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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Shaman" data-source="post: 5497851" data-attributes="member: 26473">I think many of the gamers who make those claims either didn't read or didn't understand, and therefore didn't avail themselves of, many of the tactical options available in the rules-as-written.The fact that many of the combat rules were in the DMG rather than the PHB contributed to this somewhat; while the old wargamers understood things like using shields to create a testudo or setting a polearm to receive a charge - and would've expected the referee to come up with something on the fly if they weren't in there - many of the gamers coming into the hobby after around 1980 or so didn't have that background from which to draw, so they needed combat options spelled out for them to a degree that those who came before did not.I think this lack of background may have hurt referee's even more, however. If you've never read about ancient or medieval warfare, then improvising appropriate responses to requests which are only thinly covered, or simply not covered at all, by the rules is definitely more challenging, and no doubt contributed to the cult of 'no-way' dungeon masters.</blockquote>