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Made in gb
Missionary On A Mission






99.9% of people reading this don't need to be told - but for the sake of the 0.1% who do, and those who have to stand near them, please have a shower and clean yourselves up before coming to public events.

Last night I helped a few friends run a little hobby & games shindig they put on for their LGS group. It wasn't a big thing, maybe two dozen people in a small church hall, yet even with this tiny sample size there were still people turning up smelling like unwashed ass - and, in one case, rotten mutton(?!). The smell off one person was so bad we had to ask him to leave, but he was merely the worst offender - there were a few others whose odour wasn't bad enough to be disruptive, but who were nonetheless noticeably unclean. I'd like to say they were all very young, possibly living away from home for the first time, who had no idea how to comport themselves without parental guidance and were still learning the vagaries of personal admin - I want to say that, but the dude we had to remove was in his mid-forties. I'd also like to say they were all male, but that wouldn't be true either.

People sometimes say this kind of thing is the reason women don't wargame, as though the only reason to clean yourself is to attract women into your social circles. It's not. You may not care that your anime shirt reeks of dried cum and human dung, but outside of your bedroom you're not the only one who has to put up with it.

Please - have a shower and clean yourself up.

/rant


PS: This is not directed at the people who have occasional lapses in personal hygeine. That happens to almost everyone - maybe you're running late, or the leccy is off, or maybe you're quite a big person and you naturally sweat a fair bit no matter how hard you scrub prior to attending. Fine by me - a little B.O isn't the worst thing in the world, and allowances can and should be made. However, there's a world of difference between a little B.O and the stench produced by dedicated long-term neglect of your personal hygeine. The former is forgivable once in a while, the latter is vile.

- - - - - - -
   
Made in ca
Monstrously Massive Big Mutant






We have a guy at our local gaming store we call Stained Shirt Guy. He semms fine, and he has okay bathing habits seemingly, but this neckbearded man seems to perpetually have a stain on his shirt, no matter what day we see him. It's incredible.
   
Made in gb
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain





Earth

 BBAP wrote:
99.9% of people reading this don't need to be told - but for the sake of the 0.1% who do, and those who have to stand near them, please have a shower and clean yourselves up before coming to public events.

Last night I helped a few friends run a little hobby & games shindig they put on for their LGS group. It wasn't a big thing, maybe two dozen people in a small church hall, yet even with this tiny sample size there were still people turning up smelling like unwashed ass - and, in one case, rotten mutton(?!). The smell off one person was so bad we had to ask him to leave, but he was merely the worst offender - there were a few others whose odour wasn't bad enough to be disruptive, but who were nonetheless noticeably unclean. I'd like to say they were all very young, possibly living away from home for the first time, who had no idea how to comport themselves without parental guidance and were still learning the vagaries of personal admin - I want to say that, but the dude we had to remove was in his mid-forties. I'd also like to say they were all male, but that wouldn't be true either.

People sometimes say this kind of thing is the reason women don't wargame, as though the only reason to clean yourself is to attract women into your social circles. It's not. You may not care that your anime shirt reeks of dried cum and human dung, but outside of your bedroom you're not the only one who has to put up with it.

Please - have a shower and clean yourself up.

/rant


PS: This is not directed at the people who have occasional lapses in personal hygeine. That happens to almost everyone - maybe you're running late, or the leccy is off, or maybe you're quite a big person and you naturally sweat a fair bit no matter how hard you scrub prior to attending. Fine by me - a little B.O isn't the worst thing in the world, and allowances can and should be made. However, there's a world of difference between a little B.O and the stench produced by dedicated long-term neglect of your personal hygeine. The former is forgivable once in a while, the latter is vile.


“Personal admin”

Sqauddie.
   
Made in us
Mutating Changebringer





New Hampshire, USA

I have a nightmare story about a kid at a Rogue Trader event.
I won't get into it but my friend was not only matched up against him in round one but also had the same army (3.5...4th? Lord WBB with D3 wounds era).

I have also been to a mega battle in too small a space where the combined pheromones lead to massive stench and hot tempers.

My biggest concern for myself is that I smoke. The smell bothers even myself when walking to a non smoking environment so I can imagine it must be worse for those around me when I walk back in after deployment... And after the bottom of turn 2...

Khorne Daemons 4000+pts
 
   
Made in vn
Battlefortress Driver with Krusha Wheel






It's weird... I always shower every time I go out snd wear clean clothes. There was a period of time when my washing machine was broken and all y clothers smelt damp all the time and I hated it. So now I make sure to super clean them.

