Judges Guild co-founder, 1st published fantasy campaign map 1977

[Bill Owen]

I drew my first published wargame map in 1969 with Rapidograph pens and plastic hex templates, 54 years ago.

Bob Bledsaw and I started the Judges Guild in 1976 with the City State of the Invincible Overlord. We then added the Wilderlands of High Fantasy for the regions around the CSIO.



I sold half of the JG in 1978 and returned to the travel business, making maps to illustrate tour group fliers.

Also made maps for various wargaming projects. The biggest was a 5x12.5' map of the Normandy beaches and peninsula for D-Day. Initially printed in various scales (from 300m/hex to 1 mile/hex) and recently available as a PDF, which, being vectors, could be enlarged to billboard size. That's how I taught myself Illustrator. It took years because I'd get so sick of each 22x34" map that I'd shelve the project until I could stand it again.



I helped Bob re-release the WOHF with hexes because his license didn't put a hex grid on the campaign cartography! My question was: are they not wargamers?!



He wanted to draw more of the world in about 2002 and needed a grid with coordinates. We couldn't figure out where to get a digital version (our original was a screened version of SPI's blank map grid that Dunnigan let us use). So, by brute force, I drew a 10x10' grid with individually coordinate-numbered hexes!

Now I find that various programs will spit out a digital hex/coordinate grid! So, I'm here to learn how to do stuff the easy way.

I started a company, https://www.combatrules.com to get classic wargames back in print, Fast Rules, Tractics, and soon Brew Up, plus other projects.

[Baron]

Wow, it's great to hear from you! I'll take a look at your new company. Best of luck! (Now where are my Rapidograph pens..?)

[ChickPea]

Hi, and welcome!

[J.Edward]

Welcome to the Guild, Bill. Glad to have you with us.
We're always happy to help with questions. We've all learned a lot from each other over the years.

[Bogie]

Welcome to the Guild Bill. 2 Years ago I ran my group through Dark Tower and I am currently running them through The Caverns of Thracia. The group is spread all over the country so we play online and I have redrawn all the maps to battlemap size.

Here is part of the map from the final level: