stalling vs sportsmanship

[Oly1987]

I was playing a game today against. Dark elves with my humans and I came across this conumdrum. I kicked to the elves in the first half and caused a SI and a number of ko's. Start of the second half and it was 1-1 and I was recieving and proceeded to bash the lights out of the poor elves he ended up with 4 players on the pitch and all prone and covered with my ball carrier sitting on their TD line. he skipped his turn and left them all prone. With players to spare i could've fouled his players and cleared the pitch but I could tell he wasnt enjoying the game and I didn't want to add to his misery so instead of stalling till turn 16 I score and left him with 2 turns and the chance to redeem some players from the ko box. He set up with 6 players and a riot turned the clock back now giving him 3 turns to salvage a draw! Luck was on my side and i managed to win but it was hairy. Was i wrong to put my chance of winning so that both coaches could enjoy te game? Was i too soft in not punishing him for giving up?

[Heff]

If I am playing for fun and giggles only you did the right thing
If my season is dead you did the right thing
If I am in with a chance to win anything then hell no them's the breaks you should have pounded him into the ground

[narg]

Yeah it really depends on the situation. Actually if you completely smashed his team then after scoring you've got a fair chance of getting the ball off him and scoring again, when I win 3-0 that's usually how it happens. I managed a few times to get the whole opposing team off the pitch and in that case, scoring early enables the opponent to get his surfed-out players and his knocked-out players back on the pitch and you can then get even more casualties, so from that point of view scoring early isn't even always nice.

So I'd say it depends on your opponent. Even vastly outnumbered, elves can still score so be careful. But against virtually any other team, if they're outnumbered you can score while being reasonably certain that they won't be able to score. If you play a friend or a beginner, score early and let him play. If it's in a tournament or a cup, then lock the game and stall. I guess it also depends on your opponent and how you know he would behave in a similar situation: I don't like to foul but when I play coaches who don't hesitate then I don't hesitate either. So basically use your judgment!

[Nikolai II]

Actually, if you are not playing him again, the "safe" nice thing to do would have been to just have passed your turns as well.

Ends the game faster, doesn't "foul just for the fouling" which "pound into the ground" is, and you still probably win. (One-turners aren't _that_ easy)

Agreed with narg on the "have fun" part - unless you're in a tournament with cash prizes (or something of equal interest to you) - what does it really matter? (Sure, I want to win, but I prefer to have fun even if it costs me the game.)

[Oly1987]

It was a ranked game in fumbbl. I dunno I guess I just went a little soft and felt sorry for him. I know what its like to be on the recieving end when games go like that and its no fun to play

[Magictobe]

Look it this way, I think you enjoyed those last three turns more then in case that you would have stalled. The tension of maybe a draw and then being able to keep the win.

[Oly1987]

I think it better for both of us we both enjoyed the last three turns and it turned a 1 sided game into a thriller finisher

[Oly1987]

And the question is really is there any place for sportsmanship in blood bowl?

[JaM]

Yes there is. But there are arguments that stalling si a part of the game, just like 'camping' in an online shooter like Counterstrike.
It has it's place and time (stalling).

Every game has a place for sportmanship, be it listening to the ref when he tells you to stop triangle-chocking your opponent or something else.

I think you did the right thing here. As long as nothing is at stake (championship), why not make the game enjoyable for both and make something of it?

[Ullis]

Look it this way, I think you enjoyed those last three turns more then in case that you would have stalled. The tension of maybe a draw and then being able to keep the win.

This is obviously true, but you also have to consider the whole game from the beginning. If I know that I'm not going to get any breaks, then it makes the whole game much more exciting from the very beginning. And going into an online game the most guaranteed fun is to be had from the competitiveness side because you don't know who you'll be facing. If I can see that my opponent isn't doing his best, then a win is a bit hollow too.

A beer and pretzels (I've actually never had any pretzels over BB) game is more relaxed right from the start because you know your opponent and can be sure that it won't be cut throat.

[spubbbba]

Actually, if you are not playing him again, the "safe" nice thing to do would have been to just have passed your turns as well.

Ends the game faster, doesn't "foul just for the fouling" which "pound into the ground" is, and you still probably win. (One-turners aren't _that_ easy)

Agreed with narg on the "have fun" part - unless you're in a tournament with cash prizes (or something of equal interest to you) - what does it really matter? (Sure, I want to win, but I prefer to have fun even if it costs me the game.)

In FUMBBL’s ranked or Blackbox division just clicking turn would have been against the rules for Olly. It was ok for the other guy if he has no reasonable chance of getting the ball or any spp’s and standing his players up just means they will risk getting hurt.

As others have said stalling out the game is a very situational thing, people have different views on the subject. Some might not thank you for scoring as it will prolong the game and means their players are back on their feet and out the reserve/KO box so can get hurt. If nuffle is sticking it to you it can be best to get the game over with by clicking turn and losing 2-1 rather than the other team ramping up the cas/score.

[Overhamsteren]

When I started playing on fumbbl I sometimes scored instead of stalling but most people was like 'wtf are you doing that for' and then if they had a decent chance to equalise and it didn't happen if felt a bit like it was even worse than just getting stalled out and if they did equalise it was just like a charity result.

Dunno I like to have a friendly and hopefully fun game but stalling doesn't have to be less fun if it is expected I guess. Some games a just not that fun/exciting because of dice or matchup, in blackbox stalling for a quick game just lets you get to a new (possible overall more exciting) game faster.

Maybe I should have asked my opponent if I should have scored early or not, or would that be condescending?

[Smurf]

There's 2 ways of this.

1. you recognise the TD is yours and the players left prone is a submission to that fact. If you are that good then score the TD and smash his players all over again.

2. your opponent recognises that you are stalling to win... he could make it hard by targetting one of your players, getting it down and fouling it. So Whilst you stall he may take down good players too.

It doesn't happen a lot in the games we play but then we play a lot more overtime than a lot of other people.

[mattgslater]

If you have a lead and your opponent goes limp, the smart thing to do is to score and pad your lead.

If you don't have a lead and your oppo goes limp, the smart thing to do is to throw garbage comps through Turn 6. Then, with the ball safely in hand on Turn 7, don't throw so as not to deny yourself a TD in case both the throw and the T8 pickup fail. Waltz in on T8, and you're done.

If you're concerned about "sportsmanship" the simple answer is to stop fouling. If your opponent complains that you're not being sporting, foul him.

[mattgslater]

In FUMBBL’s ranked or Blackbox division just clicking turn would have been against the rules for Olly. It was ok for the other guy if he has no reasonable chance of getting the ball or any spp’s and standing his players up just means they will risk getting hurt.

Boo. Why is that not sporting?

Turn 5: I've got 'im where I want 'im. I'm camped on his endzone with the ball. Score is tied.
Oppo Turn 5: He leaves all his guys down, but gets one guy up for a mad-dash blitz. It fails.
Turn 6: I move around so that there won't be any blitzes, thanks. I also snag a garbage comp.
Oppo Turn 6: He does nothing.
Turn 7: I'm in the perfect position and afraid to comp so late in the drive. I'm also afraid to give him two turns. Why can't I just click "end turn"? Can I move one guy one irrelevant square and end turn? What would be the difference?