Matt, if your own gaming group meets out of sight and mind of the general public, then you cannot genuinely influence public opinion much less educate the public about a genre of modern/Euro strategy board games that they’re still wholly ignorant of. After all, even the more advanced mass-market strategy games in the USA have tended to be marketed towards older teens and not necessarily target for a universal-age bracket.

In essence, you must act as a board-gaming missionary of sorts.

Although I privately sponsor and moderate my own gaming group, we meet in a public place. Indeed, because I’m a transplant here, I didn’t have any prior-established gamer friends here in my city.

So perhaps the best thing you and others could do to advance modern strategy board gaming would be to hold at least one of your gaming-group meetings per month at/in a local public place (restaurant, recreation area, library, etc.).

Again, if you meet and play games out of sight and mind of the general public, you cannot set an example much less start a trend for others to emulate and follow.

@James

We meet weekly in the local pub. We get a few raised eyebrows and once someone came past when I was playing Richard III and said “hey, that looks a bit like Kingmaker” but that’s about it :)

Ah, but did you take advantage of the opportunuty afforded by that benign “Hey, that looks like ‘Kingmaker’” comment by that inquiring onlooker to inform him exactly what game you were playing and that it was or might be considered a descendant of sorts of “Kingmaker”?

Moreover, do you proactively recruit new members for your gaming group?  And what do you do locally to publicize your weekly game-group nights?

Unfortunately, I’m inclined to believe that many, if not most, gaming groups are rather insular (not receptive to newcomers or anybody outside a select group of friends and family). And insular gaming groups more often than not to meet in private homes than in public places. And for that reason, tio, they’re content not to recruit new members who aren’t already acquaintances, established friends or other family members/relatives.

And naturally, such groups wouldn’t publicize their meetings in private homes because one cannot reasonably invite perfect strangers to enter their homes unless they’ve somehow already pre-screened prospective new members.

And therein lies the dilemma: Since modern/Euro strategy games aren’t advertised on television like mass-market games are, most people who still aren’t aware of their existence aren’t likely to be exposed to them unless they happen upoa a private or public gaming group meeting in a public place. And they’re also less likely to learn about the existence of such gaming groups unless they happen to read a blurb about it on their local community calendar in a local publication, web posting and/or newspaper.

So, believe me, you must endeavor to proactively do more outreach as a Euro gaming missionary to make inroads, recruit prospective new members and make more people aware of our hobby and pastime.

@James

I did indeed explain what we were playing and what the connection was, and even made sure to tell him that we met there regularly to play games, at which point he made a sharp exit :)

We don’t really do anything to pro actively recruit members but that’s simply because there’s not much we can do. There’s no local game shop and posts about small UK clubs tend to get buried on BGG.

But I take your point. I suspect my game group & I are not entirely typical in this regard.

I started a gaming group in South Florida that advertises itself through meetup.com. We meet typically at one of our local game stores to play weekly and have attracted new members, but almost all are people who had already become aware of board games. Still, many of these have been encouraged to grow their hobby so in that sense it has been a success. The meetup.com group gets an average of 2-3 new members every week who never show up to our events. I think these people see it as a form of socializing, maybe they do come by and are not impressed by the game store environment.

I have played in coffee shops or bookstores, but it is not nearly as comfortable as playing at the store or your home. Not sure it is worth doing for the few curious stares.

Matt, I completely agree with both of your arguments.  Perhaps I’m atypical for a gamer, since I hate imposing myself on others, making me kind of an anti-evangelist.  But the few times I’ve tried to push games on my friends have turned out disastrously.  And far and away the most common reaction I’ve gotten from non-gamers about boardgames is that it’s a childish activity that should be practiced only by children.  So I’ve learned to keep my explanations about my hobby to a minimum, unless the other person shows genuine interest, which only happens rarely.

James, I don’t accept your basic premise, which is that we gamers need to act as boardgaming missionaries to the outside world.  As Matt explained in his article, this is usually pointless and can be self-defeating.  More to the point, why is it required?  There are more games, and more gamers, than ever.  Our hobby appears to be extremely healthy.  What’s wrong with playing the games we love with people who appreciate them?  Why must we go to such efforts to recruit from the uninitiated?

