I was born in the Chicago suburbs and moved to the Bay Area (Foster City) in 1966. Moved to San Mateo a year later and grew up there. AFROTC at Oregon State followed by assignments at Offutt AFB (Omaha area) and Andersen AFB (Guam). Moved to Seattle, then back to the Bay Area, then back to Chicago, and now back in the Seattle area (Federal Way).
Came back from Chicago after being laid off from my job as Quality Manager for a software company (I heard that ever since they've regretted eliminating their entire testing staff) and now have my own accounting firm. Best part of being the boss is I can take a nap in the afternoon without getting into trouble!
Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
Pretty much fit in with the crowd:
Born in Brooklyn, NY, USA and grew up on Long Island before college in Ohio and then the Army. Settled down outside of Boise, Idaho.
...early interest in history and reading: Got my first WWII book when I was around 8. Hooked. Always loved baseball and military history. Still love reading military history to this day.
...early war gaming: Started when I was 12 in 1973. Think I've owned most Avalon Hill and SPI games at one time or another. Went to the computer side of gaming with an Atari in the late 80s with SSI games and never looked back on boardgaming.
...model builders: In my younger days. Also micro armor and naval ships from CinC and GHQ.
...ex-military: Retired Army of 21 years. You would think that would help me in WiTP land game - wrong!
...45-60 yr range: 54 and counting.
...post-secondary schooling: Got my degree only to get my commission. One was hard enough.
Born in Brooklyn, NY, USA and grew up on Long Island before college in Ohio and then the Army. Settled down outside of Boise, Idaho.
...early interest in history and reading: Got my first WWII book when I was around 8. Hooked. Always loved baseball and military history. Still love reading military history to this day.
...early war gaming: Started when I was 12 in 1973. Think I've owned most Avalon Hill and SPI games at one time or another. Went to the computer side of gaming with an Atari in the late 80s with SSI games and never looked back on boardgaming.
...model builders: In my younger days. Also micro armor and naval ships from CinC and GHQ.
...ex-military: Retired Army of 21 years. You would think that would help me in WiTP land game - wrong!
...45-60 yr range: 54 and counting.
...post-secondary schooling: Got my degree only to get my commission. One was hard enough.
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
Michigan. A little town near West Branch called Alger. That's about 50 miles north
of Saginaw.
My gaming started with Avalon Hill, Bismarck and Midway.
of Saginaw.
My gaming started with Avalon Hill, Bismarck and Midway.
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LargeSlowTarget
- Posts: 4805
- Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2000 8:00 am
- Location: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
I'm from Germany - born and grown up in Marburg (100km north of Frankfurt), but now living in France.
Early interest in military history - spawned by several factors:
1. Family history - my mother (born 1946) doesn't know who her father is, grandma never talked about it but rumor has it it was a soldier in the Occupation Forces. My other grandpa died as infantryman in late 1944 at the Eastern Front while attacking a Russian tank in close combat with a magnetic "Hafthohlladung" (shaped-charge anti-tank grenade).
2. As a kid playing in the woods near our house I "discovered" a small war cemetery, just three stone crosses with a couple of then-cryptic abbrevations in front of the names - "Uffz" (Unteroffizier > sergeant) and "Gefr" (Gefreiter > private). I was wondering why the men had all died the same day on March 28, 1945 - I later learned that my home town was liberated that day. This lead to further inquiries and reading - liberated by whom from what etc.
3. The first book I ever purchased as a kid was about the history of ships, from dugout canoe to nuclear carriers. The most lasting impression made a drawing of Musashi. The text explained that she was the biggest battleship ever built and that she and her sister Yamato were sunk by US carrier aircraft at the end of the Second World War - my first exposure to the PTO. No wonder I became a JFB!
Wargaming - started with the C64 when I was 14. Arcade games like Blue Max, Ace of Aces and Airborne Ranger, followed by simulations like Destroyer and Silent Service and then strategy games like Crusade in Europe and Gudalcanal (not to forget the eternal classics - Railroad Tycoon and Pirates!). Continued on the Amiga with for example Empire, the best beer&pretzel strategy game I have ever seen. Then one day in 1994 I stumbled accross "Great Naval Battles II : Guadalcanal" for PC - purchased my first PC and the game. GNB III and IV and many more wargames followed, but once I discovered PacWar, I needed little else. Then came UV, WiTP, AE. In the meantime I had started working for a games distributor and I had free access to almost all premium titles on PC - but the lure of WitP and AE remained stronger.
Model building - yes, but on a very limites scale and only relatively easy plastic kits. Still have an unopened box with a Seafire in 1/48 waiting to be build one day.
