# Conceding games, annoying or acceptable



## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

I dont get this very often, but when it does happen I am disappointed and feel a little cheated. What am I talking about? Your opponent conceding the game, especially when the game still has some way to go.

The reason I post this today is that on Tuesday I was having an enjoyable game against a deamon force. Admitedly in turn 4 I had the upper hand. My asault terminators had taken out fate weaver, the blood leters were gone, a squad of deamonetes were in a one sided fight against my iron clad dreadnougt and the 6 man cavalry trop of khorne were in trouble against my redeemer. I looking at tabling opponent but before we qent any further he threw in the towel.

My initial thought was 'Really?' and total disappointment that i couldnt get some glory, but now upon reflection is was probably the sensible thing to do. What are you thoughts on conceeding games?


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## Midge913 (Oct 21, 2010)

I go back and forth on this one. I think it depends on the manner in which my opponent 'throws in the towel'. If they slam their stuff down on the table, pack up in a huff, and roll out in a shitty mood, then I think that it pretty unsportsmanlike. An attitude and a game ending like that can really ruin any enjoyment you had out of playing the game in the first place. 

Conversely, if they laugh about it, smile, shake your hand, and congratulate you on a good game, then it is a completely different story. I think that it really comes down to whether or not your opponent, or yourself if you are the one throwing in the towel, loses with good grace.


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## MetalHandkerchief (Aug 3, 2009)

I would never concede, I've managed to do some epic turn arounds in the past where I went from losing badly with a third of my forces left to eventually winning. But that's not the only reason I wouldn't concede. A game of 40K involves a lot of set-up and time to get going compared to other games, and simply giving up half way cheats you and your opponent out of some enjoyment. Also, I can't count how many times I was fighting a losing game but something epic happened in the last 2 rounds to make it all worth it. Like my sole remaining Kroot Shaper wiping out a 50 man conscript squad in CC, or a squad of under 50% Fire Warriors killing a charging Eversor Assassin outright.

There is lots of enjoyment still to be had in most games, regardless how desperate your fight seems.

I must say, only once in my life have I seen a concession, it was from a Tyranid opponent in 2nd edition when I had wiped out his entire force apart from 2 Biovores on turn 1. I can understand why he didn't feel like playing any more haha. To this day my only game where I haven't lost a single wound or model (I played Eldar at the time)


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## Capt.Al'rahhem (Jan 24, 2009)

I agree with Midge, if your odviously in a no win sitution shaking hands & say "good game" should be acceptable. Getting mad and being in a huff about it is never acceptable.

That being said games can almost always change for one turn to the next, so quiting early might just be poor tactics. Also sometimes fighting that last desperate turn, down to the last man, taking as many of the enemy with you can lead to some awesome stories.

One other thing to consider is if your in a Tourniment that counts overall Victory Points, to decide best general, it just common courtesy to play the game out and there could be rules about conceeding early. You'd have to check with the Tourniment Organizer.


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## Doelago (Nov 29, 2009)

Personally I would never concede. It would be to break my oaths to the God Emperor. 

If the opponent concedes? I would burn his army before they get a chance to do so.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Um, pretty much echo Midge.


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## Achaylus72 (Apr 30, 2011)

I can add with my own experience, i was very new to the game and my Orks were getting smashed by an IG army, i decided to chuck in the towel in the 4th round, but another wargamer an experienced Ork player came over and looked at the situation and he looked at me and he smiled, so i asked him with my opponents permission of course but why the smile, he said you will beat him in the next round.

So i asked him to help me, again with my opponents permission (thanks you Josh, for allowing me help).

In the wash up my Ork Nobz overran the Heavy weapons team and my Ghazhkull Thrakka and two Mega Nobz killed off his HQ, thus depriving his army of orders, while my 4 Ork Boyz who had passed their leadership test hit an IG Cadian Shock Troop Squad hard in close combat and with great dice throw killed off 4 thus loosing more than half and they failed their leadership test and was on the run and i caught them and killed them off.

in Turn 6 it was a mopping up operation, my Nobz immobilized his last Chimera and lost a fair amount of troops in close combat and without HQ his troops could not recieve orders, and it all over red rover.


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## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

I think Midge hit it on the head. Sportsmanship first.

