Jim Dunnigan

Lore & Background

Dunnigan was born in Rockland County, New York. After high school, he volunteered for the military, serving from 1961 to 1964 as a repair technician for the Sergeant ballistic missile, including a tour in Korea. He later attended Pace University studying accounting, then transferred to Columbia University, graduating with a degree in history in 1970. In college he became involved in wargaming, contributing to Jutland (published by Avalon Hill in 1967) as a playtester or contributor, though the design credit is disputed and the established canon credits Avalon Hill's staff. He did not design 1914 (1968), which was created by Don Greenwood and others. His first major design was PanzerBlitz (1970), which sold around 200,000 copies.

He founded Poultron Press, soon renamed Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI), to save the magazine Strategy & Tactics. Dunnigan had contributed to the magazine since its second issue in February 1967. When publisher Chris Wagner faced financial difficulties, Dunnigan bought the rights for $1. He took over a windowless basement on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and published his first issue, Strategy & Tactics #18, in September 1969; every subsequent issue included a new wargame. He also designed Sniper! (1973) and Dallas: The Television Role-Playing Game (1980), the first published licensed role-playing game. In 1980, due to SPI's deteriorating finances, Dunnigan left to write books, model financial markets, and pursue other projects.

Between 1966 and 1992, he designed over 100 wargames, from the early tactical titles to the online Hundred Years War (running since 1992 with partners Albert Nofi and Daniel Masterson). In 1999, with Masterson and Nofi, he founded StrategyPage, an online military news site where he serves as editor-in-chief. He regularly lectures at military and academic institutions, such as the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group.

Reader's Guide

James F. Dunnigan's significance lies in his dual impact on commercial wargaming and military analysis. As a designer, he created PanzerBlitz, one of the best-selling wargames of its era, and through SPI he revolutionized the hobby by bundling a new game with each issue of Strategy & Tactics, making wargaming accessible to a broader audience. His design of Dallas: The Television Role-Playing Game marked the first licensed role-playing game, a milestone in gaming history. Beyond games, Dunnigan's analytical work—including books like How to Make War and The Complete Wargames Handbook—bridged the gap between simulation and real-world military strategy, earning him consulting roles with the Defense and State Departments. His co-founding of StrategyPage in 1999 created a lasting platform for military news and commentary. Inducted into the Charles Roberts Awards Hall of Fame in 1976 and named by Pyramid magazine as one of the millennium's most influential persons in adventure gaming, Dunnigan's legacy endures through his hundreds of game designs, his publications, and his ongoing editorial work.

Did You Know?

• He bought the rights to Strategy & Tactics magazine for $1 from Chris Wagner.
• He served as a repair technician for the Sergeant ballistic missile from 1961 to 1964, including a tour in Korea.