My favorite games...

I am a gamer and proud of it.  No, not Life or Stratego, I’m talking wargames and role playing games.  Yes, I am a geek.   I’ve been a gamer for a long time, and my gaming is what got me into writing – something I am quite proud of.   I broke into the hobby playing the old Avalon Hill and SPI products and I still own my white-boxed first edition of D&D. 

I was thinking the other night about some of the great games I have played over the years.  Some of the games I  put on the list may suck – but they offered some unique design feature that still appeal to me.  So, here we go  with my favorite wargame and RPG list:

Panzerblitz/Panzerleader   Two Avalon Hill classics.  These games were great because they introduced geomorphic boards.  One weekend in college we played the invasion of France on about 30 boards in some guys basement.  We each commanded a division.  It was totally insane and almost unmanageable – and I loved it. 

Jutland  James Dunnigan’s design for Avalon Hill.  This game was pure genius in terms of using the floor as a battlefield.  I love the simplicity of the turn-tools and the look, when you stood up, of the massive fleets facing off. 

Strategy I  We’re talking old school SPI.  Great game allowing you to simulate a lot of different periods.  Strategy I broke a lot of new ground in terms of game mechanics. 

Terrible Swift Sword  SPI’s monster game of Gettysburg.  I played the campaign one summer and it was neat.  The game mechanics on this one were very solid and accurate to the period.  I got to witness the Army of Northern Virginia shatter the Federals on Culp Hill and roll up the entire Union line.  The bad part was it was my command that got slammed.  Damn old Baldy! 

Dungeons and Dragons – the first hardback book edition.  I still have mine, signed by Gygax almighty himself.  This changed the gaming industry once and for all.

Traveller -  I am talking the first boxed set, “This is the free trader Beowolf…” edition.  Back before they fleshed out their gaming universe, it was a nice little system to play.  I wrote my first article for the Ann Arbor Wargamer on this game – introducing lightsabers as a weapon.  Traveller was a lot of fun to play and had great character generation techniques.  I liked the academies and the fact that to have a really skilled character, they had to be really old.   

Battlefleet Mars  This SPI game remains a favorite of mine.  Never heard of it?  Your loss.  This was a game where you launched bombardments against planets months in advance via Catapult ships.  Very innovative game about Mars’ bid for freedom. 

Dauntless  Produced by Battleline, it had massively thick counters and was a very playable game system to simulate WWII aerial combat in the Pacific.  Very fun to play and the outcome of each scenario was up in the air (pun intended). 

Fight in the Skies  TSR cranked this babe out back when they were into gaming.  It was a wonderful game of WWI fighter combat.  Basic, simple, and fun - a nice balance. 

The Arab Israeli Wars  Okay, I admit it, this was a spin-off of the Panzerblitz system for modern warfare.  When I bought it I knew nothing about the conflicts.  By the time I was down I was hooked.  Between choppers flying nape-of-the-earth to Sagger missiles, this game was very slick. 

Tobruk  Avalon Hill put this game out and frankly it was incredible.  The map sucked (flat open desert…boring…) but the mechanics were akin to the best of the miniature games.  This game was a ton of fun to play and had a progressive system for learning the rules. 

Star Trek RPG.  A FASA classic, this game was a great RPG.  What I liked about it was summed up by two things.  First, you could pilot a starship with your characters and the system was easy and fun.  Second, the boxed set came with two 15mm blueprints of the Enterprise and a Klingon D7 Battle Cruiser.  It was worth the price for the blueprints alone.  I know some people feel Star Fleet Battles was the way to go…and I’m sorry that they are wrong. 

BattleTech  Alright, I admit a slight bias here on my part.  BattleTech remains the best game ever for three story humanoid war machine combat (is that even a category?  Well, it should be!).  What I loved about the game was the fantastic tech readouts (some of which I wrote) and the fact that in combat, from time-to-time, a lucky shot could take down even the most powerful ‘Mech.  Add in the most robust history out there in terms of a universe – and you have a winning combination.  Twenty-five years of play can’t be wrong. 

Gamma World – first edition boxed set.  I got this at Origins when it was released, quite literally right off the presses.  I sold it years ago and regretted that action ever since.  The original version of this game was neat because it introduced mutations to role playing games and let’s face it, that’s pretty cool. 

