Hi,
My name is Jim Pyle. I'm a retired Chemical Engineer. Born and raised just west of Philadelphia and graduated from the University of Delaware back long ago. (So obviously I'm joining the Union side
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
) Been retired for 18 years now and what my mother told me when I started I've found to be the absolute truth. "You'll wonder how you ever had time to work."
Got my first wargames, Avalon Hill's Tactic-II and Gettysburg, back in 1959 and have been playing war games ever since. For the last 10 years or so I've done a lot of VASSAL development of board war games mainly for MMP/TheGamers but also some for GMT and Compass Games. Really getting tired all the rules that need memorizing now days for those games so swinging back over to PC games. I have played them over the last 20 years or so but now enjoying them so much more. Probably my favorite is Combat Mission by Battlefront but John Tiller's/WDS Civil War games are definitely taking over 1st place now.
Lots of interest in the Civil War. When I was 15, my parents took me and my brother to the Gettysburg Centennial. Back in the early 60s I think was when reenacting really started to blossom. Had a great three days there. Later in the Boy Scouts, actually got to camp out one weekend on Culp's Hill. I've lived in Virginia for the past 41 years just across the Appomattox River from Petersburg. Got two forts in city parks that were used to keep the Union gun boats from sailing up the Appomattox River and Swift Creek very short walks from my house.
My other main hobby is geocaching and hopefully attached below is a picture of me out geocaching with Jeremiah.
Eager to get going. Mike B and I are just getting ready to start my training game. Wish me luck!
![Image](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/w3qdra4ns9fpv9mnvjhd3/Jeremiah.jpg?rlkey=7tc4m950pgt9yiadkdkijcfiv&dl=0)