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Kaldor wrote:What someone does in their own time is their own business. But if you're going to do it in a public arena, then you'd better expect public commentary. And not all public commentary will be nice. In fact, the further you deviate from the 'norm', the more that negative feedback will grow.

Hell, as a customer I'd hate to be in a store that was full of adult fans of MLP. I'd hate to see MLP incorporated into 40K armies. And if a store condoned that kind of MLP content, however tacitly, I would not patronise it, and I'm certainly not alone here. It's downright creepy. As a customer, I'd appreciate store managers quietly asking customers to leave their MLP influences at home, or take their patronage elsewhere. There's no need to be rude about it, or do it in public though.

TL;DR - Don't come crying to the internet when people call you out for doing stupid things.

Reality-check: Your 30 years old and are collecting and playing with tiny plastic figures. I am pretty sure allot of people find you quite creepy.

The thing is regardless of your stance on MLP all OP did was add an influence from one franchise they like to another. I don't see anything wrong with that and from what I've read the theme sounds like it works and the MLP influence is pretty minor. In fact even if someone used the MLP blind bag figures to make an army with actual ponies in it I'd still see no problem, especially if they put effort into customising the figures to look like they're in the armour of the army (I've seen pictures of some pretty neat models like this too, if I saw any like them in person I'd be very impressed) though I would advise only using that army against friends.

Yes there are going to be those who criticise the army but there will also be those that love it. If I saw an army based on a franchise I didn't like I'd probably just say "not really my thing but impressive work" because if they did a good job on the army itself my opinion on the franchise it was influenced by shouldn't matter.

deathholydeath wrote:This story reminds me...
I knew someone with an emperor's children army who painted them in their "codex" scheme (all pink and black) and then glued plastic penises to his defilers' autocannon barrels. As I remember, the defilers were also wearing pantyhose....
No-one made fun of it. Or really even said anything about it.
But then this was in New Orleans, so that type of thing isn't really that remarkable.

Anyway, whether it's hate speech or not, it's not conduct befitting an employ of a retail store-- that guy deserved to get fired. The other guy? Not much you can do about him other than grind him beneath your Imperial boots... or hooves as the case may be.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, in reference to the OP's question: No I don't think it was justified. You didn't initiate the aggression; they did. From your account, you just came to have a good time and ended up getting insulted for your personal tastes.

Seven pages, and yet nobody cares to find out why some company is turning out little plastic penises? That has to be a niche market.
To the OP, sounds like you were on the receiving side of unprofessional behavior. All too commen in retail.

Insurgency Walker wrote:All too commen in life.

I fixed that for you. People can be dicks for the dumbest of reasons - there are actually people out there who consider Pepsi v Coke a critical life style choice, so it shouldn't be surprising that there are some people (as even shown in this thread) who take their little plastic warmanz way too seriously.

Castiel wrote:I think the complaint is that the abuse came from a GW redshirt. He is there to make patrons of the shop feel comfortable and to provide help to customers, yet he insulted an army, that looks like it has a really nice colour scheme IMHO, purely for the reason that the inspiration for the name came from the MLP world. This behaviour from a person in his position is unacceptable.

Y'see, here's where a problem comes up.

I don't know about you, but the shops where I've gone to them for a long enough time (be it a grocery store, game store, or hardware store) to build up a rapport between myself and a specific employee--the dynamic has shifted to where we're comfortable poking fun at each other for things that employees and customers wouldn't usually joke about. For all we know, the OP and the employee have known each other for awhile and he cracks jokes about the employee just as bad as this one.

Kanluwen wrote:

Castiel wrote:I think the complaint is that the abuse came from a GW redshirt. He is there to make patrons of the shop feel comfortable and to provide help to customers, yet he insulted an army, that looks like it has a really nice colour scheme IMHO, purely for the reason that the inspiration for the name came from the MLP world. This behaviour from a person in his position is unacceptable.

Y'see, here's where a problem comes up.

