Request for an Important Thread: "Rules of Engagement for PBEM Games"

[Askari19]

...Most of the players I play on a regular basis have had ROE discussions from early on. I do not feel the need to discuss each ROE with them prior to play. I am sure they can look at what I've posted over time and say the same.
...Some of the "rookies" that I try to "teach" how to play the game are given ROE pointers as they progress through various scenarios. When I see something in their play that I do not care for, I tell them. It usually leads to further discussion of what the ROE does to make it a more historic and a less "gamey" game to play. I do not think that you will find any one that I have "taught" how to play the game will be using trucks to block, surround, or spot.
....I can assure you that 99% of all my opponents know what ROE's we are using.
....Who am I more comfortable, and will have fun, playing against?
A player whose ROE is "I will use all means to defeat you, including spotting with trucks, surrounding with trucks, and blocking line of sight with trucks, taking combat units off the map to deny you points. Everything goes!"
... or ...
the player whose ROE is "I will play the game more as a historical simulation. Everything historical goes!".

....Therefore the only behavior I expect is decency.
The only observation (of the rules) I expect is that one let me know if they have a controversial personal ROE.

HSL

HSL,

Have to say, I had the same initial impression as Pawel, from your previous post. You certainly left the impression, in that post, that your opponents should know what you expect of them regarding ROE without being told. And did I understood you rightly, that anyone playing you should know your opinion from past posts? Please... I don't genuflect or spend time studying the opinions of the Great and Terrible here. There are a lot of us out here that are not your old gaming friends who know you so well; have not been "taught the game" by you; and aren't going to know these things without your being explicit about them, just as you expect all other players to be. Maybe you didn't really intend to sound like this, but that's how it came across.

Really, I think we're all dancing around the same fire, and agree on the value of stating ROE or house rule preferences and expectations up front.

The player who criticizes my game play in mid-game according to some unstated "code of conduct," from some ephemeral moral high ground, will not be my choice for future play! He can huff off in one direction, and I'll go the other, and good riddance -- and wouldn't it be a pity, if we really share the same general view regarding realism and historicity in game play?

I too prefer wargaming "realistically" or "historically," but let's face it, it's a wargame, and I assume the designer had good reasons for building things into the game - like the original, non-EA assault rules - that look neither historical nor realistic to me. I give the designer a lot of benefit of the doubt - I've been playing modern era tactical games since 1970, and I've seen every approach. I'll try to understand the designer's intent and play by his rules, AND I'll try to optimize my play within those rules EXCEPTING only areas that my opponents and I agree upon explicitly. It IS a game, after all, else we wouldn't count points and post results.

One person's realism or historicity may not be the same as another's. It's easy to make broad statements about trucks and halftracks and exit rules, and something else again to define our ROE carefully, with the rigor that a good designer/developer would put into a rules set, so that the left and right limits of acceptable use are mutually understood and don't give rise to arguments or ill feeling later on.

I strongly agree with the idea put forward by several in this thread, that we should compile and post a list of optional rules for reference, discussion, and agreement among players - prior to their game. If you play with the same folks over years, of course, you have your mutual understandings; but you should not expect anyone else in the gaming universe to have a clue what those are.

Bill (Askari19)