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Now I own 4 large armies (BA/Necrons/CSM and Renegades (the latter is one which has sprung up from nothing recently and my current favourite)... also a small amount of inquisition but I don't count them), yet like many gamers I own dexes of armies I don't play. One of my favourite aspects of the hobby is list building, and even when building lists for armies I own, I often include units I don't have. I build many lists with absolutely no intention of playing them. For example - I own no tomb blades yet like building decurion lists.
I base my lists on experience and mathmatics. Including units I may have never used but have played against, sometimes including units I have never played against either. I know other gamers do this as has obviously been the case with the new skitarii before they were released.
I love discussing tactics and lists and trying to work out new combos. I will start to build a list in spare moments when other people may go on clash of clans for instance. Yet sometimes I feel as though it is considered odd to build lists with no intention of playing them. I often, when posting a list on dakka get asked to let people know how it goes, then have to explain I won't actually be using it anytime soon (but thoroughly enjoy the discussion - don't get me wrong).
Are other people generally like me or do you feel it a waste of time to build lists when you aren't going to play them?

On a side note - I find my avid list building and regular careful consideration of units greatly benefits me when it comes to games. So it's not a complete waste even if I didn't enjoy it. I post only a fraction of the lists I build.

Most of them, as I tend to only build lists for the purpose of playing a game and occasionally reconfiguring my collection after a new codex for that army comes out.

That said, beyond starting out with an army in pre-allies days, I pretty much never play the same list twice. Whether that's changing a unit or two between consecutive games or completely switching army/style, I will always change something each time; with so many options, why wouldn't I?

When I first start an army I would build a couple of lists to see what people think of them, then from there my list building is normally just adding new models or swapping out what I feel like taking.

Yeh completely agree Paradigm, I tend to play different lists most the time too. But still leave most unplayed. Could be a combination of the fact that I only get a game once every 2 weeks on average (sometimes more), and building lists regularly, but also due to wanting to include units I don't own.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Do either of you build lists including models you don't own?

Generally I only build lists if I've got a game scheduled. While I will sometimes decide not to go to the FLGS after the list is built, most of the time they get played.

While I will often noodle ideas for a list around, I rarely formally write them up. I might, for example, have an idea for putting four dreads in a null deployment 1,500 point list, and what units I'd use. But I never get to figuring out exact points. Does this count as a list that I've made? I don't think so.

I'll build with minis I don't own just to see how they would fit in with my existing stuff if a new model is coming out or something catches my eye. For example, I'll be planning out some AdMech detachments as soon as I have the cash to start them up!

I should probably add that I don't overly enjoy the processes of building a list, in general I'll just take stuff I like and the tactics will start once they hit the table, rather than building with anything more than a broad strategy in mind. So in many ways, the only reason I play most of the lists I build is because I don't build that many lists between games!

I change lists for almost every next game. Slight changes to test new stuff. Luckilly orks are very conversion and proxy-friendly.

I generally build lists as part of planning what to buy, so some of them get discarded without getting played.

In general, when I make a new list I tend to play with it within a couple days or weeks, depending on if I have the models or not.

Poly Ranger wrote:

Do either of you build lists including models you don't own?

Only if I am about to buy it normally, so I can see if it "fits" nicely.

I build lots of lists but barely ever get to have them built up and ready to play. It mostly a lot of wishful thinking.

Heck, with 2 babies i'm not even sure when I'm going to play again. Still love modelling and list building tho

So I'm not the only one but it seems we are in a minority.

I play about half the lists I make. Usually my list building in just an excercise in theory building. Half of it is weird concepts that I think could be funny. The other half are the lists I build to actually play.

I usually try to do different things here and there. When I find a list that works really well, I tend to use that and try a list or two every so often. Usually though, I just build I list I think would be lots of fun to use.

I dont think i have used the same list twice in the last 5 years or so.
i love to build lists and enjoy the excersize of doing it. The difference is that I dont break out the calculator and mathhammer them out. i go with fluff and coolness, work on themes and so forth. usually, the lists never get played though as I just dont get to play that often and I have more time to list build than use them.

