Warren Bajan was one of the best friends I have ever had in wargaming as well as the most important development team member I ever had, Paco being the second.
His humor on the phone and in emails was great. A dyed in the wool Yankee fan, we would discuss sports, past glory years in sports, just a great guy to talk to. (he would often say that he hadn't been a Knicks fan since a past New York senator named Bill Bradley played for them)! He still rooted for the Jets through thick and thin.
He (Yankees) and Paco (Red Sox) and myself would trade humorous emails about the old rivalry.
Warren was superb on uniformology of the Napoleonic period. He would help me find the best pictures to send to Mark for the graphics for the games. For instance: The Army of Wurttemberg changed the regimental names and uniforms for their light cavalry at the end of 1813. Warren helped me with this info. I made up a table which I kept and inserted in the 1814 game.
Warren was also fluent in German. This came to be invaluable during development of the 1813-14 games.
I dubbed him "The Man from Dresden" as he was particularily interested in that battle for the 1813 game. He made sure that the map portion of the city in the game was correct as well as certain aspects of the battle. We both would cry out loud in frustration at George Nafziger's text of the account of the Battle of Dresden: it was so disjointed and hard to follow.
One of our famous debates was over the placement of St. Priest's corps at Leipzig. He liked my first setup location for it ... north of the river, while I clung (river bank pun here) to the southern placement. He was a bulldog when it came to his viewpoint but he put it across in a kind and helpful way.
He was really hopeful we would get an "arty capture rule" like they have in the ACW series. We would joke on the phone about it. It came to be where each conversation I would jokingly say that no phonecon with him was complete without at least bringing up the subject! (I am for it too ... alas it wont get added from what I am hearing)
Bottom line: When I failed to be able to get through to Warren's house, found out through a NWC member that Warren had died, the next 2-3 months were pretty lonely. Warren had become a fixture on our team. Every one of the guys was down about it for a time.
I still miss him much. I honestly do not know how I would continue designing Napoleonic games without his help but I happen to have a good friend here in LA who has access to a lot of good uniform and OB data who will help me out if needed.
Warren Bajan - gone but never forgotten! We miss you, Warren!
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Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Prinz Peters von Dennewitz
3. Husaren-Regiment, Reserve-Kavallerie, Preußischen Armee-Korps
Honarary CO of Garde-Ulanen Regiment, Garde-Grenadier Kavallerie
NWC Founding Member
For Club Games: I prefer the Single Phase mode of play. I prefer to play with the following options
OFF:
MDF, VP4LC, NRO, MTD, CMR, PR, MIM, NDM, OMR (ver 4.07)
NWC
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