Physical aggression and fighting in a GW or flgs?

[NixonAsADaemonPrince]

Would you two please descend to ground level from your high equines please

Anyway, on topic, I've never experienced any kind of violence or even verbal abuse relating to gaming.

I do have this to add though:

The worst opponent I've ever had is in a reasonably recent game in a very casual GW store 40k tournament (With me not having been to the store in at least a year, and thus not being particularly familiar with it). I was faced with a guy in the 17-18 age range, who was very proud of how his Ork Killa Kan army was destroying all before it, and seemed to have a reputation in the store for being a bit of loud mouth concerning his tactical aptitude. I didn't really fancy having a game against him, but due to the promptings of the staff I was cajoled into it. He had a 1000pts and I had 1250pts of competive Space Wolves, the points discrepancy due to the campaign nature of the tournament favouring imperials (Though I did try and put 1000pts on the table first of all, but staff told me to take the full 1250pts).

I had already let my opponent know that I only had 45mins to play the game, a fact which he seemingly acknowledged. I started off and started causing some minor damage to the Kans, with him not being happy that the 50% cover rule applies to Walkers, and thus hiding behind a tiny wall doesn't give him cover.

At this point he announces, quite loudly, that he has recieved a text from his girlfriend. I nod slightly, and then turn my attention back to the game. He takes his turn and moves forward a bit, and not much happens. I then take my turn and cause more damage (Though crucially only get 1 kill point due to the Kans all being in squadrons). At this point it becomes obvious that it is likely that I will take most of his army off the board in the next turn (No great feat, considering I have a points advantage and was playing a gunline list).

Realising this and remembering that I'm playing against a time limit, he then proceeds to take a very long turn. He announced frequently the texts he was receiving from the love of his life, which took up quite a bit of his time, and the rest he simply spent looking at the board. When I had 5mins to go and so really should have been packing up, he takes his turn and wrecks a Rhino. I call it a draw there.

I mate of mine witnessed the whole event and was bemused as I was.

[eldargal]

I'm quite grounded, thank you. I'm just not sure why my story of punching a chap in the face and yelling at a couple of idiots is so much more unbelievable than any of the other stories in this thread.

[theunwantedbeing]

I'm quite grounded, thank you. I'm just not sure why my story of punching a chap in the face and yelling at a couple of idiots is so much more unbelievable than any of the other stories in this thread.

I think you getting given money is the unbelievable bit....after apparently breaking the guys nose.

Although I guess it could happen, guys are supposed to treat women respectfully regardless of the situation.
So after slapping you he may have felt guilty and sent the money as compensation for the trouble he caused.

[RunepriestRidcully]

Wow I must some of these stories are a bit unbelievable, though with Eldargals I find the fact the tournament organizers or no one else tried to step in to help her, If I someone hit a women my first reaction would be to try and help her out, not stand aside.
The only problem I've had is that a guy I used to date is in my gaming club (though he does the RP's) and he sometimes comes up into the wargaming room, stands behind me and taps my shoulder saying "boo", even if I am in a game or talking to someone else, and then usually wonders off.

[eldargal]

He felt guilty, went to anger management sessions, 'turned his life around', decided he had me to thank for it. I still don't see how it makes my story any more unbelievable than some of the other stories*, afterall isn't this thread about the extremest of reactions witnessed in the hobby?

I think you getting given money is the unbelievable bit....after apparently breaking the guys nose.

Although I guess it could happen, guys are supposed to treat women respectfully regardless of the situation.
So after slapping you he may have felt guilty and sent the money as compensation for the trouble he caused.

RunepriestRidcully, it happened quite quickly, game ended, he jumped up and slapped me, I stood up and punched him, people came running.


*I have great trouble believing the one about the boy swallowing part of the librarian, but I'm not going to go singling out the person as dishonest just because I have trouble picturing anyone being that stupid.

[Coasty]

He felt guilty, went to anger management sessions, 'turned his life around', decided he had me to thank for it. I still don't see how it makes my story any more unbelievable than some of the other stories*, afterall isn't this thread about the extremest of reactions witnessed in the hobby?


RunepriestRidcully, it happened quite quickly, game ended, he jumped up and slapped me, I stood up and punched him, people came running.

It's not so much unbelievable as people don't want to believe that you got a financial reward for comitting a serious assault when what you should have got (given that it was retribution, not self-defence) was a fine and a criminal record.

