is it rude to use the Cartwright?

[andyhre]

I just had a player harrass me through a game of Thurn und Taxis for using the Cartwright to close routes. I've played well over 2,000 games online b/w BGA and Yucata, and i would say every 500 games or so, someone suggests that somehow using one of the 4 helpers that are in the rules is a foul or unsportsmanlike or just bad.

It strikes me that if you don't like 1/4 of a game's special powers, maybe the game is not your style. it is possible to play the Power & Glory rules on Yucata; not sure about here.

Anyway, I just wanted to ask the general view of the player-base. Are we supposed to refrain from Cartwright actions if the other player asks mid-way through the game? if so, I'll head back to Yucata for my T&T games. (also if you want to know the players name, just DM me)

[nandblock]

They are the rude person and should be assiduously red thumbed.

[phludowin]

It's no more poor form than playing a tennis match only with topspin shots from the baseline and waiting for the opponent to make mistakes; or a football match where you almost never leave your side and win with 1:0.
It may not be aesthetically pleasing, but it's within the rules.

What I like even less than overusing the cartwright is deliberately taking good cards you don't need, just so that your opponent doesn't get them. I admit that I sometimes do it as well; when the other player did it before.
It usually results in an ugly match.

Just like with any sport or game, you can focus on aesthetics, or on winning at any cost.
And a case where I use the cartwright is exactly when a card I was hoping for to create a long track was just taken. Then not using the cartwright makes you lose time.

So when a player complains about you using the cartwright, just tell them: If you didn't take cards I could use to build a longer track, I wouldn't have to.

[Nyxpyx]

I've played T&T for years, online and in real life, and I've NEVER heard that. That person is ridiculous. There's no reason you should abstain from a useful tool. I would be interested in knowing who the player is, if you want to tell me privately, so I can make sure to avoid them.

[mikkashar]

It is in no way rude use the resources the game offers. Not using whichever of the officials is most useful to you each turn would be weird.

A possible exception would be if everyone at the table explicitly agreed to play by house rules before starting game. That's not something to spring on someone in the middle of a game.

(I'm imagining that this person is part of a group that plays by a house rule like that, and accidentally created an open table instead of one limited to their group without realizing it. Otherwise they're the one being rude.)