Ex military - 1 year in the Bundeswehr as a tank gunner, in the days we still had compulsory military service in Germany. My current opponent and fellow tanker IdahoNYer was stationed for some time not far from my home town - it is a small world...
Education - I was well on my way to obtain a "magister" (equivalent to a master degree) in Modern History and Geography when my family situation forced me to drop out and earn money. No biggie, the joke among history students in Germany is that they will make great cab drivers because they can double as tourist guides.
Early interest in military history - spawned by several factors:
1. Family history - my mother (born 1946) doesn't know who her father is, grandma never talked about it but rumor has it it was a soldier in the Occupation Forces. My other grandpa died as infantryman in late 1944 at the Eastern Front while attacking a Russian tank in close combat with a magnetic "Hafthohlladung" (shaped-charge anti-tank grenade).
2. As a kid playing in the woods near our house I "discovered" a small war cemetery, just three stone crosses with a couple of then-cryptic abbrevations in front of the names - "Uffz" (Unteroffizier > sergeant) and "Gefr" (Gefreiter > private). I was wondering why the men had all died the same day on March 28, 1945 - I later learned that my home town was liberated that day. This lead to further inquiries and reading - liberated by whom from what etc.
3. The first book I ever purchased as a kid was about the history of ships, from dugout canoe to nuclear carriers. The most lasting impression made a drawing of Musashi. The text explained that she was the biggest battleship ever built and that she and her sister Yamato were sunk by US carrier aircraft at the end of the Second World War - my first exposure to the PTO. No wonder I became a JFB!
Wargaming - started with the C64 when I was 14. Arcade games like Blue Max, Ace of Aces and Airborne Ranger, followed by simulations like Destroyer and Silent Service and then strategy games like Crusade in Europe and Gudalcanal (not to forget the eternal classics - Railroad Tycoon and Pirates!). Continued on the Amiga with for example Empire, the best beer&pretzel strategy game I have ever seen. Then one day in 1994 I stumbled accross "Great Naval Battles II : Guadalcanal" for PC - purchased my first PC and the game. GNB III and IV and many more wargames followed, but once I discovered PacWar, I needed little else. Then came UV, WiTP, AE. In the meantime I had started working for a games distributor and I had free access to almost all premium titles on PC - but the lure of WitP and AE remained stronger.
Model building - yes, but on a very limites scale and only relatively easy plastic kits. Still have an unopened box with a Seafire in 1/48 waiting to be build one day.
Ex military - 1 year in the Bundeswehr as a tank gunner, in the days we still had compulsory military service in Germany. My current opponent and fellow tanker IdahoNYer was stationed for some time not far from my home town - it is a small world...
Education - I was well on my way to obtain a "magister" (equivalent to a master degree) in Modern History and Geography when my family situation forced me to drop out and earn money. No biggie, the joke among history students in Germany is that they will make great cab drivers because they can double as tourist guides.
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
Pretty much fit the profile here.
Early interest in military history. Check.
Board games. Check.
Model building. Check. (they died of fireworks and BB guns.)
Military. Check. Four years Army.
45-60. Check. Barely. Will be out of that range soon.
Post secondary school. Check. But only an AAS in Electronics Technology. Was working on a Computer Science degree when life came along and forced a change of plans. Isn't that what John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you're making plans".
That's rich.[:D] Probably the best way to describe why I didn't become a history major in college. Although I'd always find a way to fit in the odd history course one way or another, needed or not. Come to think of it, did it in high school too.
Early interest in military history. Check.
Board games. Check.
Model building. Check. (they died of fireworks and BB guns.)
Military. Check. Four years Army.
45-60. Check. Barely. Will be out of that range soon.
Post secondary school. Check. But only an AAS in Electronics Technology. Was working on a Computer Science degree when life came along and forced a change of plans. Isn't that what John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you're making plans".
No biggie, the joke among history students in Germany is that they will make great cab drivers because they can double as tourist guides.
That's rich.[:D] Probably the best way to describe why I didn't become a history major in college. Although I'd always find a way to fit in the odd history course one way or another, needed or not. Come to think of it, did it in high school too.
It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Hume
In every party there is one member who by his all-too-devout pronouncement of the party principles provokes the others to apostasy. Nietzsche
Cave ab homine unius libri. Ltn Prvb
In every party there is one member who by his all-too-devout pronouncement of the party principles provokes the others to apostasy. Nietzsche
Cave ab homine unius libri. Ltn Prvb
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
I've used my history degree for good.....good at pub quizzes
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mind_messing
- Posts: 3394
- Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 11:59 am
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
ORIGINAL: Encircled
I've used my history degree for good.....good at pub quizzes
There's something to be said for a pretty decent knowledge of the world from say...Karachi to San Francisco.
