On July 1st 2006 Matrix Games, http://www.matrixgames.com/">
>, received two coveted Game of the Year awards from
Origins in the categories: Best Historical Board Game and Vanguard Unique Game
Awards. The recipients were Mark H. Walker's Lock n’ Load: Band of Heroes
for Best Historical Board Game and Gary Grigsby’s World at War for
Vanguard Unique Game. Nicknamed the Callie awards, these represent special
selection by a panel of expert judges on the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts
and Design (AAGAD) (http://aagad.originsgames.com/).
Both victories are notable achievements for different reasons. Lock n’ Load: Band
of Heroes is the first board game to be published by Matrix Games and
to win an award that takes most companies many years to reach in the first
outing is an important event. Lock n’ Load: Band of Heroes is an easy to
learn hex-based squad level wargame. We take great pride in having some of the
best scenario design and the most flexible combat system of any WWII combat
board game. Congratulations go to Mark H. Walker on this victory for his
outstanding work on the design and development of Lock 'n Load: Band of Heroes!
Gary Grigsby’s World at War is notable as the first step in
recognizing PC games as legitimate entries into the ‘hobby’ game market. Gary
Grigsby's World at War is one of the first, if not the first, PC
titles to win a Callie award. This is a sign to retail hobby shops that it is
alright to accept and embrace PC “board games” as an extension of their
existing market. The Vanguards, such as the one given to Gary Grigsby’s World at
War, are given to titles that are award worthy but do not fall into an
existing category. Congratulations go to 2by3 Games – Gary Grigsby, Joel
Billings and Keith Brors - for adding a great award to their long list of
honors!
Matrix Games looks forward to more PC titles appearing and is strongly pushing
for the creation of a PC Wargame section to be added to the awards program next
year. Matrix Games thanks the Academy and Origins for voting for Lock 'n Load:
Band of Heroes and Gary Grigsby's World At War – we are honored
to receive these awards! For more information on these and other Matrix Games
products visit http://www.matrixgames.com/">
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.
Both games are available in the StrategyPage Game Store.