Our group always meets in a member’s home.  We have a website, but it’s poorly maintained and not really advertised.  Despite that, several people find us every year, either through the website or as friends of friends.  It’s enough to keep our membership growing slightly, in spite of the typical departures of regular members.  If we can maintain our numbers, why should we be imposing ourselves on others?  Or suffer through the inconvenience of meeting in a public place?  I think the dangers of evangelism that Matt describes are very real, so I’m much happier letting those who are already interested in boardgames come to us, rather than beating the bushes for potential converts, all the while pissing off those who couldn’t care less.  I know it’s a basic philosophical difference, but I’m coming down on Matt’s side with this one.

While I agree with a lot of the thrust of the article, as it does dissect the general dilemma we’ve all had from time to time, I think the solution is to simply not care what others think of your hobby.  Not in the sense that the evangelical boardgamers don’t care, mind you, but in a way that is grounded in reality - simply tell the inquiring party “I like to play board games” and leave it at that.  If it goes farther than that, fine, if not, fine as well.  Personally, I’m only willing to “evangelize” to those who are interested already, so I have no problem with the hobby being self-selecting.  Who cares if you are perceived as “immature?” Why do you feel that is the perception?  Has anyone told you this to your face?  Board gaming is just as “serious” and “mature” as many other widespread activities (like playing video games, following sports, golfing, fishing, etc.) so why feel insecure about it? 

What type of hobbies are properly “mature?” Checking the Dow?  Organizing your socks?  I think that it is assumed that a hobby will be based on having fun and is ultimately diversionary and frivolous in the big picture.  Some people are more into their hobbies than others - I don’t think board gaming is any better or worse than other hobbies in this regard.  If someone is judging that your hobby is not sufficiently “serious,” well, that is someone I would not care to share any hobby with anyway, and someone who’s opinion I give not a whit for.

Overall, I think the perceptions described are what board gamers bring to and on themselves, and is a type of paranoia.  The outside world cares a whole lot less than you’d think.  If someone is going to take a pass on knowing you because you play games, well, is that person worth knowing?

I typically mention boardgaming if I can find an appropriate opportunity and there might be a possibility of finding someone with some interest.  While it might scare some off, I typically mention that I own several hundred games and that almost always gets a reaction - many are shocked to know there are that many out there!  If that gets any interest I continue, otherwise I guess I have to let it go…

Thankfully, in crowds I deal with, Settlers is a game that people are often somewhat familiar with, which helps in explaining the types of games I like to play.

I’ve noticed there can definitely be a stigma surrounding board gaming.  I’ve found the most effective way of introducing people to the hobby is to thoughtfully invite friends or family to play a a game picked out to suit their personality. 

If you think that person will mock you for playing board games, DON’T INVITE THEM.  You can usually sense how a person will react.  The type of game you introduce them to also matters A LOT.  If you know the person’s a sci-fi geek then by all means introduce them to Battlestar Galactica.  If they take themselves too seriously, start with an abstract game like Blokus or Ingenious.  If the person is very passive and non-confrontational, don’t choose a game with direct conflict.

I’ve been able to introduce many of my friends and family by being thoughtful about how and what I introduce to them.  There are also still games that I haven’t been able to play because I can’t find the right person to play with, but that’s ok.

OK, I have one more stigma I’ve noticed about gaming.  It’s that gamers and game groups often don’t present themselves well.  I recently went to a local game store and a group was playing in the middle of the store.  They were not well groom and there was a slight smell as though several of them hadn’t showered.  In addition, I was actually slightly heckled by one of them.  NOT an inviting environment. 

I might say this was a single instance, but I have a female cousin that I got into gaming and she also felt uncomfortable going into a local game store with a large group of unshaven males sitting around enthusiastically engaged in a fantasy board game. 

This all reinforces my first point which is that it’s best to thoughtfully introduce people to the hobby that you personally know and can therefore customize your approach.

[Because others have responded since my own last reply, I’ll be citing each replyer’s specific comments to which I myself am commenting.]