I don't know about you, but the shops where I've gone to them for a long enough time (be it a grocery store, game store, or hardware store) to build up a rapport between myself and a specific employee--the dynamic has shifted to where we're comfortable poking fun at each other for things that employees and customers wouldn't usually joke about. For all we know, the OP and the employee have known each other for awhile and he cracks jokes about the employee just as bad as this one.

Think before you speak m8. If their relationship was as you claim then this whole topic has lost it's ground and purpose. The OP is obviously best suited in deciding whether or not it was appropriate.

Reality-Torrent wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

Castiel wrote:I think the complaint is that the abuse came from a GW redshirt. He is there to make patrons of the shop feel comfortable and to provide help to customers, yet he insulted an army, that looks like it has a really nice colour scheme IMHO, purely for the reason that the inspiration for the name came from the MLP world. This behaviour from a person in his position is unacceptable.

Y'see, here's where a problem comes up.

I don't know about you, but the shops where I've gone to them for a long enough time (be it a grocery store, game store, or hardware store) to build up a rapport between myself and a specific employee--the dynamic has shifted to where we're comfortable poking fun at each other for things that employees and customers wouldn't usually joke about. For all we know, the OP and the employee have known each other for awhile and he cracks jokes about the employee just as bad as this one.

Think before you speak m8. If their relationship was as you claim then this whole topic has lost it's ground and purpose. The OP is obviously best suited in deciding whether or not it was appropriate.

First thing is first:
I'm not your "m8". If you're going to address me in a familiar fashion, please take the time to spell out "mate".

Secondly:
That was my point. Quite often, we get people coming on here with their tales of mistreatment at the hands of their friends, anonymous strangers, or employees in the course of wargaming. It later comes out that they have left out key details which suddenly make the situation less of an "unprovoked and undeserved attack" upon them, and suddenly becomes a case of two people who were participating in the usual crap that people do and one person gets offended but rather than take it up with the individual who offended them in a calm, rational manner--they decide that it is some huge slight which can never be repaired.

Portugal Jones wrote:

Insurgency Walker wrote:All too commen in life.

I fixed that for you. People can be dicks for the dumbest of reasons - there are actually people out there who consider Pepsi v Coke a critical life style choice, so it shouldn't be surprising that there are some people (as even shown in this thread) who take their little plastic warmanz way too seriously.

True
Thanks!

I used t be in a clan in World of Tanks called MLP (My little Ponies) and we were the best on the server.

I'm only commenting because it's weird to hear another site mention the acronym MLP.

But really does this thread really need to be 7 pages?

In all honesty the guy gave you his opinion and you didn't like it. Stop QQing about it. Nothing ever needs to be justified. If some says your Army looks gay then who cares.

Sorry if I'm not in the loop, but why does someone look at the Fluer-De-Lis (The French Thingy on the soulder pad) and the color scheme and immediately come up with My Little Pony?

KplKeegan wrote:Sorry if I'm not in the loop, but why does someone look at the Fluer-De-Lis (The French Thingy on the soulder pad) and the color scheme and immediately come up with My Little Pony?

Because the OP has another MLP themed army, which specifically uses the iconography of a MLP or something for banners.

Alexzandvar wrote:Thanks guys, I was truly beside my self with anger at what he said. I merely use the color schemes from MLP for inspiration and never include any actual pony models so I felt his claims were ridiculous.

The Store manager called me later and said this was not the first time his fellow staff manager did this, and he has been "removed from the stores staff", he also said the guy who chimed in at the end wanted to apologize to me. So situation averted since I really enjoyed playing at that store.

Thanks also for all the compliments on the color scheme! I always liked the Fluer De Lis as a symbol and have used it on my Tanks before, but I wanted to use it for a major symbol so, thus I used it on my new marines.

Bravo for you and bravo for the store manager. Having your staff berate good costumers and anger them so much they storm out and promise to never come back is definitely bad for business. Sounds like the idiot got exactly what he deserved. I am also at a loss for what is wrong with that paint scheme. I think it looks pretty impressive in the screen shots and hope it translates well to the minis themselves. Sometimes painting light colors like that large parts of models like armor can be tough. Good luck with the project. Heck I would care if you got your inspiration for your color schemes from a daemon rape infested hentai movie. They are your minis to paint as you like...