Centurion  FASA did a series of games in the Renegade Legion universe that were pretty cool.  The futuristic grav tank combat game, Centurion, had some neat mechanics and the second edition set had nice little plastic mini’s.  The universe had a ton of flaws, but the game itself, with its unique armor penetration system makes this game worthy of a second look.  Interceptor, it's sister game, rocked too, but Centurion was very neat to play. 

Mutants and Masterminds  This super hero RPG was something that many RPG’s struggle with – it was well written.  The rules were clear, concise and easy to work with.  I have been dying for some time to run a campaign of this game…maybe sometime soon. 

Mage Knights, Heroclicks, and MechWarrior  Stop your groaning you pundits out there.  These games from WizKids changed a lot of how the industry dealt with miniature games.  We used to run some killer games for all three systems in my office/den/bunker.  I know the true BattleTech fans always were bitter about MechWarrior but hell, I embraced the game.  I loved these games and had a good time with my kids and the neighbors fighting out some big, hairy, tense battles. 

To The Green Fields Beyond  WWI – Tanks.  Need I say more?  This SPI classic battle of Cambrai is not only award winning but incredibly fun to play.  Any game with artillery barrage rules can't possibly suck. 

The Morrow Project  You’ve near heard of the Morrow Project?  A post-apocalypse RPG that had the look and feel of an army field manual.  Nothing was as cool as the list of nuclear targets in the US.  Yeah, the combat system wasn’t great, but ultimately the game had a neat look and feel. 

Asteroid Zero-Four  This little Task Force boardgame was simple, short, and fun.  Two asteroids loaded with space bombers, missile launch pads and silos slug it out.  You could collapse tunnels, kill power to parts of the target station.  Nukes!   You got to fire nukes! 

1776  Avalon Hill did some neat things with this game of the Revolutionary War.  They used decks of tactics cards which help determine the results of the battle.  Hey, at the time, it was, well, revolutionary!

Squad Leader  Not Advanced Squad Leader – the original series.  This game was neat because of the very tactical level of combat and the stunning mapboards.  When I was 17 I met Johnny Hill the designer at a convention in Kalamazoo and played in a large miniatures version of the game.  He rocked and so did the game.   

Wooden Ships and Iron Men  First off, this was the best title for a game ever in terms of describing the game itself.  Sailing ship combat was realistic and really required a lot of thinking.  I can’t tell you how many times the wind determined the winner of a game.

Wings of War  Fantasy Flight Games produces a number of great products (like Twilight Imperium) but the one I am addicted to is Wings of War.  This game is a beer and pretzels version of WWI fighter combat.  The rules can be taught in four minutes and the miniatures that are made for the game are, well, the best. 

Aces and Eights   Alright, those guys at Kenzerco created this thing called the shot clock and it is just about the best thing ever invented for an RPG.  Gunfights in the wild west haven't been this fun since Version 1 of Boot Hill. 

Well folks, there’s the list.  What have I missed?  Feel free to rebuttal my choices. 

When Will You Write Another BattleTech Novel?

I get the question all of the time – “when will you be writing another BattleTech novel?”  I appreciate the fan zeal.  It isn’t a matter of me wanting to pen another novel.  After the novels I have written over the last few decades, I openly welcome the chance to climb into the cockpit of a ‘Mech and take her into battle.  I love writing for BattleTech and I'm glad some fans out there like my work. 

The IP (Intellectual Property) for BattleTech is owned by someone else.  It isn’t a matter of me wanting to write as much as, “do they have a slot for a novel open that is a good fit for me?”  When you are working with company’s like Catalyst , you can always offer to do some writing for them but it is a matter of them having the right product in mind for me.  Having worked with Randall Bills and Loren Coleman over the years, I trust that they will call upon me as needed.  They haven’t put out a novel in a while, so it’s not a matter of “we don’t want Blaine.”  They are waiting for the right opportunity…as am I. 

What is so appealing about BattleTech is that I am a fan of the universe too.  I like reading the stories and books about the product line just like everyone else.  I considered myself privileged to have been able to write so many BattleTech books over the years.  I have been around since the good old days (?) of FASA – starting with the first Technical Readout.  There are not a lot of writers that get a chance to work on such an IP for so many decades.   

While I wait for the chance for a book, I still am writing BattleTech – published on BattleCorps.com.  I get paid for this too, which rocks.  I am working on a series right now I call SOB (Son of Blake) which chronicles a Word of Blake MechWarrior through the course of the Jihad.  When done, it will be a short little novel in length.  I personally enjoy the project because it tells the Jihad from the Word’s perspective. 

