Hi everyone. I wanted to talk about two things (feel free to add to this if you want).

First is something I didn't realise I did until it was pointed out to me. I'm a talker (I knew that bit). I like to talk and make jokes while I'm playing and so far I haven't found anyone who hates that. Part of my talking (as was pointed out) is say things like " oo maybe you should boosty barrel roll" or "maybe I went the way you think i did.... or maybe not"

Without realising it I was technically psyching out my opponent. Some times subtlety forcing them to do what I want.

Is that part of the game or is my subconscious a d¡£k?

Part 2: at a tournament recently I lost my first two games (I stick to blaming the dice, not something I like to do) so over lunch I took all my red dice and rolled them a few times putting away the ones that displeased me. I won the next two games.

Now I'm not sure if it did affect the rolling in any way but did I play better because I felt like the dice were now working with me?

Just some thoughts going round my head.

Blaming dice is ignoring all the times when they roll well for you, to instead focus on poor results that will happen due to random variation.

People who like to blame dice should not play games that use dice.

psyching out your opponent is a valid strat, i do it all the time though i dont usually do it verbally. Things like how fast i set my dials or lean over the table to get a different angle at something really messes with people. Had one guy comment on it when i was running a juking vader + a mass of TIE shmucks that he feels like i have this grand master plan with how **** fast and confidently i was setting dials lol. Even after they broke formation.

And i typically only blame dice when i lose in the first few shots. I.e. i completely and utterly blanked my defenses lol. When you take 3 damage at range3 through a rock with a stealth device on a defender you tend to scream STUPID DICE OMG lol

Blaming dice is ignoring all the times when they roll well for you, to instead focus on poor results that will happen due to random variation.

People who like to blame dice should not play games that use dice.

I don't normally blame dice, It's random after all but this time something was really bothering me. The part that topped me over to blame them this time was:

Roll 4 reds (all blank) ok that's happens. I had scum Boba + dengar crew. Reroll the dice (all blank again). Once again it happens but seeing as up to that point I had only done one damage from at least 5/6 attacks it did start to bother me

Blaming dice is ignoring all the times when they roll well for you, to instead focus on poor results that will happen due to random variation.

People who like to blame dice should not play games that use dice.

I do my best to avoid blaming dice, but there's some games where they just fail you (which you can especially tell if you play on vassal where you can load up Lady Luck and see exactly how they did). I had a game against a dengar/xizor list where I blocked Xizor 2-3 turns in a row, stressed him several more times, and had 5-6 rounds of shooting at him where he couldn't shoot back. I managed to do exactly 0 damage in all that time, despite the fact that I flew it all but perfectly. Then dengar got in range, shot at guri 2 turns in a row. Both times she rolled all blank greens, leading to a dead guri. Looking at the stats after the game, I rolled about half the expected number of hits/crits for the number of dice I rolled. Blanking out greens is the biggest cause of death for me on guri; really wish there was a way to get evade tokens on her....

Sometimes dice can indeed lose you a game no matter how well you fly.

Had another game with a different list against Han/Jake. Rolled 40 blank greens out of an expected 27, and way less actual evades than expected. A frew more evades keeping a ship or two on the board longer might have made the difference. That game at least flying was definitely also to blame, since on one crucial turn I was less than a millimeter shy of blocking both of his ships, which could have made a significant difference in the outcome.

There's been plenty of other games where I just straight up flew poorly (or flew all right, but got outflown by my opponent) and the dice didn't save me from it, and I blame myself when that happens, not the dice.

I do agree that a lot of people are quick to blame the dice, and when you feel the urge to do so, the first thing you should do is look at whether you could have done something different to put yourself in a position for the dice not to be rolled in teh first place (or to have modifiers where you didn't)

After you've played this game for a while, you really can tell when the dice are rolling above or below average. You can play perfectly and still lose to bad dice rolls. Sometimes, it really is the dice.

psyching out your opponent is a valid strat, i do it all the time though i dont usually do it verbally. Things like how fast i set my dials or lean over the table to get a different angle at something really messes with people. Had one guy comment on it when i was running a juking vader + a mass of TIE shmucks that he feels like i have this grand master plan with how **** fast and confidently i was setting dials lol. Even after they broke formation.

And i typically only blame dice when i lose in the first few shots. I.e. i completely and utterly blanked my defenses lol. When you take 3 damage at range3 through a rock with a stealth device on a defender you tend to scream STUPID DICE OMG lol

Had a game where one round soontir got 1shot at range 3 through a rock after rolling 5 blank greens (this was before palpatine, possibly before autothrusters, I don't recall for sure on that). Next round, Vessery (who was down to 3 hull, shields down) got shot at range 3 through a rock as well. Also rolled 5 blank greens and died. I was...less than pleased.

After you've played this game for a while, you really can tell when the dice are rolling above or below average. You can play perfectly and still lose to bad dice rolls. Sometimes, it really is the dice.

That is spot on. Ive had games where the dice have completely screwed my opponent and we both agreed that he should have won. He out flew me fair and square but my greens just refused to let me die that day.

playing mind games is basically all of the fun in any game

honestly, what'd poker be without it? it'd be garbage; pure luck!

mind games is an essential element of both player interaction in game and social interaction between players.

Blaming dice is ignoring all the times when they roll well for you, to instead focus on poor results that will happen due to random variation.