Skriker

Kanluwen wrote:

KplKeegan wrote:Sorry if I'm not in the loop, but why does someone look at the Fluer-De-Lis (The French Thingy on the soulder pad) and the color scheme and immediately come up with My Little Pony?

Because the OP has another MLP themed army, which specifically uses the iconography of a MLP or something for banners.

And that this army's name references to the sister of the one the guard army is based on in a way.

Kanluwen wrote:I don't know about you, but the shops where I've gone to them for a long enough time (be it a grocery store, game store, or hardware store) to build up a rapport between myself and a specific employee--the dynamic has shifted to where we're comfortable poking fun at each other for things that employees and customers wouldn't usually joke about. For all we know, the OP and the employee have known each other for awhile and he cracks jokes about the employee just as bad as this one.

I am thinking the likelihood of that is pretty slim given that the guy was fired over the behavior. A store manager would be more congnizant of the interactions of his staff and customers and if this guy was *always* pissing people off it isn't just the "usual banter between friends".

Skriker

Skriker wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:I don't know about you, but the shops where I've gone to them for a long enough time (be it a grocery store, game store, or hardware store) to build up a rapport between myself and a specific employee--the dynamic has shifted to where we're comfortable poking fun at each other for things that employees and customers wouldn't usually joke about. For all we know, the OP and the employee have known each other for awhile and he cracks jokes about the employee just as bad as this one.

I am thinking the likelihood of that is pretty slim given that the guy was fired over the behavior. A store manager would be more congnizant of the interactions of his staff and customers and if this guy was *always* pissing people off it isn't just the "usual banter between friends".

Skriker

You'd be surprised. Managers might be cognizant of the interactions between the staff and customers, but at the same time when a customer starts throwing around the things along the line of "I've spent <insert amount here>, and I'm being treated poorly!" if the manager does not take steps to cover their butt it reflects poorly upon them, especially if the customer goes above the store manager's head to corporate or region and the employee in question is still there.

(subbing cause im at school and cant see the pics, actual response at a later time)

Please don't spam the forum. There is a subscription button at the bottom of the page, which requires no post. Thanks ~Manchu

Kanluwen wrote:You'd be surprised. Managers might be cognizant of the interactions between the staff and customers, but at the same time when a customer starts throwing around the things along the line of "I've spent <insert amount here>, and I'm being treated poorly!" if the manager does not take steps to cover their butt it reflects poorly upon them, especially if the customer goes above the store manager's head to corporate or region and the employee in question is still there.

If the employee is truly being abusive and isn't fired then yes the manager is in trouble. If it is just an irrate customer blowing things out of proportion, a good manager can deal with pressure from the top and support his staff and their actions. Only poor managers fire someone willy nilly because they fear a complaining customer might go over their head. If the employee wasn't being abusive the manager normally has nothing to worry about. I've worked in retail off and on through my life in between corporate jobs and anyone who has worked in retail knows that there are just those customers that no matter what you say or do, you will never do anything right for them. They will berate you and threaten to report you to your manager and get you fired when all you did was try to politely server them. Good managers know about these people too. Usually they came to retail management directly from the retail floor themselves and know that just because a customer was having a bad day and complained about everything doesn't necessarily mean someone should be fired. If an employee services hundreds of customers in a day and one of them demands they be fired for being a total jerk the manager is going to smile, nod and tell the customer whatever they want to hear to make them less angry and get them out their store. Meanwhile if 75% of those customers complain to the manager that the employee is a total jerk then the manager is probably going to enact some kind of overwatch leading to possible disciplinary action.

Skriker

Battle Brother Lucifer wrote:(subbing cause im at school and cant see the pics, actual response at a later time)

They're white marines with gold trim and a black Fleur-de-lys on the shoulder. No need to wait to see pictures now.