As a matter of course, I always try to finish my games. Sometimes I can turn things around, and have, but usually even if I'm on the ropes its usually worth playing out. 

Though like a chess game, if you look forward in the next few turns and can't see even a remote possibility of success, and the game is already clearly decided, then conceding can be the only sensible thing to do.


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## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

I personally dont really like when people do it, and i never do it myself. I was playing one guy who plays nids, and in the first turn i used Jaws of the World Wolf and took out his Tervigon and Trygon. He threw a massive tantrum, slammed the table and started calling me a cheat and a cheese-monger and said he was giving up. On the first turn. I promised him that i would never play him again. Now, i wouldn't mind some one conceding a game on the fourth or fifth turn if they have no troops choices left and i am all over the objectives or something, but i do prefer to finish games out. If someone is greaceful about conceding, i don't mind, but when they start having a conniption, then i have a problem.


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

i have conceded a game before i placed my first model, free pizza was on offer and im a sucker for free food. nothing wrong with chucking in the towel if you know your beaten, life too short to cock about.


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## Stargazer616 (May 15, 2011)

Giving in is a sign of weakness! 

Unless there is pizza...


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## Luisjoey (Dec 3, 2010)

I don´t like conceding, specially in the 1th or 2nd turn

I´m a roleplayer and when i´m playing i figure that there are fictional battle that have to be solved, your troops fight to the very end. 

is acceptable to concede if you have a single devastator in the other side of the table or MAYBE when you get out of troops (still you could win destroying your opponent completly what i do with my nids) 

People that usually concede is because they are expecting a specific situation where they CHEESE WINNING combination would take effect, if you break that... you crumble the opponent morale and could give you a concede. 

also metagaming or math-players are the most to concede, if their think they can´t win they concede without seen the result of the match

people argue that they won´t lose their time, that you win and that´s it. seem pretty dishonorable.

such people usually don´t paint their armies or even assemble complete, and usually use lots of proxies.

I always encourage other people to care about their hobbie, to paint the miniatures to improve the relationship with your game, because if you don´t care about the game how could you be a good gamer?


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## The Ebon Flight (May 14, 2011)

Personally I have only ever conceived once ... and that was because I was sick. I don't try to concede if I can, mainly because I have been out of the hobby for 5 years and the learning curve is more than I expected. However if I am not enjoying the game (losing all my scoring units and can't contest anything on the enemy side) and it's towards the end of the game, I might consider it. If only to get another game going. I don't see a problem in that scenario. But like it has been said before 1st/2nd turn concessions (which I have never seen ) extremely unlikely for me.


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## Igniskhin (May 19, 2011)

I've only conceaded once, half way thru turn three I only had 3 models of my 2,000 point army left... i still hate armor company.


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## Luisjoey (Dec 3, 2010)

Igniskhin said:


> I've only conceaded once, half way thru turn three I only had 3 models of my 2,000 point army left... i still hate armor company.



well that´s not concede.... you were wipe out

is different because you really have nothing to do, unless the three models left were the avatar of khaine, or else. you certainly know the outcome of the next turn. 

But somethimes you got chance, once a friend of mine i killed most of his units but didn´t controlled and he run in the last turn controlling a single objective and winning. 

Annoying is people that make you arrange the time, put the table, place the scenery, uncase your army and then in the second turn because they don´t see they can win (or think so) they say "I concede you win" .... thats really "wasting the time"


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## Hellados (Sep 16, 2009)

I have conceded and it's always after a little discussion along the lines of;
'I'm f***ed aren't I?'

for example,
- BA assault squad with power sword and no meltabombs stuck in combat with a chaos dreadnought nothing else left except a broken vindicator 
- Every troops choice dead at end of turn one (god bless the dark angel codex)
- Apoc game (guard v chaos) that was not going well after 12 hours playing and if i'm honest i got bored. . . . .

On the flip side the same armies as the previous apoc game but this time i was bored of his bragging so i brought 18 leman russ', 3 valks and 2 baneblades so after the end of turn one he stomped out mine i believe was fair enough, him, a big baby!!


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## Wusword77 (Aug 11, 2008)

I've only ever given up one match, and it was in the first turn of play. My friend Mike literally rolled nothing but 5s and 6s the whole turn. We were playing on a narrow table on a 1000 point game, he shot me to shit and left me with just my HQ and 1/2 a tac squad. So I gave up because there was nothing that could be done.


