Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, say you are playing space marines, or IG, you know you are facing Nids. So you plan accordingly, giving your troops flamers and missile launchers or lascannons.
then varying other things of MC killy or horde killy. At what point does it become tailoring instead of bringing the "tools for the job"? Would you look down on this?

another example. You know you are fighting marines, so take ap3 weaponry, then you know you are fighitng orks, or necrons, and take lots of ap4 weaponry (either shooting or close combat like a power maul)

Tailoring to specific armies that you know you'll fight regularly is fine in my eyes, and pretty much unavoidable. Similarly, tailoring to your meta is perfectly acceptable; if you know very few local players bring tanks, then its not very sensible to go sticking meltaguns everywhere you can.

The only times it becomes an issue is when you tailor against a specific list/set of units and don't warn your opponent ahead of time.

If the same list could deal with something other then nids it is not tailoring. If list changes that suddenly there is 9 vypers and warwalkers in it with ERL on each one , that you would never field against another codex, then it is probably too much. But then again in my only game ever in Warhammer World my opponent first asked me what I played and what I brought and then deployed 5man tactcial with heavy bolters and 3 whirlwinds against foot guard. So maybe in some places it is ok.

I bring several lists with me, since I play friendly pick up games in my FLGS with varying points limits and skill levels of opponents. If I'm playing a beginner, I'll use my toned down 1500 list with no flyers, but if I'm playing a 1500 and my opponent has a flyer, I can plug it in. Similarly if I'm playing against a 2000 point cheese list with multiple knights and OP FW units, I'll bring out the double psyker, double flyer list with fortifications.

Not quite tailoring... Proper planning prevents poor performance. I just try and make sure we both enjoy the game.

List tailoring.

Unavoidable I guess if it is the same person with the same army so: not so bad.

Same guy with only one army but you have multiple ones... getting not so nice.

Keeping multiple army list types at the ready and picking one after seeing the other guy's army... unethical.

Specifically making one to defeat someone's favored "cave face" list... priceless.

Slapping three army lists face-down and asking your opponent to pick one... a twisted sense of fun. Bonus points if they are all the same.