A Gaming Biography of Alan Emrich

Frankly, so much happened so long ago that it's impossible for me to remember everything I did. As I unearth stuff, or people remind me of things, I'll revise all the "ancient history."

In particular, there's a big chunk missing from the late 70's through the mid-80s (my college years). I wrote for Campaign, Spartan, Bushwacker, and the original BattlePlan back then, plus tons of stuff I didn't keep back issues of.

If you dig anything up, please, shoot me an email with the information at:
Alan Emrich

Here's a quick table with some of my articles listed. Note that I've written a lot more, but this selection is from a wargaming magazine database:

1973

Discovered "real" wargaming; subscribed to Strategy & Tactics magazine.

Received first issue of Strategy & Tactics magazine: The American Civil War.

Played first wargame: Napoleon at Waterloo.

1974

Attends first game convention, GLASC (Greater Los Angeles Simulations Convention) at Cal State Northridge.

1975

At second GLASC convention, auctioneer fails to appear; performs first game auction out of exasperation.

1976

With James John Myers, co-founds the Strategicon game conventions.

At thrid GLASC , the auctioneer is ill; performs second auction, drafted to perform future regional game auctions for the next 20 years or so.

Attends Origins II in Baltimore.

Obtains first "real job:" working as "the wargames guy" at Brookhurst Hobbies.

1977

First Strategicon game convention, Orccon, at Cal State Fullerton.

Graduated High School; yearbook caption: "I owe it all to wine, women, and wargames."

Attends Origins '77 in New York; acquires two lifetime favorite games: Cosmic Encounter and Junta.

Campaign #82 article: Strategies and Tactics in Russian Campaign, from Avalon Hill. This article changed my entire life. To the editor, perhaps, it was only a Magnum Dopus submission from some High School kid with his typewriter, but this article went on to win two awards and began my whole career as a "writer." Showing it to my teacher who, for some reason, was impressed at having a published author among the drones, also earned me enough Extra Credit to pass the English class that I was failing at the time!

1978

Attends Origins '78 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

1979

1980

Attends Origins '80 in Chester, Pennsylvania.

1981

Attends "Pacific Origins" in San Mateo, California.

1982

Attends Origins '82 in Baltimore, Maryland.

1983

Attends Origins '83 in a very depressed Detroit, Michigan.

1984

Founds Diverse Talents, Inc. to publish game magazines and run Strategicon game conventions in Los Angeles.

Attends Origins X in Dallas, Texas and makes a successful bid to host this convention in Los Angeles in 1986.

First Strategicon game convention outside of Orange County, California. Moves Gateway 1984 to the LAX Hyatt (now Wyndham) hotel. The site works out well and becomes the L.A. game conventions' permanent home.

Fire & Movement #44 article: Cold War Player's Notes with Gary E. Smith, from Victory Games.

The General Volume 21, #3 article: Total War: Club Rules for Third Reich from Avalon Hill.This article, although considered "heresy" at the time by the vast army of Third Reich'ers, laid down the foundations for what later became Advanced Third Reich.

Fire & Movement #44 article: Fight on the Beaches with Gary E. Smith, from 3W.

1985

Attends Origins '85 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Fire & Movement #46 article: Napoleon at Waterloo Player's Notes, from Krentek Software.

Fire & Movement #46 article: World in Flames Player's Notes, from Australian Design Group.

V.I.P. of Gaming article: The Moral Justification Chart.

Fire & Movement #47 Cover Story: World in Flames Errata and As The World Burns, with Tom E. Hughes, Jr. and F&M staff from Australian Design Group.

1986

Fire & Movement #48 article: Expanding Front: The Russian Campaign II, from Jedko Games.

Fire & Movement #50 article: Rommel in the Desert After Action Report with Vince DeNardo, from Columbia Games.

Host L.A. Origins '86 as Convention Manager; generally regarded as the best Origins convention ever.

Elected Vice President of GAMA, The Game Manufacturers Association; serves a three-year term.

The General v21-#3 article: Total War: Club Rules for Third Reich from Avalon Hill.

Attends Gen-Con XIX in Milwaukee, Wisconson.

Fire & Movement #51 articles: L.A. Origins '86 After Action Report and Gen-Con XIX After Action Report.

1987

BattlePlan #1-3 article series: A House Restored: A House Divided Variants, from Game Designers Workshop.

BattlePlan #1 article: Political Variants for The Russian Campaign, from Avalon Hill.

BattlePlan #1 article: Field Marshal Variants, from Jedko Games.

Fire & Movement #53 cover story: Russia, from Strategic Studies Group.

Attends Origins '87 in Baltimore, Maryland. Makes successful bid to have Origins return to L.A. for 1989.

BattlePlan #2 article: Operation Sealion, a new scenario for SSG's Battlefront.

Fire & Movement #53 article: Viceroy! Player's Notes, from Task Force Games.

BattlePlan #4 article: Shogun: The Complete Replay, from Milton Bradley.

Wargamer #2 article: The Production Spiral: A House Divided 2nd Edition.

1988

Fire & Movement #56 articles: Shogun Player's Notes, from Milton Bradley and Time Capsule: 1972.

BattlePlan #7 article: 4th Edition World in Flames Preview, from Australian Design Group.

BattlePlan #7 game developer for Zulu War, desig