I have three more installments in mind for the series – but I’m not in a hurry.  If you’ve read my blog you’ll see that I am always working on a book or two, usually with one under contract.  Doing stuff for BattleCorps is something that I do in my free time, when I get that urge to strap on a coolant vest and fire up the fusion reactor.   

So, another BattleTech novel?  Sure!  I will say this, if given a chance, I would squeeze it in somehow.  There is something to be said about the crackle of particle projection cannon fire and the staccato of autocannon rounds and the roar of SRM's clearing the tubes.  Saddle up!    

Hip Deep In Evil

I have been working on my true crime book more recently.  And, in the coming weeks, will be stepping up my work on it.  I have to admit it is fun - and at the same time more than a little creepy. 

The bombing murder of Nola Puyear took place on August 18, 1967 on the main street of Marshall Michigan.  It was exceedingly violent – you don’t kill someone with explosives cleanly.  It was also a crime that held the community in fear. It wasn’t until October of that year that the murderer, Enoch Dalton Chism, was arrested. 

Michigan Avenue, Marshall MI, 1967

I am pleased with the number of people still alive who are coming forth for interviews.  A number of the investigators who worked on the case and knew the killer are still alive – as are the lawyers on both sides of the case.  I am amazed at their memories.  Some facts have been forgotten, but often times what is remembered is a fascinating level of detail I thrive on as a writer.  I was surprised at how much these men have been willing to share. 

I can say from the large amount of court records and police reports that I have culled over, I have formed an opinion of the murderer.  When you’re an author and you get “into the head” of someone that is touched with evil, it is can keep you up at night.  It’s akin to watching a horror movie as a kid and not being able to sleep.  There’s nothing there to be afraid of, but the fear remains.  That’s how it is with this criminal. 

I have a lot of questions that might never get answered – especially about the killer.  At the same time I have uncovered details that are far beyond disturbing.  I have had to look into the face of domestic violence in the era of “Mad Men” and at the same time study a killer that used a bomb in the mail to kill someone.  This was a murder that didn’t have to happen – but the legal system and the community as a whole failed. 

My nights have been disturbed as of late…but I believe it will all be worth it in the end.  I hope as readers, you feel the same.  In the meantime, I need to “borrow” my grandson’s night light…

Writing True Crime - A Change of Pace

I am writing my first true crime book for the University of Michigan Press.  For the last year I have been working on the research of the book - now it has finally come to fruition.  I have always read true crime books  and enjoyed them (some more than others) so for me, this was a neat opportunity.   It allowed me to expand the genre's I write while at the same time gives me a chance to concentrate on some new skills.  I'm still going to write military history and science fiction - this is simply a new vehicle for me to explore my craft.
 
The crime took place in 1967 in my hometown of Marshall MI.  I was raised in Battle Creek, but my family is from Marshall and in my mind and heart Marshall is my hometown.   Marshall is a small town - and that is part of the story - the culture of the town in relation to the violent crime.  It has been a real treat for me to write about a place that I know well.  Stepping back to the Marshall of my childhood was not too hard -- Marshall doesn't change a lot. 
 
The murder itself was a bombing - a particularly savage way to kill someone.  It was a crime that emotionally shook the entire community.  This kind of killing, so horribly vicious, is in stark contrast to the quiet small-town community.  That was some of the appeal of this book in the first place for me as a writer. 
 
Initially I approached this project with my historian frame of mind - I write history books and thought that true crime was just a form of history.  That's not the case though.  In doing the research for this book I have come to grips that this is about regular people - not "historical figures."  That forces a change of perspective.  I have to be a little more gentler in my approach.  The more research I have done over time - the more I realized there was a  "bigger picture" of this crime, the community, and the myriad of people involved.  A level of objectivity has to be applied.  It's not my intention to open old wounds but to tell a compelling and entertaining story. 
 
As such I have also been challenged to revise my view of the events that unfolded in 1967.  I originally thought that there was one victim - the murdered woman.  That isn't necessarily the case.  The reality is there were other victims who are still alive today that suffered as a result of this murder.  The family of the man accused/convicted of the murder were also victims this crime; though in a very different way.  I have had to be respectful of them as well.  That was not an angle that I had originally considered.  As a writer you have to grow. 
 