[gutsmaka]

can we stop going at each others posts about belivability? please? just because things arent common, dosnt mean its fake. this was a really interesting thread to read untill meriweather had a go at eldergal and she retaliated. please get on topic, please?

[Max Jet]

It's not so much unbelievable as people don't want to believe that you got a financial reward for comitting a serious assault when what you should have got (given that it was retribution, not self-defence) was a fine and a criminal record.

Aye, he speaks the truth.

[Necanthrope]

I've not seen outright violence in a gaming store, but I was once threatened with a ban from my local GW when I shouted at a teenager who was trying to steal an opponents miniatures while we wasn't looking. The kid in question started to cry so perhaps I was a little more frightening than I needed to be. It left a sour taste in my mouth that I was seen as being in the wrong for preventing a theft though.

[eldargal]

Yet no one said this about the man who 'gave a good hiding a group of young men, or the man who went outside and punched another person down, or the player who punched a rude bystander. Funny double standard there. Not to mention I thought it was self defense (the police agreed, too, and they should know), when a large, muscular man comes at me and slaps me I'm not going to wait and see if he is going to try it again.

It's not so much unbelievable as people don't want to believe that you got a financial reward for comitting a serious assault when what you should have got (given that it was retribution, not self-defence) was a fine and a criminal record.

Agreed, I'm not going to respond again.

can we stop going at each others posts about belivability? please? just because things arent common, dosnt mean its fake. this was a really interesting thread to read untill meriweather had a go at eldergal and she retaliated. please get on topic, please?

[Meriwether]

Funny double standard there.

Not at all. Yours was not the only set of unbelievable (in the literal sense) stories in the bunch, but yours was the only post that made me spit coffee laughing. I thus felt compelled to reply, and there is no more to it than that.

...and gutsmaka, I don't know who this "meriweather" fellow is, but he sounds like a jerk...

[Havock]

Yet no one said this about the man who 'gave a good hiding a group of young men, or the man who went outside and punched another person down, or the player who punched a rude bystander. Funny double standard there. Not to mention I thought it was self defense (the police agreed, too, and they should know), when a large, muscular man comes at me and slaps me I'm not going to wait and see if he is going to try it again.

Agreed, but surely you can understand us being slightly skeptic of the story.

The clippers to face one is just too far-fetched to make up, for example

[Chaos and Evil]

Eldar girl : why do you put your quotes/replies in the wrong order? It makes your posts weird to read.

I've seen some verbal fights but no fisticuffs.

[xxRavenxx]

Oooh. Anecdotes.

This isn't quite the right story for the thread, but its related to Eldar Girl's discussion, so I'll let fly:

My store used to have an obscenely horrible guy called Mark frequent it. He would blatantly cheat at games, loudly argue with people, and once came in after a loss to a Skaven player to tell them he'd rung GW who said that they hadn't played a rule right (which the player had) and that customer service said he was retroactively the winner. I'm fairly sure that noone in store liked him, as he was just... a horrible person.

He was frankly amazing to have to listen to. He'd often try and regale people with stories of how he was dating a 45 year old woman (he was mid twenties) and using her to get bought things. He'd often hear people discussing something and chime in about his special knowledge on the subject. Apparently this slightly overweight gamer had done multiple degrees, been a prize fighter and god knows what else in his time on earth.

One day, he came in and ordered several items from us, only to come in to cancel them the next day loudly telling everyone he could that he'd saved 10% via wayland. A member of staff told him to shut up, and he went storming off.

The next day, a concerned regular (who I've known since primary school) came in to tell me he'd been cornered in the local Game, and regaled with tales of me physically assaulting the guy in the store, and threatening to break his teeth. A quick check later and it is found that he was telling multiple people this story. A couple of days later he swans into the store as if all is well, only to be told to leave, and starts denying it, and refusing to go, until four people crowd up to tell him he's been told to go and never come back, and that the police will be coming to remove him if he doesn't go.

A few days later, I get a PM on the privateerpress forums from him (not knowing my username) telling me how horrible the shop is, and trying to arrange to play some games elsewhere, suggesting he could come to my house and play on a kitchen table, etc. I unpolitely tell him where he can shove it...

We don't hear from him for a good while, except a story that he's put in a claim at the hotel hed just been fired from, claiming the head chef hit him with a skillet, and demanding money, and then another that he'd just run off with someones 16 year old girlfriend to another town.

