Question on how to deal with an angry player

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**valace2**

Kaldor wrote:
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.

I agree the guy sounds like a complete tool. If he is running multiple Land Raiders and such small squads of terminators he gets what he deserves. There is no excuse for behavior like that, I mean jesus he started throwing things at you, what is he 5?

Tell him to write up a better list an maybe he won't get his ass handed to him so bad.

**daveNYC**

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 don't think giving him a pair of eight inch metal spikes is the answer.

I'd note that his behavior seems to be escalating. It's one thing to be angry and gripe and moan, it's a git move but survivable. It's another to actually be violent, and throwing the model was violent. Sad and pathetic violence, but still. Unless this guy is the most funnest persone evah I'd say drop him from your life.

**Skinnereal**

I think I have seen this from his side of things.

Years back, I often got wound up and shouted a lot during games.
I'm sure the wind-ups were done intentionally at times, but thinking that might have been part of the problem, too.
I didn't throw things, but I will have been unbearable while ranting.
This was usually during week-long 40k games set out on my bedroom floor. It was with a couple of neighbours and my brother. They usually came back to continue the day afterwards.

Anyway, I 'grew out of it' a few years ago.
There's likely nothing you can do about the angry fits, as he might not know he's doing them, or what to do about it. If you know his parents, try asking them, in a round-about way.

**daedalus**

TheAvengingKnee wrote: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.

My roommate and I have had frustrating games where we've both gotten very angry, and I'm known for being irrationally competitive in everything I do. I've actually thrown a die in anger, but never at the person I've played.

That's not cool. Your 'friend' needs to chill. When we were in the height of our frustration with the game, we both took a break from the game for about 3 months. Might I recommend a similarly lengthy break as well?

**Goldshield**

I'd say if its a problem with his army then just wait for the new book, but honestly you may just want to tell the guy to take a break from the game because it sounds rather personal if its getting to the point that he is actually physically taking out his frustrations like that.

There was a time that I was having some personal problems and I remember just getting pissed off when my pikemen rolled a 12 for a break check and a 2 for distance that I just wanted to chuck the things against the wall. I rarely get mad like this especially in a game, so when it actually got to this point that I actually considered throwing a +$100 dollar unit I decided to step off and get some things straightened out. Did wonders and when I came back to 8th Fantasy, I felt refreshed and reinvigorated to have fun again.

Sometimes you just need a break. The game will still be there when you come back.

**Desubot**

Iv felt the anger of playing against newcrons (as tau) a little dice abuse but nothing like throwing a model

Your friend should know better than to throw toy soldiers at other kids unless he didn’t learn that in elementary

**kronk**

Ask yourself: If we were in a bar, would this friend make a good wingman?

If the answer is no, then you shouldn't play Warhammer with him.

**Wardragoon**

kronk wrote:Ask yourself: If we were in a bar, would this friend make a good wingman?

If the answer is no, then you shouldn't play Warhammer with him.

Thats hardly fair, the person I play warhammer with the most would make an attrocious wingman, he gets way too nervous around women haha. But you do have a point.

**farrowking37**

TheAvengingKnee wrote: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.

By there aren't a lot of players around, do you mean there are none, or that there are only a few others.
If the second, just stop playing with him, If the first, it's really your choice. Do you enjoy playing the game so much that you don't mind getting yelled at or models thrown at you?

**TheAvengingKnee**

Well right now none, in 2 weeks probably 4 or 5

**farrowking37**

well just keep playing with him for those 2 weeks, and when the new players step in, play with them instead. hopefully he will realize that his behavior is driving people away from him.

We

You need to discuss this with your friend. You don't have to be confrontational about it but you do need to be up front about it. Just tell him throwing models is completely unacceptable and you won't play him anymore unless he promises to stop. ALso ask him to not lose hise temper so much, you know it is hard not to but he nees to keep it in check. After that If he throws any models or dice or anything else just pack up your things and end the game.

If you don't stand up for yourself and put and end to this he will continue to get worse.

**Jidmah**

Well, I had an opponent throw his Space Marine leader (I think it was a captain, a plastic model) at me after it failed two dangerous terrain tests in a row. In response I calmly picked up a hand full of boyz and threw those at him. He looked really stupefied, then apologized for throwing his model at me, realizing how stupid he acted. We still had to quit the game because those flying boyz had knocked over models and terrain

**AzureDeath**

Put an electric dog collar on him after convincing him it is all the rage now and anyone that's anyone is wearing them, as you play and he starts to perkulate, ZAPPP!! If he starts at you, ZAPPP!

But seriously, we have had a few players like that in the past. I just explained to them that they spent all the money for the army, enjoy, it is just a game after all. If this didn't work we kindly asked them to leave and return when they weren't acting like grade schoolers.

**matphat**

The obvious answer, and the one I'm betting you already knew was, quit playing him.
Find something else to do until the other players get to town.
I wouldn't even explain myself because this scenario is so overtly obvious.
If he asks, tell him politely that he's not a fun playmate and you'll not be playing him anymore.

**Jonny_Awesome**

DeffDred wrote:

I have rage issues but all my friends know a simple trick to calm me down.

Me- " ing I ing hate people who do that. Did you see that just cut off like three people in a row! 's lucky I don't have a gun! !!!! !!!!!!!"

Friends (usually know nothing about 40k)- "Tell me about Space Marines?"

Me- "Oh, well you see it all starts with a mysterious man known only as the Emperor..."

Their eyes glaze over but I'm sure they prefer me babbling about make-believe than hearing me scream profanities out the window.

yeah my wife found my off switch works the same way

**Tyr Grimtooth**

Any "friend" of mine that does this crap to me is getting his ass whooped.