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.

Unfortunately, in the current 'tournament scene', there are no 'forfeit' rules written in. I feel there should be, but that's for a design thread, as they would be subject to abuse.

I would REALLY like to be able to concede a game. At this past Adepticon, my dice luck was so bad, I thought I was being punished for sins of a past life. But I kept playing, to help my team and because I entered into a social contract. Unlike a casual environment, your opponent in a tournament is under no burden to make sure you have a good time. They must be fair, they must be polite, but they have the right, perhaps even the moral authority, to do their best to crush you like bug.

I would love to, as in Chess or Go, concede a game. But I can't, because that will unfairly give my opponent full points she or he did not earn, and that is unfair to the other people in the tournament. Chess has a simple win-loss-draw outcome. 40K tournaments can have entire ranges of battle scores. You may not be able to affect their army, but maybe you can deny them full points by going to ground on objectives, or denying them other scenario points.

Yes, it isn't fun. Maybe you can shift your mental focus to start grunting like Rambo as your last guy suicide charges (note: Catachans do this best), to keep your opponent more than 3" away from an objective. It isn't easy to make this shift, especially if you've been rolling no higher than a '2' all day. I, myself, could not make this mental shift. But I know I should have (hindsight being 20|20).

It is a tournament, and it is entirely possible that you have paid for a day (or a weekend) of getting your kicked. These are the risks you take.

Be prepared, mentally. Have a plan of action for how you will respond to being crushed. Maybe the top-tier players don't have to deal with this, but us mortal plebes do.

And, after you've completed the game to the best of your ability and denied your opponent the three points they needed to take 'best overall'? THAT is your moral victory. That is your takeaway. You were the spoiler. You were their Arnhem Bridge.

Go tell the Spartans.

That was nicely put, and rather inspiring; particularly that last bit.

If you cannot materially affect the outcome of the game I see no problem with calling it quits. The game has to be fun for both sides. If your opponent can't handle being handed a win on a silver platter, call a judge over.