Credits: Panzer Grenadier Fourth Edition Rules

[JayTownsend]

Panzer Grenadier Fourth Edition Rules

About once a year I like to go over and reread the rules to find things that I missed, forgot about or just played wrong in the first place because of my bad memory. I remember the call for volunteers to help with the 4th Edition Rules, which I passed on, either because I was too busy or too lazy, I can’t remember which but when I saw the names who contributed were all, highly knowledgeable people I was impressed and know why the 4th Edition Rules were done so well. Well I started re-reading the rules again to refresh my mind and once again I am picking up a few things I overlooked or forgot about nothing major but a good refresher. I love how the rules are laid out, the LOS examples other than hex 1006 and the optional rules.

Going down memory lane, I remember the 1st Edition Rules, the 2nd Edition Rules and thought how good the 3rd Edition Rules were when they came out but the 4th Edition Rules are in a class by themselves, great improvement and the new color charts rock! I would like to give special thanks to: Mike Bennighof, John Stafford, Susan Robison, Guy Riessen, John Alsen, Andrew Heath, Vince Hughes, Brian Knipple, Duanne Parsons, Mike Perryman, Ottavio Ricchi, Alan Sawyer and the previous contributor as well. I know their names are mentioned on the back of the rule book, but I thought they deserved to be mentioned again to get the credit they deserve. 

Thanks guys, for a job well done!

And thanks to Matt Ward, as Vince mentioned below.

[zaarin7]

Agreed it is a great rule set. And kudo's to Avalanche Press for putting up the pdf so we could update our older games.

[vince hughes]

Matt Ward who put a lot of work in went un-credited on the printed version ..... So he should also receive a salutation.

[JayTownsend]

Yes a special thanks to Matt as well! I had no idea, thanks Vince for making us aware of it! AP sometimes forgets to give credit to the correct people as well!

[vince hughes]

Blimey, disappointed with MB's 'appreciation' of services rendered on that with his comment to your post at CSW. John Stafford put in a shift and a bit compiling what most think is the best PG rule set to date, and yet the 'thanks' appeared somewhat grudging at best IMO. Great shame he couldn't of given JS the deserved public accolade. Nonetheless Jay, at least those like yourself liked them.

[JayTownsend]

No doubt Vince. Sometimes MB is too busy to post and doesn't think it through and JB deserves a lot of gratitude. The 4th Edition rules are a big improvement!

[Hugmenot]

You don't have to tell me how difficult rule writing is.  I am still not entirely satisfied with my last effort but as the rules are to be used in only one 10-scenario module, there is a point when further effort is not economically worthwhile.  Plus, I would rather spend the remaining time constructing some illustrated examples of plays to post as daily content.

I got up at 7:30 AM Sunday and worked 3.5 hours on PG related stuff before taking a mid day  break. I spent 3 more hours working on another PG project with Matt, and a further 6 hours after dinner resuming the work I started in the morning.  I went to bed at 2 AM pretty exhausted. A very atypical Sunday (I typically spend 10-12 hours a week on PG development) but hopefully that will be enough to get that product out the door if the rules pass final review. 

John Stafford put a ton of hours into PG development.  I am certain Mike appreciates the efforts but there may be some not-so-happy memories from Mike because 4th edition rules took a lot of resources away  from product development.  Keep in mind that PG is a labor of love of us while for Mike, it is a way to earn a living and support his family.  Projects that impact the cash flow negatively will likely continue to give rise to ambivalent feelings until AVP is able to easily absorb these kind of projects.

[JayTownsend]

Thanks for the input Daniel. I hear your pains, over the last several years, I put in a lot of that labor of love into PG. I am taking break now, as to prevent burnout and that fact AP now needs to catchup to all my projects: Korean War Counter-Attack, Korean War Intervention, Korean War Allies, Philippines 1941-42, Philippines 1944-45 and Sicily. I use to spend about 12-20 hours on weekends, during the week a couple hours before work and than a couple hours after work, so sometimes putting in 40 hours per week not counting my regular job with another 40 hours, making 80 work weeks. When I had vacation or holidays I might work 12-15 hours on those days. Now to prevent anymore burnout and to keep the wife happy, I will stop designing for a year or so, and just help the developers with what I have submitted or course. I will always follow my designs through development and the life of the game for that matter.

But I do feel a great appreciation to the guys who do development, past and present, so a special thanks to John, Matt and Daniel!

[JayTownsend]

I think I use to even get on edge with people here because I wasn't feeling the love but after stepping back a bit, I realized it was just me working too much and getting burned out and really no one on the board said anything at all wrong. So my apologies for anyone I might have offended during that time frame.

But with all that said, even without being paid to design, there is something addicting in designing PG games and scenario for me!

[Matt W]

I sent off the latest product to Mike today after tying up a couple loose ends and finalizing the formatting. There is an intense joy in finishing a development project. This was Daniel and my third product so far (with another small one coming right on its heels). Alternative history is a bit easier to research but harder as, with Mike B and Jim S and Larry M all developing their own threads on the topic it gets harder and harder to put the game within the history they are developing!

The real history stuff is great, however, as it forces the developer to actually understand the history better than we do now, which means I have an excuse to get new books!!!

Thanks for all the kind comments about my participation in the 4th Ed. Based on the abashed reaction from both John S and Mike B when the book came out and I hadn't been included I truly believe that, since my participation came later in the process, it was an honest oversight.