Mike Reese

Mike Reese started miniature wargaming in 1962 using HO scale armor models, 20mm plastic troops, and S scale model train buildings. He first met Gary Gygax through a postal player section in The General, heading 20 miles out to play with Gary and introduce him to WWII skirmish gaming.

During this time Reese developed his own skirmish rules for World War II and modern armor. Reese met Leon Tucker in Chicago in 1968 at an International Federation of Wargamers (IFW) convention and they began working together on a rule set. With Gary Gygax’s support and encouragement, Reese and Tucker collaborated on rules for miniature combined arms warfare. This work ultimately led to the publication of Tractics, written by Reese, Tucker, and Gygax, becoming the first table top World War II wargame, and a basis for many games to come.

Reese joined the Army in early 1971. Just before shipping out for Germany, where he would serve with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, he was given seven days’ leave and was able to make it to Lake Geneva in August 1971 for the GenCon premier of Tractics. 

Mike Reese has continued to support the gaming community over the following 50 years, running games at conventions, becoming a supporting editor for various magazines and books and helping other game creators with developing new WWII and sci-fi rule sets.