It does come in handy on that rare occasion.
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
ORIGINAL: mind_messing
ORIGINAL: Encircled
I've used my history degree for good.....good at pub quizzes
There's something to be said for a pretty decent knowledge of the world from say...Karachi to San Francisco.
It does come in handy on that rare occasion.
Don't neglect your sports or political history. UK-centric questions are typical for "stumpers" around here.
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Jim D Burns
- Posts: 3982
- Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:00 pm
- Location: Salida, CA.
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
I was born and raised in Northern California and have lived here my entire life except during a 4 year stint in the Marines. I got into wargaming sometime in the mid 70s when my father purchased a copy of Luftwaffe and Gettysburg for himself when he was looking for a new hobby due to work taking too much time away from his model airplane hobby. He had built a collection of dozens of lovingly crafted and detailed WWII model planes over the years. He also did some Victorian era ships as well. Sadly my brother and I blew them all to smithereens with fireworks while playing with them, an act I have regretted for many decades.
He found the board games too complex and time consuming and opened my bedroom door one day and tossed them in. The addiction began and I’ve been an avid wargamer ever since. My interest in wargaming spawned an intense interest in me in military history and has lead to a lifetime’s enjoyment of reading and studying military history as well.
Prior to PC wargaming I made myself as active in the board gaming hobby as I could, attending every convention I could afford to and trying to find opponents to play in my area while at the conventions.
But these simply didn’t fill the need, so one year I got together with some wargaming friends and we formed the Bay Area Historical Simulation Society wargame club. Basically we got the subscriber lists of the World Wide Wargaming (3W) magazine subscribers in the Bay Area from the magazine publisher and we called everyone on the list and the club was formed. This lead to many years of very active board and miniature wargaming on an almost weekly basis, ah the glory days. I can remember fighting Jutland in miniature on the floor of the game store we met at with something like 6-8 guys on each side, man we had some fun events with that club (one of our members was a naval officer with a huge collection of naval and ancient miniatures).
Sadly real life and a very busy career as a police officer forced me to slowly stop attending the regular get togethers (most weeks I worked 100+ hours) and I lost track of everyone over the years. Soon I replaced the itch with PC gaming.
Jim
He found the board games too complex and time consuming and opened my bedroom door one day and tossed them in. The addiction began and I’ve been an avid wargamer ever since. My interest in wargaming spawned an intense interest in me in military history and has lead to a lifetime’s enjoyment of reading and studying military history as well.
Prior to PC wargaming I made myself as active in the board gaming hobby as I could, attending every convention I could afford to and trying to find opponents to play in my area while at the conventions.
But these simply didn’t fill the need, so one year I got together with some wargaming friends and we formed the Bay Area Historical Simulation Society wargame club. Basically we got the subscriber lists of the World Wide Wargaming (3W) magazine subscribers in the Bay Area from the magazine publisher and we called everyone on the list and the club was formed. This lead to many years of very active board and miniature wargaming on an almost weekly basis, ah the glory days. I can remember fighting Jutland in miniature on the floor of the game store we met at with something like 6-8 guys on each side, man we had some fun events with that club (one of our members was a naval officer with a huge collection of naval and ancient miniatures).
Sadly real life and a very busy career as a police officer forced me to slowly stop attending the regular get togethers (most weeks I worked 100+ hours) and I lost track of everyone over the years. Soon I replaced the itch with PC gaming.
Jim
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
I always had an interest in military history. I remember writing a report on English General John Burgoyne in the 4th grade. When I was ten I received Avalon Hill’s Stalingrad as a Christmas present. The next year it was Africa Korps and D-Day. Each year I would add a few games, subscribed to the General magazine and soon discovered SPI, Yaquinto, GRD etc. I was a member of the MIT Strategic Gaming Society while in junior high where I learned to play D&D. I also belonged to a club called Battle Group Boston which meet out in Waltham Mass. They were more into playing miniature Napoleonic’s and WWII
College was a mix of D&D, Runequest and board games. Realized I only liked playing role playing games with certain people so I focused more on board games especially the Europa series. Marriage and family of course put a big damper on that hobby, plus the loss of space to play. I played a few war computer games, Pirates, Civilization, Warship, Gettysburg and then Pacific War. Later on I went through a Civil War phase and played a number of games(John Tiller’s), but then came War in the Pacific. I was able to help with the manual and some play testing which got me in the credits for AE, mom was so proud.
