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Basically, Gabe (yellow shirt) goes to play his first ever game of "Warmachine" at a game store, and has a run in with a "mathhammer" type who basically calls the game before it starts. Funny how these guys hit the nail on the head so frequently. Basically guys like this is why they DON'T go to stores or game clubs (other then their own kitchen table(s)) to play games.

I have a friend that I refuse to play anymore because he's a WAAC jerk while playing. Whenever he asks to play a game I simply reply, "You win, good game."

Sometimes it's better to quit before you start.

Well in this case it is more like quit playing the game entirely, according to this it was the first game, so at this point I would just start finding another hobby, or someone else to play with that will actually take the time to explain how to play the daggone game without bieng a jerk about it.

btemple0 wrote:according to this it was the first game

It was the first game he had played outside his house. It even uses those words; he and some friends played house games together.

I do not have access to a lot of these sites, I am going completely off of the context of the OP, sorry if I misunderstand.

btemple0 wrote:I do not have access to a lot of these sites, I am going completely off of the context of the OP, sorry if I misunderstand.

It's right there in the comic. The very first dialogue bubble.

I'm a little nervous. This is my first time playing against somebody who isn't at my house.

Which I cannot see, it is linked to a site I cannot view, hence my comment from before.

btemple0 wrote:Which I cannot see, it is linked to a site I cannot view, hence my comment from before.

Oh, you can't even see the comic? I thought you meant that you couldn't go to the comment page. If you can't even see the comic, why comment on it? Do you randomly review books you haven't read as well?

Maybe he didn't know there was a comic there because, well, he can't see it?

There's a comic?

BTW: Shouldn't it be "math-machine".

Personally I tone down my level of competitiveness in list building when facing new players, don't hold anything back once the game starts, and try to give them some advice about how to handle a specific armies shenanigans. Newbies need to play good players and learn how to deal with hard lists. The difficult problem is there is a very fine balance between going to soft on the newbies and being to hard on them. Winning tournaments is more of a science than an art, but teaching new people how to play the game better is more of an art than science.

"Math-Machine" "Math Hammer" its all the same lol.

I posted this because I have had so many frustrating tournament, and even casual play experiences where the game was "decided" just based on someone looking at an army list, or what was placed on the table.... before the game even started. Which needless to say is usually frustrating to someone involved.
I have had people not even play me... yes even in a tournament.... they quite without putting one model on the table, because... their list (based on some sort of "math") wasn't competitive enough against mine.
I have also had people ask me if I wanted to just call the game "now" (before we put figures down) because my list wasn't "competitive" enough to play against theirs.
This is my biggest problem with the statistic game..... math doesn't lie.... but it's math based on unknowns that haven't happened just the likely hood of it happening. People put too much faith in odds and stats. In situations like this, it's no fun for anyone, the newbie gets majorly discouraged, and the veteran doesn't get to play.

hcordes wrote:"Math-Machine" "Math Hammer" its all the same lol.

I posted this because I have had so many frustrating tournament, and even casual play experiences where the game was "decided" just based on someone looking at an army list, or what was placed on the table.... before the game even started. Which needless to say is usually frustrating to someone involved.
I have had people not even play me... yes even in a tournament.... they quite without putting one model on the table, because... their list (based on some sort of "math") wasn't competitive enough against mine.
I have also had people ask me if I wanted to just call the game "now" (before we put figures down) because my list wasn't "competitive" enough to play against theirs.
This is my biggest problem with the statistic game..... math doesn't lie.... but it's math based on unknowns that haven't happened just the likely hood of it happening. People put too much faith in odds and stats. In situations like this, it's no fun for anyone, the newbie gets majorly discouraged, and the veteran doesn't get to play.

Wow, really? That's absurd, as well as insanely rude and inconsiderate. They may as well not even have bought an army and played, they can just play Theoreticalhammer for cheaper. People come to play, not be handed wins or told their list isn't worth playing against. Especially if you pay to play in a tournament, this sort of thing is inexcusable, because I didn't spend money to NOT play the game. No matter how Mathammered(or not) your list is, I say let the dice decide.

