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Reading Uber's Mechanized Trident tactica got me thinking on this subject. What are people's feelings on psycological warfare against your opponent? Is it unsporting to mess with their mind before or during the game? I often use the same tricks Uber mentioned, screwing up my enemy's target priority by making small comments, being non-chalant about moving the biggest threats and generally disguising my in-game tactics through banter.
I am always nice and polite, but there is some underhandedness to what comes out of my mouth. Things like, "Watch out for that Warboss, he's a real killer if he makes it to your lines," are true statements, but they are meant to draw attention away from my more fragile or more important units. Or I'll throw out a comment like, "It's too bad orks are terrible at shooting, they can't hit the broad side of a Landraider," knowing full well that my orks are going to sit back and shoot most of the game. It reinforces his notion that orks are only good in close combat and so he will deploy and plan expecting that, then find himself getting shot to pieces when it's too late to do anything about it.
Another trick I use is to set out everything so my opponent won't know what I'm fielding until I actually deploy it. I'll have 3000 points of orks set out beside a table I am only deploying 1500 points on. Am I going to be troop heavy or set up all of those vehicles? Am I deploying a Leman Rus or a Basilisk? This strategy flies out the window if someone asks me for the army list I plan using of course, but if they don't then I don't offer it. I also don't ask my opponent for their's, since I would rather be surprised.
So, do you find these tactics to be legitimate psycological warfare? Are they mean-hearted and considered poor sportsmanship? Is banter just part of the game or something that should be reserved for tournaments? What sort of psycological warfare do you use?
I am always nice and polite, but there is some underhandedness to what comes out of my mouth. Things like, "Watch out for that Warboss, he's a real killer if he makes it to your lines," are true statements, but they are meant to draw attention away from my more fragile or more important units. Or I'll throw out a comment like, "It's too bad orks are terrible at shooting, they can't hit the broad side of a Landraider," knowing full well that my orks are going to sit back and shoot most of the game. It reinforces his notion that orks are only good in close combat and so he will deploy and plan expecting that, then find himself getting shot to pieces when it's too late to do anything about it.
Another trick I use is to set out everything so my opponent won't know what I'm fielding until I actually deploy it. I'll have 3000 points of orks set out beside a table I am only deploying 1500 points on. Am I going to be troop heavy or set up all of those vehicles? Am I deploying a Leman Rus or a Basilisk? This strategy flies out the window if someone asks me for the army list I plan using of course, but if they don't then I don't offer it. I also don't ask my opponent for their's, since I would rather be surprised.
So, do you find these tactics to be legitimate psycological warfare? Are they mean-hearted and considered poor sportsmanship? Is banter just part of the game or something that should be reserved for tournaments? What sort of psycological warfare do you use?