Copiers

[Pendragon38]

HI Bols loungers, I would've liked to have made this post as a poll, anyways here's the question: have any of you come across at your FLGS ,tourney or other stores playing the same exact list as the one you built and posted on here or other sites?

I have and I asked him why he copied my list: he's response was I wanted to.

[magickbk]

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

To my knowledge, no one has ever copied one of my lists, but I have a tendency to use unusual lists. This is sort of a microcosm of the 'spam' lists. Someone kicks aft with the Guard Leafblower, and all the sudden it was the most common list around. Ultimately speaking, many people's lists will be similar after the discussion of a Codex, and each player will use a similar core with a little bit of personal flavor. If you use something off the wall, or have a unique theme, that gets copied, I could see that being a little upsetting. It is also weird to discover that other people are doing the same thing as you. I've played places where I was the only person using a particular army, and then gone elsewhere and discovered it to be very common.

[Bigred]

I've seen it for years.

It's human nature. Look at the "Leafblower" phenomenon.

1. Darkwynn won Ardboys with a brutal IG alphastrike army years back.
2. BoLS published the exact list and a tactical analysis of it
3. About 1/3 of all Adepticon 40K entries that year were exact copies, or minor variations of it.

And it didn't win there, because player skill trumps lists. And the next year the community had moved on.

Copying what's hot is part of the meta game, and often how newer players learn the ropes. Eventually they gain enough skills that they start to invent things themselves - and the now guys copy them...

[YorkNecromancer]

It's human nature. Look at the "Leafblower" phenomenon.

1. Darkwynn won Ardboys with a brutal IG alphastrike army years back.
2. BoLS published the exact list and a tactical analysis of it
3. About 1/3 of all Adepticon 40K entries that year were exact copies, or minor variations of it.

And it didn't win there, because player skill trumps lists. And the next year the community had moved on.

And here is a moral the community could do with discussing more often than the "OMG SPAM LISTS DOUBLE FORCE ORG AND ALLIES IZ TEH BROKEN!!!111!!"

[ElectricPaladin]

Guys... there are only so many lists that a given army book can make.

Of all the possible lists, a small subset of those lists are even remotely competitive.

Of those competitive list, several of them are obviously bottom tier. Those can be discounted.

How many lists remain? It depends on the army book. In the autumn of an army book's life, when its on its way out, there may be only a handful of lists in this category. Even a young and healthy army book probably doesn't have more than a dozen top lists.

Of course, there are small changes based on playstyle and meta. For example, I like power fists on my sergeants because punching tanks to death is neat, and I don't seem to see a lot of challenges in my meta (and when I run my Blood Angels, my squads have so many characters that I can always have someone else take the challenge). But my basic lists aren't a lot different from anyone else's lists.

Additionally, it's not like your list belongs to you. It's a combination of models. Anyone can do it. And if it worked for you, what's wrong with learning from the experience by copying it and seeing what it can do for me? For that matter, would you seriously rather live in a world where the first couple of players in a given meta to create the best lists - or even the world, given how the Internet has effectively combined us all into a single meta for the purposes of conversation and idea sharing - get to "claim" those lists, and everyone else is derided as "copiers?" Is that a sustainable situation in your mind?

[Cactus]

I've never seen an exact copied list, but I tend to see the same kind of lists. Necron flyer spam, Drago Wing, etc.

[Pendragon38]

Guys... there are only so many lists that a given army book can make.

Of all the possible lists, a small subset of those lists are even remotely competitive.

Of those competitive list, several of them are obviously bottom tier. Those can be discounted.

How many lists remain? It depends on the army book. In the autumn of an army book's life, when its on its way out, there may be only a handful of lists in this category. Even a young and healthy army book probably doesn't have more than a dozen top lists.

Of course, there are small changes based on playstyle and meta. For example, I like power fists on my sergeants because punching tanks to death is neat, and I don't seem to see a lot of challenges in my meta (and when I run my Blood Angels, my squads have so many characters that I can always have someone else take the challenge). But my basic lists aren't a lot different from anyone else's lists.

Additionally, it's not like your list belongs to you. It's a combination of models. Anyone can do it. And if it worked for you, what's wrong with learning from the experience by copying it and seeing what it can do for me? For that matter, would you seriously rather live in a world where the first couple of players in a given meta to create the best lists - or even the world, given how the Internet has effectively combined us all into a single meta for the purposes of conversation and idea sharing - get to "claim" those lists, and everyone else is derided as "copiers?" Is that a sustainable situation in your mind?EP I'm not talking bad about people copying list it just came as a shock to see a mirror copy of my list made me feel glad to see it that's all.

So anyways at the end of the tournament I went up and asked how he fared(his words: damn I don't see how you can take so little troops and come out on top! Because I got stomped flat by turn 3, and that's the last time try to copy your stupid list.) I told him my troops rarely make it to turn4 and I lost my share of games with this list too I bring it because its for fun and not to win.

[Nabterayl]

So anyways at the end of the tournament I went up and asked how he fared(his words: damn I don't see how you can take so little troops and come out on top! Because I got stomped flat by turn 3, and that's the last time try to copy your stupid list.) I told him my troops rarely make it to turn4 and I lost my share of games with this list too I bring it because its for fun and not to win.
Ha! Serves him right, then.