Tabletop Etiquette for Friendly Leagues

[mattgslater]

Am I missing anything? Recent edits in italics.

BLOOD BOWL ETIQUETTE

TRUST, BUT VERIFY

If your opponent wants to use your dice, you should let him. If you won't, you should put them away and use his.

Watch all of your opponent's rolls. Insist that your opponent watch all of your rolls. It doesn't matter if you trust your opponent or not: verification is good for everybody.

If you must figure out your basic plan before moving your turn marker, do so mostly on your opponent's turn. If more than 10 seconds elapse after your opponent declares end of turn and you're still thinking, move the turn marker and do it on your own time.

THE LONGEST HOUR

If one coach wants the four-minute rule and one doesn't, why not come to a compromise? You can probably squeeze in a 3-hour game with a 5-minute limit, and if you're just trying to avoid a marathon, 6 minutes will do. Remember, many turns only go for a couple minutes, or even less (stand, stand, stand, dodge, declare blitz, fail dodge, turn ends).

This is a long game. It's even longer if you take breaks every other turn. If you have to go to the bathroom between turns, no biggie. If you need a smoke-break, score. If that won't work, learn to play faster. If you have to go to the store, wait for halftime. If your phone rings, check your missed calls or messages on your opponent's turn, and either text back or wait for halftime to return the call. Emergencies are emergencies, and this is a board game, so things happen even so. Here's a a nice mantra for when to take a break: "After a score, after turn four, after turn eight, or if it's a big deal and can't wait."

HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE

If a third party is trying to talk to your opponent during his turn, ask them to let your opponent finish his turn. If this would seem inappropriate or if the person seems offended, explain that this game is very hard and if your opponent doesn't maintain concentration he will get creamed and have to spend the rest of the game in a hopeless situation. Usually that's enough to buy 2-3 minutes, which is usually long enough.

It's ok to talk to a third party when it's not your turn, but for your opponent's sake please don't go anywhere. Keep one eye on the table at all times: not only will it make you a better coach, but your opponent doesn't want to have to call you back to the table every time he rolls dice, and even if you tell him you'll take his word for it it's awkward when he kills your Minotaur while you're arguing with your spouse.

PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS

You should give at least one warning per game before calling illegal procedures. Note that this isn't a rule, just common courtesy. There's nothing saying you ever need to call an illegal procedure, and some coaches would rather not. If you hate IP calls, get an agreement from your opponent not to make them.

Don't eat anything greasy or sticky while playing Blood Bowl.

If you score a touchdown, it's ok to do a little dance or sing a stanza from your team's fight song. (Your team has a fight song, no?) Don't rub it in or do anything mean. If you get a casualty, a single exclamation is enough, thanks.

HE WHO HESITATES IS ANNOYING

If you declare a pass and even begin to line up the passing template, you're done moving.

Touching a piece doesn't commit you to acting with it. Neither does counting squares from that piece, using a die to represent new position. Picking it up does, as does declaring an action.

We have a lot of rookies, so this is a nicer bit than some leagues: you can change your mind on the action type, movement route, etc. if you haven't rolled any dice and you and your opponent can unequivocally agree on where the piece started out. If you don't declare an action type, it's a Move. It is permissible to point to a piece in the clear, say "Move" or don't, move him a square or two, and say, "sorry, Pass," so long as you didn't roll any dice. It is not permissible to move your player, dodge or pick up, and then say "Pass."

Similarly, you can miscalculate a block, declare it, see how bad it really is (before rolling), change your mind and dodge away, block someone else, or do nothing. ("I'm blocking the Invisible Man!") But you can't miscalculate a block, declare it, see how bad it really is, move up an assist, and then do the block. For this reason, it's best to figure out how hard an action is before declaring it, perhaps by phrasing it as a question. ("Is that a 2-die block?") If you want to block, but aren't sure how the math works out, get an agreement from your opponent before declaring. Same results, leads to cleaner play.

[Carnis]

HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE

You take your BB too seriously , I would offer the "other person" a pint instead.

If this would seem inappropriate or if the person seems offended, explain that this game is very hard and if your opponent doesn't maintain concentration he will get creamed and have to spend the rest of the game in a hopeless situation.

You may be taking the game too seriously..

You should give at least one warning per game before calling illegal procedures. Note that this isn't a rule, just common courtesy.

Many friendly leagues never call illegal procedures. Losing due to IPs is a really easy way of getting a player to totally lose interest in the game.

