The International Federation of Wargaming (IFW) was a wargaming club operated from 1967 to early 1970s.

Formation

Founded by Bill Speer,

Gary Gygax Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson. In the 1960s, Gygax created an ...

, and Scott Duncan in 1967, it emerged as a successor to an earlier club called the United States Continental Army Command, founded by Speer.

Strategy & Tactics ''Strategy & Tactics'' (''S&T'') is a wargaming magazine now published by Decision Games, notable for publishing a complete new wargame in each issue. Beginnings ''Strategy & Tactics'' was first published in January 1967 under its original edit ...

, Issue #33, p.24 It was founded as a society of gamers with a strong interest specifically in board wargaming and also in the promotion of the publication of

wargames ''WarGames'' is a 1983 American science fiction techno-thriller film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film, which stars Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, John Wood, and Ally Sheedy, follow ...

. The IFW distinguished itself as a more mature club than its rivals in the early American wargaming hobby. Its membership included gamers in local wargaming clubs such as the Lake Geneva Tactical Studies Association and the

Midwest Military Simulation Association The Midwest Military Simulation Association (MMSA) is a group of wargamers and military figurine collectors active during the late 1960s and 1970s. History When wargaming was in its heyday and role-playing games were first developed, the group live ...

. IFW members participated in various "societies" within the IFW for special interests, such as the

Castle & Crusade Society The Castle & Crusade Society was a chapter of the International Federation of Wargaming dedicated to medieval miniature wargaming. Formation It was formed by Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz in 1970. Its starting membership included Gary Gygax, Rob Kunt ...

, which promoted medieval wargaming, and the

Armored Operations Society Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...

, which emphasized

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

wargaming. The IFW ceased functioning around 1973.

Conventions and fanzines

The IFW held its first annual convention in

Malvern, Pennsylvania Malvern is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is west of Philadelphia. The population was 3,419 at the 2020 census. The borough is bordered by Paoli Pike on the south, Sugartown Road on the west, Willistown Township on the east, an ...

in July 1967, though it was only a year later when Gary Gygax hosted the annual convention on behalf of the IFW in his home town of

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Lake Geneva is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located in Walworth County and situated on Geneva Lake, it is home to an estimated 8,105 people as of 2019, up from 7,651 at the 2010 census. It is located about 40 miles southwest of Mil ...

, that the Lake Geneva Wargames Convention (Gen Con) was born. By publishing a magazine (called ''The Spartan'' in 1968 and later called ''International Wargamer'') and sponsoring the early

Gen Con Gen Con is the largest tabletop game convention in North America by both attendance and number of events. It features traditional pen-and-paper, board, and card games, including role-playing games, miniatures wargames, live action role-playin ...

s, the IFW helped wargamers share ideas and meet wargamers from different parts of the country.

References

Wargaming associations {{wargame-stub