Matt Thrower: “I did indeed explain what we were playing and what the connection was, and even made sure to tell him that we met there regularly to play games, at which point he made a sharp exit :) “
Before OR after you gave him a business card advertising your gaming group and listing your your group’s webpage URL address (so that he might at his leisure later read about it OR possibly even pass the card to somebody who might be potentialy interested in participating)?

You don’t have to have a fancy or elaborate webpage, either. You can simply make one in the Groups section of BoardGameGeek.com, and from there they’re also more likely to explore the games, too.

Matt Thrower: “We don’t really do anything to pro actively recruit members but that’s simply because there’s not much we can do. There’s no local game shop and posts about small UK clubs tend to get buried on BGG.”

Not if you post something new monthly in your group’s thread in the Groups section of Board Game Geek. When you make a new post in the thread, it brings your thread back to the top of the list. And what more appropriate post could make on a monthly basis than one listing the dates of your game nights for that particular month.

For example, subject title: “Our Game Nights in February.”

Example of Post content: “As always, although we usually start gathering around 5 p.m. on Saturdays to play shorter 2-, 3- or 4-player games, our main game won’t get underway until 7 p.m.

FEBRUARY

February 6
February 13
February 20
February 21

[End of Example]

And on the 22nd of February, you’d simply delete that stand-alone “Our Game Nights in February” post and make another one entitled “Our Game Nights in March” in the same format which again would periodically bring your gaming-group thread back to the top of your region/country’s group postings and never again to be buried again.

(Please be aware that I’m inferring that you’d already have a lead-off post in your individual group’s thread that tells about your group in the regional/by-country groups listings on BoardGameGeek.com.)

Moreover, you should endeavor to get your game nights listed in/on any and all local website and newspapers’ Calendar of Events. Be sure you list your webpage posting as the go-to reference for readers to check out. (And include a note to any newspaper’s feature editors that it’s important that your URL webpage link be included because your group plays modern/Euro strategy games that most people aren’t aware of or informed about.)

And if memory serves, Craig’s List (http://cralso has listings for Britain. So you could make a free post in their “Activities” and/or “Groups” subsections of the Community section. See http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites for their listings of all countries and major world cities that Craig’s List serves. And for your own country, check out: http://london.craigslist.co.uk/ , and for your own locale, look at the list of other UK regions and locales under the yellow “UK” section on the upper right on the webpage.

Matt Thrower: “But I take your point. I suspect my game group & I are not entirely typical in this regard.”

The onus of the matter you raised in your column lies with all of us modern/Euro strategy gamers to more proactively act to advance the hobby in meaningful ways that also enable us to gain new members.

So, my natural follow-up question would be: Is your own gaming group even open to adding new members at this time?

Michael Sosa: “I started a gaming group in South Florida that advertises itself through meetup.com. We meet typically at one of our local game stores to play weekly and have attracted new members, but almost all are people who had already become aware of board games. Still, many of these have been encouraged to grow their hobby so in that sense it has been a success.”

Do you advertise your gaming group on local calendars of events of your newspaper(s), TV stations websites, and local Craig’s List listings?

Do you have a webpage that tells about your group and the games you play?

Michael Sosa: “The meetup.com group gets an average of 2-3 new members every week who never show up to our events. I think these people see it as a form of socializing,....”

Well, there is a social aspect to gaming that on balance should share similar priority as other factors.

Michael Sosa: “...maybe they do come by and are not impressed by the game store environment.”

Have you yet sought out any other viable locations? For example, if your gaming group meets on weekends (especially a Friday or Saturday night), then you might consider some eateries that stay open later than usual (and later than most other places). If they also happen to have large tables, that’s another big plus.

If you live in a college town, then you should definitely check out places near the univerisity(-ies).

Do you ever put up any signs on bulletin boards about your gaming group anywhere? (College campuses offer many such opportunities to advertise your group, including in the calendar of events in a college newspaper.)

Michael Sosa: “I have played in coffee shops or bookstores, but it is not nearly as comfortable as playing at the store or your home. Not sure it is worth doing for the few curious stares.”

I can deal with curious stares as the artistic allure of a well-designed game can be just the hook to attract the right sort of attention from like-minded would-be gamers in the making.