In terms to the tried sperm smell... I find this weird. I personally can't smell it and don't know what it smells like. I've had partners who tell me the hate the smell... but my current partner says it has no smell at all... so not sure about that comment .... also wtf! Why are people cumming on their shirts and wearing them to a gaming club thing anyway?!
   
Made in us
Guarded Grey Knight Terminator






This is the entire reason my wife won't go into any kind of gaming store although she finds 40k interesting. The mixture of unwashed dudes, swass and BO are usually too much for her. I don't blame her.

Please sometime in-between playing (insert video game) and leaving your place, do a smell check and change/bathe as necessary.

Stinkiness will cause anywhere between a -1 to a -5 to your opponent's enjoyment roll.

Thank you for this PSA.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/04/21 19:22:27


"Glory in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint"
-Paul of Tarsus

If my post seems goofy, assume I am posting from my phone and the autocorrect elf in my phone is drunk again 
   
Made in au
Repentia Mistress





Thiss is even worse when its store staff that are the offenders. Had it last year the usual staff member was on holiday and the ring in hed gotten had appalling b.o. needless to say, i didnt set foot back inside the store till the usual guy came back.
   
Made in gb
Combat Jumping Rasyat




East of England

It is a curse upon gaming, and I have no idea why people think it's okay to funk up a packed space like that. I think politely pointing it out to people, whilst handing them a deoderant, is okay in bad cases. I thought we'd be over this by now as a community.
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





Hyperspace

Antipersperant deodorant.

Use it.



Peregrine - If you like the army buy it, and don't worry about what one random person on the internet thinks.
 
   
Made in gb
Bounding Assault Marine




United Kingdom

As a larger chap myself I don't want to smell funky or make anyone else put up with it. I always carry a can of deodorant with me when I go out somewhere social. It's just manners if nothing else.

40k: Space Marines (Rift Wardens) - 8050pts.
T9A: Vampire Covenants 2060pts. 
   
Made in fi
Locked in the Tower of Amareo





Well I try to be reasonably clean but the idea of shower before going to play area is pretty much impossible. I would get home even at earliest ~5:15(and that's some fast driving). Games start at 18:00. Train back to where I left from work(which is where games are) would depart at 18.00. I would get to gaming area at around 18:45 and need to depart back to the train at around 20:00. Obviously timing wise not feasible...

I just need to hope work doesn't leave me too sweaty. Luckily it's desktop work.

2024 painted/bought: 109/109 
   
Made in dk
Longtime Dakkanaut




Just wear one of these babies. It should send a message to even the densest bloke

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Soviet-russian-military-Gas-mask-GP-5-Grey-rubber-Full-set-size-0-1-2-3/122793644928?hash=item1c97125380:g:2gQAAOSwTuJYrrhM
   
Made in gb
Shas'la with Pulse Carbine




Eastern Fringe

^ If you're going to game after a long days work, take a few wet wipes, deodorant, toothbrush/paste and new shirt with you. Just jump into the toilet at work or at the game store, wash your face, wipe down your armpits brush your teeth, a little spray and a new shirt. Bingo bango you're a new mano!

As for smelly people. I just tell them. I don't say it in a mean way just directly. If you can't do the most basic of things in order not to smell you deserve a head up.

The first rule of unarmed combat is: don’t be unarmed. 
   
Made in is
Angered Reaver Arena Champion





You guys don't like the mystery smell that pops up? Is it BO? Is it Cod? Is it Orks?

On a serious note: Deodorants are a must. Also, if you are interested, body butter can be fantastic.
   
Made in ro
Fireknife Shas'el




Lisbon, Portugal

I can't find it anymore, but last year (or 2016) there was a thread about these kind of people. Oh God, the narratives. Not just bad smelling people, but those with weird behavior.

AI & BFG: / BMG: Mr. Freeze, Deathstroke / Battletech: SR, OWA / HGB: Caprice / Malifaux: Arcanists, Guild, Outcasts / MCP: Mutants / SAGA: Ordensstaat / SW Legion & X-Wing: CIS / WWX: Union

 Unit1126PLL wrote:
"FW is unbalanced and going to ruin tournaments."
"Name one where it did that."
"IT JUST DOES OKAY!"

 Shadenuat wrote:
Voted Astra Militarum for a chance for them to get nerfed instead of my own army.
 
   
Made in us
Slaanesh Havoc with Blastmaster





New Orleans

We had a group of three of us at an ancients tourny who brought lysol cans and sprayed down the one bad perpetual
offender every time we passed him at his table,... embarrassed him enough to help him change his ways
(and he was a thin athletic lawyer, who just enjoyed offending players with BO and gas attacks...)
( I think he was trying to do so as a form of psychological
warfare!)
   
