delicious, delicious peeps...oh um...never mind.
Hello People.
Today I want to discuss the Phantom Cheese. What is the Phantom Cheese you ask? Well it is this illusion that all gamers have of cheesy units and lists. I will simply start by saying that there is no cheese.
Every one of us hears at some point about "that cheesy list" or "this cheesy unit". It’s the nature of the beast. But I am here today to dispel the myth that these even exist. The fact is that every codex has what people say is "Cheese". We all have lists that are "Cheese". But I pose this psychological analogy; it is commonly thought by psychologists that if an abnormality is common throughout a population then that abnormality is not actually abnormal but normal. For example; a large percentage of Americans suffer from depression. It is believed that depression is not abnormal but a trait that our culture shares. The relevancy of this analogy is that all codices have some features that hit hard and make you cry. But that doesn’t make them bad.
Tyranids have their Trygon Primes, Blood Angles have their infinite number of lighting claw dreadnaught attacks, daemons have power weapon carrying Bloodletters, Imp Guard have leaf blowers, Deldar have spamming dark lances, and so on and so forth. You see we all have power hitters, but that doesn't make them cheesy that makes them normal. Things that don't go against the norm cannot be criticized as being different. This edges along the topic that complaining about lists and units only serve to make the complainer look bad.
I hear all the time about how players shouldn't tailor a list, or use certain list configurations because they are commonly used to win tournaments. It is true that you should keep your competitive levels appropriate for the game. If you playing a tournament and know your opponents then go ahead and tailor away. But if it’s a friendly game you should try and avoid taking advantage of your opponent because in a friendly game you both want to have fun. It is hard sometimes when you know what you are facing to do this. If you know you are taking a horde on, then why would you not take a flamer? There is a level that is competitive and fair and it is up to the player to decide where that line is. But, there is an even simpler way to do it.
I never write a list to fight a given enemy. I never think about what my opponent is bringing to the fight, except in tournaments. When I play I pull whatever list I have written and want to try. Sometimes I run my CSM with nine obliterators, sometimes with all Dreadnaughts, MC, and Defilers, and even sometimes I run nothing but Raptors. You see I like coming up with exciting and different ideas and testing out how they work. I love the science of the game; testing variables in different environments to see their effects. I prefer winning with style over just plain winning. That doesn't mean I don't ever write up All-Comers lists and keep them on hand. I do and you should too. But there again, that doesn’t take unfair advantage of your opponent.
And even if your opponent does tailor his list, and does run what normally wins on the internet, and does run his big fancy units. So what? It’s in the codex and he has the right to do that. Learning to overcome those lists rather than complaining about them makes you a better tactician and may even force that player to come up with new ideas.
The biggest point here is to try and enjoy the game. It is a hobby. It is for fun. I see many people turn the game into a stressful adventure into how to torture yourself and your opponent. Just keep it loose. It's not like you’re playing for money or anything...unless you are...in which what is the buy in?
This is ZombieJoe saying, "Please Do Not Stare Down The Operational End Of The Device."
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