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## the Autarch (Aug 23, 2009)

i have never conceded, been wiped tho, but ppl have conceded against me and sometimes i feel cheated of a game but other times i can see the point

so this like most things in life is really down to the case by case basis


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## Luisjoey (Dec 3, 2010)

the Autarch said:


> i have never conceded, been wiped tho, but ppl have conceded against me and sometimes i feel cheated of a game but other times i can see the point


That´s it

when your opponent gives up, you feel like CHEATED, like maybe you got a nice strategy or take advantage of the situation and get an advantage, I don´t know you guys but when somebody concede (specially in turn 1 or 2) i feel strange like if i was cheating, and that shouldn´t be like that, you cannot get spoiled for playing good and winning

I see as signal of personal respect to finish the battle to the very end. 

A couple of friends were playing Vanilla vs BA, and the vanilla player was trusting on fist turn wipe out the BA dreds, he droped in dropods with lots of melta, 9 meltas as far i can remember and being vulkan involved, but missed everything; then he said "well you won, lets play again..." that was very annoying. 

Second in a tournament a guy had a bad dice rolling 3rd turn and give up, i told him to keep playing because he got chance to win (because the tournament was for point accumulation) and he keep playing loosing but made some extra points... in the end of the ranking we won the second place because he beat other guy that concede in the thirs turn and make less points. 

As far as i concerned, you have to play to the very end, things could change and that where you apply your tactics.


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## KhainiteAssassin (Mar 18, 2009)

I will curse the dice gods throughout a game, but the only time i concede a game is in extreme cases when I KNOW I can not win from that point on. as me and my friends play no round limit go till every unit is dead or you concede defeat, sometimes, it happens more then id like. but never before round 5.


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## Viscount Vash (Jan 3, 2007)

I kinda feel robbed when it happens and it bugs me if it is done with ill grace.

If it is the difference between getting in an extra game or not then I can understand it though.

When losing badly I will ask my opponent if they want to mop up or move on and let them decide though.


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## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

I absolutely think that its ok to forfeit a one-sided match.

Lets face it, most of us at some point have got completely decimated by an opponents army. Maybe because of poor tactics, poor unit selection or just plain old bad luck. 

There is no sense in dragging out a game that is so one sided that it causes embarrassment to a fellow player.

If he is happy to continue that's his decision, and as has been said, if the person smiles (even if they don't mean it) and says good game. There shouldn't be any hard feelings.

Just a quick thought on some of the opinions that have been written so far, even if a few of them were in a jokey kind of form.

Sportsmanship works both ways, the person who is winning to such a degree that it is upsetting another player should suggest the game be ended, if perhaps the person is too afraid to ask.

I'll give you an example. My 12 year old nephew is new to the hobby and is only starting out with getting to grips with his Tau army. 

We were playing a quick 1000pt pick-up game. Basically everything went right for my Daemons and wrong for his Tau, I deepstriked my preferred wave with practically no scatter, he failed miserably with his shooting, and to be honest the game was way over by turn 3. 

He was getting upset so I was the one who smiled and suggested we end the game, which immediately defused the situation. I know my example was with family, but it would be the same with friends or even strangers as well. 

Like I said, sportsmanship works both ways.


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## farseer22 (May 23, 2011)

I think that surrender is ok if it's done right. I do also think that even in loss you can learn how to better use your army. I personally don't like to surrender, and will play the game out as long as I'm still enjoying myself. If I'm playing against a dbag then it may be a different story. 

Having said that, as a general motto I have to say - 
Never Give Up!!


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## MrPete (Mar 5, 2011)

Personally I never concede, i'll keep going until theres literally none of my minis left on the table if thats what it takes.

As for my opponent conceding, if theres absolutely no way to even force a tie, i'm fine with it. But if theres even any chance of fighting the game to a stalemate, i'd expect the game to be played to its conclusion.

The guys I hate are the guys who keep playing but just generally give up in all spirit after losing a unit thats worth a lot of points or can do a lot of damage ie. the "all eggs, one basket" crowd.


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## Sephyr (Jan 18, 2010)

Acceptable. If you feel it's a hopeless situation, congratulate your opponent, talk about the match and see if you have time to start another one, with the same player or someone else!


