If my plaque was to go in the Wargaming Hall of Fame next week, the 2-sentence bio on it would say this about me:
My life is full of contradictions. But no one knows me well enough to spot even the biggest ones.
You would know me from these game designs:
Inchon (Command Magazine), Britain Stands Alone (GMT), Rommel at Gazala (Self-Published).I'm currently working on:
I'm developing games more than designing them at the moment. Right now the big project is Saratoga, for TPS.
What's one game that you'd like to see produced, but wouldn't want to do it yourself
A really detailed, historically accurate, comprehensive and playable game of the Dutch Wars of Independence from Spain. I'd have to leave it to someone who can read Dutch sources, and perhaps with better command of Spanish than me.
Pick one game whose graphics you really dig, and tell us about them
There is one that comes to mind immediately: Pacific War, from Victory Games. The graphics aren't that flashy by today's standards, but every component really supports the game system admirably. In my opinion, it is one of the best examples of a post-SPI game following Redmond Simonsen's approach to providing an integrated graphic system. On this level as well as many others, it is one of the games that I respect the most.
What was the first wargame you designed? Did it ever see the light of day?
Inchon was my first attempt at designing. It was published in Command's ninth issue, and was the co-winner of the Charles S. Roberts Award as the best post-World War II game of 1991. So I guess I was pretty good coming out the gate!
What was your first game convention?
I attended some local conventions at Butler County Community College, and Slippery Rock University, in the late eighties. My first was at BC3, as the former is sometimes called, around 1987. When it comes to the big ones, I attended Origins for the first time in 2010.
What is one historical outcome you'd change to make a compelling alt-history game/scenario?
There are so many. Though it would be a nightmare for the real world, an Axis victory in World War II is a fascinating scenario, and maybe someday I'll design a game on the Nazi Civil War that follows. Wehrmacht versus SS, Himmler versus Goering, uprising by the victims, the possibilities are really interesting.
What kind of wargame do you never see yourself playing?
I'll play almost any wargame, but I have zero interest in collectible card games.
Coolest thing you've ever done on a computer?
Acquiring and conducting a career in education is pretty damned cool; I love to teach, and it's the best career that I've ever had, all made possible by the PC. Meeting women is right up there of course too!
What was your favorite subject in school?
History, almost always. People might be surprised to learn that I also really liked English and almost majored in it, plus I wrote a lot of short stories and poetry when I was in high school and college.
If your best friend let you pick anywhere in town to go eat, what would you choose?
In Pittsburgh, it would be Mallorca, a really excellent Spanish restaurant in South Side.
What's the last good book you read?
Now that one is easy; The Campaigns of Napoleon by David Chandler. Demonstrating her good taste, it was a Christmas gift from my girlfriend.
By: Brant
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