[1][2] In 2006 Wesely described how the club began: The Midwest Military Simulation Association was founded on April 18, 1963, by Ray Allard, noted amateur historian and reenactor, now deceased.
The first meeting was attended by Dr. William Musing, Loren Johnson, Ron Lauraunt and Winston Sandeen, Ray Allard Junior and David A. Wesely.
Besides age, the group was split by interest, with the five older guys being historians, collectors, modelers and painters of military miniatures, and the two youngest being wargamers.
More interested in wargaming than collecting or historical reenactment, these members played a critical role in the development of RPGs.
Arneson later developed a fantasy role-playing milieu called Blackmoor, and co-created Dungeons & Dragons with Gary Gygax in 1973.