FAQ
Do you just play board games?
We play all sorts; board games, card games, dice games, war games, miniature games and role play games. The common collective term is tabletop games.
What games do you play?
The various game groups in Hereford play a variety of games with each club having a preference towards a particular style.
On our public days we tend to play shorter games so we can mix groups and play with more different people.
What is a modern game?
Modern games are generally produced since the year 2000 and offer a much wider range of themes and topics. They normally feature a lot more choices and decisions and a lot less dependant on luck, rather than moving the number of spaces rolled on a dice for example. They vary hugely in length from 10 minutes to 6 hours. Player counts from one (yes one you can play with yourself!) to ten and complexity from simple to very strategic, so there should be a game to suit all people and occasions.
We are currently in a ‘golden age’ of board gaming, partially helped by Kickstarter and a huge number of excellent games with amazing production quality, art work and game play are being produced every month.
What is a classic game?
Classic games are games generally made before 2000 and include childhood classics like Risk, Monopoly or Cluedo. A lot of these were designed as long as 100 years ago and there have been huge developments in designing games in more recent years. Classic games often rely heavily on luck as a key part of the game play and are therefore less strategic.
What is the difference between a modern and classic game?
Classic games tend to feature lots of luck. Modern games tend to have a lot more choice and strategy. Classic games can be counted in the 100s, where as there are now 1000s of modern games.
The biggest difference is most people will have heard of Monopoly or Risk, whereas even the most well known modern games like Dominion, Catan, Twilight Struggle or Pandemic are not yet familiar to all
Where can I buy these modern games?
Unfortunately, unless you live in a large university city you won’t be able to walk into a store and buy them. In Hereford, Waterstones sells a few and in Worcester, Cardiff and Newport there are dedicated shops.
Online shopping can give you better prices. There are many reputable online stores but a good starting point is this price comparison site www.boardgameprices.co.uk
See this page for more information https://herefordshireboardgamers.co.uk/links/buying-games/
How do I find more information about games?
The IMDB of games is https://boardgamegeek.com/ It has a slightly dated interface but is full of useful information.
Are children welcome at your public meets?
Unfortunately because we meet in pubs (low /free room rental and available drinks) children aren’t welcome in the evenings in some cases.
- Beer in Hand: No children after 7pm
- Herdsman: Accompanied children welcome in the function room and before 9pm in the bar.
I haven’t played many games. Am I welcome?
Of course! We welcome everyone and all levels of experience. Please let us know what experience you have and what kind of games or themes you like and we will try and find a game you’ll probably enjoy and teach it to you.
We are not a competitive bunch and we’ll try and make your first game fun and give you guidance if you want it. We all like to win games but we want everyone to have a good time too.
If you bring a game along you really want to play we’ll do our best to play it but sometimes it may not be possible, however you’ll be welcome to join an existing game and we’ll find one which suits.
Our regulars vary from veteran gamers who have been playing for decades to new players who found us via Meet Up and didn’t know about modern gaming and have liked it and stuck around! So you’ll fit right in.
I am not very good at maths / bluffing / something else?
Don’t worry! There will be a game for you out there, or just try something new and you never know you might like it.
Is there a game for me?
Almost certainly modern games run from 1 to 10 plus plays, 5 minutes to 8 hours in game length, and cover every style from competitive drawing to huge epic battles, there will be something for everyone. There are loads of quick good two player games which can be only slightly larger than a deck of cards but still pack a huge amount of replayability.
Why are modern games so expensive?
Monopoly has sold millions of copies and no major time has been spent updating the rules or art work so there have been no new costs, whereas modern games are sold in their thousands so economy of scale doesn’t kick in and the development and art costs need to be paid for. Often modern games are full of tokens, cubes, miniatures, custom dice and dozens of unique art pieces.
Modern games range form £12 to £100 with most card games being around £15 and board games around £40. This may seen expensive but you should be able to get many hours of value out of them and there is a strong second hand market online.
If you aren’t certain, try and play other peoples’ copies and do your research to work out what games are right for you and your friends / family. Come along to an open day and request a specific game in advance perhaps?
Is there any board game etiquette I need to know?
There are no complicated rules to the club, just common sense, be a nice person! Treat the other players and their belongings / games with respect. We want to foster a friendly safe environment for all. Games are expensive so treat them with respect- ask permission before touching and try and keep drinks and greasy food away if possible.
Treat other players with respect. Listen when required and try and finish any game you start. Don’t be frightened to ask questions, especially if you don’t understand. Equally if you are teaching a game make sure all your players are happy and understand.
No one should ever feel offended, or upset and if that happens please let one of the organisers know as soon as possible as we want everyone to be having fun.
How is Herefordshire Board Gamers related to the other clubs and businesses mentioned on this website?
Our members often belong to and play at one or more of the others clubs in the area and we (Herefordshire Board Gamers) aim to support and help foster gaming in Herefordshire.
Everyone is invited to participate and feedback into the club.
There is no formal relationships with any of the businesses mentioned on this website currently, apart from them providing services or charity donations/ prizes and us feeling more than comfortable recommending them.
What is the best game?
The ‘best’ game is the game you get to play that you enjoy playing. There is no right answer here and ignore any snobs who may tell you otherwise.
Come along to one of our open days and let us know what you like and we’ll try and introduce you to new games you’ll probably enjoy.
What is your stance regarding Gambling?
Gambling for money and gambling games like poker are not permitted. Some of our games do contain gambling, bluffing, auctions or other elements but these are small parts of the games and we only play games to have fun.
We do run raffles to raise money for charity but we hope most people see these as donations which a small chance to win.
I have another question or some feedback / comments?
Please just let us know, we are always happy to help, learn and improve, the community is run by volunteers so it is easy to miss or overlook things. We work hard to make sure we offer a fun and inclusive time.