force (I hate having two models posed the same - they don't look like different people then!).

[Melissia]

If I were to run Sisters [...] I'd take [...] Inquisitors [...] and Arbites

Then you're not taking a Sisters army.