Made in us
Inspiring SDF-1 Bridge Officer





Mississippi

I've, unfortunately, been on both sides of the fence on this. I don't have an excuse for myself and most people wouldn't say anything, they'd just avoid me. Years later, I've cleaned up my act but it still embarrasses me, and made me extremely self-conscious about appearing in public.

A piece of advice - most often it's the clothes themselves that have "gone ripe". Moreso than a shower, launder the clothes. YOU can't smell it, but everyone else can.

Often the worst offenders are socks & shoes. If ever in doubt, leave the shoes on.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/04/21 21:12:17


It never ends well 
   
Made in us
Douglas Bader






Do we really need another thread about this subject? It's always the same old stories blowing an occasional bad person way out of proportion into some kind of hobby-wide crisis. In all the years I've been playing various games I have never encountered anyone bad enough to remember. People sweating in a hot store and not being fresh out of the shower clean? Sure, but nothing worse than you'd find in any other random group of people doing a hobby.

There is no such thing as a hobby without politics. "Leave politics at the door" is itself a political statement, an endorsement of the status quo and an attempt to silence dissenting voices. 
   
Made in us
Powerful Phoenix Lord





I've been blessed with a funked up nasal cavity where I can barely breathe through my nose normally, so smell is my weakest sense. As such I often don't notice when some people are stinking up the joint - but if I do, it must be bad.

However, the opposite side of that is that I've told my friends that if I stink, tell me. I'm massive on personal hygiene and don't believe I do, but I wouldn't notice if I did. I can "cope" with the normal stink that happens when 8-10 people are crammed in a small space. That's understandable, especially in Charleston with the heat. I do, however, recognize "that guy" when they come in and literally clear out a game store.

Last time this conversation came up, a couple of guys came on here and tried to justify it with various mental minutia and various "health" issues they had which led to the stank - but the reality is if you're incapable or afraid of washing yourself, etc....you're the one responsible for not showing up. That seems harsh, but don't punish other people because you have a social anxiety over the use of soap, etc. I had a buddy in high school who had overactive sweat glands - literally all the time. But he managed to get doctor prescribed medicine, special antiperspirant, etc. He solved the problem as best he could and it was never an issue with us.

It's a simple common courtesy. Sadly most of it is simple sweat and BO...for which there is zero excuse.
   
Made in gb
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain





Earth

 Elbows wrote:
I've been blessed with a funked up nasal cavity where I can barely breathe through my nose normally, so smell is my weakest sense. As such I often don't notice when some people are stinking up the joint - but if I do, it must be bad.

However, the opposite side of that is that I've told my friends that if I stink, tell me. I'm massive on personal hygiene and don't believe I do, but I wouldn't notice if I did. I can "cope" with the normal stink that happens when 8-10 people are crammed in a small space. That's understandable, especially in Charleston with the heat. I do, however, recognize "that guy" when they come in and literally clear out a game store.

Last time this conversation came up, a couple of guys came on here and tried to justify it with various mental minutia and various "health" issues they had which led to the stank - but the reality is if you're incapable or afraid of washing yourself, etc....you're the one responsible for not showing up. That seems harsh, but don't punish other people because you have a social anxiety over the use of soap, etc. I had a buddy in high school who had overactive sweat glands - literally all the time. But he managed to get doctor prescribed medicine, special antiperspirant, etc. He solved the problem as best he could and it was never an issue with us.

It's a simple common courtesy. Sadly most of it is simple sweat and BO...for which there is zero excuse.



We have the exact same problem and have found the same fix, I too ask my mates to let me know and am very self conscious about it.

We used to have a member of our club we called nurgle boy, enough said really.
   
Made in gb
Missionary On A Mission






 lolman1c wrote:
Why are people cumming on their shirts and wearing them to a gaming club thing anyway?!


I can't answer that, and frankly I find this less disturbing than the putrefied meat dude. I can imagine why a lonely young man with zero self awareness might end up smelling faintly of dried semen, but I have no earthly idea how a person could come to smell of ammonia without noticing. It was so bad we thought someone had stolen a bottle from the cleaner's cupboard and spilled it or something. It's a shame because he seems like an otherwise pleasant man, but the place was turning into Funkytown and it just wasn't tolerable.

 Vector Strike wrote:
I can't find it anymore, but last year (or 2016) there was a thread about these kind of people. Oh God, the narratives. Not just bad smelling people, but those with weird behavior.