Honestly, I would be annoyed if someone had a MLP/faboulos themed army but, I would never call you out on it. I would play you in competitive/for fun sense but not if it a fluffy fight.

Honestly, What did you expect people to say about a MLP painted army? your going to get a lot of flak. It like expecting to have barbie themed army and not getting flak for it.

Skriker wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:You'd be surprised. Managers might be cognizant of the interactions between the staff and customers, but at the same time when a customer starts throwing around the things along the line of "I've spent <insert amount here>, and I'm being treated poorly!" if the manager does not take steps to cover their butt it reflects poorly upon them, especially if the customer goes above the store manager's head to corporate or region and the employee in question is still there.

If the employee is truly being abusive and isn't fired then yes the manager is in trouble. If it is just an irrate customer blowing things out of proportion, a good manager can deal with pressure from the top and support his staff and their actions. Only poor managers fire someone willy nilly because they fear a complaining customer might go over their head. If the employee wasn't being abusive the manager normally has nothing to worry about. I've worked in retail off and on through my life in between corporate jobs and anyone who has worked in retail knows that there are just those customers that no matter what you say or do, you will never do anything right for them. They will berate you and threaten to report you to your manager and get you fired when all you did was try to politely server them. Good managers know about these people too. Usually they came to retail management directly from the retail floor themselves and know that just because a customer was having a bad day and complained about everything doesn't necessarily mean someone should be fired. If an employee services hundreds of customers in a day and one of them demands they be fired for being a total jerk the manager is going to smile, nod and tell the customer whatever they want to hear to make them less angry and get them out their store. Meanwhile if 75% of those customers complain to the manager that the employee is a total jerk then the manager is probably going to enact some kind of overwatch leading to possible disciplinary action.

Skriker

In a corporate environment like GW's, you would be surprised how much power the customer has when it comes to getting someone fired.

Especially in a situation like this where the individual in question getting complained about is relatively low on the totem pole and in what is considered a "high turnover" job.

Kanluwen wrote:

Skriker wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:You'd be surprised. Managers might be cognizant of the interactions between the staff and customers, but at the same time when a customer starts throwing around the things along the line of "I've spent <insert amount here>, and I'm being treated poorly!" if the manager does not take steps to cover their butt it reflects poorly upon them, especially if the customer goes above the store manager's head to corporate or region and the employee in question is still there.

If the employee is truly being abusive and isn't fired then yes the manager is in trouble. If it is just an irrate customer blowing things out of proportion, a good manager can deal with pressure from the top and support his staff and their actions. Only poor managers fire someone willy nilly because they fear a complaining customer might go over their head. If the employee wasn't being abusive the manager normally has nothing to worry about. I've worked in retail off and on through my life in between corporate jobs and anyone who has worked in retail knows that there are just those customers that no matter what you say or do, you will never do anything right for them. They will berate you and threaten to report you to your manager and get you fired when all you did was try to politely server them. Good managers know about these people too. Usually they came to retail management directly from the retail floor themselves and know that just because a customer was having a bad day and complained about everything doesn't necessarily mean someone should be fired. If an employee services hundreds of customers in a day and one of them demands they be fired for being a total jerk the manager is going to smile, nod and tell the customer whatever they want to hear to make them less angry and get them out their store. Meanwhile if 75% of those customers complain to the manager that the employee is a total jerk then the manager is probably going to enact some kind of overwatch leading to possible disciplinary action.

Skriker

In a corporate environment like GW's, you would be surprised how much power the customer has when it comes to getting someone fired.

Especially in a situation like this where the individual in question getting complained about is relatively low on the totem pole and in what is considered a "high turnover" job.

This, plus you can tell the HQ that you were being harassed as they were calling you homo and other things it sounded like from the dialogue, GW will definitely take that seriously as that is a surefire way to get sued and something a company will try to avoid.

I think there sould perhaps be more of a distinction made here regards what was said, rather than why. What was said to the OP was homophobic and insulting; two things that it is never right for an employee to say to you when they are serving you.