If you declare a pass and even begin to line up the passing template (you can get it ready) without declaring a target, your opponent should call an illegal procedure.

WHAT? Even the rulebook disagrees

It is perfectly acceptable to pre-measure the range to several players at any point during the throwing player's move before you declare the target of the pass.

Similarly, you can miscalculate a block, declare it, see how bad it really is (before rolling), change your mind and dodge away, block someone else, or do nothing. ("I'm blocking the Invisible Man!") But you can't miscalculate a block, declare it, see how bad it really is, move up an assist, and then do the block.

Why not? If no dice were rolled then insisting on him doing a suboptimal move just because you didn't remind him of a guard or he miscalculated regardless while speeding the game also takes out a lot of the enjoyment & fairness out of it. This was for friendly leagues, right?

[mattgslater]

Of course I take the game too seriously. It's just in my nature to take everything too seriously. Otherwise, things come at me too fast and I get confused.

The "Hell is other people" title was a Sartre quote. Just yesterday, I had a guy actually get up and go to the store to buy beer for his mooch friend in the middle of his own turn. That's what motivated me to write this, really.

Got one IP stickler who's otherwise an ok guy, and one guy who insists people call IPs on him, but won't call them on others. I figured this was a nice way to level the playing field.

Passing template note taken: I was going off memory, as that's always been the way we played it. Edited out. Thanks!

Re: the miscalculated block, I figure some coaches will generally be nice about that sort of thing (I know I would, at least the first two or three times). But it's just as easy, and a much better habit, to phrase it as a conditional before deciding: "If this guy blocks that guy, it's two dice, right?" And then if you're wrong, nobody's the worse for it. Then, when these guys go someplace where the minutiae really matter, they've got a nice cushion against stupid mistakes.

[Darkson]

To be honest, any league that needs a set of "guidelines" like these isn't a league I'd want to be a part of.

Our guidelines are listed as "IP - don't use them - 'nuff said.".

[Melipone]

I agree it's a bit much. Like the others said, you shouldn't need to legislate common courtesy, and if you do then its probably not the league for me.

[mattgslater]

Legislate? ??? Who's trying to legislate anything? I've got a bunch of coaches who have picked up the basics, but they come in two different camps. I've got the very clock-oriented people who have to fit games into the nooks and crannies, and the people who can take some days totally off and don't want to get rushed. Mostly we don't have terrible rudeness issues, but if I just knock all my coaches as a bunch of boors, I'm both missing the true situation and having a hard time getting any BB in.

Sometimes you have a conflict and nobody's wrong.

[Digger Goreman]

Kinda figured that was what's going on.... Rarely do folks ask without something affecting the question....

This is why sticking as close as possible to the rulebook, i.e., everything in the book is "normal" play, alleviates most problems....

No one walks out on a running clock....

IP is normal, LEST both coaches agree not to OR the opposing coach is kind enough to invoke the MAY clause and choose not to....

Matt, your number of coaches are enviable, your headaches certainly not.... Good luck with the group... and suggest that you "reasonably" accomodate the most restricted members....

[Darkson]

Tbh, we have restricted time to play every week (3 hours max, and that includes setting up and dismantling tables in the room, and general catching up), and I've never had the need to set "rules" about timing etc. For slow players, I just found a quiet word was enough.
I think I'd get more crap about making "anal" rules than I'd get positive feedback if I tried this with my lot.

[mattgslater]

we have restricted time to play every week (3 hours max, and that includes setting up and dismantling tables in the room, and general catching up)

See, I can't do that. That would be great, and I can work toward it next season. But not all our coaches have much control over their schedule, so if I schedule a game day with 6 or 8 coaches I'm likely to get 3.

Matt, your number of coaches are enviable

No, my pickings are slim. If it was a case of accommodating 8 or 12 coaches I'd be cool with more attrition. But I have a hard time keeping 6 together: my total rolodex is about 10, and there are some guys who won't play in the same league as other guys. Funny. Before the war(s), it was easy to find league gamers here, but people who aren't here for the Navy are usually here for the sunshine. Lord knows they pay enough for it, so they're down at the beach. Me too, sometimes. But I gotta have my BB... so I gotta have some framework to cope with (regular) personality clashes. My guys might read this, so I won't go into detail, but it's probably kind of funny if it's not your league. Good KODT material.

[Blammaham]

To be honest, any league that needs a set of "guidelines" like these isn't a league I'd want to be a part of.

