Skirmisher Publishing

Skirmisher Publishing is an independent American tabletop-game publisher based in Spring Branch, Texas. Its catalog spans role-playing games, tactical and miniature wargaming material, live-action role-playing games, game-related reference works, historical reprints, and miniature products. The company is particularly associated with supplements created for the d20 System, the rules framework introduced by Wizards of the Coast in 2000 and derived from the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The business operated under the Skirmisher Publishing name from approximately mid-2001 and was formally incorporated as Skirmisher Publishing LLC in early 2005. Its roots are described as reaching further back, through a miniature-wargame development group founded by Michael J. Varhola and Geoffrey Weber in the 1990s and ultimately through a gaming circle active in Munich during the 1980s. That earlier group included Varhola, Robert "Mac" McLaughlin, Paul Knorr, and George Sieretski, whose work on skirmish-wargaming rules helped inspire the company's name. Skirmisher's early publishing program was strongly connected to the d20 System. Its d20 titles included Experts, Warriors, Tests of Skill, Nuisances, and the revised Experts v.3.5. These books expanded the range of characters, skills, hazards, and specialized game material available to players and game masters. Experts was dedicated to Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax, who contributed a foreword; the dedication and foreword were retained in the later revised edition. The books also featured work by a range of illustrators, including Brendan Cass, Dragan Ciric, Sharon L. Daugherty, William Hazzard II, Phil "Shade" Kightlinger, Lissanne Lake, and Geoffrey Weber. The company has also published material outside the d20 line. Its 2004 edition of H. G. Wells's Little Wars helped return the 1913 miniature-wargaming text to the market as a standalone publication after a lengthy gap. Skirmisher followed it with a 2006 reprint of Wells's Floor Games, including a foreword by game designer James F. Dunnigan. The publisher has additionally been involved with the Cthulhu Live live-action role-playing game, issuing a third edition in 2006 after the associated rights moved from Fantasy Flight Games. Another recognizable part of the catalog is the Orcs of the Triple Death miniature line. Skirmisher supported these miniatures with game statistics, setting material, and related products. The company's Skirmisher Game Development Group brings together writers, artists, filmmakers, playtesters, and people with military-intelligence backgrounds. The group develops and evaluates role-playing and tactical miniature games while also examining game theory and the use of role-playing concepts in problem solving. Skirmisher is best understood as a specialist hobby publisher rather than a mass-market video-game company. Its identity is built around creator-led tabletop publishing, licensed and system-compatible game material, historical gaming texts, and niche products for role-players, miniature gamers, and live-action role-playing communities.

Skirmisher Publishing's publicly described history combines a formal publishing company founded in the early 2000s with earlier collaborative game-development activity. The company operated as Skirmisher Publishing from approximately mid-2001 and was incorporated as Skirmisher Publishing LLC in early 2005. Michael J. Varhola founded the publishing venture and is identified as its publisher, while Robert "Mac" McLaughlin, Oliver Cass, and Geoffrey Weber are described as co-owners. The company's antecedents are traced to a miniature-wargaming development group established by Varhola and Weber during the 1990s. That group in turn grew out of a gaming circle based in Munich in the 1980s, involving Varhola, McLaughlin, Paul Knorr, and George Sieretski. The circle's interest in skirmish-wargaming rules ultimately provided the basis for the Skirmisher name and informed the company's continuing focus on tactical games and small-scale combat systems. Skirmisher's first major publications were linked to the d20 System, a rules framework introduced by Wizards of the Coast in 2000 and based on the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The company published Experts in 2002, followed by Warriors in 2003, Tests of Skill in 2004, and Nuisances and Experts v.3.5 in 2005. These books formed a substantial part of the company's early identity. Experts was dedicated to Gary Gygax, and Varhola invited Gygax to contribute a foreword. Gygax accepted, and the foreword was retained in the revised Experts v.3.5 edition. The publisher also pursued historical and experimental approaches to tabletop presentation. In 2004, it used digital images derived from three-dimensional models to create maps for gaming books, an approach reported in connection with Tests of Skill and Experts v.3.5. The company made examples of the technique available as free downloads through its website at the time. Historical reprints became another important part of the catalog. In 2004, Skirmisher published a standalone edition of H. G. Wells's Little Wars, the influential 1913 work on miniature wargaming. The publication was notable because it restored the work to standalone form after a long period in which such an edition had not been available. In 2006, the company followed with a reprint of Wells's 1911 Floor Games, adding a foreword by game designer James F. Dunnigan. Skirmisher also became involved in live-action role-playing through Cthulhu Live. After rights connected with Call of Cthulhu moved from Fantasy Flight Games to Skirmisher Publishing, Skirmisher released a third edition of Cthulhu Live in 2006. Fantasy Flight Games and Skirmisher continued to support the live-action game during this period. The catalog includes both publications and physical gaming products. The Orcs of the Triple Death line consists of Orc miniatures supported by d20 statistics and descriptive text. This combination of miniatures, rules material, and setting information reflects the company's integration of role-playing and miniature-wargaming formats. Skirmisher's development work is supported by the Skirmisher Game Development Group. The group includes writers, artists, filmmakers, playtesters, and current or former military-intelligence personnel. Its stated activities include developing, testing, and evaluating role-playing games and tactical miniature games, as well as studying game theory and applying role-playing methods to problem solving. Taken together, these activities position Skirmisher as a niche tabletop publisher with roots in collaborative game design, rather than as a conventional electronic-game publisher.