People who like to blame dice should not play games that use dice.

Depends. Virtually everyone who knows me very well recognizes that I roll statistically below average more often than not, while my friend is perfectly capable of predicting when he will roll well.

forgot to add: just don't be a goomba about it

a game's just a game after all; it become sad if a single-minded desire to win at something so relatively inconsequential in our lives eclipses our enjoyment of it

Psychological warfare is a perfectly valid tactic to use in games, be it pocker, checkers or tiddlywinks.

And sometimes dice do lose you the game I've had matches where I've flown perfectly only to lose because I can't do damage one game comes to mind where I had maarek at range one of a y-wing with ATC focus and a TL, I roll three dice and blank out so I spend the TL get three blanks again.

If you want psychological impact play Fel's Wrath, Arivl Crynd, or Expose on a cheap EPT carrier. When they do stellar after being 'written off' early on, they're stuck in there minds with the thought "everyone lements how bad they are. Why's it performing?"

They also double as a loss scapegoat for your own psyche...

I sit like the Emperor when playing Palp Aces. Does that count as physiological warfare?

"Your overconfidence is your weakness"

"Your faith in your 'friends' is yours."

while were spouting quotes, i even messed up one guy who made a comment during dials "**** i dont think i can do that..." and i go "I find your lack of faith disturbing...search your feelings and you know it to be true!" so he does it and crashes right into a rock LOL

Only 1 game can I say dice screwed me. Every other time I can step back and see what I did wrong, and how I expected the dice to bail me out. If you have a tendency to blame dice, it's usually your fault for getting into that position. Sure you had 5 shots, but we're they modified? You might surprise yourself if you take a step back and observe instead.

I try to never blame dice.

Either they roll well and that's great, or I roll poorly and that's all that's to be expected from unmodified dice.

If you have modifiers going they don't normally fail.

Psych warfare is alright, as long as you're not a jerk about it. I'm an ex-corrections officer, so I'll occasionally put on my "CO face" of utter and complete disregard and just look at my opponent. It sometimes works by making them double-think positioning.

Dice suck and fail you when you need them the most, this is a fact most true.

Only 1 game can I say dice screwed me. Every other time I can step back and see what I did wrong, and how I expected the dice to bail me out. If you have a tendency to blame dice, it's usually your fault for getting into that position. Sure you had 5 shots, but we're they modified? You might surprise yourself if you take a step back and observe instead.

I had FCS on both 4LOM and Guri, so yes, they were modified. At least one of the attacks I rolled 6 blanks between the attack and the reroll. And the first round also had xizor blocked by the scout with intimidation, which meant he was -1 agility with no action. Second round he was blocked again (don't recall if it was 4lom or the scout blocking him again) so he still had no actions. After that I can't recall if he focused or boosted to try to get away after clearing 4lom stress. And no modifiers in the world help guri when she rolls all blank defense dice two rounds in a row.

Yeah, psychology is at play, whether you like it or not! we can't help but pick up on cues, so why not have a bit of fun with it?

I think consciously misdirecting my attention would be my most common ploy. We pick up on eye-direction all the time when talking or walking down the street, so it's a good area to play with

Garry Kasparov was the mast of psychology at the gaming table, and while I'd never be as pushy as him, he did demonstrate its importance, even in a game with relatively low physical activity...

psyching out your opponent is a valid strat, i do it all the time though i dont usually do it verbally. Things like how fast i set my dials or lean over the table to get a different angle at something really messes with people. Had one guy comment on it when i was running a juking vader + a mass of TIE shmucks that he feels like i have this grand master plan with how **** fast and confidently i was setting dials lol. Even after they broke formation.

And i typically only blame dice when i lose in the first few shots. I.e. i completely and utterly blanked my defenses lol. When you take 3 damage at range3 through a rock with a stealth device on a defender you tend to scream STUPID DICE OMG lol

Had a game where one round soontir got 1shot at range 3 through a rock after rolling 5 blank greens (this was before palpatine, possibly before autothrusters, I don't recall for sure on that). Next round, Vessery (who was down to 3 hull, shields down) got shot at range 3 through a rock as well. Also rolled 5 blank greens and died. I was...less than pleased.

That happened to my Soontir once as well... Worst. Dice. Rolls. Ever.

But I never blame dice - honestly if I loose, I think about how I could have flown better and what lessons I can draw from my loss.

I can be reasonably chatty as well, so I don't think it's tooooooo big a deal.

Re attempts to psych out the other player. I don't do it, and appreciate that for others its a legit strategy. However those people who do the whole "gonna mind-game you!" end up with terrible reputations in the community. Personally I do think it's taking things way too serious.

Faced off against such a player earlier this year. Pretty much everyone at that tournament commented on the jerk they were.

Because I'm a fun and talkative person I tend to psyche people out by being silent and serious.

Standing arms folded, not speaking, with a serious expression on my face causes terror in the strongest of constitutions.

Fact that I smile when my turn starts and enthusiastically pick up the dice usually destroys their moral completely and they know I'm about to bring the hurt.

Disclaimer: I only use THE LOOK with serious competitors who think they're awesome. Fun, friendly, good natured people are never subjected to THE STARE OF DOOM. I'd be too busy enjoying the company of someone like the OP with his "boosty barrel rolls" that I couldn't remain serious.