Like most I read almost exclusively military history, still can’t get through book 3 of Game of Thrones. Currently reading a lot about 2nd Sino Japanese war :
The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945 Peattie, Mark
The Wars for Asia 1911-1949 S.C.M. Paine
Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze Peter Hamsen
Have a BA in History, a MPA and MBA and work as an IT Project Manager for a school district here in SC. I did a short stint in the navy when I attended Navy Prep in Newport RI. Have three girls 25, 18 and 15; two cats and one wife. I could go on and on about my games but this is already to long.
College was a mix of D&D, Runequest and board games. Realized I only liked playing role playing games with certain people so I focused more on board games especially the Europa series. Marriage and family of course put a big damper on that hobby, plus the loss of space to play. I played a few war computer games, Pirates, Civilization, Warship, Gettysburg and then Pacific War. Later on I went through a Civil War phase and played a number of games(John Tiller’s), but then came War in the Pacific. I was able to help with the manual and some play testing which got me in the credits for AE, mom was so proud.
Like most I read almost exclusively military history, still can’t get through book 3 of Game of Thrones. Currently reading a lot about 2nd Sino Japanese war :
The Battle for China: Essays on the Military History of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945 Peattie, Mark
The Wars for Asia 1911-1949 S.C.M. Paine
Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze Peter Hamsen
Have a BA in History, a MPA and MBA and work as an IT Project Manager for a school district here in SC. I did a short stint in the navy when I attended Navy Prep in Newport RI. Have three girls 25, 18 and 15; two cats and one wife. I could go on and on about my games but this is already to long.
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pontiouspilot
- Posts: 1131
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 7:09 pm
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
Reading all this bio info convinces me that AE, and this site itself would not exist were in not for that archeological oddity known as Avalon Hill. I should have saved these and sent them to Happy Hans...threw them all out last summer. Lets see what did I have: Waterloo, 1914, Jutland, Blitzkreig x 3, Panzerblitx x 3, Stalingrad, Anzio, Flattop x 3, some silly Atlantic war game...I'll bet I'm forgetting a couple....Richtofens War....oh yah U-boat (aka watching paint dry).
I wonder if the AH folks got rich?...likely not.
I wonder if the AH folks got rich?...likely not.
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot
....oh yah U-boat (aka watching paint dry).
So true!!![:D][:D][:D]
TOMLABEL
Art by the Rogue-USMC
WITP Admiral's Edition: Ship & Sub Art/Base Unit Art/Map Icon Art
"If destruction be our lot - it will come from within"...Abraham Lincoln
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition
ORIGINAL: wdolsonORIGINAL: John 3rd
Just turned 49 a couple of weeks ago.That's weird, we're only a day apart in age. Same year.ORIGINAL: TOMLABEL
Me too almost - April 18th.
Happy Belated Birthday!!!![8D]
TOMLABEL
Bill
Beyond weird. I'm April 4th. John 3rd turned 49, and I was born in 49. Ohh dude! the numerology is saying exceptional things. Aries is rising and if you got a Pisces or Aquarius in there somewhere, your SO is gonna SOOOOO seriously love it.ORIGINAL: TOMLABEL
Yes, that is kinda weird, but cool indeed!!![8D]
TOMLABEL
Seriously though [8D] Kelly. I'm in-country, but out of State in early June. I'm off to Massachusetts to talk with my publisher and then down to Groton to spend time with my sister. Her husband had a stroke, not as bad as Mom's, but bad enough.
After her husband died, Jeannie still rides and does the wagon trains. I'm kinda a go to riding buddy and cuddle pal. I get up your way a lot more than you get down mine. When I'm in the 'hood, I will make every effort to connect. Kin you ride a horse? I mean like all day long?
Ciao. JWE
Nous n'avons pas peur! Vive la liberté! Moi aussi je suis Charlie!
Yippy Ki Yay.
Yippy Ki Yay.
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pontiouspilot
- Posts: 1131
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 7:09 pm
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
Oh....I forgot Battle of the Bulge. Actually one of the better AH classics.
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HansBolter
- Posts: 7191
- Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:30 pm
- Location: United States
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot
Reading all this bio info convinces me that AE, and this site itself would not exist were in not for that archeological oddity known as Avalon Hill. I should have saved these and sent them to Happy Hans...threw them all out last summer. Lets see what did I have: Waterloo, 1914, Jutland, Blitzkreig x 3, Panzerblitx x 3, Stalingrad, Anzio, Flattop x 3, some silly Atlantic war game...I'll bet I'm forgetting a couple....Richtofens War....oh yah U-boat (aka watching paint dry).
I wonder if the AH folks got rich?...likely not.
In '08 in the midst of the Great Recession the bottom dropped out of the architecture business and I spent almost 2-1/2 years unemployed.
