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I'm that guy too, but to be fair I know most people where I play and they know me.
I'm also known to be the guy who knows the rules and the erratas and stuff, I'm usually called when they have a doubt about something.
I've been told some called for me even though I wasn't anywhere near the place that day so I guess I taught them to not get offended by my "help"

There are different levels of acceptability to poking your nose into other peoples games.

Good:
If the players are getting a rule wrong then politely giving them the actual usage can be a good thing - I appreciate it when someone pokes in when I've done something wrong. Before you do give your $0.02 though be very very sure of your knowledge. I've had several games come to a halt for a few minutes while we double check something an outsider gave really bad information. That said, I've been asked, as a bystander, how to play something and I try to give an opinion and if I'm not 100% certain then I'll tell them that I may be wrong. Sometimes the two players just want someone other then them to make a quick decision even if it's wrong so they can get on with the game.

Bad
Telling one player what they need to watch out for etc is completely out of bounds during the game. I think it's okay before the models have been put on the table, but certainly not during it. UNLESS that player has asked you for your opinion. I've had people tell me I need to take down a particular enemy unit and I've had people tell my opponents what to shoot. All without my opponent or I asking their opinion. Tactics/Strategy is part of the game and by poking your head in unrequested you are ruining my own learning experience.

Ugly
Commenting on how a players list is gak is, imho, never acceptable during a game. Once the game has ended hopefully the two players do a debrief with each other to talk about what worked and what didn't. Politely pointing out, again post game, your opinion on the effectiveness of one or two units might be ok... as long as it's a discussion not a rant.

 Quanar wrote:


Do the answers depend on how well you know the players involved? Any other factors that come into play?

Tournament? Keep your mouth shut. Not your business.

Anything else, call them on it. Both situations 1 and 2.

Things like this are why I try to curb this at our club. We frown upon "side gaming" immensely, but I just politely explain to people that if there is confusion about a rule they should ask the group at large, and that this practice is considered unsporting by a lot of players.

Eh, the term "TFG" is thrown around too liberally. Learning to be patient with annoyances from other people is part of not being "TFG" as well.

I avoid commenting on other peoples' games unless they are personal friends and I know it won't bother them, sometimes I like to watch other people play for a few minutes just because I like the spectacle of 2 well painted armies going at it. If I don't know the people, I won't typically stop the game to point out rules errors unless they are clearly just jovial people who wouldn't mind.

But, if someone else comments on my game, I try to just take it in my stride. IMO it's just as easy to be "TFG" by reacting poorly to someone else who might not understand typical wargaming etiquette as you can be "TFG" for commenting on someone else's game.

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
Eh, the term "TFG" is thrown around too liberally.

I didn't mean to imply the stereotype of "TFG", it's just I couldn't think of a better descriptor (sorry for the confusion!)

"Tournament? Keep your mouth shut. Not your business."

I have to disagree on this, a tournament (especially one with prizes and an entry fee) is a competition and cheating of any kind intentional or not is intolerable. Personally whenever I notice someone cheating I first reference the rulebook to insure I am not mistaken and then report it to the T.O., and let them handle it.

 kronk wrote:

 Quanar wrote:


Do the answers depend on how well you know the players involved? Any other factors that come into play?

Tournament? Keep your mouth shut. Not your business.

Anything else, call them on it. Both situations 1 and 2.

I don't see why you shouldn't call someone on cheating , if he is doing it against someone from your own playgroup . That gets realy important , if you play outside of your own town or store , because the locals already have an adventage of knowing the organisators and judges.

I dont understand people not wanting people to jump in and help them with a rule they are getting wrong.
If I was playing somehting wrong, i would want to know because....
a) It saves me from being told im doing something wrong and completely throwing my game by my opponent in a more high stakes game.
b) How else am i going to learn if I get a rule wrong?
c) I dont want to be playing the game wrong anyways.