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## DestroyerHive (Dec 22, 2009)

Lol, I never quit. One time I was down to a single Gaunt, but I still kept playing (granted, he did get killed by an Avatar of Khaine )


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

I've only been involved in one game where a player conceded to me in turn 4. It was a 2500 point Spearhead game and Kharn +Abaddon-n-friends had effectively wiped out 1500 of his points while suffering 2x terminator casualties in return. My dice rolled great, his like crap, and the game was clearly won and both of us wanted a cigarette haha. It was actually the store owner, and he did it in a way that was graceful and polite enough that I actually frequent that store more than one that is 15 minutes closer.

It was the first tourney I've placed at as well, so needless to say I was quite happy.

If time is an issue, there's no problem at all with it, and as far as the sportsmanship, I agree with you all wholeheartedly. Done in a non-whiney or non-arrogant manner (should the opponent ask if YOU want to concede) there isn't that big of a problem


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## Flash (May 11, 2011)

One of mates that I play against alot of the time probably quits at least half of the games we play before the end. He's easily demoralised. Me personally I've only left a game early once and that was because it was going on too long and I had to be at work early the next day.


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## Weapon (Mar 5, 2009)

This reminds me of that time when I was playing against a friend and he had my number in a few turns thanks to a few lucky rolls. It was a very small game and by turn 4 I only had a Rhino left. I could have thrown in the towel, but I didn't. I actually didn't make a comeback or anything, just caused him a few headaches as his rocket's kept bouncing off of it's hull.

Good times.


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## Masked Jackal (Dec 16, 2009)

I often played against someone until recently who had an annoying habit of conceding games early on. If it's late game and both players can already tell who's going to win, it's acceptable. But if you're only 3-4 turns in, or lose badly in one turn, you still have a chance to turn around. It all depends on when you concede, and how you do it.

In the case of this person, he broke all these rules about conceding and acted rather depressed each time, making me feel bad about my victory. That's no way to have fun with this game!


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## C'Tan Chimera (Aug 16, 2008)

Sometimes we concede, but usually it's because the club is about to close. If I'm getting my butt whooped with no way in hell of turning around, I just play it out and watch, thinking of ways to prevent such things from happening again.


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## Warlock in Training (Jun 10, 2008)

I have no problem conceding a game. If I have no Anti Tank left in my force and my oppent still has 3 LRs, all on Objectives. Its game over. period. I have very limited time to play and Dont like dragging the match 2 more turns when the outcome is decided. This is also Vice Versa, I get annoyed at people who want to waste my time chasing his last Speder across the Table, even tho I won. Just Concede. I can Squeeze one more game in thru Concedes. Since I play 1 every 2 weeks I dont see a problem if the Game is pretty much over on turn 3. 


I also hate Tabling and being Tabled at turn 3. No Fun at all either way.


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## Mikeybx (Jul 8, 2009)

I think if done with grace and sportsmanship then its all good. 
Conceding in the 3rd turn or when the game is not nearly lost is just lazy.
However Not conceding in certain defeat can be somewhat annoying. I played against space wolves a week ago, by the 5th turn he had a single marine hiding in a building facing my baneblade, leman russ, chimera and command squad. Defeat was inevitable and needless to say it didn't take long to finish him but I think a surrounded would have been apt.


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## Medic Marine (Jun 28, 2009)

I had horrible only child syndrom when I was younger and when I first started WH it really came out, and after seeing how I was harming my friends I played with it clearly wasn't fair. So now I always go to the end and me and mr daniels will talk it over later. If people want to quit early then we set 'em up and play again... to each their own but over all its a game.


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## Jdwoogie (Jan 13, 2010)

conceding has its place and time. I appreciate an opponent that is 5 feet from contesting an objective in turn 6 and we just rolled to go onto seven and he's like "let's call it" or if they're almost wiped out completely at the end of turn 3 due to some horrible luck, it's acceptable. What i do not appreciate is taking 4 turns to get to some eldar scum just to unload my terminators who were chugging along in my landraider, and my zerkers, who managed to repair their immobilized rhino in turn 2 and get into range of CC after, just to have them say, oh i'm done now becuase i wipe out one squad in one turn of combat. Not cool after sitting through 4 of Eldar shooting phases he can at least sit through one or two of my assault phases.

woog out!