Meetup.com was of no real help to me becaue there weren’t any local gamers of any type in my immediate vicinity or region at that time. I received no inquiries.

Larry Levy: “James, I don’t accept your basic premise, which is that we gamers need to act as boardgaming missionaries to the outside world.  As Matt explained in his article, this is usually pointless and can be self-defeating.”

Although he may have alleged as much, then if I had taken Matt’s approach, I essentially wouldn’t have a gaming group since I am a transplant to a city where I didn’t grow up. Moreover, since I do practice what I preach, I can vouch for what I’m saying.

Larry Levy: “More to the point, why is it required? There are more games, and more gamers, than ever. Our hobby appears to be extremely healthy. What’s wrong with playing the games we love with people who appreciate them? Why must we go to such efforts to recruit from the uninitiated?”

That’s a question best posed to Apple’s own Steve Jobs. After all, although Apple Computers have been and still are the best computer on the market, cheaper, more affordable PCs still predominate. Indeed, there are still more games for PCs than Macs.

*However,* since Steve Jobs returned, Apple has been advancing its platform into music & video media, telephones and now IPads, each and all of serve as an outreach to advance the Macintosh brand and make greater inroads saleswise..

Modern/Euro strategy games in their hard-copy form face a more daunting challenge: Since their companies don’t do any major advertising like mass-market game companies, modern/Euro strategy games nonetheless remain a growing niche market. For the most part, new modern/Euro strategy gamers learn of the hobby via either word of mouth OR from accidentally reading about it.

(A nice irony: The recent new apps for Apple’s IPhone may be introducing both Reiner Knizia’s “Ingenious” and Michael Schacht’s “Zoolorettto” to prospective new digital Euro gamers for the first time long before some, if not most, of them learn that those games have existed in hard-copy form for some years now.)

Therefore, in a sense, we modern/Euro strategy gamers have to take a hint from Apple and also advance our hobby in a manner not unlike Amway salesmen and distributors. It’s a direct person-to-person outreach.

Disclosure: I am and have been a lifelong Mac user. :)

Larry Levy: “Our group always meets in a member’s home. We have a website, but it’s poorly maintained and not really advertised. Despite that, several people find us every year, either through the website or as friends of friends.  It’s enough to keep our membership growing slightly, in spite of the typical departures of regular members. If we can maintain our numbers, why should we be imposing ourselves on others?”

False issue. It isn’t a matter of “imposing [yourselves] on others.” That sort of wild-eyed notion suggests aggressively suffocating approaches not unlike those used by cults to recruit new members.

Moreover, if you are complacent to merely “maintain [your] numbers” (in essence meaning maintaining an approx imate or exact fixed number of attendees), then your group apparently can only accommodate a certain range number of players for whatever reasons anyway.

Larry Levy: “Or suffer through the inconvenience of meeting in a public place?”

On the contrary, except for a few certain places, I’ve generally found more benefits and conveniences than inconveniences in meeting in public places. So please don’t be so disingenuous as to make such broadsweeping statements that besmudge all public places in general.

Larry Levy: “I think the dangers of evangelism that Matt describes are very real, so I’m much happier letting those who are already interested in boardgames come to us, rather than beating the bushes for potential converts, all the while pissing off those who couldn’t care less.”

Since I never invoked the term “evangelism” in the first place when advocating the notion of modern/Euro strategy gamers acting as gaming missionaries of sorts, I myself most certainly did not denote or allude to any aggressively fanatical or even cult-like approaches in making outreach to prospective new board gamers. Moreover, the approaches that I myself advocate are common-sense approaches that every gaming group which wants to grow should consider doing anyway.

So the real question boils down to: Do you or do you not want your local gaming group to grow?

And if you do but they don’t, and if you have available time, then in addition to your regular group’s game night, perhaps you should also consider starting your own private gaming group that meets on a different night comprised of entirely new members.

sjpeer:  “OK, I have one more stigma I’ve noticed about gaming. It’s that gamers and game groups often don’t present themselves well. I recently went to a local game store and a group was playing in the middle of the store. They were not well-groomed and there was a slight smell as though several of them hadn’t showered. In addition, I was actually slightly heckled by one of them. NOT an inviting environment.”

