XTR's publication of Gazala in Command issue #34 caused a stir of controversy when Jim Werbaneth claimed that he had done the basic design of the game and that XTR had stolen it.

Ty Bomba counters with the statement "...we originally associated it with another designer's name. The game was a foliosized design we'd paid for and had in shop since 1991. As soon as we began developing it, however, we found we needed to go to: 1) a new map scale; 2) a new time scale; 3) a new unit scale; 4) a different terrain analysis; 5) a better order of battle; and 6) an entirely different system."

After making all of those changes the folks at XTR figured they'd basically created a whole new game and gave credit for the game to their in house design staff. Mr. Bomba went on to say that Mr. Werbaneth was paid for the original design.

Was it design theft or the damaged ego of a game designer? The courts would have to settle that one (although no court case is pending). But both sides have certainly made their positions quite clear, and it will be a long time before Mr. Werbaneth's work grace the pages of Command.

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