From a positive perspective, I have met some new people (such as the family of one of the detectives) who were able to share with me a lot about their father and some unique perspectives about the crime and trial.  In some respects, I hope I was able to share some insights about their father that they didn't know.  That certainly was a pleasant surprise that I attended junior high with them - especially when they pulled out a yearbook with my photo in it.   
 
For this book to work, I have to put the reader into the community back in 1967.  I want the reader to feel that Marshall is their own home town.  From the effects of the race riots in Detroit to the results of high school sporting events all help put the reader on Michigan Avenue in the late 60's  I want them to experience the terror and fear that this killing caused.  I want them to care about the people in the book.
 
I love a challenge as a writer and this book definitely is presenting it.  I am also pleased to say, I feel I am up to the task.  I hope those of you that buy the book enjoy it as well. 

The Wacky World of WWI Aviation History

Let me open by saying that I am a proud member of the League of WWI Aviation Historians.  I am proud of the organization because it is a group of individuals that has dedicated itself to the preservation and discovery of history associated to this field.  I like being a part of an organization where I feel I can contribute, either time or expertise and the League does not disappoint. 

WWI aviation fascinates me.  These aircraft were not flimsy, but were incredibly dangerous.  The men that flew these aircraft were incredibly brave…putting their lives on the line every time they climbed into an open cockpit.  Death could come from any number of mechanical failures, from shrapnel, or from a machine gun bullet fired at dangerously point-blank ranges. 

This field of research is intriguing because of the unique niches.  Some of the members are experts on the aircraft – tracking every tail and serial number of every aircraft the can amass data on.  A handful are color experts as to paint schemes, while some track weather patterns on the western front.  Members focus on fighters – some on bombers, and some specialize in a particular nation’s air force.  Some members concentrate the men who flew the planes, their stories and biographies.  Others look at squadron histories, chronicling not the actions of one man but of a band of brothers.  Still other members are stunning artists, who bring battles and men back to life.  All of us combined generate an image of what warfare in the skies in the Great War is all about.

We don’t always agree because we have specialties and areas of expertise.  At times this can be frustrating.  At other times it can be quite rewarding.  I was fortunate enough to work with Al Roesler on an article about Ivan Roberts.  We both had written books about Arizona WWI aviators which gave us some common ground.  Working virtually, we both brought things to the table to make the article work.  In the end, it was something I think we are both proud of.  It didn’t changed anything major about WWI aviation history – but it did profile an aviator that had been overlooked for decades. 

The biggest challenge we face, whether it is said out loud or not, is that our numbers are dwindling.  At 48 years old, I sometimes feel like the “kid” in our regional meetings.  We have wonderful expertise in the group but we’re not growing by leaps and bounds. 

What we have to do is begin to bring new people into the fold.  That’s not easy.  We’re an impressive group and with all of the expertise and knowledge we each have, it can sometimes intimidate new potential members.  As members we need to be willing to do a little recruitment on our own, to try and seduce new members to join and take part.  We have to be inviting – we have to be educators – we have to share what we know.

The virtual (Facebook) community is one way we accomplish this, and the League has done a fantastic job in the last six months in this area.  Another is the regional meetings where you can bring in people we know that are interested in the field.  We each have a responsibility to try and maintain and even grow our membership – or we run the risk of disappearing altogether.  I recently invited a high school student and his father who happened to be a fan of Jon Guttman to our regional meeting.  He got to meet his favorite author and get his books autographed.  I don’t know if he’ll join our numbers, but it was a good place to start. 

I encourage you to join whatever historical group is out there that is in your field of interest.  These groups are rewarding and if you give them time, you can learn and grow yourself.  If you want to learn more about the one I am a part of, check out out at http://www.overthefront.com/

As for me, I’ll see you in the air…

The Book Is Never Really Done...

I think people believe the life of an author is glamorous and somehow exciting.  I'm glad that myth exists but in reality, it is mix of creativity and hard work.  Yes, you get to do some TV and radio interviews, if you're lucky…but those can be more nerve-wracking than fun at times.  The opportunity to screw up on nationwide TV can be a little daunting.  Most of the work of being a writer however is not being on TV or radio, it is spreading out piles of paper in your office, typing long hours, footnoting (yuck!), and doing research and organizing your work.   There are not a of reality shows about historians/authors.  
 
There are some rewards - and I don't mean financial.  When I was in Michigan in December doing the book tour for Lost Eagles I got to meet some members of the Zinn family face-to-face.  I have corresponded with some of the family.  The lecture events brought out people I have never knew existed.  It was an incredible treat as a writer. 
 
