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I have a friend who plays CSM, every time I manage to destroy his land raiders or start tipping the balance of the game in my favor he gets incredibly angry. Last night I got lucky and took out one of his land raiders with a doomsday ark on the first turn, it happened to be the one he had his warlord in. In response to me destroying his land raider he tossed the model twords me in anger actually managing to hit me with it across the table. Every time I would manage to make a save or have resurrection protocols work( about 1/4 of the time) he would get angry. It is not the first time this kind of thing has happened. He hates a lot of things I field and I have tried scaling back on things that annoy him to help but if I want a chance at winning I can't drop all of them or all I would have is warriors lead by a generic lord and nothing that can harm a land raider.

My list for the last game was:
10x Tesla Immortals
1x Cryptek w/ veil of darkness
Nemesor Zahndrekh

10x Gauss immortals
1x Cryptek w/ veil of darkness
Imotekh(warlord)

2x Doom Scythes

1x Doomsday Ark

1x Skyshield Landing Pad

12x Lootas
1x Big Mek w/ shokk attack gun

1x Deff dread with 4 dreadnaught close combat weapons(taken as troop cause of big mek)

His list was:
6x Fire Warrior Team
1x Devilfish

1x Hammerhead

1x Commander Shas'o

10x khorne Berzerkers
1x Land Raider

10x khorne Berzerkers
1x Land Raider
1x Kharne the Betrayer(warlord)

3x Chaos Terminators

3x Chaos Terminators

1x Obliterator

1x Aegis Defense Line w/ Icarus Las Cannon


I just don't know what to do, there aren't a lot of players around so having to not play him would be bad, but he gets angry when he starts to lose or if I manage to get a lucky 1 shot on a land raider.

He doesn't sound like a good friend. I would be upfront with him about his anger problem.

Next time you play holster a smith and wesson on your hip. Refer to when ever he acts up, and give it a feminine name, like Betty.

"Betty doesn't like it when you throw your models at me".

Set him on fire. Fire fixes most problems

In all seriousness though, hes sounds a massive donkey cave in which case dont play him. If he wants to have a cry and throw his little toy soldiers around let him. Why should you build your lists in his favour because he cant play his army? "Oh no, i drove my tank at stuff that eats tanks alive and it didnt survive. You shouldnt use those units anymore" :/ seriously? No ones making you play the feth head, tell him to get his gak in gear and grow up or get out of your face.

EDIT: saw your last bit, yeah there isnt a lot of players, but even if you find one or two its got to be better than him :/ If need be is there a game other than 40k you can pitch in on to get buddy with a new crowd? If they dont play 40k yet once you get to know them offer them some demos, see how it goes. You get rid of the so-and-so, and get a bit more interest in 40k going

I agree with the poster who says you have to confront him over his anger issues. If he's your mate, you need to intervene before the anger becomes an issue where he works and he gets fired, or when he's out and he has lessened inhibitions from grog/drugs (I'm not saying you guys are like that, just covering all bases) and strikes someone, which opens up a whole can of legal worms.

As a friend, tell him what he is doing, maybe videotape a game and play normally (i.e. win and let him rage), and afterwards when he has cooled down show him how he is acting. He may not really realize what he is doing, you have to help show him.

If none of that works, I recommend having a cattleprod at the table. DOWN BOY! Tzzzzzz

I personally wouldn't play him for the projectile models alone.

Engine of War wrote:I personally wouldn't play him for the projectile models alone.

That was the first time that has happened but it was literally the first shot of the game that took it out and he was already angry about it.

Does his anger come out outside of wargaming? Or is it restricted to this area.

Mostly gaming in general, he gets mad when he got trounced in some video games as well.

He also get a bit mad about any kind of height comment.

He crushed me every game of 40k we played for 2 years before I managed to win a single game. Now a lot of our games could easily swing one direction or another depending on what comes in when and tactics.

You should really try the video thing, if you have a camera. If you do, make sure it is over your side of the table, and out of easy reach/throwing distance.

Have you actually tried discussing it with him? Or are you adapting your behaviour around him instead of trying to rehabilitate his?

So far I just try to not appear like I am spamming things that annoy him in games, I still use some of it but I reduced the amount I fielded and adapted my playstyle.

I haven't really confronted him about his anger for a few reasons, I don't generally enjoy confronting people, he is one of my roommates so I need to be careful how it goes because if it escalates things I still have to deal with him every day.

What are some ways I could talk to him about this that might help him realize he may have an anger problem?

Show him this thread?

A swift brick to the face ought to do the trick.

TheAvengingKnee wrote:So far I just try to not appear like I am spamming things that annoy him in games, I still use some of it but I reduced the amount I fielded and adapted my playstyle.

I haven't really confronted him about his anger for a few reasons, I don't generally enjoy confronting people, he is one of my roommates so I need to be careful how it goes because if it escalates things I still have to deal with him every day.

What are some ways I could talk to him about this that might help him realize he may have an anger problem?

Well I don't know the guy, so I could be way off, but helping him see how angry he gets can be a good way to do it. Instead of you saying 'mate, you get way too aggressive about this game' you can instead show him. Also, don't do it when he or you are exhausted (won't end well). If it is disrupting things, it has to be dealt with. If it was my group of mates, we would just sit the guy down and say 'bob (for lack of a better name) you are getting way too angry about stuff at the moment, whats up?' and if that didn't work, we'd film a poker session (since they don't play warhammer) or something else that we do together and use it to show him. That'd work. You and your mates could be completely different. Just remember to handle it gently, but do handle it, because eventually he's going to be around people who won't adapt to suit his anger, and that could lead to real problems.

