Mike Avanzini
Games I played and worked on:
I started Wargaming in 1961 with AH's Gettsyburg and Tactics II. Bought and played most of the SPI games in the 70's. Started computer wargaming with SP1 and then the battleground/campaign series of games. I got involved in playtesting for TS during the Sealion expansion disk and continued with Rising Sun.
Glenn then took me on board for the Panzer Campaign series. At that time Glenn asked me if I had any maps showing the Kharkov 42 campaign and I went and drew up some maps for him. Well not only did he like them but so did John Tiller. Now I provide campaign and scenario maps for all of John's games. I also did some research for the Soviet OOB for Glenn for his Jan 42 scenario in K42 and in searching for this information, I met David Glantz who provided me with the data I needed. In talking with him I offered my services to him to draw his maps for him on the computer. His self published Atlas of the Battle of Smolensk features my maps and we are currently working on an Atlas for the L'vov-Sandomierz Operation in 1944 which will be published soon.
I started working on Soviet OOB's for my own game and was the lead scenario designer for Rzhev '42.
Day Job:
I have been working as a Civil and Environmental Engineer for the last 25 years.
Other Interests:
Well besides my love of military history, I am a musician and have been playing in various club and wedding bands for 30 years. I have to say that my passion for this is as strong as my passion for history.
I'm married and have two children. Unlike most of the other guys I have a 19 year old daughter who is taking all my money away to college with her. My son is 11 and has yet to acquire my fascination with history, luckily. He wants to drive a NASCAR Winston Cup car, so maybe I'll pack him up and send him to Canada with Glenn.
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