General Ramblings: The "You Shut Up Now" Rule

So, I'm still kind of struggling for ideas.

Sure, I could do a hobby post. Badly, probably. But that would require me to get my camera out. I could similarly actually photo my Trollbloods collection. But that would not only require the camera to be out, but brought down to the club, where my Mega-Smurfs are languishing in a display cabinet.

I could whine about the Internet. I'm sort of good at that. But no one's actually annoyed me thoroughly enough lately. At least not about anything even remotely Incarias-related. The politics are staying off this site for now. Mostly.

So, I'll talk about my club. And one rule we have that deserves spreading.

I like to call it the 'You shut up now!' rule.

Down at the Club (we're called Troll, and if you're from anywhere near Stockholm, this is a site you should visit), wargames are a spectator sport. It's rare for there to be no people just standing about, commenting idly on what's going on, discussing something entirely irrelevant and generally distracting the players.

This is fine. At least until it isn't. This is part of what makes wargaming a social activity for me; the side-talk. There's a good word in Swedish for it. I can't find the equivalent in English, for some reason. You know, the kind of talk that's absolutely, utterly pointless, except for the talking itself.

Oh, well.

Anyway. There is one thing we are fairly adamant on, when it comes to these onlookers.

No back seat gaming. No pointing out possible moves (beyond the absolutely ludicrous, at least), no reminders of optional-to-use rules, no leading questions. No tactics, no strategy.

There are exceptions to this rule (it is, for example, considered fair game to encourage any Blood Bowl player to perform a Foul, at any time). But during games that matter, in the slightest (campaigns being the most frequent offender), the rule is not negotiable.

Rules are fine. In two situations. One: one of the players makes an explicit rules question. This question can then be answered, as restrictively as possible, so as not to give undue tactical advice. Two: one of the players violates a rule (accidentally, we assume). The violation should then be noted, explained, and rectified. This second point also applies if one of the players cites a rule incorrectly.

What this rule does is to make sure that it is the players who are the ones actually playing. Before the 'You shut up now!' rule, some players (yes, I was a repeat offender) tended to coach their comrades a bit over-much, to the point that it was almost the back seat gamer making the decisions, and the actual player just moving the minis and rolling the dice.

This was deemed a problem.

What this rule also does (less purposefully) is cause a lot of mutterings from certain onlookers. It remains the case that it is always easier to spot possible moves when you're not actually playing, and some of us have a bit of trouble containing our wisdom. 'Wisdom', really. Some of our advice is undoubtedly crap.

The phrase 'I know what I would do' is frequently heard.

Of course, during some games, we ease the rule. Introducing a game to a new player opens up the floor somewhat. Overly specific advice is still frowned upon, but gentle nudges in the right direction, or pointing out rules the new player is unfamiliar with or seems to have forgotten, is generally fine.

It is a good rule.

I recommend it.

Now, I'm done.

I might think of something better to write about soon. Or I might not, and feel obliged to show you my trolls.

Either way, ta ta for now.