Hey everyone! Adam, from TFG Radio, here to kick off a new weekly article for Frontline.
For a bit of a backstory I have been gaming for a long time. I started with 54mm Napoleonics when I was about 9 0r 10, which my uncle painted, and got my first set of armies from an ad in a comic book (15mm American War for Independence, if you’re curious). I been playing GW games since about 1988. Started with Adeptus Titanicus and then, naturally, moved on to Rogue Trader. I have played every edition since.
Before I begin, let me get you familiar with the term “Grognard”
Definition of grognard
plural -s
For my first article, I’ll be talking about a player move that a lot of us have done, or have seen your opponent do. We call it in our area Star Action: Bitch.
“Man, my dice are rolling cold, no wonder I’m losing”
“Of course I’m losing, you’re playing xxxx army”
“I’d be doing better if you hadn’t killed unit xxxx”
“What a surprise, all my units are dying” (/sarcasm)
“Oh man, that was a really close game”
“I was really lucky to get that power/charge off”
“Not sure what else you could have done”
“You played a really good game with that army/unit”
The real benefit of this special action is that it is not done to soothe you, but actually done so that their conscience can be reassured that they weren’t just being a salty AF jerk just moments before they figured out they had just won.
All that being said, it happens almost to everyone. It has happened to me on numerous occasions. I’m not proud of it but sometimes it gets the better of us. So what can you do about it? Simply ignore it. Don’t let them complaining affect how you play your game. Stay the course and, win or lose, you’ll know that it was affected by their special action.
Well, that’s all for this week. I hope you enjoyed it.Don’t forget to visit our Facebook, Twitch, and Patreon pages to stay up to date on what we’re up to and when episodes drop!
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lol I think Grognards is my new favorite word.
I would add another definition: “4. (games, slang) A player who is particularly set in their ways, or who complains and groans about any and all changes made to a system.”
e.g. “Man, John just won’t shut up about how he can’t run his Space Marine Bikes as troops anymore.”
“Yeah, guy’s a real grognard.”
I just realised I think bikes should never have become troops to start with and that I’m like some Treebeard level Grognard now.
It’s sort of implied in the 3rd definition but that’s a good one
I can check that box…
I feel my gorgnard days are not too far in the future…
LOL, I give it a month or two! 😉
Maybe just until 9th edition.
Hahaha, I hope to make it that far!
As soon as I have an opponent like this I typically cease interacting with them entirely.
I walkthrough my actions, explain what I’m doing, but I’m not here to be your mommy and say it’s okay. I’m here to have fun.
Unfortunately not everyone can do that, or it’s a good friend(or brother) who does it, and it makes it harder to resist. Good on you though!
A brother you say?… 😀
Grognard is French for grumbler …. that explains it lol