• 2006

  Floor Games and Cthulhu Live third edition

  [1]Skirmisher Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Skirmisher issued a reprint of Floor Games and published the third edition of Cthulhu Live.

• 2005

  Formal incorporation and Experts v.3.5

  [1]Skirmisher Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Skirmisher Publishing LLC was incorporated, and the company released a revised edition of Experts for the d20 System.

• 2004

  Little Wars reprint and digital map production

  [1]Skirmisher Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Skirmisher published a standalone Little Wars reprint and used images of three-dimensional digital models to produce maps in selected books.

• 2003

  Publication of Warriors

  [1]Skirmisher Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The company expanded its d20 System catalog with Warriors.

• 2002

  Publication of Experts

  [1]Skirmisher Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Skirmisher released Experts, its first d20 System book, with a foreword by Gary Gygax.

• 2001

  Skirmisher Publishing begins operating under its own name

  [1]Skirmisher Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The publishing operation began doing business as Skirmisher Publishing, before its later incorporation as an LLC.

An independent specialist publisher serving tabletop role-playing, miniature-wargaming, live-action role-playing, and historical gaming audiences, with an emphasis on d20-compatible content, original niche games, and reissues of influential gaming works.

• d20 System role-playing supplement · 2002

  Experts

  An early Skirmisher d20 System book focused on expert-oriented game material. The publication was dedicated to Gary Gygax, who wrote its foreword. It helped establish the company's initial identity as a publisher of supplementary role-playing content compatible with the d20 rules framework.

• d20 System role-playing supplement · 2003

  Warriors

  A d20 System title published as part of Skirmisher's early line of character and gameplay supplements. It broadened the company's catalog beyond Experts and supported the publisher's focus on material for fantasy role-playing campaigns.

• d20 System role-playing supplement · 2004

  Tests of Skill

  A d20 System publication associated with skill-oriented gameplay and notable for using maps produced from digital images of three-dimensional models. It represents both Skirmisher's rules-supplement program and its experimentation with visual production methods.

• d20 System role-playing supplement · 2005

  Nuisances

  A d20 System book in Skirmisher's early supplement catalog. It contributed additional complications and game material for tabletop role-playing campaigns and formed part of the publisher's broader effort to expand the range of compatible d20 content.

• d20 System role-playing supplement · 2005

  Experts v.3.5

  A revised, expanded, and redesigned edition of Experts. It retained the original dedication to Gary Gygax and his foreword, while updating the publication for the revised 3.5-era d20 rules environment.

• Historical miniature-wargaming reprint · 2004

  Little Wars

  Skirmisher's standalone reprint of H. G. Wells's 1913 miniature-wargaming classic. The edition made the historically influential text available in an independent book form after a substantial period without such a standalone publication.

• Historical gaming-text reprint · 2006

  Floor Games

  A Skirmisher reprint of H. G. Wells's 1911 work on games and miniature play. The edition included a foreword by game designer James F. Dunnigan and complemented the company's reissue of Little Wars.

• Live-action role-playing game · 2006

  Cthulhu Live, third edition

  The third edition of the Cthulhu Live live-action role-playing game, published after related Call of Cthulhu rights moved from Fantasy Flight Games to Skirmisher. The title extended the publisher's work beyond conventional tabletop rulebooks into live-action play.

• Fantasy miniatures and supporting game products

  Orcs of the Triple Death

  A line of Orc miniatures supported by Skirmisher with d20 game statistics and descriptive material. The range illustrates the company's combined approach to physical miniatures, role-playing rules, and setting-oriented content.

• 2006

  Publication of the third edition of Cthulhu LiveProduct launch

  Background

  Rights connected with Call of Cthulhu had moved from Fantasy Flight Games to Skirmisher Publishing, creating an opportunity to continue the Cthulhu Live live-action role-playing line.

  Action taken

  Skirmisher published the third edition of Cthulhu Live and continued support for the live-action game alongside Fantasy Flight Games.

  Aftermath

  The release extended Skirmisher's portfolio into licensed or transferred horror role-playing properties and live-action gaming.

  Source

• 2004

  Adoption of three-dimensional digital model imagery for mapsStrategy

  Background

  Skirmisher was developing visually distinctive material for role-playing and wargaming books, including maps for products such as Tests of Skill.

  Action taken

  The publisher used digital images of three-dimensional models as the basis for maps in selected publications and made examples available as free downloads.

  Aftermath

  The method became a notable production feature of selected Skirmisher books, although the available reference material does not document its wider commercial impact.

  Source

1. 1Skirmisher Publishingen.wikipedia.org