Gaming Ettiquette

Wargaming Etiquette

"I have the Don't Go There principle. If I'm considering some kind of move, tactic, or whatever that might involve a gray area in the rules or otherwise be of dubious legality, I just 'don't go there' rather than risk stopping the game for a rules debate. If I need that dubiously-legal move/tactic/whatever to win, I don't deserve to win."
"When rolling a mass of dice, only remove failed rolls. You have to allow your opponent the opportunity to see your successes. If someone rolls a bunch of dice and picks up all their successes before I can see, I wonder if there is something they are trying to hide...."
"Bring solid dice with easy to identify numbers...not black with dark red...."
"Give the other guy the benefit of the doubt. If someone is doing something illegal, assume it is out of ignorance, not a desire to cheat."
"Ask your opponent how they want to handle game elements that you or he consider gray areas."
"We have a general rule that you don't play someone out of your range. You know, someone who's just started when you've had 14 years experience. If you do, it's generally agreed that you should tell the other guy what the situation is. In some cases, you may not want to count it as a serious game. Realistically speaking, he's not likely to win unless something odd or silly happens. So, it's probably better to say you're training him. Playing a proper full game isn't really seen as fair to the new guy."
"I ask if the other person has a preference for a certain mission. I'll play any mission, so it doesn't matter to me what we play."
"If I lose, I usually ask my opponent for constructive criticism: 'What do you think I could have done differently or better?' Not only do I learn something, but it tells them that I value their opinions and that I'm not angry with them."
"Shake hands before and after the game, wish the other guy good luck before and thank him after."
"If you take a lunch break during a tournament, make sure you wash your hands! You may need to handle someone else's minis, and believe me, once I'm done with this heavily converted Valhallan chick, I do not want your greasy paws on her."
"One of my gaming mottos is: If you can't say anything nice, shut up already. If the guy's models have atrocious paint jobs, I'm not going to mention it. Nor am I going to rag him for bozo tactics."
"Remind opponents if they forget to do something, like moving or firing a unit: 'Did you want to move that Falcon?'"
"If you come across a female player, don't do any of the stupid man-things that guys do, like trying to look down her shirt while she's moving her minis. Not only does this make you look like a loser, it will make your opponent uncomfortable."
"If I'm playing a newbie or someone I'm beating the stuffing out of (which has happened now and again), I'll ask, 'May I make a suggestion?' and then tell them (if they want to know) what I would do in their situation."
"Full disclosure. You want a copy of my army list? Fine. I point out the Veteran Sergeants with power weapons, the units with the badass heroes, etc., so the other guy doesn't have a nasty surprise."
"If you're playing an opponent you don't know well, don't make the same jokes at the table as you do with your friends. You can't always tell who's easily offended, and it makes the game not fun for them if you're making what they consider to be crude remarks about them, their girlfriends, or their models."
"Don't touch other people's minis without asking permission first. If you have to, stoop down and circle the table for a better look at their new HQ."
"Keep an eye on your kids or your little brothers/sisters. There was this one guy at the hobby shop buying some other things and his seven year old came over and picked up some of our tanks during a game. Very annoying. We had to put it back and figure out the line of sight again."
"Don't make sarcastic remarks about your opponent's tactics, army list, or army appearance. Instead you can try talking it over with your opponent after the game."
"Don't be vengeful. Sportsmanship doesn't tolerate revenge."
"If you have forgotten measuring tape, templates, scatter dice, etc. and you ask to borrow something, make sure you give it back to the person you got it from and be sure to thank them."
"When facing an enemy and you are bound to lose, give your opponent the respect they deserve and finish the game. Even if you have only one squad of Tactical Marines against an angry horde of Bloodletters (we all know how deadly those things are), play it out and try to take as many of the enemy you can with you. I call this the 'Let us make such an ending as will be worth a song' rule."
"When you destroy someone else's vehicle or take out one of their expensive characters, never jump around and brag about that then or later on in the game (a.k.a. the don't be a dork rule)"