One brought a photo album with images I have never seen before.  Others brought stories I had never heard.  It was a real treat.  Fred Zinn's extended family had a lot to be proud of. 
 
Perhaps the neatest part was the fact that I learned what happened to the memorial plaque for Fred.  According to his son, and the folks at Kellogg Regional Airport, it was stolen in the 1970's.  As it turns out the family took it - most likely saving it from obscurity or destruction.  I was delighted that this piece of history had not been melted down in some scrap yard. 
 
In working with the Kalamazoo Air Zoo we came to the realization that Frederick Zinn as not part of the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame.   The Air Zoo staff was very helpful and we are beginning the submission process for Fred Zinn to be included in 2012 (2011 nominations are closed).  Given his local ties and his contribution to aviation history, it seemed only fitting that he be enshrined there.  Since I worked on the book it only seemed fitting that I get the paperwork in.  Not for me - for Fred.  
 
My point?  The work isn't over when the book is written.  In many cases, it has just begun. Even when you are done with the book, new details come in, new facts, new bits of evidence.  You never are really done working on a book...

Michigan in December – What Was I Thinking?

The book tour in Michigan was incredible.  The Kalamazoo Air Zoo crowds were smaller than what I had hoped for – but it was an engaging group.  The gatherings in Galesburg and Battle Creek historical societies more than made up for the Air Zoo turnouts.  I was very pleased that people wanted to get out in the biting cold to hear a local history story of a remarkable man.  Even more exciting, in Battle Creek, members of the Zinn family came to the event.  They brought a wonderful family photo album which was a treat for everyone. 

At the Battle Creek Historical Society - Kimball House Museum

I managed a few television interviews as well.  Channel 3 in Kalamazoo taped an interview which will show sometime later this month.  Doing Be Scene TV was fun too.  As it turns out the host and I went to high school together, though we didn’t know each other. 

The cap of the book tour events was appearing at the Hatcher Library at the University of Michigan.  This was Fred Zinn’s (the subject of my book Lost Eagles) alma mater and for me it felt as if I was bringing his story back home.  Some old friends from my Ford days showed up as well as members of the Zinn family. Being at the U of M and speaking there made me feel like this project had gone full circle.

Even better, I got some face time with my editor at the University of Michigan Press.  I like writing for this publisher because they worked with me on the book, as opposed to against me.  I got a chance to discuss several projects and, hopefully, I’ll have a big announcement to make shortly involving my true crime book project.   

I have a secret source for some of the crime cases I’m researching for books and I got a chance to connect with him as well.  As it turns out, my hunch on one case may have been right.  More importantly it is a story that really may demand putting to paper as a book.  Yes, I’m being vague, but you have to be on such things.  Suffice it to say I have a few new things to research. 

Some things I learned from this trip:

• The cold temperatures I remembered from my youth were not distant memories but crisp bitter realities.  I swear I didn’t feel my feet for three days after getting to Michigan. 
• I rediscovered the importance of independent bookstores.  I had tried for weeks to get the local Barnes and Noble to attend two of my events to sell copies of Lost Eagles.  No dice.  One B&N was more interested in a knitting and crocheting event they were hosting. Big chain bookstores carry a lot of administrative baggage and can be hard to work with.  Most seem to have lost sight that their business is to sell books – not coffee, games, movies or e-readers.  Sure, I could have brought a box of books and sold them myself – but I wanted a local business to make some money off of these events.  Michigan’s economy has been hit hard with this recession and it seemed like the right thing to do.  Gloria from Kazoo Books (a store well-worth visiting and supporting) stepped up.  She hasn’t forgotten that this business is about actually selling books.  I’m pleased to say that she sold out that week!  If you are in Kalamazoo and doing some shopping, I recommend Kazoo Books for your holiday needs. 
• People want to read books with local ties.  Lost Eagles is strongly tied to Galesburg, Battle Creek, and Ann Arbor.  I was pleased with how some of the local historical societies got good turnout and interest in the topic.  Having the Zinn family show up at two events was wonderful because they were able to add to my story with their own family history. 
• There is a lot of interest in WWI aviation.  I brought some application forms with me for the League of WWI Aviation Historians and about 15 people took copies with them.  WWI is often a war that is glossed over so that was highly encouraging.