Why Small Armies are Important

In the the world of 30k where 1500-2000pts are the the norm when it comes to game sizes, smaller games are left to the side. Today I'm going to have a look at why I think smaller games can be as important as the larger games

Cost

One of the reasons that I enjoy playing at smaller points levels is that I never had huge funds to afford massive armies, but that has changed recently but in my opinion is still one of the most important reasons not to ignore smaller points values.

This is an expensive hobby, we can all testify to that, whether you have a large amount to spend or a little to hobby costs a lot for what you get. For people starting 30k this can be very daunting, "look at that 3000pt force over there, how will I ever afford that!" could be a large problem for some, yet why do we have to jump into the deep end, what is wrong with playing smaller points games within the 30k universe, we are all using the same army book meaning that smaller games will balance as both forces will be poorly optimised.

Playing at a smaller points level allows you to start collecting a force yet still be able to play.

Mile Stones

Another benefit in smaller lists is that you can give yourself targets. Building up a large force can be much less daunting if you build it in 500pt blocks for example. By building up an army in this way it allows you to test play what you have bought and if you will want more of them in the future. It also allows you to redesign your force as you go. For example I am personally planning on getting some Scimitar jet bikes soon. I had never considered these as an option, but now form the core of one of my sub forces, all because I thought it would be fun to build a Praetor on Jet Bike.

List Writing

I enjoy list writing, trying out different combinations of units as well as seeing what other cool unit I can squeeze into my force. However I think there is a skill at writing a list that can take on any opponent. The only form of list tailoring that I believe in is making sure your army fits the meta of your gaming group or tournament, e.g. if at 2k pts people look down on Super heavies don't bring a typhon siege tank, so don't be that guy. 

For me writing a list that will do fairly well against all comers is fairly important, do I have enough anit-tank? Do I have enough troops? What is the role of "that" unit in my army? This is difficult at lower points and even more difficult in the 30k era, and this in my mind is what makes it so much fun to play 1000pt games. What if your opponent brought a pride of the legion or an Ordo Cybernetica force with them? Would you be able to deal with it or if you where the one bringing the small detailed force how would you be able to deal with two 20 man tactical squads? A well rounded list at this points level is far more difficult to write. 

What do you think? Do you have a small army that you love playing with or a must include model in your list? Let me know below what you think about my comments below.

Philip