Yeah, that's crazy talk. If you're playing Steamroller you might run your alternate list if they've got a build which really counters yours, but you always play the darn game. Even if it's a bad matchup, you gain experience dealing with that bad matchup which may serve you well in a future game. People that call it after comparing lists are cheating themselves.

Penny Arcade is a cartoon, right.

It's exaggerated for the purpose of humour.

People shouldn't be having this kind of experience often IRL.

Definitely! I was surprised and saddened to hear that it does happen IRL.

Mannahnin wrote:Definitely! I was surprised and saddened to hear that it does happen IRL.

I don't think it's a common occurrence, but it can definitely happen. I typically play a very fluffy Eldar list using my personal favorite units and not necessarily the "competitive" ones. It works well in my playgroup, as we all tend to play at about this level.

But, when you show up to a LGS and find yourself playing against a fully tweaked competitive build, it's pretty clear from the start that you don't stand much of a chance. You may be able to put up a bit of a fight, and with very lucky rolls possibly even win a game. But, when you're facing an army that is going to table you by turn 3 90% of the time, it's not much fun.

Of course, as long as you're not playing against a WAAC gamer, there are plenty of ways around this (uneven point totals, they tone down their list, you get to proxy in some of the better units, etc)

Kilkrazy wrote:Penny Arcade is a cartoon, right.

It's exaggerated for the purpose of humour.

People shouldn't be having this kind of experience often IRL.

Unless you read tactics forums or go to tournaments that is...

Hey, I read tactics forums and go to tournaments.

I've had that sort of experience once or twice, but I didn't back down. Because I go to tournaments (or the shop, wherever) to play some fething games.

Penny Arcade fails to be funny or have a punchline yet again. Yay, they can state the obvious :/

Kilkrazy wrote:Penny Arcade is a cartoon, right.

It's exaggerated for the purpose of humour.

People shouldn't be having this kind of experience often IRL.

Well part of it is the sheer difference between playing with just a small group of friends, and then dipping your toes into the greater the pool of players. I've had experiences life that with M:TG, L5R, Warhammer... Especially when you start out playing the same small group of people who might be just as much of a beginner in the system as you are, with a limited amount of whatever the game runs on, you don't realize you might be using suboptimal choices and strategies because they work when used against a similarly resourced opponent.

So yeah, it's an exaggeration for the point of humor, but not too far off the mark of what the experience is like.

I have to say I read it the other way.

I.e. that Gabe in his innocence had picked a rock hard list that would wipe the other guy off the table.

Perhaps I am naive.

I think regardless of which way it went, that the "game" was called before it even started would be the sad part in my eyes.

Kilkrazy wrote:Penny Arcade is a cartoon, right.

It's exaggerated for the purpose of humour.

People shouldn't be having this kind of experience often IRL.

Penny Arcade is a cartoon, but they do it from their own experiences with games, and life. While i haven't experience EXACTLY what the cartoon describes, I have many many many stories of game(s) and gamer(s) that are almost as bad. People are that ridiculous. The longer you play the more they crop up.

I've never personally had a game 'called' one way or another before any models were put on the board.

But I do know that several people at our FLGS will simply refuse to play certain WHFB armies becuase they are overpowered, such as my friend (a player who has won tournies with his Empire) who refuses to play High Elves in any casual game becuase he believes there isn't anything he can do against it.

Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:Penny Arcade fails to be funny or have a punchline yet again. Yay, they can state the obvious :/

You are so edgy and cool.

No, I'm the only one actually seeing it for what it is. I defend Twilight for god's sake

Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:No, I'm the only one actually seeing it for what it is. I defend Twilight for god's sake

You're so edgy and cool.

Ahtman wrote:

Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:No, I'm the only one actually seeing it for what it is. I defend Twilight for god's sake

You're so edgy and cool.

I admit, I chuckled.