REAL Old Grognards: Need Help!

[rogueattorney]

The Midwest is definitely where D&D went from pre-D&D to published product, and that process began in the late 60s. The groups - or more properly, groups of groups - that everyone knows about were in Minneapolis (Arneson, Barker, etc.), Chicago and south-eastern Wisconsin (Gygax, Kuntz, etc.), and Decatur-Champaign-Bloomington, IL (the guys that would eventually become GDW and Judges Guild). And they were all in touch with each other via early, early cons and fanzines. I don't know if there was a "Detroit branch" or not.

When I think of Detroit and early rpgs, I think of Kevin Siembieda and Palladium. But he's at least ten years younger than the guys I've mentioned above, becoming an illustrator for Judges Guild and others in the late 70s.

Wasn't Wee Warriors, Ltd from Detroit?

 

[grodog]

Wasn't Wee Warriors, Ltd from Detroit?

No, SLO in CA.

 

[Rogue Agent]

The Metro Detroit Gamers, probably most famous for producing one of the first published modules for D&D (The Lost caverns of Tsojconth in 1976 for Wintercon V) date back to '72 according to their website (which is also when the first Wintercon was held). It wouldn't be shocking to learn that there was significant wargaming going on in '68.

With that being said: In '68, SPI hadn't even been founded. Avalon Hill was basically the only publisher around for this sort of thing.

So if your dad isn't getting his dates muddled, he's probably remembering wargamers.

When did he leave Detroit? If he gets up to '71, then it becomes plausible that he might have been seeing early fantasy wargaming.

 

[haakon1]

Of course, the REAL old grognards are from France.

I'm not entirely sure, but it's possible the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes can trace its roots back to Napoleon's "Old Guard" 1er Régiment de Chasseurs. It'd be neat if real grognards still exist.

Old Guard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of French Army regiments - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Mark CMG]

Of course, the REAL old grognards are from France.

I'm not entirely sure, but it's possible the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes can trace its roots back to Napoleon's "Old Guard" 1er Régiment de Chasseurs. It'd be neat if real grognards still exist.

Old Guard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of French Army regiments - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Naturally, grognard is being used in the sense outlined here -

The Word "Grognard"

 

[Yora]

Real Old-school wargaming started in Berlin in 1819.

 

[saskganesh]

It's OK. A lot of people don't remember the 60's that clearly.