Adding in my part to the "club member mosaic" .....
Grew up in the Los Angeles area. Went from playing Risk and the old American Heritage board games to AH Luftwaffe, joined a local wargame club at Cal State Northridge (CSUN) in 1975. Played miniatures (Johnny Reb at one point) and just really loved it.
Went to hear Jim Dunnigan at UCLA speak on the future of computer wargaming. What he said in his talk has come true. While the computer handles a lot of the things for us (when was the last time you set up a scenario of JTS Chickamauga
) there are still obvious issues that it cannot resolve for us. However, the consensus was that for better or worse it was better in many ways. Hidden movement, a computer never makes mistakes on the combat calculations or your movement costs, etc. Was just nice to meet Mr. Dunnigan after playing so many of the SPI games.
Joined the US Air Force in 1979. Worked at NSA as a military analyst. They stuck me in a "ground shop" where I worked an army problem. Oh joy! Never did go to the field sites but I sure enjoyed Maryland and the countryside. Did two trips to Gettysburg. Totally memorable experiences!
During my military time in Maryland at Fort Meade I trusted Christ as my Saviour. Life changing experience. Started attending bible studies and church. Made a huge impact on me not only emotionally but mentally. In one month I had learned to finger pick 50 tunes on my guitar. I had until then only been able to strum. My grades in school changed from a C+/B- to almost straight As.
Got out of the military and worked in the Industrial Security field (locks, safes, documents, etc) keeping our nations info from getting into the wrong hands and making sure that brainy folks didn't accidentally take documents out of the facility! LOL Did that with three companies and then in 1996 I went into the IT field. I worked in that until 2001 when I was asked to move on into the IT Security profession. They needed someone that had my background in both security AND IT to do audits, write manuals, inventory the equipment, work with inspectors, etc. This was good as in 1998 I suffered a minor stroke and needed to move on from the IT work. I literally can pass out if I think too hard while work on computers.
In 2004 I figured that I was heading for an early death if I stayed in the computer work so I left my company of 17+ years and moved from Calif. to Idaho. I enjoyed 9+ wonderful years there and after my mom died in 2013 I came back (reluctantly) to Calif. in 2014 to deliver my mom's things to my sister. Living with friends, renting a room and now down here in San Diego as of March. Its been a real experience to say the least.
As most of you know in 1998 I contacted John Tiller and we have hooked up for 9 computer games in the Napoleonic series. I am working on #10. #9 should release sometime this month or early February. I also have a new Napoleonic series I am working on with a known programmer. Its a brigade level series and if it works out well I will port it over to the ACW and create another games series for this period as well.
I also am an author and will publish my first book this year via Amazon.
I enjoyed 3 memorable backpack trips in the Sierras as well as numerous camping trips either solo, with a small group or with a church group. I love road trips and some day would like to visit New Zealand, Australia and parts of Europe. Oh yes, more of Canada too! Vancouver is the loveliest city in North America. Would like to go back there again!
Life has been wonderful since I trusted Christ. I never would have made this this far without Him.
Aside: I drove buses for 20 years for my church and public schools. I hope never to either ride or drive a bus ever again! ROFL
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Optional Rules I Use in WDS ACW Games:
(by column from left to right)
Column 1: All ON except for Man. Def. Fire; Column 2: All ON except for Alt Fixed Unit Rel.; Column 3: All ON except for Art.Capt. & Prop.Op.Fire
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