I can imagine - although in fairness to our little subculture the antisocial weirdness seems much less eminent now than it was back in the olden days. Not sure if the growing popularity of geek subculture has had a diluting effect on the number of maladjusted roasters or if people are just less awkward and strange than they were when I was a kid, but either way it's a good thing.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
 Peregrine wrote:
Do we really need another thread about this subject? It's always the same old stories blowing an occasional bad person way out of proportion into some kind of hobby-wide crisis. In all the years I've been playing various games I have never encountered anyone bad enough to remember. People sweating in a hot store and not being fresh out of the shower clean? Sure, but nothing worse than you'd find in any other random group of people doing a hobby.


Like I said in the OP, there's a world of difference between developing a little B.O during a session and constantly smelling like an open drain because you don't attend to your personal hygeine. The former is biologically inevitable, whereas the latter is simply delinquent behaviour.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/04/21 21:51:27


- - - - - - -
   
Made in us
Blood-Drenched Death Company Marine





Mississippi

I know I sweat a bit, and take care to wear deodorant and wear clean clothes.

I work in law enforcement as my main carreer, so grooming is something I have to keep up with (Clean shaven, haircut, proper attire/uniform, etc.) and I take pride in my appearance as a result of the effort I put in. I also work for a FLGS part time as well to help make a little extra money. I've seen a number of people who, for some reason, either refuse to, or don't care to clean or bathe themselves regularly.

We've got one pair/trio depending on how many of them show up who, and I'm going to be polite here, seem off. Rarely bathed or properly groomed, often dirty clothes and smelly, and socially awkward to a painful degree. They look like your worst stereotypical mental picture.

That said, they're not bad people, and I give them the same level of customer service I give anyone in the store, but they just kinda do their own thing over on a table and everyone else avoids them because of how they act, and look/smell. I almost want to take a few minutes with them and just explain basic hygiene to them, but then again I don't want to come off as a jerk either. They're not hurting anyone and not depriving the store of business, yet, thankfully.

It's a curious thing. I wish I had an answer for it. That said, we do have a couple of sticks of free deodorant in one of the bathrooms on a shelf and I'm not above pulling someone aside privately and giving them one, before instructing them to go put some on. Hasn't happened yet, hopefully it worn't.

Take it easy.

-Red__Thirst-


You don't know me son, so I'll explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed.  
   
Made in us
Douglas Bader






 BBAP wrote:
Like I said in the OP, there's a world of difference between developing a little B.O during a session and constantly smelling like an open drain because you don't attend to your personal hygeine. The former is biologically inevitable, whereas the latter is simply delinquent behaviour.


Yes, I understand that. What I said is that the latter is so rare, in my experience, that it might as well not exist. For every legitimate bad experience there is a whole crowd of people exaggerating it as a hobby-wide crisis, and threads that have little purpose besides self-congratulatory bragging about how they are capable of basic life skills.

There is no such thing as a hobby without politics. "Leave politics at the door" is itself a political statement, an endorsement of the status quo and an attempt to silence dissenting voices. 
   
Made in gb
Death-Dealing Dark Angels Devastator




Sleeping in the Rock

Luckily I'm friends with the people in my 40k group at the FLGS. And we don't have this problem. I sweat. A lot, but some deodorant in the bag is something most sweaty people do as a matter of course.

But i've been to some cons, smelled some smells and can confirm that a little deodorant while not a difficult concept is definitely ignored by some folks (not lots but some.)

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/04/21 22:18:06


"In Warfare, preparation is the key. Determine that which your foe prizes the most. Then site your heavy weapons so that they overlook it. In this way, you may be quite sure that you shall never want for targets."
— Lion El'Jonson


"What I cannot crush with words I will crush with the tanks of the Imperial Guard!"
- Lord Commander Solar Macharius
 
   
Made in us
Did Fulgrim Just Behead Ferrus?





Fort Worth, TX

 Lion of Caliban wrote:
But i've been to some cons, smelled some smells and can confirm that a little deodorant while not a difficult concept is definitely ignored by some folks (not lots but some.)


That's the problem right there, though, "a little deodorant". Or rather, too little deodorant. One little swipe of the stick under your arm isn't enough for most people, especially in warmer climates.

"Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see.
One chants out between two worlds: Fire, walk with me."
- Twin Peaks
"You listen to me. While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a naysayer and hatchetman in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I'll gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method... is love. I love you Sheriff Truman." - Twin Peaks 
   
Made in gb
Missionary On A Mission






 Peregrine wrote:
Yes, I understand that. What I said is that the latter is so rare, in my experience, that it might as well not exist.


