RBM Cover Art Gallery
Favorite Rodger MacG
artwork, hmmm...
Almost any of his B&W
work: Jihad!, Fight No More..., Inchon, Op Crusader, Citadel.
Those last two, along
with Britain Stands Alone, and ALL his Squad Leader pieces I think are
masterpieces of chiro-somthing (an Italian shadow art term which I can neither
spell nor pronounce! ) I think the SL pieces would look great combined into a
movie poster-like montage (with game artist/designer credits done movie-style at
the bottom! )
Speaking of movie
posters – RBM’s Sword of Rome cover screams "60's sword & sandal epic, filmed on
location with a cast of 1000s!" At
the same time, Paths of Glory could have been a poster for Kubrick's film with
little or no changes. Civilization is either an ad for a historical TV
miniseries or a historical romance novel! (the colors are that lush ) Another
novel cover is Cataphract, with the great Belisarius center shot (I have an
early print of this, sent to me graciously by Rodger for ad purposes at a time
when I worked in game distribution.)
Master of Photomontage:
Stalingrad/Russian Campaign/Streets of Stalingrad. Nuff said.
Rodger can drive the
point home with simple, direct color graphics: World in Flames (with a touch of
40s poster), Great Battles of Alexander (original), Twilight Struggle.
But he can also produce
complex themes as well: C&C Ancients Expansion, Barbarossa to Berlin.
Calendar, new posters,
t-shirts -- I'd buy any of them! Never quit, Rodger, never quit!
Derek
Quintanar
Well, that's
interesting Rodger. I knew you did a lot of the Wargames Graphic Art Designs but
I didn’t realise that "Red Star/White Eagle" was one of your covers as well.
Rodger and Redmond A.
Simonsen seem to have been THE major players in the kingdom of Art in Wargames.....I
cannot think of any other people who I have such a large collection of material.
I have all of Hunter S. Thompson's books and all of Pink Floyd albums,
but put those two together and they do not even come close to matching how many
Rodger B. MacGowan works I have. Nor
RAS's works.
Daniel
Brown
For me, it is difficult
to fix on a definitive MacGowan favourite. Too much great art spread over three
decades, but I, too, have a fondness for the "black" work. Then again, Operation
Shoestring is a big favourite...
Mark MacLean
Rodger, I find it
interesting that many of your creations with a good amount of black on the cover
are my favorites - Downtown and Silver Bayonet as an example. Perhaps it is
because they seem to be very crisp and have a high amount of contrast - I'm not
sure.
However, your Flat Top
artwork is indeed my favorite. It is very difficult to pick out just 12 covers,
however!
And how many cover art
designers have imitated Rodger's composition and style over the years? I know
that my own covers for the AF series are certainly in the same vein (if not
nearly as well executed...I don't have either the same raw talent, nor the
experience and training).
Geoff Bohrer
One of Rodger’s AH
General covers I really liked is for an issue that supported Flat Top.
It didn't have the classic game box art, but a different one, with a Dauntless
flying over a Japanese carrier, and hex pattern on the sea below. It really
brought together the notion of the battle and the game.
Jim Werbaneth
Since I consider Up
Front and Swashbuckler to be two of the best games ever, I now wonder if there
is not a connection between how good a game is and the story behind Rodger’s
cover art.
Martin Gallo
Having reviewed the
artwork posted here on CSW recently, I think the cover art for Up Front is my
favorite RBM work. I think its the most eye-catching cover art that I've seen
from him. There's something about the deep, rich colors in the background scene
that appeals to me, regardless of (or perhaps in spite of) the uniform markings
of the featured soldier.
I'd think I'd declare the cover art from Zero! a close second.
Jeff Petraska
Upon seeing the RBM’s
box art and the map graphics for GMT's Kasserine at a friend's house, I went out
and bought the game. I still find it to be one of the best games I own visually
and the best part? It is one of my Top 10 all time wargames as I found it great
fun to play. So with so-so art, I would have missed out on this little gem.
Paul Glowacki
I must admit that I
wasn't too excited initially at the thought of viewing RBM game artwork from the
past, but this really has been fascinating, and has brought back a lot of old
memories. I've particularly enjoyed
the background commentary Rodger has been sprinkling in occasionally with the
artwork.