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## morfangdakka (Dec 31, 2006)

THe only time I have conceded is when I was getting tabled and the wife was giving me the lets go already look. It was turn 5 anyway and I only had a handful of guys and he still had most of his army. So time restrictions are the only one I have done but sportmanship is definately needed. 

But I have had people conceed on turn 3 and walk off in a huff. I didn't get it.


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## Crimson Shadow (Jan 15, 2009)

I've run both sides of this argument. My primary opponent plays IG. In one game we got down to the final rounds, I had Commander Dante. He had 2 Leman Russes and a Chimera. Dante was close enough to use his pistol, the tanks couldn't out run him (I think we were playing 3rd ed at the time), but he couldn't seem to do more than stop one from shooting. After 3 turns of maneuvering he finally got a tank around to where it could see Dante and killed him. But that game at least I didn't give up.

On the flip side, we also tend to play "you take your army and put it on the board, I'll take mine, we'll play till someone's army is all dead", no points, no round limits, etc. We tend to run out of time for those games, so at the end we'll take a quick look at the board, then come to a consensus as to who is most likely to win, and then concede based on that. So I can understand conceding in some cases.


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## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

Some interseting and mixed opinion here. Just to add tio my initial post, my opponent did conceded with good grace and we had a quick 700ish point game afterwards which was a draw after 5 turns. I think I could have won with a another turn of the game, but had to leaves, and besides 2 beatings in one night seems unfair


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## BrainFreeze (Oct 9, 2008)

I Play Necrons. We have a rule built into our codex that allos us to concede(phase out).


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## chromedog (Oct 31, 2007)

Depends on the game.

If I cannot even draw and it is only turn 2, then I will concede.
(Turn 1, alpha strike has reduced my force to a handful of units ALL falling back who cannot rally. As a result of the fall-back moves, nothing is in range to shoot, nothing can be assaulted and the game will only last as long as my opponent's next turn anyway - unless he has a sadistic streak and is trying to string the game out for max points (concession gives him full points anyway - except in objective missions where he has NO scoring units where he doesn't get more than a draw).

A game where I cannot win, I will just continue to play for a draw. I will make him WORK for his win (or if he starts the game with smack talk and boasts of "tabling me in three turns".).


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## darklove (May 7, 2008)

It can be very boring if someone is determined to play to the end of a game they have already lost.

I think it is a sign of good sportsmanship that someone admits defeat when it comes, regardless of which turn you are on. Why drag on a game needlessly?


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## World Eater (Aug 31, 2008)

Hail,

I can see both sides of the argument (poor sportsmanship vs saving time lets have another game) but where I play it takes an average 45 minutes for most players to set up for a game so may as well make it to the end. If the game is worth playing and the opponent is worthy to play against, then grow a sack of nuts and man the fuck up! If the possibility of losing badly in a miniatures games frightens you, then pick up another hobby, like knitting!:biggrin:
But then again if you quit very easily at any sign of difficulty, then you'll probably quit halfway through knitting a sock...


BFTBG!!

World Eater


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## Moonschwine (Jun 13, 2011)

I've conceded a few games before, but at least in a sportsmanlike manner. Other times I've just ridden out the game and let it end naturally.

Often I think its about weighing up the situation: If i'm just getting face pounded with no hope of fighting back by the 3rd turn I would rather congrats my opponent and go to the gym than standing around for a few hours really not doing anything other than to finish the game for the sake of it - afterall time is limited on this Holy Terra so I'd rather spend it well !


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## LordWaffles (Jan 15, 2008)

bitsandkits said:


> i have conceded a game before i placed my first model, free pizza was on offer and im a sucker for free food. nothing wrong with chucking in the towel if you know your beaten, life too short to cock about.


I've conceded games before when I have no hope of even pulling a minor victory(Curse you new chaos marine book and it's vapid changes!).

I have no problem if an opponent concedes, that's just personal glory for me having beat him earlier than turn six, so instead of the glory of seeing my models do all the work I get equivalent personal glory. That's pretty baller. If he throws a tantrum then he deserved to get beat.


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## Samules (Oct 13, 2010)

If it is turn 4 and I am losing horribly I will surrender. If I don't see a chance in heck of me winning or even pulling a draw. I will never surrender before turn 4 though. (unless there are time constraints)


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