Allen Hammack Q&A with James Mishler

 James Mishler's Q&A with Game Designer Allen Hammack  

If you missed it, on Thanksgiving Day on his blog Adventures in Gaming James Mishler posted a great interview with former TSR employee Allen Hammack, author of the classic AD&D modules C2 Ghost Tower of Inverness and A3 Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lord.

Hammack's time at TSR (1978-1983) overlaps with most of the Holmes Basic-era, and of particular note to us, the interview mentions that among other products he worked as an editor on the "1978 editions" of the Holmes Basic Set. Since that set out first came out in 1977 and Hammack started in 1978, I assume he most likely worked on revisions that were included in the 3rd printing (May 1978), 2nd edition (Nov 1978) and/or 3rd edition (Dec 1979).

Hammack also mentions that "Dave Sutherland used to draw tiny biplanes into wizard hats in honor of the Fight in the Skies WWI game" [later Dawn Patrol]. This sent me back to Sutherland's Holmes Basic Set cover art to look for biplanes in the wizard's hat. None spotted there, but I'll keep on the lookout for other Sutherland wizards.