Gary Schaap
Rodger, for me you have
become synonymous for the gaming industry. I have always enjoyed your coverart
for the games. Your Fire & Movement Magazine for me was truly an eye opening
experience and led me to try many games I would have otherwise passed by. When I
got back into gaming five years ago after a 12 year absence, I was really glad
to see that you were still a part of it with GMT Games and C3i.
The quality of GMT
Games (and others as well), is really amazing compared to games 30+ years ago.
As a C3immortal, I am always impressed by the quality of the mag and eagerly
wait for each issue. I just wanted to let you know how much I've appreciated
your efforts over the years and hope too for many years to come!
Chuck Dunn
"...Rodger, Since
you're posting 1st versions ... would it be too much to ask if you had a copy of
the original 'Up Front'? I know you said a new game is similar in concept ...
but I don't own that game ..."
Hi Doc (Brian),
The first version cover
design I designed for AH’s "Up Front" was never published.
As I noted, the artwork
was from the U.S. Army point of view, not the German. It was a combat action
scene. So, what I submitted to Avalon Hill way back then was a hand drawn
sketch, a pencil rough, not a finished complete work in color.
That was standard
procedure back in those days. I would design a cover as a pencil sketch, submit
the sketch to the client, and if I received the 'greenlight" I would begin work
on the final painting for the boxcover -- that didn't happen with "Up Front"
with the first sketch. I had to start again, and create the cover you see today
with the German theme instead of the U.S. theme.
A couple years ago I
was asked to be a "Special Guest" at the San Francisco "ConQuest" convention.
When I was there, I also manned (alone) our game company booth to meet with our
fans, and sell our games and magazines. During the con, I was told by a number
of our fans to check out this game this guy was playtesting and displaying
downstairs. Since I was chained to the booth, I couldn't get away to see it. I
asked one of the guys to ask the designer to come to meet with me at the booth.
That's when Chad Jensen and I first met. From that meeting I invited Chad up to
"GMT West Weekend" in Santa Barbara where we playtested his game "Combat
Commander" almost 24/7 for four days and nights.
From this came our new
game release "Combat Commander". From the beginning Chad's game design reminded
me of those days back in the 1970's when I was working with John Hill and Don
Greenwood on the first "Squad Leader" game. My hope was that "Combat Commander"
would be well received by the players -- I think it has been based on the
feedback and reviews I've read.
So, when I was working
on the "Combat Commander" package design I reflected on my work on the "Squad
Leader" series. I wanted to capture some of that "feel" but I didn't want the
packaging to look too much like my "Squad Leader" work.
Here it is. Hope you
like it
Rodger
"...Rodger, I have to
ask, having done 'Great Battles of Alexander' a total of three times, which one
is your favorite? I'm a little partial to the first 'Deluxe Alexander' myself,
with the portrait of the king as a rock star (young Roger Daltrey?) and the
mountains in the background. To me, the first indicates the glamour of the
character, as the world's first action hero, and the second the scope of his
conquest, reaching to the Hindu Kush..."
Jim Werbaneth
Hi Jim Werbaneth,
That's an excellent
question. Because of our "GBoH Series" and other games we've done on the
Classical Ancient period I have had a number of opportunities to try to
visualize Alexander the Great through my artwork. I have done a great deal of
reading about Alexander, and of course, I have done visual research as well.
About five years ago I
took the family on a wonderful vacation trip to Italy. I wanted my son Steven to
see Rome and all the historical sites possible. Part of my plan was for us to
stay in Naples for some time, and visit the Classical Art Museum there and then
also go on to the ruins of Pompeii (ca.100 B.C.). When visiting Pompeii and
walking down the sunny streets of this ancient city from thousands of years ago
we came upon the House of the Faun. The ruins of the Corinthian columns and
pilasters are still there, they were so amazing to see. On the floor of the
House of the Faun, thousands of years ago, was the "Alexander Mosaic" -- the
famous mosaic of Alexander the Great and his army against Darius and his Persian
warriors. Today, this preserved (but damaged) Alexander mosaic is housed in the
Naples Museo Nazionale Archeologico. When standing before this work of art, in
the museum, I wanted to try to capture the feel and look of the mosaic, but also
try to update it. Below is my version of that great work of art, a detail from
my cover design for "Commands & Colors Ancients Expansion".