Indeed. If you are the sponsor/moderator of a gaming group, then you should endeavor to maintain some reasonable level of decorum.

I recently had to withdraw an invitation from a person to participate in my own gaming group because he apparently felt that he could be as unapologetically insulting as he wanted to be in the presence of visitors and prospective new members. Since he’d been both unwilling and unyielding to even pledge to abide by even a modicum of restraint in the presence of visitors or prospective new members, I regretfully had to that action.

James, we are clearly on the opposite extremes of this question, so further discussion won’t be of much use.  All I will say is that my points apply to my group, not necessarily to all others.  But we like the comfort of meeting in member’s homes (each complete with a large selection of games), we like having reasonable control on who we game with, and as a result, growing the group very much takes a back seat when these other factors are weighed.  A session with 7-9 players is to me ideal, allowing for two games with different numbers of players.  We prefer to limit the number of players to a dozen or so anyway, just as a courtesy to the hosts.  So the system we have works for us.  Thankfully, it doesn’t require us to partake in an Apple-like person-to-person outreach, which would certainly make me feel uncomfortable.

By the way, I’m a Mac fan too.  But it’s a hobby I’m dealing with, not a business.

Larry, all of my comments with regard to outreach as per the comparative example of Apple Computers and even Amway Distributors were in proper context about broadening interest in the hobby as well as building and growing a gaming group, NOT a business.

How lucky you are to live in an area where other modern/Euro strategy gamers live who actually own such games. Four years ago, I as a then still-relative newcomer didn’t know anybody else owned any modern/Euro strategy games, and the only one whom I did happen to meet on one occasion was part of a private insular (closed membership) gaming group that met only in a private home.

A poster on BoardGameGeek.com once sardonically asked me if I were “an army of one,” and I told him, yes, in one respect, as a newcomer to another city, I indeed was one because I’d on my own had to endeavor in an almost missionary-like effort to prospect for gamers on my own since I didn’t know any other such gamers here.

In other words, I’d had to build my own group from the ground up. And I used as many reasonable outreach methods as I’d outlined above to do so.

If people eventually learn about modern/Euro strategy games via their future digital versions, then who knows, perhaps virtual gaming will subplant/replace in-person game groups altogether.

I myself would consider that a sad commentary if virtual gaming were to eventually become more preferred over actually getting meeting together in some offline location with some real flesh-and-blood people to play hard-copy cardboard board, tile and card games. Moreover, in light of the fact that hard-copy books and newspapers are already fast becoming archaicly quaint items of a passing era, who’s to say that cardboard board, tile and card games won’t join them by the end of this decade in eventually falling out of favor if their digital versions superscede them?

Matt, I came across a modern/Euro strategy gamer blogger who mentioned the following webpage as one that helps gamers in Britain find other gamers in their locale:  http://www.gamesetupmatch.com/forums/index.php?s=61fa0fb5fe8b2d78316e024f1c02bf83&showforum=3

Hope that also helps.

> Correction to my hastily-written example of a monthly post to add to one’s original gaming-group post on BoardGameGeek.com (in a prior post of mine):

For example, subject title: “Our Game Nights in February.”

Example of Post content: “As always, although we usually start gathering around 5 p.m. on Saturdays to play shorter 2-, 3- or 4-player games, our main game won’t get underway until 7 p.m.

FEBRUARY

February 6
February 13
February 20
February 27

[End of Example]

And on the 28th of February, you’d simply delete that stand-alone “Our Game Nights in February” post in your gaming-group thread and make a new post in it entitled “Our Game Nights in March” whose content would be all the game-night dates in March. When posted, that message to your original gaming-group post thread would essentially recycle it back to the top of your region/country’s group postings. Doing this periodically (preferrably on a monthly basis) should ensure that your original gaming-group post is never buried again. Moreover, you could reference the URL address of your BGG gaming-group thread as your unofficial webpage.

And if you ever have to change any of the info in your original gaming-group post which originated the thread, simply edit it.

"… we’re all well aware that in many respects board gaming is in fact a rather more mature hobby than role-playing or miniatures - it’s more intellectually demanding...”
.
.
.
“… so judging a game player simply because of the manner in which they choose to have fun is hypocritical.”

