Tuesday Q&A: Andy Nunez

Today's interview is with Andy Nunez, the editor of Against the Odds Magazine.

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:
Wargamer since 1975, Andy Nunez worked his way up from occasional article writer and playtester to editor of Against the Odds Magazine before having several games of his own design published, starting with Cactus Throne with issue 15.  He also did work for KPG and L2 game companies.

You would know me from my work in this corner of the wargaming world:
Magazine games, primarily, since I edit Against the Odds and have had two games published by them.

I'm currently working on:
Besides writing local history, I am currently designing a game on Mortier's stand at Durenstein in 1805 and developing War at Sea: Pacific Theater.

What was the first wargame you designed your own scenario for?
SPI's Dixie

How many folks have you converted to wargaming over the years?
A few, the last being my youngest stepson.
Yay! We love it when you corral them young. :)

Have you ever visited a battlefield for a wargame you've played?
Yes, I visited Gettysburg, along with a number of other Eastern Theater Civil War sites.  I played Gettysburg 77 and War for the Union, the latter at Gettysburg at the last Civil War Retreat that Volunteers Magazine put on.

What's one game that you'd like to see produced, but wouldn't want to do it yourself?
I would like a version of Europa that didn't take more than an hour per turn, like the old DNO/UNT, divisional level, big but dumb, but fun!

What was the first wargame you taught to someone else?
Avalon Hill's Kriegspiel.  I taught it to my cousin.

Are there any wargaming magazines you read regularly? Military-focused magazines? History magazines?
Besides Against the Odds, I borrow Panzer Digest from a friend.

When you're not wargaming, what are some other games you enjoy playing?
Risk, Monopoly and Cossacks Art of War

When did you first start to find online communities for wargaming?
Around 2004, I guess, with Consimworld.

What kind of wargame do you never see yourself playing?
Advanced Squad Leader.  Too many rules.  Also, Europa in its current form.

What was the first wargame you designed?  Did it ever see the light of day?
A Splendid Little War.  I designed it in 1980, it was published in 2009 by KPG.

The coolest uniforms in history belonged to…
The cavalry, either Polish Winged Hussars or French Cuirassiers.

What's the last good book you read?
Gettysburg, by Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen.  Reading the whole trilogy at the moment.

My first car was…
You're kidding?  It was a 65 Pontiac Bonneville.

Favorite current TV show? All-time favorite TV show?
I was watching V unless they cancel it.  All Time?  Probably classic Star Trek.  Hogan's Heroes is my all time guilty pleasure, though....

You can invite any 3 historical figures to dinner, who do you pick?
Jesus, Napoleon and King Arthur.  I want to ask them all where things went wrong.

What current events are you following closely? Which ones are you just vaguely aware of?
I follow all current military conflicts and try to keep up with military trends.  I also follow energy news and hope for a cheap breakthrough some time.



By: Brant