By the way, the Pompeii
"Alexander Mosaic" is believed to have been based on a long lost masterpiece, a
Greek painting of the fourth century B.C.
Enjoy the Art,
Rodger
"...Of all the 'Squad
Leader' products, I think 'Cross of Iron' is my favorite cover. It has the most
action, and I always liked the photograph of the Soviet officer from which the
figure on the right is taken (it was also used on the cover of SPI's
'Kharkov')..."
Hi Jim,
Yes, AH's "Cross of
Iron" came out before SPI's "Kharkov". Of course, my version of the Russian
squad leader was not a high contrast photo (like SPIs), but a hand illustration
incorporating other images like supporting Soviet infantry, armor etc. to
achieve the "combined arms" look. The photo is now famous, but I think I was the
first to use it on a wargame package.
BTW, I was the first to
depict Soviet forces on a wargame package with my cover design for AH's "The
Russian Campaign" in 1976. Strange as it may seem now, but before my "Russian
Campaign" boxcover Russian troops had not been seen on a wargame cover. In fact,
I did stir up a little flak because of this at the time. I had a "balance" of
both German and Russian images on "Russian Campaign" so it was eventually
accepted.
All the Best,
Rodger
"...Could you tell the
story to all of us again? Please! (I sound like my 3 yr old asking to read Dr.
Suess). I just love it ... how they didn't like the original 'UP Front'
cover..."
Hi Doc (Brian Sielski),
OK, to set the stage, I
had been working for The Avalon Hill Game Company (Baltimore, MD) for quite a
few years. My AH artwork for "The Russian Campaign", "Guns of August", "Fury in
the West", "Flat Top", "Civilization", "PanzerGruppe Guderian", “PanzerArmee
Afrika”, “PanzerKrieg”, the "Squad Leader" series, and more had proven to be
very popular. So, Don Greenwood (then VP of AH) who was my main contact at AH
approached me with the then "secret" game project -- "Up Front!", a "Squad
Leader" based card game. Don wanted me to do ALL the artwork and the graphics
for the game, and I was more than interested in doing so. We discussed it in
detail.
The first thing I did
was design the title logo for the game using a bayonet design incorporated into
the lettering/title of the game. Of course, I based the bayonet and the rifle on
the U.S. Army’s M1. My title design was retained and used on all the cards and
everywhere else on the game components where appropriate.
Since the game was
entitled "Up Front" my first thoughts were of the U.S. Army in WWII and the Bill
Maudlin (Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist ) WWII cartoon series about
‘Willie and Joe’ in the “Stars and Stripes” newspaper.
I then started work on
the cover design and illustration for the “Up Front” game package. I designed a
battle scene of U.S. Army soldiers, in combat, fighting through mixed terrain
with a small French village in the background. There were explosions and smoke
in the air. The perspective of the cover art was from that of a typical soldier
as you see troops to the the right and left of you advancing and in front is
your squad leader waving the unit forward – I thought this design captured the
drama of the subject just right. I then quickly sent my art proof to Don
Greenwood.
There was a long
silence. This was before email, faxes and the like – our communication was all
done by post or over the telephone. I waited to hear from Don. Then I finally
received a call from him. Don said that the reaction to my “Up Front” cover
design proof was very positive around the AH offices, they liked it, but it
wasn’t exactly what they wanted. I then asked him what was wrong, what do they
want? He said, that “they said”, “…Germans sell, we want Germans on the cover…”
It took me some time to
calm down from this experience. I thought about it. I slept on it. I was not a
happy camper. I knew my original “Up Front” cover depicting U.S. Army soldiers
in combat would work and I felt it would be well received by the players. But
they wanted Germans. I said to myself, “OK you want Germans, I’ll give you
Germans.” From this came the “Up Front” that we all know today.