Sorry, I just couldn’t let this pass.  First of all, who says that board gaming is “a rather more mature hobby” than miniature wargaming or role-playing and is intellectually more demanding?  Aren’t these just the kind of generalizations that you’re trying to avoid perpetuating regarding board gaming?

I tend to agree with your general premise that there’s only so much one can do to “evangelize” board gaming as a hobby, and therefore temper my efforts to bring all of my friends into the fold.  Besides, nerds and geeks tend to seek their own, and so most boardgamers have a good shot at finding enough people sharing their passion to cobble together a sit-down every so often, even if only to play Catan or Power Grid yet again.

Qualifier: I have the luxury of living in Columbus, home to one of the largest boardgaming clubs around, so while I have stumbled onto a treasure trove, I understand this is not everyone’s experience.  Still, I have a friend who just took a pastorship up in middle of nowhere Amish country in northeast Ohio, and he even manages to rope in a small handful once a month.

I tend to speak to the unwashed masses about my hobby in breathless but measured terms, framing boardgaming as an underappreciated niche and a fun social event (I push the social aspect A LOT harder than the intellectual), but without trying to recruit anyone beyond any expectations of, say, Apples to Apples or Disney Scene-It.  I even describe it in self-effacing terms, referring to myself as a “game snob” who is “too good” for the likes of Monopoly and Yahtzee (full disclosure: own both).  If they’re curious to try something new, the seed is planted.  If not, no harm is done and they know a little more about my hobby.

On an offhand note, my best thrift-store game acquisition to date is a $5 copy of Battleball that was only missing one die.  I intend to replace the contents with “pimp dice” anyway but to find ANYthing from the top 1000 on that shelf, tucked away among the chaff of Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble and Seinfeld Parchisi, is a joy that I relish.

@Russell

It’s a sensible enough question, especially considering I’m throwing the hypocritical charge at other people.

The answer is that I’d stand by my assertion that board gaming is sometimes more “intellectual” than miniatures and role-playing because those to pursuits emphasise a creative element (design/imagination) that doesn’t really exist in most boargames. However, as I go on to state elsewhere in the article this should in no way be taken as a statement of superiority. As I also note it’s hard to make those sorts of statements without sounding superior - but hopefully in my case the entirety of my article is sufficient explanation to avoid my sounding supercilious.

James King, I had not thought of advertising ourselves through Craiglist, a site I frequently use and which is free! I have tried the local paper twice but for some reason have not been included. It may be because we meet at a store that the paper perhaps sees it as a business trying to get free advertisement.

Meetup.com here in Miami is apparently quite popular. Still 95% of the people who sign up are looking for socializing and don’t come. The other 5 people do show up, with 1 - 2 becoming regulars. It has worked well since we not get ~10 people every Saturday and 3-5 Thursday night. Of course we did kill wargame Sundays when two of the principals left the scene. Hmm, I need to make an effort to start that again.

If people don’t like to play games, I am unlikely to spend a lot of my fairly limited free time with them.  So mentioning my hobby up front seems efficient. :)

I do make it clear that people are welcome to join me in my games if they are at all interested and will proslytize to the extent that they are receptive. 

Once in a while, it even works. :) A father of a teammate of my son has come over for some gaming and is coming to a small local con this weekend with is sons. 

More often, people just listen with the same enthusiasm as I listen to their description of that great (sports) game last weekend.

I don’t try to pretend that games aren’t immature along with most other forms of recreation.  What strikes me as amusing is that console and computer gaming are much more “acceptable” as hobbies.

Michael Sosa: “James King, I had not thought of advertising ourselves through Craiglist, a site I frequently use and which is free! I have tried the local paper twice but for some reason have not been included. It may be because we meet at a store that the paper perhaps sees it as a business trying to get free advertisement.”

Well, it’s high time you made an inquiry into that matter by directly calling the features editor of your local daily and/weekly newspaper(s) and find out why they haven’t been including your weekly game night on their calendar of events.

