Staff Interrogations  There are a number of new faces in the Battlefront studio that have arrived within the last year. Here we introduce you to a few new faces as well as get reacquainted with some of the old guard. I drafted up some questions and began to pull people aside to interrogate them. None, so far, have withstood my gruelling and innovative technique of pulling them away from their work, sitting them down in an air-conditioned room with a cool drink and asking them deceptively cunning questions such as "Who are you, and who do you work for?"  They readily spilled the beans, sometimes even giving away information that I wasn't expecting. Am I really that good at extracting information? Yes, I remain an interrogation expert (of sorts)*. Enjoy, Mike *Actually, not at all.

Part 1: The Interrogation of Ken Camel: Writer, Lover, Master of Battle Planning

1. First off, I demand to know a little about yourself and how you got into wargaming. I am originally from Chicago. I served 22 years in the USAF (United States Air Force) where I played wargames for real as a Battle Manager, executing air operations. I retired as a Major. I was a “Mustang Officer”, having come up through the enlisted ranks. While in the Air Force, I got my MA in US-British diplomatic history. I’ve been playing wargames for as long as I can remember—I played Risk when it first came out! Before coming to New Zealand, I had my own game store in Reno, Nevada where I stocked, among other things, Flames Of War.

2. What brought you into the fold at Battlefront Miniatures? I’ve always wanted the chance to build wargames. I developed air combat scenarios for the air force and Hughes Aircraft. I also used to write my own scenarios for other games, for computer, board, and tabletop games. When the ad went up on the Flames Of War website, I took it as a chance to combine games design, my history Masters Degree and writing into one job!

3. What do you do for Battlefront Miniatures? I’m a writer and a game designer. 4. Tell me, young Kenneth, if you really do work for Battlefront, what was your first project? My first project was Cobra. I worked on the German lists and the fluff text for the American platoons. I helped write the stories and the history pieces in the book as well. 5. Assuming you're telling the truth, what is your favourite aspect of a project? I really enjoy researching the history behind a battle and developing it into a fun and exciting lists and scenarios.

6. How do you go about researching and preparing for a project? The first thing I have to do is to figure out the general geographic area the project will be about. Then I dive deep into the forces that were involved to find the most interesting units. From there I build a proposal and we’re off!

7. Explain yourself, what makes a unit interesting enough to be included in a project? It’s really a combination of things: history, equipment and the flavour of the list. The important question to answer is: What sets this list apart from all the others. Sometimes that is easily answered, other times you have to dig deeper!

8. Oh, really? Well, now I get to dig deeper! What’s been your favourite project that you’ve worked on? It has to be Firestorm! It was an opportunity to essentially design a whole game from the ground up. The best part of Firestorm its a workable engine and offers a chance to expand it into other theatres.

9. What sorts of challenges do you face at work? One of the challenges is actually taking history and building it into a fun and playable design. History is very interesting, but sometimes it’s difficult to translate it into the game.

10. So, what are the best things about working for a game company? I'd have to say coming to work to do things you are really interested in, like WWII and playing wargames! 11. Have you always been interested in WWII? Yes, after all I’m a historian! I even took a course in Nazi Germany for my Masters Degree. 12. What area and periods are you most interested in concerning WWII? I am interested in every facet of the war. My favourites are the Afrika Korps and the US 1st Infantry Division, or the ‘Big Red One’.

13. What are your favourite Flames Of War armies to play? I really enjoy playing German pioneers and US infantry. 14. Are you a tournament goer? Why or Why not? Yes. I play for the fun of the game. I enjoy putting together historical armies and playing them at tournaments. 15. Do you consider yourself a modeller or gamer or both? I guess I’d consider myself a gamer more than a modeller, but I’m learning!

16. Answer the next question as if your life depends on it (as indeed it does not): What are your thoughts on the Brummbar: Cheese or Whine? Whine. Brumbars are baby Tigers for fighting in towns. They are incidentally great against speeding Soviet tanks!

17. Do you play any other miniature games? If so, what all do you play? I have some Warhammer Historical stuff, specifically the Legends of the Old West, which is a very fun game. I’ve got a pile of old Reaper Dwarves that I played with the Reaper rules back in the day. I also play War at Sea, a WWII sea combat game. When I was a kid I had piles of the old Airfix miniatures.

18. Do you have any modelling or painting projects of your own that you are working on? I’m currently working on my German 90th Light Infantry Division for my Afrika Korps. I’ve always enjoyed the list and I’m rebuilding it after having sold my last one.

19. What other sorts of hobbies are you interested in? I enjoy playing PC games, most recently Medieval Total War and Steel Panthers. I also fanatically follow my favourite teams in baseball (Chicago Cubs) and football (Chicago Bears). I also find plenty of time to read up on our latest project at work. Thank you Ken. You are free to leave.