Odd.

I've just caught a thread on YTTH http://www.yesthetruthhurts.com/2009/11/politically-correct-bad-for-hobby.html

Now Stelek is always the devils advocate and so on but the arguement here hinges on a subjective scoring element in competitions in the Antipodes. The gist of it is that if you bring a Stelek-esque killer army list and manage to crush everyone else in the tournament, then that is bad sportsmanship.

The rulebook and restrictions in the codecies are there to provide the balance and framework within which the game can be played. So if the Stelek-esque list is BRB and Codex 'legal' then bring it is simply that player maximising their chances of success in a competition.

It is a competition. If the tournament organiser feels the need to impose a different set of force organisation charts then that is still fair cop. If everyone has to build on 2HQ, 2 different Elite choices, 2 Troops, 2 Fast Attack and 2 different Heavy Support then that is still a level playing field. It is objective in that it is not open to interpreation by opinion; its all already in black and white and does not hinge on being a chum of the organiser or having a face that fits.

Penalising someone for a Stelek-esque or min/max or spam list has to be subjective. It is entirely within the opinion of the person charged with the responsibility to decide if someone's list is 'fair' this is not following the BRB or Codecies. No matter how fair minded and well intentioned, those whose own view of 'fourtykay is closest to that of the 'judge' will score the best.

A sportsmanship score should be given on the performance of the player at the table (and in the bar/shop/lounge). Patience, politeness, reasonableness and a whole host of other ness-es is what should make up someones 'sportsmanship' score; if such a thing were to be scored at all. And these should be in the view of their peers. This might include the organisers/referees but primarily is down to the other players.

Army composition has sod all to do with sportsmanship in an open, competitive, environment.
Now I know that I've been reading YTTH too much.