Our guidelines are listed as "IP - don't use them - 'nuff said.".

Well said sir. It is still a game to me!S.

[mattgslater]

Better?

BLOOD BOWL ETIQUETTE

TRUST, BUT VERIFY

If your opponent wants to use your dice, you should let him. If you won't, you should put them away and use his.

Watch all of your opponent's rolls. Insist that your opponent watch all of your rolls. It doesn't matter if you trust your opponent or not: verification is good for everybody. Conversely, don't get up from the table during the turn if you can help it. Even if you tell your opponent you'll take his word for it, it's awkward when he kills your Minotaur while you're fetching a beverage.

THE LONGEST HOUR

Feel free to apply or scrap the four-minute limit as you like. If one coach wants the four-minute rule and one doesn't, why not come to a compromise? A 4-minute limit plus 20 minutes for halftime is up to two and a half hours. But even a 6-minute limit will probably yield no more than a 3-hour game, as some turns will probably end sooner.

This is a long game. It's even longer if you take breaks every other turn. If you have to go to the bathroom between turns, no biggie. If you need a smoke-break, score. If you have to go to the store, wait for halftime. If your phone rings, check your missed calls or messages on your opponent's turn, and either text back or wait for halftime to return the call.

It's best to start putting together your turn-plan on your opponent's turn. But when your opponent's turn ends, move the turn marker and do it on your own time.

HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE

If a third party is trying to talk to your opponent during his turn, ask them to let your opponent finish his turn. If necessary, explain that this is a very challenging game and there will be a good time to talk in a couple of minutes.

It's ok to talk to a third party when it's not your turn, but for your opponent's sake please don't go anywhere.

PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS

It's common courtesy to give at least one warning per game before calling illegal procedures. Of course, there's nothing to say you ever need to call an illegal procedure, and it's ok to come to an agreement before the match.

Don't eat anything greasy or sticky while playing Blood Bowl, or if you do, wipe your hands before you move your turn marker. Don't get too drunk (or whatever) to play, either. Drown your sorrows after the game.

If you score a touchdown, it's ok to do a little dance or sing a stanza from your team's fight song. (Your team has a fight song, no?) Don't rub it in or do anything mean. If you get a casualty, a single exclamation is enough, thanks.

HE WHO HESITATES IS ANNOYING

Touching a piece doesn't commit you to acting with it. Neither does counting squares from that piece, using a die to represent new position. Picking it up does, as does declaring an action.

Takebacks are a touchy issue. Generally speaking, if no dice have been rolled on the current action, and both coaches agree on the player's original situation, no decision on the current action is final. If you don't declare an action type, it's a Move. So if you dodge before telling your opponent it's a Pass action, then it's not a Pass action.

[Jural]

Our league, the OBBL, has some draconian rules. Take a look.

http://obbl.org/league/ (scroll down to "House Rules and Clarifications."

Most coaches are much nicer than this, but we have these set in stone to make sure that there are no hard feelings. There are a lot of newcomers, new faces, and for some no friendships that exist outside of the games. So I guess in some ways, rules like this help stop people from being jerks- things you wouldn't do with your close friends.

I want to emphasize- this league is very fun to play in and almost every participant is a good guy, although everyone else would say there is one problem player

[Wanchor]

Around my group, the default attitude is to bring your own dice and not to touch another man's dice, ever, unless told beforehand that it'd be alright. I still consider it bad mojo to and so prefer never to do it. I'm surprised by the opposition to Illegal Procedure calls and the four-minute rule; that stuff's in the rulebook and is hardly optional there. Warnings for new players aren't uncommon and it's become a faux-pas to call the opponent on his turn tack on the first turn of the game.

Setting a piece down and removing your hand from it, like with chess, is the silent declaration of an action with us. Pass, Hand-Off and Blitz actions can be retroactively declared when there is no stupidity roll or the like to make, since the only things that would prevent those actions from reaching their completion woud result in a turnover anyhow. Drinking is fine; I've had a bit too much and made some stupid plays before and it's my own fault if I want to piss the game away.

[besters]

I'm surprised by the opposition to Illegal Procedure calls and the four-minute rule; that stuff's in the rulebook and is hardly optional there.

In tournament play IP calls have almost completely disappeared, in fact a lot specifically exclude them. Obviously there is an overall time limit to work within.

[Wanchor]

Incomprehensible. The pressure to make the right play in four minutes is an important part of the game, aside from the need not spend five hours playing a single match.