Duke Siefried

Thanks, Duke

By James Getz

I am so happy to see that "Uncle Duke" has been selected to be this year's honoree. As you know, I have felt for a long time that Duke has not gotten the proper credit for what he has done for our hobby. Although I must admit to being very prejudice in my view, I truly believe that wargaming would not be the hobby it is today without him.

How can I begin to tell you the impact he has had on my life, both wargaming and personal? So many images come rushing to mind:

I remember the first time I met Duke 29 years ago, when I was a mere child of 13. His house was full of soldiers and I thought that this was the most incredible thing I had ever seen an adult do! I remember being in his front yard, about three years later, with Stan Glanzer (a very special member of the wargaming fraternity that was taken from us too soon). It was about 1:30 in the morning, and Stan and I were praying towards Mecca for divine assistance in our fight against the infidel in one of Duke's outrageous Sudan games. I remember driving up to Duke's house one day to hear him yelling at one of his sons to "Stop cutting that grass and come in and paint soldiers like you are supposed to be doing!" and thinking that my Father would never have thought of chores like that. I remember being in Tom Bookwalter's basement the day Duke showed up with these little tiny soldiers that he said were going to be the rage for gaming and all of us saying that 25mm's would never catch on. I remember the three-day long Borodino game at Duke's with David Chandler as Napoleon, the game that gave birth to NAPOLEONIQUE. I remember the day Duke pulled up in front of my office in his "wargame on wheels". A travel van that was packed to the roof with soldiers and terrain that he was driving literally coast-to-coast and border-to-border giving demo's at local hobby shops to "spread the word."

I remember the night in the bar at the Ramada Inn in Philadelphia during one of the early ORIGINS where Duke, Scot Bowden and I talked about life and happiness and what was important to us and how I felt so positive and hoped that Duke would find the secret to having fun again with wargaming. I remember another night, years later, in Dallas, when the three of us were again together when the world didn't look as bright to me. And we talked for long hours over dinner about problems and life and went back to Scotty's place where I got a phone call telling me my Father had just died. And I remember thinking that if I couldn't be home, wasn't it wonderful that I was with those two very special people at that moment. And I remember the talk Duke and I had late that night. And I remember the band, and the "Incredible Stain Painting Technique" presentations, and Custom Cast, and bubble packs, and red, white and blue everything, and pewtered Revolutionary war cannons by the hundreds, and painting late into the night before every one of his games to get the armies done, and Napoleonic games of monstrous size, and French and Indian War games, and...

I could go on for pages. I remember a friend, and a very special friendship. One that has changed and grown and strengthened over the years. Duke is in many ways not an easy person to get to know. He is always "on stage" to one degree or another. He has total enthusiasm for whatever has caught his mind at the time and is flying off after it with more energy than ten people. He always has a new idea, a new "toy" if you will, that he wants you to play with too. He can be a tough businessman, and he can be a real good SOB when he wants to be. And he can pump the BS, boy can he pump the BSI

A lot of people are overwhelmed by the public Duke and only see the public relations promoter. But I feel sorry for them, for they have missed an opportunity of meeting one of the most unique people I have ever met. For when they see Duke promoting, I see him dream weaving. And that is important. Too many of us don't dream enough these days. But not Duke. He doesn't see the same world the rest of us do. He can still see Murat leading cavalry charges, Indians and settlers in mortal combat, and talk with elves. And what is more important to me, so can I when I'm with him and that is so very special.

You see, Duke is not just a good and caring friend, he is magic. And that is what he has given to this hobby more than anything else. We could make a long list of his tangible accomplishments. He wrote the first rule set published in the US that I know of; he was the first to push 25's as the gaming scale; he invented, again as far as I know, the simultaneous move; he was the first to do unit packaging and bubble packing; he was the first to try and develop a complete retail concept for selling soldiers; he was "the man" as far as promoting wargaming was concerned for years and years. But to me, and to many others, he is the man who put the magic into wargaming. And for that we all owe him gratitude. For if it was not for the magic, this would not be a very fun hobby.

I hope this has not been too long and too personal a tribute, but these are things I needed to say. Thank you, Duke, you have made my life better. And thank you, Hal, for giving me the opportunity to say them!

Duke Siefried MWAN Honoree of 1989

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© Copyright 1989 Hal Thinglum
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