Help support TMP


"Gamers That Don't Learn the Rules" Topic


23 Posts

All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.

Please be courteous toward your fellow TMP members.

For more information, see the TMP FAQ.


Return to the Gamers That Don't Learn the Rules Poll


Areas of Interest

General

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Featured Showcase Article

Small Storage Packs from Charon

When you only need to carry 72 28mm figures (or less)...


Featured Workbench Article

Basing with Two-Part Epoxy

One way to avoid the 'pitcher's mound' effect.


Current Poll


Featured Book Review


930 hits since 29 Aug 2015
©1994-2024 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?


TMP logo

Membership

Please sign in to your membership account, or, if you are not yet a member, please sign up for your free membership account.
Zippee29 Aug 2015 2:05 a.m. PST

No – as long as the guy's enthusiastic, willing and pleasant then I'm happy to manage his lack of comprehension.

If the guy's just a lazy git who brings nothing but expectations then he'll be invited elsewhere.

warwell29 Aug 2015 2:20 a.m. PST

Other – solo gamer

GildasFacit Sponsoring Member of TMP29 Aug 2015 2:47 a.m. PST

We play so many different sets and modify them so often that it is VERY rare that anyone around the table knows them well. Add to that our age (mid 50's – mid 60's) and tendency to remember bits from the wrong set of rules and you end up with a lot of checking and 'discussion' of what we should be doing.

Rrobbyrobot29 Aug 2015 5:09 a.m. PST

It all depends on who's playing. Our group has experienced players who know the rules well. But we encourage folks to join us. We don't expect them to know the rules unless, or until they've been at it awhile. Then again, we tend to play rather simple rules that aren't hard to grasp.
But if you've got, say, a younger person in the group that just can't afford to purchase a set of the rules, do you really want to exclude them?

RavenscraftCybernetics29 Aug 2015 5:39 a.m. PST

I play games at conventions in order to learn new rules.
I run games at conventions in order to teach new rules.
I expect people not to know the rules so your scenario seems a tad off-putting to me.

Frederick Supporting Member of TMP29 Aug 2015 5:39 a.m. PST

They make the game interesting – like charging into short range of a deployed battery and learning about this thing called canister

They also do things that are unpredictable and, given the quality of some generals, are probably more historical than what the rules lawyers do!

Winston Smith29 Aug 2015 5:55 a.m. PST

Many, if not most "real life" generals had to learn the rules the hard way.
I would suggest that by April 1865 most ACW generals still had a lot to learn.

Personal logo McKinstry Supporting Member of TMP Fezian29 Aug 2015 7:50 a.m. PST

No. It's a game and if everyone is having a good time, we don't sweat the small stuff.

Wombling Free29 Aug 2015 8:56 a.m. PST

It's not a problem at the start but can irritate me if they continue to not learn the rules after we have been playing a while. We had one WW1 air war campaign implode because the guy that never learnt the rules sulked massively after we got fed up and enforced the rules instead of cutting him yet more slack. It was not pleasant to see and not a pleasant end to what had been a long campaign, but his inability/refusal to learn the rules after so long was spoiling the campaign for the rest of us.

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP29 Aug 2015 12:15 p.m. PST

Don't have a lot of getting hung up on rules.

Kevin in Albuquerque29 Aug 2015 2:35 p.m. PST

With my ability to roll badly (six '1's' in a row at a tournament, seven at a friendly local game) I need all the advantages I can get. You bet I'm going to know the rules!

Personal logo Doctor X Supporting Member of TMP29 Aug 2015 6:54 p.m. PST

The OP's scenario is about people who play the same rules over and over but never bother to learn them.

If the player has some mental defect, no problem. If he is a lazy piece of Bleeped text or a "pretender"* then I don't have time for them.

* "Pretender" – a player who knows the rules but fakes ignorance in order to try to bend the rules or cheat. They can also be part time rules lawyers hoping to catch someone in a "but last time you said…" discussions.

Twilight Samurai29 Aug 2015 9:19 p.m. PST

The people that are bothered are probably the ones best avoided.

Personal logo 20thmaine Supporting Member of TMP30 Aug 2015 2:26 a.m. PST

solo players need to be allowed multiple choices here : I'm that guy, but I'm also the guy who knows the rules, and ew never play the same rules twice and…..

Inkpaduta30 Aug 2015 7:37 a.m. PST

Only when they have asked for the ninth time what die do I need to roll? I have told them what die eight times earlier.

Personal logo DWilliams Supporting Member of TMP30 Aug 2015 9:22 a.m. PST

I have two responses …

First, in every real battle, there are always incompetent commanders who don't have a clue, so the presence of these types of players just adds to the realism.

Second, our club is welcoming to all, and we are patient and understanding with those who just can't seem to master the simplest rules.

Ceterman30 Aug 2015 10:12 a.m. PST

What GildasFacit said, exactly!

Ron W DuBray30 Aug 2015 3:18 p.m. PST

NO because even the best players FUBAR a rule now and then and a lot of people will never remember most things week to week let alone one game of a rules set to another with months or years between playing them. Just too many new things to deal with every day, so remembering 10 to 30 sets of game rules is not on the top of the list. So they get push into a back room of your brain. Lets face it they don't pay the bills for most all of us. I guess we don't play the same set more then 3 to 5 times a year so its not a problem and getting to play any games more then once a month is pushing it.

DisasterWargamer Supporting Member of TMP31 Aug 2015 5:15 a.m. PST

Try to avoid the more complex games – unless with a regular group playing them – otherwise keep it simple and fun.

advocate31 Aug 2015 8:34 a.m. PST

Other – depends on the guy.

Yesthatphil31 Aug 2015 5:47 p.m. PST

No … it isn't all about the rules (which are just tools to make the game work) … and what advocate said …

Phil

Old Contemptibles31 Aug 2015 11:34 p.m. PST

Nope as long as some of us know the rules we are good. It does help if he/her has some wargaming experience. If you know, move, fire, melee and morale, your good to go.

There are some rules we play that I don't fully know yet, but I get asked back every time. We each know one of the myriad of rules we play. We ALL get them confused. …or is that a rule from another game?

Attitude, comradely and someone who provides figures, terrain and/or beer are all more important than knowing the rules. What we don't like is someone who gets upset with someone who doesn't know all the rules. We don't have that many players to be turning away people for something as trivial as not knowing the rules.

meledward2302 Sep 2015 10:15 a.m. PST

Depends. If its the guy that enjoys playing the game and is willing to let you point out the proper rule to him and he goes oh okay and moves on, then yes he is fine.

If he is the @#$@#$@ that quotes rules that dont exist while he plays… then no…

Sorry - only verified members can post on the forums.