I recently read a comment on BoLS about how Ogryns are not being taken in Imperial Guard lists because they are sub-par when compared in the grander scheme of things, and more specifically compared to other options in the codex.
First off, lets get it straight, they are indeed 'sub-par', as are various units across just about all of the army lists out there. Its a fact of the game that there are basicly always going to be better all round choices, or better choices in countering the 'meta game' of the time.
So whats the problem?
Well, contray to what some very loud and often self important voices imply out there on the forums and blogs, not every game is a tournament game. By far the majority of games that I, you, and just about everybody else out there plays are far more casual. Such games are not a matter of life and death, they are not Olympic sports, it does not matter at the end of the day if you win or lose, and, get this, at the end of the day nobody really cares *that much* about your win/loss record with toy soliders. What matters is you've spent some time enjoying your hobby, hopefully with friends, or at least in a fun atmosphere with someone you don't know so well.
At the risk of starting to sound like one of Jervis' Standard Bearer articles its really far more about the experience, then it is about the result of playing. So, if you like a particular model, knock yourself out and put it on the table, think a particular theme is fun but worried that by turn 5 you'll have nothing left, who cares? Give it a go, if you think it looks cool, you need no more reason! Take a look at your codex sometime, and I bet there are units in there which you've always passed up either because they are 'sub-par' or because you simply don't have enough points after you've taken the all singing, all dancing, no brainer choices. How about next time you put together a list for a evenings casual gaming you take two or three of these largely ignored units or models first, then put in a bit of the bread and butter, rather then the other way round?
I'm sure there are some people who will look at my little rant here and put their head in their hands, or perhaps come up with a counter argument as too how its a game, and a game is about winning. Yes your right, but simply, thats not the only thing its about, because our hobby is a rich and diverse one as long as you don't take winning too seriously.
