What we’re about
South of Boston Board Game Group was created to build an inclusive community of board gamers in the South Shore area and beyond. Our goal is to bring people together to share their love of board games in a welcoming and friendly environment. This is not a dating group, but a group where people can explore many different types of board games with many different types of people.
We play a variety of modern strategic board games – Euro, cooperative, social deduction, area control, filler, roll and write – you name it! We’re a casual and respectful group that’s low on conflict and big on good-natured fun. Love all those new board games? Great, so do we!
So what do we mean by modern strategic board games? You won’t find games like Apples to Apples, Uno, Scrabble, or Monopoly here. We focus on games that make you think and plan ahead, often while juggling a whole bunch of possibilities and rules in your head. Some examples of games we’ve recently played are Century: Spice Road, Azul, Dead of Winter, Mysterium, Pandemic, Firefly, 7 Wonders, Verflixxt, Decrypto, Ganz schön clever, and Bohnanza. Don’t worry if you don’t know any of those games – we welcome newcomers, and most weeks we’ll be learning at least one new game ourselves. Everyone is welcome to bring games from home, or just show up and play whatever ends up on the table!
Group Guidelines (aka “Let’s make it awesome for everyone!”)
To ensure a great experience for everyone, we have some guidelines for group members:
General
> • The best rule to follow is help others have a good time. The second best rule to follow is the golden rule. Between those two everyone should have a great time!
Code of Conduct
> • Our full code of conduct is posted below these guidelines. The short version: Our top priority is to create a safe and inclusive gaming experience where everyone feels welcome. Harassment, discrimination, disrespect, or general uncoolness toward others will not be tolerated.
Venues
• We meet in public spaces, and leave them in the same (or better) shape than we found them.
• If you can afford it, patronize the establishments where we meet. They rely on people like us to stay in business!
Sportsmanship
> • We’re here to play games and have fun. Win graciously, lose graciously, and celebrate when others play well.
RSVP & Attendance
> • RSVP if you plan to attend so we know how many people to expect. Some venues may have limited space, so please change your RSVP if you can no longer attend.
> • Arriving late is no problem, as long as you’re willing to wait patiently for the next game to start. Some of our games take two hours or longer – if you arrive late, be prepared to wait a while!
Code of Conduct
Our top priority is to create a safe and inclusive gaming experience where everyone feels welcome no matter their gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, cognitive style, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or life choices. As part of this, group members agree to use the preferred pronouns of others (she/her, they/them, etc.). Harassment, discrimination, disrespect, or general uncoolness toward others will not be tolerated.
Harassment includes offensive verbal or written comments, sexual language or imagery, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of games or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
South of Boston Board Game Group is not a singles group or dating group. People join our group to play board games, not to be hit on, and a refusal is awkward for everyone. Our message to group members is this: don’t join our group because you want to flirt or ask people out. That type of behavior drives too many people – especially women – out of game groups. We take unwelcome attention seriously.
If a group member engages in harassing or disruptive behavior, the group organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or removing them from the meetup group. Group members who are asked to stop an unwanted behavior, whether intentional or unintentional, are expected to do so immediately so that everyone can get back to enjoying games. Arguing about the situation will not help.
If you are being harassed, or observe behavior that makes you uncomfortable, or have any other concerns, please alert one of the organizers immediately.