How not to be one of *those* guys.

Regardless of where you are, whether it be your local FLGS/GW Store or tournament, the fact is that play our wonderful hobby, you have to socialise with people, and there will always be those guys that you never want to see again after finishing your game. We've all encountered *those* guys at some point in time. I put this down (mainly) to two things -hygiene and sportsmanship. Today I'm just going to give my opinion how you can avoid being one of *those* guys, or at least distinguish yourself from them enough to do your best at ensuring that people want to play against you again at some point in the future. After reviewing my earlier posts, I realise that I tend to write somewhat extensively! So today's blog will be compact and concise. Let's see if I can pull it off!

Don't be this guy.

Hygiene to me is a very important aspect of life. I'm not talking about being OCD, but I am talking about at least being decent enough to be presentable in public. We've all encountered those GW Stores that just reek of B.O and I have to say it's possibly the most unappealing aspect of the hobby in my opinion. So, to counter this -firstly, wash frequently. This helps take care of odor and your hair. Oily hair is gross. If you're going to a tournament or store that has bad ventilation, take some deodorant. Not only will your competitor thank you, but any women you may encounter will appreciate it. Several tests have confirmed that women have a better sense of smell than men, so the chance is that if you think you may smell a little, a girl will most likely think you stink worse than the blue cheese section of a supermarket.

Another aspect of avoiding being one of *those* guys is sportsmanship. Whether you are playing a friendly game or final tournament match, being a good sport is just a matter of courtesy. Not only will it help you in a scoring situation should your tournament have sportsmanship scores, but it may also determine how your opponent acts as well. I'm not saying you have to be the nicest player they've ever played against, but courtesy will make your opponent enjoy your game more. The game we play is largely dependent on chance, given that we play with dice. If everything goes your way, and nothing to your opponents, show sympathy and if you are able, make jokes about it. If it is vice versa, don't sulk in the corner like a little girl all game. No one likes a sourpuss. In addition, if your opponent from the outset is nice and gives you those 50/50 calls, such as whether or not a unit gets cover saves, if a vehicle is 50% obscured etc, don't be a jackass and return the favour to your opponent as well. However if they pull the opposite on you, don't feel like you have to give them the calls just to be the 'better' person. 

I'll wrap it up here to avoid rambling on for too long. This is a huge topic to cover, but at the end of the day, you're not going to get along with everyone. Remember that, and you will be comfortable in knowing that you won't always be everyone's best friend. Just remember to display common courtesy where you can and ensure that you're clean when you go out - it's not that much to ask for. Shower's aren't a rare commodity guys.

Signing off,

Sladie.