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Wild Bill -> (3/22/2001 7:41:00 AM)
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About the best I can do Mindspy is give you a rundown of the Raider group, which is inextricably tied in with TGN and Matrix. I guess you could call us at least part of the string that has held it all together. So here goes. I hope it proves interesting to all of you.
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TGN, Matrix Games, and the Raiders
Beginnings
Wild Bill's Raiders was initially a small group formed in 1982 to support the prestigious board game of Squad Leader. I had personally felt the need for even more scenarios and a variant in Squad Leader for the Pacific theater of Operations.
Since it did not seem to be forthcoming (though it did some years later in the Advanced Squad Leader Series), I took it upon myself to form a team from all over the US and get something going.
At that time I discovered a free-lance magazine called "On All Fronts," put up an ad asking for help, and got a few people scattered over the United States to respond and offer their support. Together we formed the group known as Wild Bill's Raiders.
We proceeded to design a number of scenarios and a complete Pacific variant with maps, counters, rules and some nice ideas for playing the game. Ours was, of course, an incomplete game that one could not play without owning the other Squad Leader Modules. So actually we were support for the sale of Squad Leader.
It went over so well that the magazine, "The Wargamer," published a nice article about the variant and our work with the rules included, and a couple of scenarios and our homemade maps. Well, this did not earn the favor of Avalon Hill. They came down very hard on me, threatened to sue me, and demanded all the material and the copyright to this variant.
At that time I was going through a personal crisis and was not in the mood to fight. I surrendered all our work to them. The Raiders were then disbanded and I left the gaming arena for nearly ten years.
From Boards to a Screen
My interest was re-ignited in 1990 when I got into the use of computers. One of the first wargames I played was the Wargame Construction Set, from SSI, where one had the ability to design scenarios for the computer.
A couple of years after that, while "game shopping," I came upon a new wargamer that really captured my fancy. It was that great game by Norm Koger, TANKS. It was wonderful, complete with a scenario editor. I was in my element again!
Reading the manual of the game, I came across Novastar. I ordered a couple of their scenario disks. I was thrilled with the opportunity to design scenarios again, this time electronically.
I corresponded with David Landrey, head of Novastar, who gave me a chance and in 1993 the company published my first scenario disk on Vietnam. From there I continued to design another 200 scenarios for TANKS.
It was David Landrey who also got me involved in the beta testing of Steel Panthers. I had a hard time getting started because of my antiquated computer, but was able to design some stuff for SP1.
From there, I went on a rampage, designing over 200 scenarios for Novastar in support of SP1. David Landrey in many was my mentor and I'll be forever grateful to him for giving me a chance to prove myself.
Sadly, however, certain problems arose and I left Novastar and went to a website called Pegasus. It was there that I had the opportunity to continue working on the beta versions of SP2 and did most of the scenario design work for the Sp2 campaign disk and both the campaign disks for SP1.
I left Pegasus in 1997 and through Mario Kroll was introduced to David Heath of what was then a revamped "Wargamer" web site. I offered to David the idea of adding to what the site a new section that would offer one scenario and one historical article a week on Steel Panthers.
The Raiders are Re-born
By this time I had made the acquaintance of a few fellow-gamers through the Internet and was also actively involved in the beta testing of SP3 with SSI.
I decided that we needed a team to do scenarios the right way. We formed another small group of gamers and named it again (by vote of the members) Wild Bill's Raiders. Of that original group only I remain. Here is to missing comrades.
Our first tiny web page came out on October 31st, 1997. By that time Mario had opened the Wargamer as a separate site and David Heath renamed his site, "The Gamer's Net." At first there was only David Heath and I. Then came the 6 members of the Raider team.
David proved to be another good friend and a great encourager for me personally. There were some very hard times but we hung in there till better times came along. And they did!
Since that time, both the Gamer's Net and the Raiders have consistently grown until what you see today. The Raiders now number 27. We now support four games as a scenario design center, including all the Steel Panthers games, Combat Mission and the Campaign series of wargames.
Where We Are - Where We Are Going
During this period of over three years, the Raiders and I have been able to contribute scenarios to East Front, Panzer Commander, The Operational Art of War, The Operational Art of War II, Steel Panthers I, II, III, Combat Mission, and of course, Steel Panthers World War II and now Steel Panthers, World at War. None of that would have been possible without the Raiders team.
During 1998, there were some changes in the group and a number of gamers that are still here today joined our ranks. They include nearly all of those who are the "core" Raider group. These guys have hung in there through thick and thin and proven not only to be top-notch wargamers, but also people dedicated to the goals we wanted to accomplish.
The Raiders, as a group, have produced some 500 scenarios, primarily for Steel Panthers (all versions). In addition, dozens of articles, scenario design tips and other pieces of work have been done by the Raiders. The group has also been involved in the beta testing of a number of games, both individually and as a whole. Every member of the teams is a proven wargamer, with a wealth of experience to bring to the rest.
It has not been the work of one man, but a group that works as one. I've never been involved in anything in my life with such esprit de corps, such unanimity, as what we have in the Raiders. This is, in my mind, the finest group of guys anyone could ask to work with. It has been my privilege to share all these wonderful and sometimes burdensome experiences. And this includes the new expanded Raider group. It is an honor to work with every one of them.
With the sad demise of The Gamers Net, a new challenge awaits the Raiders. We have our home at Matrix and soon we hope to have our new web sites up and going. We will keep you posted.
Now these well honed, "Gung-Ho" gamers known as the Raiders are ready to do more and better so that Matrix will offer the best games possible, the ones you want to play.
It's been a great ride for all of us. And we're not through yet. We'll continue as long as there is interest in what we do.
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