Stephen Pole
(From Legion Wargames website) The seven hex system ["SHS"] is not new. It began life about thirty years ago when I was a teenager who spent (too) much of his time playing Avalon Hill and SPI games. I really loved those games, but I always felt that the way in which they simulated conflicts was skewed for reasons which I set out below, and which I sought to redress when designing SHS. The reaction amongst my…
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friends, who ranged from hard core to occasional wargamers, to the scenarios based upon SHS was generally very positive. Buoyed by this, I submitted some scenarios to publishers. To say their response was unenthusiastic is a bit like saying the Romans were not terribly keen on Hannibal. The game was absolutely slaughtered; it was described as a akin to Risk, far too simple to be taken seriously by proper wargamers. Collapse of cocky teenager. Family and career developments meant that until a few years ago I had little time to spend upon board wargaming. When I meandered back into the hobby I was pleasantly surprised to find that simple games were not just accepted, but had become popular. After a while I dusted off the rules and scenario notes for SHS and invited friends to play. Again, everyone seemed to enjoy the experience so I again submitted the game for publication. This time the reaction was completely different. The game was well received, and and Legion Wargames said that they would be willing to take it on.
Biography and credits from BoardGameGeek.