Greg Novak (September 4, 1950 – March 7, 2012) was a

wargame A wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a realistic simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for recreation, to train military officers in the art of strategic thinking, or to s ...

designer, author of dozens of games, rules supplements and scenario books, his most notable contributions including the Volley & Bayonet series and several works about the American War of Independence.

Biography

Born on September 4, 1950, in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, son of George and Sylvia (Stepnowski) Novak, and married to Donna Oakes Gerbino on July 19, 1997, Greg Novak worked as a librarian at Edison and Jefferson middle schools for 31 years, and for the Champaign Office of Education. He was active in the Champaign Teachers Federation, serving as a building steward, member of the collective bargaining unit, vice president and president. Upon his retirement he was elected to the Champaign Board of Education. After his death Champaign Unit 4 Schools named their Alternative High School facility in his honor.

Wargaming

Greg Novak was a key figure in the

wargaming A wargame is a strategy game in which two or more players command opposing armed forces in a realistic simulation of an armed conflict. Wargaming may be played for recreation, to train military officers in the art of strategic thinking, or to s ...

hobby, leaving a lasting and internationally recognized legacy both as an author and as a promoter of wargaming events. Among his main contributions as an author should be listed : Boardgames * ''

Guilford Courthouse The Battle of Guilford Court House was on March 15, 1781, during the American Revolutionary War, at a site that is now in Greensboro, the seat of Guilford County, North Carolina. A 2,100-man British force under the command of Lieutenant General ...

'' (Series 120) – GDW1978 Rules * ''Fire and Steel - Rules for Battles with System 7 Napoleonics'', GDW 1978 (with

John Harshman John Harshman is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games. Career In 1975, Game Designers' Workshop published ''Triplanetary'' by Harshman and Marc Miller. Harshman, Frank Chadwick, and Loren Wiseman helped Miller de ...

and

Rich Banner Paul Richard "Rich" Banner is an American game designer and graphic artist. Beginnings Rich Banner and Frank Chadwick formed the ISU Game Club at the Illinois State University (Normal, Illinois). Banner engineered a grant which funded the print ...

) * ''Charlie Company - Infantry Combat in Vietnam 1965-1972'', Ulster Imports 1988 (with John Reeves) * ''Yellow Ribbon : Rules for the Indian Wars, 1850-1890'', Ulster Imports 1988 * ''Over the Top'', WW1 Command Decision series rules, GDW 1990 * ''Volley & Bayonet'', GDW 1994 (with

Frank Chadwick Frank Chadwick is an American multiple-award-winning game designer and ''New York Times'' best selling author. He has designed hundreds of games, his most notable being the role-playing games ''En Garde!'', '' Space: 1889'' and '' Twilight 2000 ...

) * ''Charlie Company - Infantry Combat in Vietnam 1965-1972'' (2nd ed), RAFM 1997 (with John Reeves) * ''Volley & Bayonet: Road to Glory'', TOB Games 2008 (with Frank Chadwick) Rules supplements and Scenario books * ''And Continually Wear the Blue: A Short Guide to the U.S. Army & the 'Indian Wars' 1850-90'', RAFM 1989 (with Mike Gilbert). * ''A Guide to the American War of Independence in the North'', Ulster Imports 1990 * ''Remember the Maine and to Hell with Spain : Being a Wargamer's Guide to the Spanish American War 1898'', Ulster Imports, 1990 * ''Battles of the American Civil War – A Volley & Bayonet supplement'', GDW 1994 * ''The Rough Riders - Vol.1: A Volley & Bayonet Supplement for the Spanish–American War'', GDW 1999 (with Frank Chadwick). * ''The Rough Riders - Vol.2: A Volley & Bayonet Supplement for the Spanish–American War'', GDW 1999 (with Frank Chadwick). * ''The American War of Independence - Book 1: The Northern Campaigns'', Old Glory * ''The American War of Independence - Book 2: The Southern Campaigns'', Old Glory Greg Novak was also Editor of the ''Command Post Quarterly'' magazine (published by the GDW and Emperor's Headquarters)-

Awards

Member of the Legion of Honour, Historical Miniatures Gaming Society - East

References

External links

Bring up the rear (Greg Novak's blog)
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Novak, Greg School board members in Illinois Board game designers 1950 births 2012 deaths