Each Capsule Biography will be a short description of the life of some prominent figure in the wargaming field. We hope these columns will help you feel more acquainted with the people who design and review the games you play.

Born in 1946, Rich Banner served in the U.S. Army as a sergeant in Japan, Korea, and Kansas, moving on to a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1974. A gamer since 1964, he resolved with Frank Chadwick to publish his own division-level Russian front game when SPI's was not forthcoming fast enough, beating them to print by about a year, and laying the foundation for a major game company as well as an award- winning game series on World War II. Drang Nach Osten was voted best game of all time by Campaign magazine subscribers in 1976.

His hand, in research, design, and art execution is visible in all of the Europa Series games. Primarily, though, he spends his time polishing the graphics on other GDW games, enough so that he has won the only Charles Roberts Award ever given (up to May, 1979) for Graphics (for Avalanche, the Salerno Landings, in 1976).

He and his wife Donna live in Normal, Illinois, where he designs games, and works his graphics wonders.