Also, don't do it in a 'confrontational way', it was the wrong word for us to have used. That'll just make the situation far tenser than it should be from the get go. Do it in a calmer way.

Calmly set your stuff down, walk over to him, pull your pants and undergarments down (he'll be curious/disturbed at this point as to what's going on), punch him in the stomach, then with the wind knocked out of him, he'll be bent over, slap him with President Johnson across the face. Calmly rezip, walk across the table, and ask if it's time for the next phase. Always does the trick for me. Nobody bitches more than once.

Sometimes you just have to confront your friends when they are like that. Friendship isn't always easy, But it's for the best.

Maybe he has noticed(as of the last game) that he has anger issues and has started to try and get over them himself.

Thank you for the Advice Motyak, I think this could be helpful, because I agree that leaving it alone for to long could end up being very bad.

I have gotten angry over rule interpretations that I thought worked one way and work to my disadvantage (more angry at myself because my dumbass needs to learn how to read better,) and I have gotten annoyed when some players won't let me concede when its bottom of the 4th and I have nothing left. -.- Oh! I've gotten angry when people try to be very liberal with their measuring, especially with blasts: taking an extra inch off their scatter or holding the template at a certain angle so it looks like you get one more. (One time I watched someone move my model after I double checked how many were under the template! Supposedly because it was there.)

Never ever get angry over losing. It's completely reasonable to be passionate and get into the game. Rolling three 1's a row will make anyone want to walk away from the table and it's ok to feel upset about it, but remember YOU ROLLED THE DICE. Once your opponent's dice has left his hands, he is no longer in control of them and fair is fair. It's a game, meant to be fun. If you lose this time, play again and beat them that time.

Would you feel comfortable just asking him straight out: Why is he getting angry?

I would but I would want to wait till it's not during a game so he doesn't think I am mocking him for something happening in the game specifically and instead he would hopefully see it as me actually being serious.

I have a friend who gets like this in most gaming situations as well. Pretty much anytime something of his dies he gets in a bad mood, if he loses he's furious, and anything another army can do that his can't is "broken and dumb he shouldn't be punished for not being able to do those things." Granted, he does play nids so he should be a little bit miffed but not angry.

Basically it just gets to the point where we tell him to just stop crying and play, it's just a game. If playing the game makes him that angry then he might as well stop playing because it's clearly not bringing him satisfaction and this game is too damn expensive to not enjoy.

Ironically, this friend of mine also hates height comments. Doesn't really seem like a coincidence... O.o

I may wait a week or so till one of my other roommates gets back from vacation to sit down and talk with him, from some of the comments having more than 1 person say it seems like it could help him realize that it may really be a problem.

He plays Khorne, I can't believe that this is even somewhat surprising.

How old is he?

If he's an adult, it signifies a certain anger-management issue and needs to be looked at.

Learning to lose well is a life skill. We don't (and can't) always get our own way. I'd rather play against a good loser than a bad winner (braggarts and smack talkers especially).

There's going to (usually) be a winner and loser to the game. If he can't handle losing, then he should look elsewhere.

Jeeze.

I get a bit snarky when I'm losing, and may concede defeat before the game is over.

I can't imagine being so ticked off your throwing models around. He needs help.

Engine of War wrote:I personally wouldn't play him for the projectile models alone.

Pretty much this.

Engine of War wrote:I personally wouldn't play him for the projectile models alone.

I would, But i would go by dodge ball rules. I catch it, its mine.
But in all seriousness i know i can get pissy when a game doesnt go my way to the point of banging my head on the table. But this guy sound like he needs to find a different hobby, like knitting.

1. Remind him that it's just a game and the point is to relax and have fun with a friend winning the game is just a bonus.

2. Help him stay positive be reminding him that the Chaos Marines are getting a new dex soon and that their going to be amazing when it comes out so your just getting your wins in now.

3. Let him know that when he acts that way it upsets you and makes you not want to play with him.

hotsauceman1 wrote:

Engine of War wrote:I personally wouldn't play him for the projectile models alone.

I would, But i would go by dodge ball rules. I catch it, its mine.
But in all seriousness i know i can get pissy when a game doesnt go my way to the point of banging my head on the table. But this guy sound like he needs to find a different hobby, like knitting.

I think a lot of us get a bit pissy if we start losing... but there's a WIDE difference from surly to enraged throwing of things

TheAvengingKnee wrote:I just don't know what to do, there aren't a lot of players around so having to not play him would be bad, but he gets angry when he starts to lose or if I manage to get a lucky 1 shot on a land raider.

Do not play with this person any more. Not playing at all is preferable to playing someone like this.

timetowaste85 wrote:Calmly set your stuff down, walk over to him, pull your pants and undergarments down (he'll be curious/disturbed at this point as to what's going on), punch him in the stomach, then with the wind knocked out of him, he'll be bent over, slap him with President Johnson across the face. Calmly rezip, walk across the table, and ask if it's time for the next phase. Always does the trick for me. Nobody bitches more than once.

This is your answer, you won't find a better answer than this and this is the be all/ end all of dispute enders