Game Designer

Redmond Aksel Simonsen

Redmond Aksel Simonsen — American game graphic artist and designer, active 1969–1981, specialized in wargames and game graphics.

10 Games

Biography

Simonsen worked primarily as a graphic artist and designer associated with SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc.). Our database lists 112 games with his contribution. He also edited several game magazines and influenced early discussions on game design. Exact birth or death details are not provided in the source data here.

Career

Working largely within SPI, Simonsen supervised the publication of many wargames; the provided activity range is 1969–1981. His work focuses on historical wargame simulation, combining clear, functional graphic design with editorial structure. Top mechanics in his portfolio are Hexagon Grid, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement and Movement Points. He is frequently represented in Charles S. Roberts Award listings in the source data.

Most Famous Games

Notable titles include War of the Ring (1977), Terrible Swift Sword: Battle of Gettysburg Game (1976) and Empires of the Middle Ages (1980). Other prominent works are To the Green Fields Beyond (1978), The Next War (1978) and War in Europe (1976). Several of these received recognition in Charles S. Roberts awards.

Design Style

His approach pairs traditional wargame simulation with functional, information-focused graphic design. Hex-based movement, dice resolution and simulation-heavy systems characterize most of his work. He concentrated on complex historical battle simulations.