A couple of months pass, and he suddenly turns up again, walking into the shop as if we'd never banned him. He claims he wants to buy an army, and we decide we'd like the money so don't throw him out. The very next day, a customer we've known for a decade comes in to tell us they'd met him in tescos and there is another story of assault. We immediately place a notice that he is banned, and send a message via someone who knows him that the police will be called if we either a) hear any slander about assaults, or b) have him try to enter the store again. Its now been two years without further incident, so heres hoping I've seen the last of him.


It is frankly amazing that someone can behave in the manner he did, and makes me wonder how many other stores have had to deal with a customer behaving in a manner so inappropriate, be it threats, lies, or violence.

[SilentCivilian]

25+ years of playing and i have never seen any physical violence between gamers. At worst a few insults thrown across the table but they where between friends and where harmless banter that goes with any game. We did comment last weekend that if anyone who did not know us heard some of the things we say to / call each other they would think we hated each other. But i have never hit, or seen any one coming to blows in all my many years.

xxRavenxx you where lucky he was just a customer. I used to have an employee who would put hits guy to shame. Off topic i know but bear with me. This guy tried to claim i had thrown him against the door in my office, before throwing him to the ground and standing on his throat while shouting abuse at him. Wonderful thing CCTV cameras. Proved my innocence, but the company i worked for at the time had a **** HR department and he was kept on.

[Meriwether]

a prize fighter

Did he wield a katana? I hear they're the best...

[Inquisitor Kallus]

Not at all. Yours was not the only set of unbelievable (in the literal sense) stories in the bunch, but yours was the only post that made me spit coffee laughing. I thus felt compelled to reply, and there is no more to it than that.

...and gutsmaka, I don't know who this "meriweather" fellow is, but he sounds like a jerk...

Yeah, because it was absolutely hilarious (sarcasm), a female being hit because some fool couldnt take losing or whatever. The jerk part of your post seems quite fitting....

Eldar girl : why do you put your quotes/replies in the wrong order? It makes your posts weird to read.

I've seen some verbal fights but no fisticuffs.

Agreed, its not only weird to read but also leads to me generally glossing over her posts even though she has some good things to say.


Back when I worked for GW I saw a lot of things.... . One paticular manager/gamer used to, when losing, grab models/units and launch them across the room. I remember one night I was cashing up after watching him and 3 others start a game of 4 way Necromunda, I believe he had Redemptionists at the time. Anyway after a while I heard thudding and I looked out back through the door only to ee him muttering 'you'll never fail me again' as he proceeded to pound on a miniature with a hammer on the floor.

Twice I've had to 'intervene' between people who were about to kick off outside of games because of insults. I've also heard a number of stories about people getting knocked out by regulars, lots of thrown dice stuff and even managers getting up in their staffs faces. The latest thing I heard was that an ex-manager who was told by a parent jokingly by a parent (........) that he could give him (his child) a clip or something if he was playing up. The kid one day went bawling to his parent with his arm black and blue and said that the staff member had done it...

[Meriwether]

Yeah, because it was absolutely hilarious (sarcasm), a female being hit because some fool couldnt take losing or whatever. The jerk part of your post seems quite fitting....

Yes of course, that was the funny part, and only that. None of the rest of it.

[Bookwrak]

It's a numbers game. There must be hundreds of thousands of games being played every year. It's not surprising that in a tiny percentage of those somebody gets more agitated than is reasonable.

I've seen a brawl start because one guy was pissed that his football team lost, while the other guy's team won, and that was apparently provocation enough for him to take a swing, and then their mates all piled in too. No single hobby or interest has a monopoly on man-children with behavioral problems.

[tu33y]

you know what is funniest about all of this? every single one could be bible fact or complete fantasy... and we will never know.

the stories I slightly raise my eyebrow at are the ones that involve specific items not normally used in games. why are hammers mentioned? i have never seen a hammer anywhere near any gaming table... BUT a guy who has his own hammer IS likley to hit his minis with it...

eldargals story DID seem a little "yeah but thats nothing cos once i..." but i think that is more down to her writing style and tone than anything else.i have no doubt of its truthfulnes as EG is a regular poster who often has relevant comments, not a hit and run tool

personally, i have never seen or been involved in anything more than high level sulking... but not too long ago i killed all three of my opponents necron destroyers with three pew-pews from my valkyrie- he ripped up his list and stormed down the gap between the tables at lenton. funny thing was he was winning.