I disagree. Most wargamers I know have a story or two about a particularly malodorous attendee fugging up their games night or driving people away from the LGS, and this kind of crap is depressingly common in various other spheres of geek culture too. It's not a "hobby-wide crisis", but it's an unpleasant aspect of our little subculture that I feel is worth addressing.

- - - - - - -
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut






In a Trayzn pokeball

There was a guy we called onions because he always smelled of onions. He'd occasionally turn up for 5 minutes, say some weird things then leave without buying anything. Haven't seen him for a few years now. Maybe he left to work in an onion field and be with his people.

 JohnHwangDD wrote:
The hobby is actually hating GW.
 iGuy91 wrote:
You love the T-Rex. Its both a hero and a Villain in the first two movies. It is the "king" of dinosaurs. Its the best. You love your T-rex.
Then comes along the frakking Spinosaurus who kills the T-rex, and the movie says "LOVE THIS NOW! HE IS BETTER" But...in your heart, you love the T-rex, who shouldn't have lost to no stupid Spinosaurus. So you hate the movie. And refuse to love the Spinosaurus because it is a hamfisted attempt at taking what you loved, making it TREX +++ and trying to sell you it.
 Elbows wrote:
You know what's better than a psychic phase? A psychic phase which asks customers to buy more miniatures...
the_scotsman wrote:
Dae think the company behind such names as deathwatch death guard deathskullz death marks death korps deathleaper death jester might be bad at naming?
 
   
Made in gb
Mekboy on Kustom Deth Kopta






Can this PSA also be extended to include general personal appearance and behaviour as well as hygiene?

I was in the local GW yesterday with a friend who I'm getting in to the hobby through Shadespire. Now I'm a pretty normal bloke as far as this hobby is concerned - I like football, I'm pretty trim, I go to the gym and I work in sales so I have to be presentable. My friend is a typical bloke who got into boardgaming because of the GOT boardgame and I managed to sell the idea of Shadespire to him.

Please just be aware when you're in your local store that some people might be put off if you start acting weird. It wouldn't bother me, I guess I'm either used to it or just don't care enough but for those who are slowly becoming interested in the hobby it can be a massive turn off when you see someone in their mid thirties to mid forties act like a child. It can also be a massive turn off if you start rules lawyering during a friendly game to the point where you suck the fun out of it or it becomes awkward. Be normal. Or pretend to be normal for the ten minutes while a newbie is in the store with you. Then once they are hooked on the hobby act like a weirdo all you like!
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





Outer Space, Apparently

 An Actual Englishman wrote:
Can this PSA also be extended to include general personal appearance and behaviour as well as hygiene?

I was in the local GW yesterday with a friend who I'm getting in to the hobby through Shadespire. Now I'm a pretty normal bloke as far as this hobby is concerned - I like football, I'm pretty trim, I go to the gym and I work in sales so I have to be presentable. My friend is a typical bloke who got into boardgaming because of the GOT boardgame and I managed to sell the idea of Shadespire to him.

Please just be aware when you're in your local store that some people might be put off if you start acting weird. It wouldn't bother me, I guess I'm either used to it or just don't care enough but for those who are slowly becoming interested in the hobby it can be a massive turn off when you see someone in their mid thirties to mid forties act like a child. It can also be a massive turn off if you start rules lawyering during a friendly game to the point where you suck the fun out of it or it becomes awkward. Be normal. Or pretend to be normal for the ten minutes while a newbie is in the store with you. Then once they are hooked on the hobby act like a weirdo all you like!


I think that could be a PSA for social interaction in general, not just in a hobby store, although I definitely run into more people in hobby stores who turn me off with their initial behaviour than in general life happenings. It doesn't mean that they can't put weird behaviour right if they do it, but that first impression in a social environment can be much more important than people like to admit.

I'm very self conscious about it; people will only get the lewd jokes off me when I know them well enough

G.A - Should've called myself Ghost Ark

Makeup Whiskers? This is War Paint! 
   
Made in us
Did Fulgrim Just Behead Ferrus?





Fort Worth, TX

Regarding the "strange behavior" thing, keep in mind that this hobby does tend to attract a larger share of people with ASD compared to other hobbies.

"Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see.
One chants out between two worlds: Fire, walk with me."
- Twin Peaks
"You listen to me. While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a naysayer and hatchetman in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I'll gladly take another because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method... is love. I love you Sheriff Truman." - Twin Peaks 
   
 
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