Now that we have symbols, replicators wouldn't be far off. Attached is how it works in Modo.
You take any item (groups are items too), set it as a master object, activate the replicator tool and create live duplicates of that master. Anything that changes with the master changes in the duplicates as you make the changes. The position of the replicas is basically done with null objects/locators that can be automatically positioned with a formula (to form predefined shapes or cling to bezier node points of an item) or can be placed manually.
What I'm doing in the video is just moving the centre point of the master object around, this creates an offset-like effect.
replicator demo.mov