I suppose I don't build every list I write simple due to not having the money to buy three Stormravens at a time. I guess I build a 'end goal' list, then lists every step of the way and play those. I actually don't think I have completed any of my end goal lists. My regular gaming buddies can only handle so much of a good list and I just stop before they have zero chance at all.

I only build a list when I am planning a game, so yes, I play almost every list I build.
I don't build that many lists though, they mostly remain the same, as I do not have that many units. That is what you get for wanting to play every army in several different game systems

I build lists in preparation of a Game/League/Tourny and the amount of lists I actually play is probably close to 25%

I seem to just write a bunch and play what I either think will be best or most fun to play.

I write loads of list with every intention of playing them one day.
Sat at work, I wrote five the other day, all allying my normal deldar with a full harlie masque. One involves three units of incubi and the three troupes.
Utterly useless but really looking forward to trying it out.

List building is one of the most fun parts of the game, particularly as I am an utter baba painter.

I used to, but now I only write a list if I have an opponent lined up. I don't have enough time to write lists I won't use anymore

I try to make different lists during the weekdays at work when im board

By the weekend if i have anything scheduled il print one of them out to try over the weekend

my SM seems to be relatively buttoned up so i might start work on a nice imperial guard one.

I play Necrons, so now the codex builds my list for me, basically.
I've written up a couple Necrons CAD lists for super-crypteks and lots of vehicles, but none of it has seen the table as yet. As of now I'm still only 4 games into the new codex, and am cycling formations through the Decurion. This codex has a whole lot of options to go through.

Tinkering with Chaos lists to me is fun. Endless combinations (whether they're good or bad is another story). I know I've got a bunch of lists for which I don't have the models. Wishlists I suppose, most of them are fluff rather than optimized.

Tyranids have to be the most dull army to listbuild with of all IME, at least if you play Nidzilla, which is what I do.

Normally what I do is make a list that I want to play, play it, then tweak it lots of times for efficiency. Technically I make a bajillion lists that are tweaks of the original that I don't ever play. Normally I start with a core of troop models and add supporting elements to that. The idea is to have an army that I like the idea of and through experience shape it into something decent. Usually this ends up with something relatively unique (compared to net lists anyway) and not "cheesy" that I know how to get the most out of. For example, right now I'm tweaking a non-blob guard list that uses predominantly infantry models.

Poly Ranger wrote:
Now I own 4 large armies (BA/Necrons/CSM and Renegades (the latter is one which has sprung up from nothing recently and my current favourite)... also a small amount of inquisition but I don't count them), yet like many gamers I own dexes of armies I don't play. One of my favourite aspects of the hobby is list building, and even when building lists for armies I own, I often include units I don't have. I build many lists with absolutely no intention of playing them. For example - I own no tomb blades yet like building decurion lists.
I base my lists on experience and mathmatics. Including units I may have never used but have played against, sometimes including units I have never played against either. I know other gamers do this as has obviously been the case with the new skitarii before they were released.
I love discussing tactics and lists and trying to work out new combos. I will start to build a list in spare moments when other people may go on clash of clans for instance. Yet sometimes I feel as though it is considered odd to build lists with no intention of playing them. I often, when posting a list on dakka get asked to let people know how it goes, then have to explain I won't actually be using it anytime soon (but thoroughly enjoy the discussion - don't get me wrong).
Are other people generally like me or do you feel it a waste of time to build lists when you aren't going to play them?

On a side note - I find my avid list building and regular careful consideration of units greatly benefits me when it comes to games. So it's not a complete waste even if I didn't enjoy it. I post only a fraction of the lists I build.

I get asked for help a LOT on lists which is a lot fo the extra list building I do. Otherwise i generally build up lists, play test them and then move on so that I can get them to a starting point and can just modify them slightly as the meta changes instead of having to restart.

So consequently I have all but three of the Codex armies and they are all in a shape i would be able to pull the moff a shelf and play them generally. I tend to ACTUALLY want to play Tau Empire more than any other army. I just want to know my enemies and am a collecter. being able to win with all the armies prepares me better to beat them. Its a REAL expensive method but its really effective too.

Counting slight variations probably 90% of the lists I write never see the table.

 TheAvengingKnee wrote:
Counting slight variations probably 90% of the lists I write never see the table.

This I play around in Battlescribe partly to "scout" other armies.