Why is being a good sport important?
Tabletop games are much more
fun if you play them with other people, instead of just playing with
yourself,
right? Being a good sport is important because no one will play
with
you if you are a lousy sport. The essence
of
being a good sport is being respectful of your opponent.
If
you do not respect your opponent, then he will not play with you
anymore.
If you are respectful of your opponent, he will likely be respectful to
you, which will increase your enjoyment of the game.
Respect your opponent's schedule
Call if you are not going
to make it to the
game.
Be on time to the game.
Be
prepared with minis,
rules
and the description of your force when you get there. Nothing
aggravates
people like watching you try to slap together an appropriate force at
the
last minute. In many tabletop games, the match is won or lost depending
on force selection. Take the time to think your forces out carefully
beforehand.
If someone has arranged
their life to make time
to
play with you, then you should be equally generous with your time, and
use it to get to the game on time and prepared.
Respect your opponent's time
Plan your moves during your
opponent's turn.
This will
keep you from getting bored, and help you tactically.
When your turn comes, move
your
minis quickly. You should already know where they are
going.
Roll
your dice quickly
- shaking dice doesn't randomize them, rolling them on the table
randomizes
them.
Many games have critical
hits and misses. When
it comes
to your turn, roll your dice quickly. If you get a critical miss, then
line of sight and your target number don't matter. This speeds up play
a lot.
KNOW
THE RULES.
Read them
two or three times before your first game, and be prepared with a
cheat-sheet
of the important rules at every game. Don't make your opponent wait on
you to figure it out. Don't ask your opponent about the same rule
twice.
It's extremely rude to force your opponent to repeat the rules to you.
I have a friend who will
shake ONE
six-sided die for a full two minutes before rolling it. This is a real
pain in the rear when he's got minis that have three attacks. I
have
another friend that takes fifteen minutes to move seven models because
he talks nonstop telling me where he's going to move them. I don't want
to hear about his minis moving, I want to see them moved. As
another
example, I just don't get the movement rules for Mordheim. Therefore I
have my book open to the movement rules, and I look up the ones I need
during my opponent's turn.
Respect your opponent's Stuff
Many people spend hours and
hours and hours
making
terrain and painting minis (like me.) Therefore you should respect your
opponent's effort and treat his terrain and minis very gently.
The
best policy is to
never touch
your opponent's minis. If you never touch your opponent's
minis, then it's very difficult for you to break them.
If you wound one of his
guys, or put them out
of the
game, PLEASE let your opponent lay the model down or remove it from the
table.
If you accidentally knock
over one of your
opponent's
guys, then apologize and let your opponent pick the model up.
Terrain is tougher than
minis and takes less
time to
prepare (usually). Most people don't mind if you touch the terrain to
help
with set up, but ask first to make sure.
If you
break the terrain or the mini, then you should immediately apologize to
your opponent and offer to replace it; this is the ONLY acceptable
course
of action. Some people break terrain and minis and
hope to hide the fact by not saying anything. This is extremely
disrespectful,
because you assume that your opponent isn't smart enough to notice you
did it, additionally if you lose the broken part the repairs are
extremely
difficult.
Respect your opponent's game
Be
honest with your
opponent,
and accept no less from him. Do not do anything that might be
mistaken
for cheating, deliberately misinterpreting the rules or misrepresenting
your force even if you mean it to be honest.
It is extremely polite and
courteous to let
your opponent
see your (clearly written) force description before the game.
That
way there is no confusion about what your models are capable of
doing.
After all, the object of the game is to stun and surprise your opponent
with your tactical wit and clever use of your models, not to aggravate
him by looking like you're making stuff up.
Use different colored dice
when rolling
multiple dice
for multiple weapons or attacks. Prevent misunderstandings.
Clearly
state what you
are rolling
dice for, so there are no arguments. ("Ok, red is sword and blue
is hammer. Here's to hit [dice roll] and here's to wound [dice roll],
the
critical on the sword [die rolls], and the damage for both weapons
[dice
roll]. Oops! I guess that five on the injury table means I don't
have to look up that critical hit!") Don't just sit around and roll
dice.
The sound is annoying and the rolls can be easily misinterpreted.
If you and your opponent
disagree on a rule
then look
it up quickly. If you cannot resolve your difference immediately, then
come to an adult agreement. After the game, create a house rule or rule
interpretation to keep the argument from reoccurring. Keep a
written
list of these where all players can get to them.
Make
sure that your minis
and
your opponent's minis are identifiable. The important
thing
is that your opponent should be able to tell, in general terms, who
your
guys are (e.g. the orc with the axe shouldn't shoot fully automatic
weapons
with liquid teflon filled bullets). Label your models with tabs,
etc. if it is unclear (in your opponent’s opinion) which mini does
what.
Additionally, in games where facing is an issue, then the front or head
or facing of each model should be explained to your opponent before the
game starts.
Knowing which minis are what prevents (sometimes
violent) misunderstandings. My Mordheim skaven are numbered 1
through
a zillion, which helps me and my opponent keep track of who is
who.
Creative color schemes with armor or fur or scales can also be used to
distinguish minis. ("Ok guys, the cybertronic chausseurs in the green
armor
are the elite units, and the ones in black armor are the regulars.")
Respect your opponent
Be
polite to your
opponent.
Compliment him on what he does well. Offer him helpful suggestions
after
the game. Don't whine or quit or when you're losing and don't
gloat
or trashtalk when you're winning. You never know what the next
game
will bring. In addition to being rude to your opponent, this makes you
look like a baby.
Keep
your language polite.
You never know which curse word is going to offend your opponent so
much
that he will refuse to remain in your presence.
ALWAYS
shake hands with
your
opponent after the game to let him know that you appreciate the
honor of playing with him.
Respect the future of the game
In addition to being
respectful of your
opponent, you
should be respectful of the "sport."
Recruit new players.
That way you will
always
have a large group of people to play with. Teach them how to
paint
minis and make terrain.
Be
patient with new
players,
and help them learn the rules, the tactics and how to be a good sport
too.
This doesn't mean you have to let them win (you shouldn't) but you
might
explain the reason behind each of your moves as you make it, and point
out some tactics for them to counter with. You'll still probably
beat the pants off the new player, but he will not be unhappy, because
you are helping him develop the tools he needs to be a seriously fun
challenge
for you in the future.
Be POLITELY
critical of
players who are not being good sports. They are going to
ruin
your fun either by making you miserable, or by scaring people away from
the game. A simple, truthful comment delivered in an even and
non-confrontational
tone of voice will go a long way towards making people reconsider their
attitude. Try these: "That wasn't a nice thing to say." "Wow.
That
was really rude." "I'd appreciate it if you didn't touch my
minis."
"I can't tell which of your minis is the leader - can we put a marker
on
him?" If you can't gently, and politely guide someone into being
a good sport, then refuse to play with him - and tell him why! If
nothing
else, the seriousness of your response might entice the offender to
reconsider
his ways.
LEAD
BY EXAMPLE!
This
is the most important thing. If you are a good sport, you will be an
immensely
popular player, even if you beat everyone's butt on a regular
basis.
Also be sure and acknowledge players that are good sports.
Positive
reinforcement works best!