If you’re given a frivolous, unfair, condescending or ignorant response, please don’t hesitate to tactfully educate that features editor about the emergying genre of modern/Euro strategy games. Indeed, you might even mention that many, if not most, of these games are among the very games that also fall under the umbrella of the term “brain games” that over the past few years have been touted as genuine brain exercisers against mental aging infirmities including some forms of Alzheimer’s Disease.

If the features editor strikes you as discriminatingly hoity-toity or exclusionist in the most off-putting high-brow artsy-fartsy sense of the term, then do request an office appointment with him/her, take some of your games with the most compellingly artistically rendered covers and bits, and charm/shmooze her/him into reconsidering. (Yes, it might require a little public-relations foootwork if you encounter this sort of features editor.)

Michael Sosa: “Meetup.com here in Miami is apparently quite popular. Still 95% of the people who sign up are looking for socializing and don’t come.”

Still, in your group description on Meetup.com, do you explain exactly what type of games you play and/or give examples of them?

You could mention in your group description that you’re seeking new *regular* members (which implies a degree of intended commitment to participation and not as an occasional drop-in appearance).

Michael Sosa: “The other 5 people do show up, with 1 - 2 becoming regulars. It has worked well since we not get ~10 people every Saturday and 3-5 Thursday night. Of course we did kill wargame Sundays when two of the principals left the scene. Hmm, I need to make an effort to start that again.”

Who knows, you might have some of the pillars to restart your Sunday wargame sessions among your new members. But again, do you have a webpage of any sort for prospective new members to read up on in advance to know what modern/Euro strategy games are in the first place?

Scott Russell: “If people don’t like to play games, I am unlikely to spend a lot of my fairly limited free time with them. So mentioning my hobby up front seems efficient. :) “

Only, your hobby of modern/Euro strategy games does require a bit of explanation and exposition to the uninitiated. After all, without such explanation, you can’t readily overcome whatever erroneous preconceptions that person(s) might have about the hobby.

Scott Russell: “I do make it clear that people are welcome to join me in my games if they are at all interested and will proselytize to the extent that they are receptive.”

Since I myself never invoked the terms “proselytize” or “evangelize” and only said that I’d acted as a gaming missionary *of sorts*, I’m not exactly getting what you yourself mean by “proselytizing.” The best sort of education you can offer is actually showing ‘em the games and letting ‘em see ‘em up close. After all, the game box covers and blurbs on their backs also are attractive to whet and/or hook the interest of prospective/would-be Euro gamers. So a little Show ‘n’ Tell qualifies as ludofilic proselytizing *of sorts.*

Also, time permitting, offering to play a short two-player game with them would be an even better way to influence their decision-making if not win ‘em over.

Scott Russell: “I don’t try to pretend that games aren’t immature along with most other forms of recreation.”

No, no, no!  Games aren’t *immature*! Sheesh! For the most part, modern/Euro strategy games have almost universal-age appeal. That’s why you often see “7-99” as the ideal age range. You have to dismiss any notion of “immaturity” out of hand as sheer nonsense. Rather, put it in more positive terms as “R&R” (Rest & Recreation) pastime. Considerations of age are immaterial altogether.

Scott Russell: “What strikes me as amusing is that console and computer gaming are much more ‘acceptable’ as hobbies.”

Well, that depends upon what you mean by “acceptable.” I think you probably meant that since they’re more familiar forms of gaming, they’ve already gained a high degree of acceptance.

The emerging/hidden problem might be: Have the greater majority of video gamers embraced computer/video gaming to such an extent that they’re more likely than not to turn their backs on and dismiss modern/Euro board, tile and card games as archaic (yesterday’s news) and no longer a desirable way to play games?

Indeed, with the evolution of digital gaming about to evolve further into more viable platforms to accommodate formats for more and more adaptions of established and forthcoming new modern/Euro strategy games, will playing a hard cardboard copy of a game have begun to emerge as an archaic notion by the end of this decade?

For examples of my own game-group info posts and calendar-of-events listings advertising my Shreveport Strategy Games Group, check out the following listing of links to them: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=&as_epq=Shreveport+Strategy+Games+Group&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=100&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=&as_qdr=all&as_rights=&as_occt=any&cr=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&safe=off