There are some things which crop up during a nice game of Warhammer (or Warmaster, or whatever it is that you are playing) that irritate. Not things like the dice not going your way, your plan falling apart because of you forgetting something, you getting carried away, or, and this one seems to be so rare as to be extinct, your opponent is simply better than you are at the game. No, I mean bad behaviour. For example, we've all heard of people who will throw their dice. These juvenile fools do it for various reasons - they blame the dice for things not going their way, they take out their frustration at making a mistake on their dice, they vent their jealously or simple bad temper through their dice, and so on. Such behaviour is derisory - grow up. Learn how the probability of dice works, learn how this affects the game you play. Get yourself some self-control, and wake up to reality - things will not always go your way. This also applies to those who will blame things on lumps of tin and plastic instead of their own lack of skill - have you people any idea of just how stupid you sound? Some people sulk when things don't go their way. A prized unit fails to live up to expectations (or delusions), and suddenly their mood plummets to the depths of gloom. They begin to take less interest in the game, and sit slumped over the other side of the table, barely exerting themselves to be polite. Again, grow up. It's just a game, and if you are going to despair over making a mistake or simple bad luck, then you obviously lack maturity. Everyone is going to get that "oh shit..." feeling when they start to lose - but most people can realise that it's just a game . . . and that to simply chuck it in when things go wrong half an hour into the game (or at any point of the game, for that matter) is the height of rudeness to your fellow player(s). Other people swear when things go wrong. Or when things go right. Or just for punctuation. Don't do it. If you can't be bothered to broaden your vocabulary when the language has thousands of words for your use, then that's your problem - don't bruise my ears. And again, for those who insist on swearing every time the dice don't go their way, find yourself both maturity and self control. You are ugly. Do something about it. One of the things that most irritates me is when someone simply ignores how the rules work. A prime example from Warhammer is the sliding unit. Now, the rules, which represent large blocks of soldiers moving in a formation that has a definite front, and where everyone moves forward in lines, are very clear on how units move. They do not move sideways. If you want to move that way, wheel about or turn in the ranks. You cannot simply move forward and slide the unit to the left as well - especially not when there's a unit to your front that would have prevented wheeling. If you can't organise your army's disposition, then that is your problem, not a reason to ignore the rules. Tied in to this are those who don't take the rules seriously. "Oh well, it doesn't really matter that the edge of my direwolves clipped that bit of rough terrain, it doesn't really matter". Yes, it does matter. Very much. What on earth do we bother having rules for if they are simply going to be set aside when they don't suit - generally because of someone's simple carelessness and lack of forethought? In both cases of ignoring the rules, the act itself is seriously annoying and very bad behaviour. But what makes it worse is what comes after. When you point out to someone who does this sort of thing just what they are doing and why it is wrong, more often than not they will give you a nasty look and demand to know the exact wording of the rules. When the rules are found to be against them, they will whine that it doesn't really matter, surely? And when you insist on the rules being observed, they will, with a sigh and grumble and tossed "all right then, if that's the way you want it...", attempt to make out that YOU are the villain, and that it is your behaviour, not theirs, which is at fault. Never mind the fact that they are breaking the rules... If you are playing a game, make the effort to learn the rules. You show no respect for either the game or your opponent if you cannot be bothered making that simple effort. And of course there's the little matter of being considered a cheat. Similar is the person who takes it as a personal insult when you pull them up on such things, or point out that they have got a rule around the wrong way. You will be rudely challenged to prove it, and possibly spend time in a pointless argument. No matter what happens, the bruised ego will resist any concession of error, even when the rules make the matter crystal clear. Such people disgust me. If you cannot accept that you are wrong on such an inconsequential matter as the rules of a game of toy soldiers, and take affront at such a suggestion, then you have a serious problem. Try keeping an open mind for a change, and again exercise some self-control. Related to this are those who will use the most bizarre reasoning to try to have their way. The very most common supporting argument will be "but it doesn't say that I can't...". Never mind that it is clear to anyone with even the slightest grasp of logic that the rules of a wargame can only describe what can be done - the real trouble here is that these people really do believe the rubbish they come up with. Now, if you cannot back up your claim with a rule, drop it. It's as simple as that. Use some logic instead of belief. And finally, there are the ugly winners. No, not powergamers, not even cheats. I mean those who simply cannot help gloating about how they've crushed you into a pulp, trodden you into the sod, obliterated your army, and so on - repeatedly. Okay, so you're happy about your win, and who wouldn't be, especially if it was a challenging game. But please, stop the antics - they display to the world just how much your ego needs support. Remember, you are playing a game largely reliant upon chance. As this is the opposite of sulking, the same comments can apply - this is the height of rudeness to your fellow player(s). Now, if you display any one of the bad behaviours listed above, then I will have to think long and hard before playing you again. If you display any two, then it is quite likely that you won't be seeing me across the table again. Not by choice, anyway. If you do any three or more, then I most certainly will not play you again, I will do my best to let others know what sort of brattish fool you are, and might well consider a verbal broadside whilst packing up halfway through the game. Some things should not be tolerated, and bad behaviour is one of them.