During that stretch I gave serious consideration to selling my board game collection.
There is a great source online for out of print board games. Knoble Knght Games, check it out sometime and you will be amazed at what you can pick up.
They also buy used games, which is what led me to consider selling my collection.
The daunting task of sitting do catalogue my collection and assess the condition of each game to be able to get an offer from Knoble Knights dissuaded me from taking the idea any further.
I did lose a considerable number of classic games I left with a wargame buddy who's wife forced him to put them in a rental storage unit [8|] where they were destroyed by water damage [:@].
Sometimes I surf Knoble Night looking for replacements even though I will likely never play them again.
Yea, I'm pretty weird.
Hans
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
warspite1ORIGINAL: HansBolter
ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot
Reading all this bio info convinces me that AE, and this site itself would not exist were in not for that archeological oddity known as Avalon Hill. I should have saved these and sent them to Happy Hans...threw them all out last summer. Lets see what did I have: Waterloo, 1914, Jutland, Blitzkreig x 3, Panzerblitx x 3, Stalingrad, Anzio, Flattop x 3, some silly Atlantic war game...I'll bet I'm forgetting a couple....Richtofens War....oh yah U-boat (aka watching paint dry).
I wonder if the AH folks got rich?...likely not.
In '08 in the midst of the Great Recession the bottom dropped out of the architecture business and I spent almost 2-1/2 years unemployed.
During that stretch I gave serious consideration to selling my board game collection.
There is a great source online for out of print board games. Knoble Knght Games, check it out sometime and you will be amazed at what you can pick up.
They also buy used games, which is what led me to consider selling my collection.
The daunting task of sitting do catalogue my collection and assess the condition of each game to be able to get an offer from Knoble Knights dissuaded me from taking the idea any further.
I did lose a considerable number of classic games I left with a wargame buddy who's wife forced him to put them in a rental storage unit [8|] where they were destroyed by water damage [:@].
Sometimes I surf Knoble Night looking for replacements even though I will likely never play them again.
Yea, I'm pretty weird.
I don't think that is weird. I know I will never have the time or space to play World in Flames again. But I buy every version, every update, every expansion. These are in pristine, un-punched condition. Why do I do that for something I will never play?
Equally, I bought every HMS/GRD Collectors Edition Europa, Pacific and WWI title as they came out. Again, I know I will never play them and they remain un-punched (except Balkan Front which I did toy with back in the early 90's). Sadly it seems that the latest company to take on the rights will not be bringing out any more games (what a sad case that is) but if they did I would be right at the head of the queue.....
Now Maitland, now's your time!
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
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Admiral DadMan
- Posts: 3367
- Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2002 10:00 am
- Location: A Lion uses all its might to catch a Rabbit
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
Rhode Island, USA
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jamesjohns
- Posts: 135
- Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 11:45 am
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
Sometimes I surf Knoble Night looking for replacements even though I will likely never play them again.
Yea, I'm pretty weird.
Not weird at all, still have my collection of cardboard games, mostly Avalon Hill. Have a bunch of Squad Leader and Advanced Squad Leader.
Still have all the plastic containers full of cardboard pieces all sorted by nationality, weapons, different types of tanks, so on. Every once in a while I pull out a game and take turns playing each side.
RE: Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?
ORIGINAL: HansBolter
In '08 in the midst of the Great Recession the bottom dropped out of the architecture business and I spent almost 2-1/2 years unemployed.
During that stretch I gave serious consideration to selling my board game collection.
There is a great source online for out of print board games. Knoble Knght Games, check it out sometime and you will be amazed at what you can pick up.
They also buy used games, which is what led me to consider selling my collection.
The daunting task of sitting do catalogue my collection and assess the condition of each game to be able to get an offer from Knoble Knights dissuaded me from taking the idea any further.
I did lose a considerable number of classic games I left with a wargame buddy who's wife forced him to put them in a rental storage unit [8|] where they were destroyed by water damage [:@].
Sometimes I surf Knoble Night looking for replacements even though I will likely never play them again.
Yea, I'm pretty weird.
I went through that after the dot com bust. Even though I wasn't working in the dot com world, nobody was willing to spend a dime on R&D in the US for several years after that. Some engineers were moving to India to lead teams there because it was the only way to get work. I bought up model collections and sold them off on Ebay. It wasn't huge money, but it brought in a few bob. Fortunately I've never live paycheck to paycheck and managed to make it through without severe financial damage. The R&D world didn't pick up again until 2009.
If you are searching for old wargames, this is a good site too: http://www.finegames.com/
Bill
WitP AE - Test team lead, programmer