The difference between "that is a stupid idea for an army" and what the OP reportedly had said to him is the reason why there is an issue, not so much that it was because he was planning to make an(other) MLP army. The comment above is mildly insulting, certainly (and definately wrong coming from someone who is there to serve/support you), but it doesn't cross the line over into what many people would consider hate speach, as did what was (apparently) actually said.

Going back and re-reading the OP, I'm not really sure why the manager (who was apparently talking to the OP initially) didn't step in and say something at the time the OP was getting these comments from the other member of staff and patron of the store.

Yes, totally justified. I see Kaldor and others' point about getting flak, but it should not be coming from staff, regardless of their personal opinions. Banter, fine. Outright slagging? Unacceptable.

Great to hear it turned out for the best though.

SilverMK2 wrote:
Going back and re-reading the OP, I'm not really sure why the manager (who was apparently talking to the OP initially) didn't step in and say something at the time the OP was getting these comments from the other member of staff and patron of the store.

Which does make it seem more like the manager is aware of a more "casual" relationship between the customer and employee, now doesn't it?

Hell. If someone came into the kinds of vitriol you and I sometimes toss each other in a friendly manner on Steam or Xbox Live--they'd think we were going to kill each other.

Kanluwen wrote:Hell. If someone came into the kinds of vitriol you and I sometimes toss each other in a friendly manner on Steam or Xbox Live--they'd think we were going to kill each other.

Speaking of which, you may want to not open any packages you get from the UK for the next couple of weeks until you have them checked out by CDC... I may have... "accidentally" posted you some experimental flu virus after the last time we gamed and you insulted my snazzy purple and gold armour

SilverMK2 wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:Hell. If someone came into the kinds of vitriol you and I sometimes toss each other in a friendly manner on Steam or Xbox Live--they'd think we were going to kill each other.

Speaking of which, you may want to not open any packages you get from the UK for the next couple of weeks until you have them checked out by CDC... I may have... "accidentally" posted you some experimental flu virus after the last time we gamed and you insulted my snazzy purple and gold armour

Anyways...

After reading this? I REALY want to see your Marien and IG armies. A bunch of IG with luna's cutie mark on their shoulder pads would be pretty impressive to say the least.

Still reading threw the tread but hope you reported the asshat employee who said that stuff. That and hope the fething mouth breather who decided to join in on attacking you, get's a reality check.

The guy's job is selling toy soldiers! Your not the bastion of manliness you think you are.... Are you realy going to try and pull some "alpha nerd" bs? What a idiot.

I just have one question, that's supposed to be a MLP paint scheme? It just looks like white marines with gold trim and the fleur de lis on the shoulder. The employee totally flipped out for no reason and you were totally justified.

Alexzandvar wrote:Thanks guys, I was truly beside my self with anger at what he said. I merely use the color schemes from MLP for inspiration and never include any actual pony models so I felt his claims were ridiculous.

The Store manager called me later and said this was not the first time his fellow staff manager did this, and he has been "removed from the stores staff", he also said the guy who chimed in at the end wanted to apologize to me. So situation averted since I really enjoyed playing at that store.

Thanks also for all the compliments on the color scheme! I always liked the Fluer De Lis as a symbol and have used it on my Tanks before, but I wanted to use it for a major symbol so, thus I used it on my new marines.

Glad to hear that things seem to have worked out for ya. ^_^

This thread kinda makes me wonder what people would say if I used my Marines and Terminators which have been converted into furries and scalies down at the local GW... or in public at all.

(Fun fact: Scalies are like furries, but with scales, such as anthropomorphic lizards and dragons. Ones with feathers are called avians. I've also heard the term featheries, but I don't know how common either term is, as I'm not very involved in the community as a whole.)

CrashCanuck wrote:I just have one question, that's supposed to be a MLP paint scheme? It just looks like white marines with gold trim and the fleur de lis on the shoulder. The employee totally flipped out for no reason and you were totally justified.

It makes me think there's more to this story that the OP wasn't letting on, particularly more things he did to incite this reaction.