By the way, when I sent
in the final cover for “Up Front” with the central German “SS” soldier the guys
at AH loved it. There were zero negative comments or reactions to the coverart
from AH. They couldn’t praise it enough, they said it was “great” and they were
happy with the final results. They said it would sell. Later, when there were
some people who complained about the “SS guy” on the cover, AH blamed everything
on “the artist” and said they were innocent, they accepted none of the blame or
criticism.
In conclusion, for your
information, the central figure, the “SS guy” was based on a Third Reich
painting I saw in a German book I bought in Europe in the 1970’s. The book was
full of Third Reich artwork that had survived the war in some vault. The author
was given access to the art and printed examples from this collection – that is
where the “SS guy” came from, from the secret vaults of the Third Reich.
Hope you found this
story of interest,
Rodger
"I'm convinced that the
infantry is the group in the army which gives more and gets less than anybody
else." Bill Mauldin
"...Burt & Gary (or is
it Terence?) Rodger: Two of my favorites are the "Movie" covers; 'Apache' (with
a Burt Lanacaster like central figure and 'French Foreign Legion' with a Gary
Cooper...Yaquinto seemed to bring out the homage' in you!..."
Hi Rick Wagoner,
The "Album" cover
packaging for those Yaquinto Games was one of the main reasons for the "look".
Back then, as you know, there were real "record albums" (pre-CD jewel boxes).
The format looked like a record album, a movie soundtrack cover, etc.
In addition, Steve Peek
of Yaquinto Games was a very good friend -- we went back to the 1970's when
Steve and Craig Taylor were in charge of Battleline Games. When Steve started
Yaquinto he asked me to come out to Dallas and be the Art Director -- I was
tempted, but decided not to.
So, when the "Album"
cover format was introduced for these new games, and Steve told me some of the
titles, I suggested the "movie image" look for the covers. With titles like
"Beachhead", "Apache", "Swashbuckler",and "French Foreign Legion" (among others)
I felt it would be fun to do and add to the popularity.
The games did well. In
fact, "Swashbuckler" turned out to be Yaquinto's "bestseller" -- it sold more
units than any other history oriented game in their line.
Yes, the main figure on
"FFL" is Gary Cooper (left) from "Beau Geste" and the central figure on "Apache"
is Burt Lancaster from the movie "Apache". I did these covers as a tribute to
these movies and movie stars -- the movies I grew up watching on TV as a kid. I
had a great deal of fun working on those covers.
Cheers,
Rodger
“…Rodger, do you have a
gallery online anywhere? The only pieces of yours I'm aware of are cover art
from GMT Games. The picture above is one I've never seen before…”
I don't have a "gallery
online" per se, but much of what you will find listed (below) can be found by
using the Google search engine – many of these games are now Collector’s items
and sell on eBay etc.
Listed below are around
150 games I worked on before we started GMT Games back in 1990. Of course, as
Art Director of GMT Games. I have done almost all our game packaging and a great
deal of our game component artwork and “C3i Magazine”.
Background: I started
doing wargame art professionally in 1976 for The Avalon Hill Game Company -- my
first game projects were "The Russian Campaign", "Squad Leader" and "Cross of
Iron". I would go on to do over 20 game projects for AH over a 10 year period. I
also worked for Game Designer’s Workshop, Yaquinto Games Inc., Simulations
Canada, Australian Design Group, 3W Games, Strategy & Tactics, Operational Study
Group, Peoples Wargames, Quarterdeck Games and more. Around the mid-1970’s I
also started my first professional wargame magazine "Fire & Movement" (which is
still in print, BTW). Much of my art and graphics won hobby/industry awards
including “Squad Leader”, “Cross of Iron”, “The Russian Campaign”, “World in
Flames”, “Royal Navy”, “Modern Naval Battles”, etc.
In the early 1980’s I
was asked to become the Graphics Coordinator for Hobby Japan Ltd in Tokyo. I
worked on dozens of game projects for Hobby Japan designing packaging, logos,
component art, and I also worked on their wargame magazine “Tactics” (now out of
print). I frequently made business trips to Japan in the 1980’s working on these
many projects.
Hope this helps,
Rodger MacGowan
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