That is pretty disturbing. It's one thing to err, as all humans do. It's entirely another to be shown your error and then to be bullheaded about it and remain wrong. This is especially disturbing considering his role as Judge is not to enforce the rules that he is "comfortable with", or "nostalgic about" how he was taught how to play. It's not about him. It's about being responsible and respectful to the people who play at his venue. Volunteer or not, if he can't be responsible enough to admit his errors, or to learn how to play the game properly, then it's probably time to petition for a new Judge.

If he insists that you guys have to start using Magic cards intermingled in your Heroclix games (because he learned to play Magic first) are you guys going to be cool with that too?

He knows it's not what the rules say but it's what he learned and it makes more sense that way to him so that's how he continues to play/rule it. You know better than most how often someone decides that "this" way is more "logical" so "that's how we'll play it at my games, consarn it." A downside of the new "hands-off" Op system is that there is no recourse to correct that unless you want to convince the store owner it's a problem he needs to address.

I would just not play at that venue and quite the game if I had no other option. The owner of the store would certainly hear about it too as this type of judging definitely hurts business in the long run.

I feel like this course of action only hurts you; it doesn't teach the Judge anything. I also feel like, without at least speaking to them personally, that the store owner would not necessarily link a loss in sales, or your departure from the group as a problem with the Judge. You could just as easily have dropped out due to being low on funds, moving away or taking a break while your sister is in the hospital. There's no way to know, unless you step up.

That being said, I would certainly speak with the other players to see if they share your concerns. If they don't, then there's really nothing for it but to approach the Judge and ask that he post this ruling as an official house rule. At the very least, visitors need to know what they are getting into if they are going to drop in on your venue. A dramatic rule change like outwitting in base contact could upset a lot of games if the player is unaware of the change.

I mean more that if the judge was unwilling to follow the rules after being shown his error and after I spoke to the owner, that I would then quit playing the game at that venue.

Yeah. I guess you're right. It's still sounds like such a shame. I suppose you could either try another venue in town, or, if that doesn't exist, you could make it exist. There might be a store in town that would play Heroclix if only they had a volunteer to act as their Judge. There's always the home route too. Sometimes you just need to play with friends, get a pizza and relax.

BTW, when I say "you", I'm not referring to "KGB" specifically.

No the best bet, would be to have wizkids print a little blue square on the card. Otherwise, why give it it's own Symbol. But then they'd probably screw up the wording...

It has its own symbol because some characters only ignore water for movement, but not hindering.

They created the blue square because Water has rules that hindering terrain doesn't such as not hindering line of fire while still impeding movement. As far as movement is concerned all water terrain is hindering terrain, but for everything else Water is not hindering. Therefore a movement power that gives you the ability to ignores hindering ignores water as well. but the blue square is still needed so 's can still ignore water without gaining the ability to ignore hindering terrain in general.

Time and time again the water terrain vs hindering terrain pops up, it's always been a simple concept.

I hate house rules with a passion, makes it too confusing to have to fallow another set of rules for this game. I also don't like restricting builds with Highlander rules either, if I want to run four scarlet witches let me, someone is bound to have something to counter it, there is a reasons WK has unique rings.

Now it's not that I'm against scenarios to mix it up, no no, I love 500 one week, 900 next week, 300 one week all red figures, all women, all capes whatever, but highlander is a pain.

I'm not convinced that this wouldn't have been as good or better a choice, but the rules are clear as they are: they aren't actually any different other than the symbols than they were 10 years ago, so nothing changed. I can see why players and judges are asking if it changed, but insisting it did without something that says it did is foolishness. The comment about screwing up isn't worth responding to...

As I have pointed out before (and this for the benefit of others as I know you know what I'm about to say)...

Putting the blue square on there would cause just as much confusion, but in a different manner.
People would see that and think that the implication is that something like Bonebreaker...
...doesn't allow the figure to ignore water terrain because the verbal description doesn't say the same thing as the pictorial one.

The fact is, as you said, what we have now says EXACTLY the same thing as it has always said. As nothing mechanically has changed in going to pictures, there was no need to change the phrasing.

I know, and while it being more or less confusing is arguable had I not started my "career" in Mage Knight and MechWarrior where there were distinct differences I might be more inclined to see it your way. What is not arguable is that we have the same rules text as we had going back to...when I started playing HeroClix, actually. So while I maintain that people being confused is perfectly reasonable and even to be expected, being determined to rule it as a changed effect is not reasonable.

Right. The uproar about the meaning of the symbols, or the apparent "confusion" they have caused is a little baffling. What I am more empathetic to, is the proposal that has come up that would like to see a complete differentiation made between Hindering and Water. They can still work exactly as they always have, but the line that states that water is essentially hindering for movement, could be taken out. Thus preventing overlap, thus preventing characters like Batman from mysteriously ignoring the existence of water. But that really is an argument for a "Dear Wizkids" thread.

I imagine the rules designers already had this conversation when they were considering switching from text to symbols anyway. Nothing is likely to change in this regard any time soon.

Yea basically it's more logical for him to be able to outwit a stealth character when you're adjacent. "If I can hit you, I should be able to outwit you" Is what he said.