How to animate multiple objects with similiar paths and properties but not identical

Depends what tools you have and how controllable those paths need to be. Apparently this is something typically done with particle systems like Trapcode Particular but there may be other options. Either way, you have to explain what you actually want/ need to achieve rather than ask "Can I do this and that in AE?". Such broad questions never go anywhere and only end up with endless threads where everyone gives their opinion, but nothing is actualyl resolved. Pertinent questions would be: Do the particles need to retain their initial positions and spacing? Must the setup be used as it exists or would it be possible to re-create using other tools? How flexible does it need to be? And so on...

Mylenium