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When you decide to collect a particular army, do you try to own every model available for it (at least one copy) or do you get only the ones you like the look of or ones that are useful because their rules etc.? I, in the past, had to have at least one copy of every model released for the army I was collecting. Now, I am happy just with the models I like the look of.

I've done both. I've liked to be able to ring the changes in unit choices, so having most or all has been satisfying.

I've sometimes bought a unit for effectiveness rather than aesthetics.

I'm probably most pleased with my Dark Eldar Beasts & beastmaster, scratch built in the days of rules but no models.

I still buy models based on coolness, but no longer buy models I don't like the look of.

I'm surrounded by people who literally buy exactly the latest tournament winning 2000 pts list and nothing else

I tend to collect factions, not rosters. Not everything everything, but everything I'd ever want to look at or field, in multiples.

I tend to have enough models to make a decent sized force, not much more than that though. For example in 40K I’d rather have two armies of 2,500 points than one army of 5,000 points. This does mean I don’t collect everything for a given army.

I definitely do avoid models I don’t like the look of, regardless of their rules. For example Tauroxes in my Imperial Guard army.

A mix of thematic and practical.

For my marines it’s either “Cool looking mini” “This guy does the job well/in a way I need for a list” “I need more of this to get my company up to line strength” Usually multiple options. But never for the gotta catch em all just for the sake of owning things.

For my tyranids I’m big on theme. I want a mixed army, with small/medium/large versions of the main biolines. But it also a bit of an out of control side project. Eventually I will probably end up with one of each, but not in any planned organized way. Just looking at the hive fleet and asking what’s next. They tend to get most of their reinforcements in big bulk boxes these days.

I dont buy models I don't like the look of.
I don't field units I don't like.
It doesn't matter what their rules are.
Doing so would be wasting my $ & time and interfere with my enjoyment of the game.

Sometimes that means I have to forgo an effective unit. Or even an army....
Other times, where I like the unit but not the models, it means I have to invest effort into kitbashing or finding alternative models (my ork trucks are built using various WWII Tamiya kits)

Only ever the sculpts I enjoy.

For me it’s a mix of every sculpt I like and lore/roles I like, without any consideration for current power of a unit. I won’t however buy sculpts I find ugly/hilarious (like the new Maugan Ra with his My Guitar) regardless of how much I like the lore/role. In such cases I’ll either convert or try to find a suitable third party model, or in case of Maugan, stick to the old sculpt. As to multiples - I rarely have multiples of not-mainline units, unless the choice is limited and multiples are necessary, and I do have multiples of some vehicles. My point totals are also not related to gaming requirements. My largest faction, Eldar, are currently at more than 10k pts.

Depends on the cost. For cheaper games, especially skirmish scale games, I'll buy one of everything. Back when X-Wing was still fun it was easy to buy a couple copies of each new release. They were relatively cheap, you only needed 4-5 ships for a normal game, and they were even pre-painted so they didn't add to the pile of shame. But with 40k "everything" is just too expensive and takes up too much painting time. A 2000 point army plus extras is enough of a commitment and I'd rather build multiple smaller armies than collect 10,000 points of everything in an entire faction.

I only buy the models I like, to the point where I don't even consider collecting certain factions purely because they dont have enough models I'd like the lok of (Orks for example). In addition to this, there are certain units and loadouts I consider "iconic" and I will collect, build and field them with those configurations, regardless of in-game performance

I am a completionist, and this manifests itself in vast armies with every unit, usually in multiples, and usually in every configuration possible. And a lot of modularity.

So, picking Marines for example, I don't own 6 Tactical Squads and two Devastator Squads. I own enough Marines to do 6-8 Tactical Squads and 2-3 Devastator Squads at any given time, and then 8 Missile Launchers, 8 Lascannons, 8 Plasma Cannons, 8 Heavy Bolters, 4 Multi-Meltas, 4 Plasma Guns, 4 Flamers, 4 Meltaguns, 4 Sergeants with Power Fists, 4 Sergeants with Chainswords, and so on. Those weapons get spread around to those units as need be or for whatever list I'm using. This is also how I ended up with 30 Russes (and that was before they made hull Heavy Flamers and sponson Plasma/Melta a common thing!) and 30 Sentinels and 15-odd Carnifexes, and 6 Hive Tyrants and on and on it goes.

I'm also the type of person to never use the same list twice. So, if we're having a day at my place, I'll use the army I've made for that day, and then next time around I'll make something different rather than re-use the same list.

My completionist nature is specifically why I don't play MTG or X-Wing, as I know I wouldn't be able to function without owning an entire set of cards, or 3 of every starfighter.

I have curbed these tendencies dramatically in recent years - avoiding the whole "3 of everything in every configuration". My brain wants to go and get 2 of every Taurox variant possible, but I'm limiting myself to 2, total. When the time comes to finally get the missing vehicles for my Necrons and GSC, I will not buy 3 Goliaths and 3 Transports and 3 Riderunners and 3 Doomsday thingies and 3 Ghost Arcs.

2 Transports. 2 Goliaths. 2 Ridgerunners. Nothing more. If I don't have every possible weapon configuration, I will live with it.

I have also have a thing with even numbers. I got the Kill Team Chaos Marine unit, and having an odd number of Reaper Chaincannons was driving me nuts, so I got a second set just so I could have two in my regular squads (and 4 for my Havocs - yes I'm one of those people who bought 4 boxes of Havocs).

Tyranids is my main army, and I don't even have everything possible despite having well over 12k in points (haven't counted in 10th what that total would be yet). Sometime because the model don't interest me, sometime I don't see a use of a given unit for my play style. When I feel like it, I can magnetize a kit but that means I cannot run both at the same time (I have a magnetized Maleceptor/Toxicrene, so it's one or the other). Eventually I might have one of everything, but it's not a goal of mine.

I'll get something I'm missing if one day I want to field it for a specific list or idea. I play non-competitive and play a different list everytime, trying different units, combos and themes all the time. So if one day I want to do an all-flying army for example, I might need some Gargoyles, but they've been so flavorless since I came back to the hobby in 8th edition that I was never interested to have any. Flying Fleshborers? No thanks, give them back their Flammespurts or something!

For my other armies, I usually start them with a theme in mind. Like for my Custodes, I wanted to do an all infantry army, so I got no jetbike for example (captain or unit). They have been quite good in the past and they looked quite interesting, but I forced myself to stay on track. It's hard enough to stay on target for any project (because no project stay on track; a small 1k-1,5k side project become a 4k army real quick ), but at least I (mostly) managed it here Just added some FW tank support because the models were too cool, some Venatari (it's flying infantry, sill count!), and recently bought one Comtemptor to fill out my foam storage (had a nice space left for one, and it's a vehicle infantry, kinda)!

ONLY the models I like.

Not even "units" I like. Just the models. Otherwise, it's not an army, just a collection of random models I'll use for something else.

The profiles don't really matter if I don't like the models that go with it.

Depends on the army, My orks I got a little of everything with multiplies of things I really like such as battlewagons and deffdreads.

For my HH 3rd legion it's more of what makes sense for them. So none of the bombard tanks as that feels a little out of character. But still a full sized unit of most things then I'll build a list from there.

It depends on the scale and what type of game, but I do have a tendency to over purchase. We're currently playing Stargrave in the club and I bought probably around 100 miniatures for it when I already have enough miniatures for the two crews I wanted to build. So I donated a big part of them to the club in case we found new players that wanted to start playing Stargrave with us.

Since my space and bank account have limits. i come up with a theme for an army and i buy what i need for the basic list and then i may add to it for variety if it fits the army theme.

I only want things I like. Further, I only want things that I would like to build. If something looks like it's going to be a nightmare and a half to put together, I've got no interest.

I'm a completionist at heart and have a really hard time not collecting everything. It's something I've been trying to be better about as its mostly just stuff I'm not motivated to paint or play. It's much easier to do with large games. I definitely don't have everything for my GW armies.Still, I find I'm happier when I build an army and focus on playing it and only pick up things specifically to add and play to it or one off models to paint than when I try to collect it all.

I'm never a completionist when it comes to miniatures, especially since many of my armies span decades, and companies and may be used in multiple game rulesets.

I'll collect a combination of what I need for a given game(s) and what I like the look of. I definitely am willing to grow an army beyond it's initial game requirements if I find minis I like or if inspired by a new ruleset.

I tend to be a completionist. While I have few armies that are a bit tighter in construction, such as my Demons being Tzeench only, for my "main" armies I tend to go overboard.

My Imperial Guard is sprawling, and while I cut it down dramatically due to some money crunches, I still have far more than three of many key units.

I buy enough to field two forces of opposing sides for a game FIRST. I typically only buy games where I like the look of the models anyway.

My CSM army has gone through all the stages of collecting since 2003.

Started off buying as many of the units in the 3rd edition Codex as I could then when 3.5 came out it was whatever models fitted my style at the time (Insanely good CSM Lord with lots of Daemonic Gifts and lots of CSMs). Then the 4th Edition codex was so different most of what I got then was what was effective at the time. (Lots of cult troops and Rhinos)

Didnt play much for a few years then so I reverted to picking up single models that looked cool (original Dark Apostle/MoP).

Started getting back in to playing in 9th thanks to Imperium so havent bought much recently other than a Disco Lord and Cultists but still aiming to make a few more additions though. I wont ever buy anything I dont like or wont use or doesnt fit in to my warband so no Heldrakes and no Abaddon. Been debating on the ForgeFiend/Maulerfiend for years now.

My Necron and Crimson Fist armies have been dictated by what came in Imperium although half the Marine stuff Id have never bought on its own to be honest. (The ShadowSpear stuff).

NightHaunts are literally what looks cool so pretty much all of it.