Phil Viverito: Author, Lecturer, Model Maker & Game Master

Some 40 years ago Viverito began his gaming career as a historical miniature gamer after reading H.G. Wells' Little Wars while earning his B.A. Degree in History at Niagara University. Always having had miniature figures, typical to boys of the 1950's , now he realized that there was a way to examine military actions in a logical and systematic way using miniature figures. It would be 20 years before he would arrive at creating and getting his own game system published. The process required years of historical research and attending miniature gaming conventions like Cold Wars and Historicon.

Balancing daily life with work, wife and family; Viverito collaborated on his first set of rules Knight Hack Medieval Warfare 1000 to 1234 with Ed Backer and Richard Kohlbacher. After Knight Hack came Classical Hack I, Classical Hack II , Classical Hack III: Hack in the Dark Warfare in the Dark Ages and finally Fantasy Hack. The collaboration ended as lives changed for the collaborators. Viverito was able to pursue a path on the gaming convention circuit.

Initially traveling from Toronto, Canada to Atlanta, Georgia in the mid 1990's Viverito actively promoted his game system. As the years passed various editions were published utilizing his truly national test playing at conventions where players were able to critique and add new ideas and ideals to the Hack game system. Around 1995 Holy Hack Hacking by the Book: Biblical Warfare First Edition was added to the list.

While attending the many different conventions the advent of the internet was growing and with it was born the Classical Hack Web Site with the help of JT Thomasovich.. This helped to achieve Viverito's desire to advance his concepts and thoughts on ancient and medieval historical gaming. Shortly after the publication of Holy Hack Viverito completely rewrote Classical Hack (1997) and Knight Hack. This was followed by his first scenario book Classical Hack Scenarios Rome (1998). All published through LMW Works Publishing.

By the end of the 1990’s Viverito was asked to participate in To the Strongest Jodie Con Event held in Mammoth, New Jersey. Here more than 25 players showed up to participate in a massive Successors campaign game directed by Norbert Brunhuber, JT Thomasovich and Peter Panzeri. This event lasted over an entire weekend and was highly successful.

With the turn of the century Viverito had become well known at smaller as well as the big national conventions. With the various systems reworked he added miniature dioramas as part of his demonstration games to draw more players. By bringing these large scale gaming dioramas to smaller conventions (Southern Front, Siege of Augusta, Hot Lead, MIGS Con and Cowpens) he found he was promoting not only his gaming system but also a different approach to historical ancient and medieval gaming: the scenario game and the creation of the Q.R.S. (Quick Reference Sheet) which are becoming more and more prominent in the hobby. His scenario games won many national and local show awards.

Other opportunities presented themselves to the west as well. This came to fruition first with Origins, in Columbus, Ohio. It was at Origins that Viverito began participating in the Origins War College Seminars. This experience lead to his lecturing on military history at various cities including Washington, D.C. Here, with Fred Hubig he participated in a seminar at the Tunisian Embassy. Viverito was made a Smithsonian Instructor. Next came talks, using his models at the Biblical Archeological Society, Buffalo, the Free Masons and other educational institutions and societies.

Between convention trips, game designing and writing Viverito contributed many articles to gaming magazines and journals. These include Spear Point, Magweb.com, La Gloire, Historical Miniature Gamer Magazine, most recently War Gamer's Journal(on line) and many of his models have graced the covers of magazines and front page story lines in local newspapers.

As the century turned Viverito found himself being invited to Mid West (Origins 2003 and 2004) and West Coast Conventions; Mini Wars, ConQuest (SF and LA), and Strategicon (LA). With travel covering both coasts retirement from his day job (as a staff photographer and then a career in materials management) proved a relief. More attention could now be devoted to his true love; gaming. In October 2006 Viverito did his third T.V. spot. The first had been in 1976 on a local PBS station to promote gaming and a local convention (The Great Lakes Gaming Convention; 1976). The second spot being again for PBS at Fall In! 2005. The final T.V. spot was for a commercial. In the last Viverito's model city of Troy was the center piece of the commercial. Viverito had been also interviewed on radio (ConQuest SF) and on line (Magweb.com). All of this stemmed from his travels and demonstration games. As a result of these efforts Viverito has been guest of honor at many shows on both coasts.

Travel has created many acquaintances and friendships in the hobby. To express thanks Viverito made sure that the Classical Hack Web Site has a page dedicated called Evocati expressing their contributions not just to his efforts but recognizing their general contribute to making gaming a better thing.

As a measure of thanks to HMGS Pacific Southwest Chapter Viverito assisted in reestablishing their web presence. As of today this tiny assistance has generated interest in the Pacific South West members that the site has been rebuilt to an even more attractive and informative tool for their chapter.

Today Viverito still in Western New York, travels with his presentations and demonstration games while writing more articles, designing new models, publishing the Classical Hack News Letter and scenario books. To his credit Viverito has been lucky enough to have had his rules translated into Italian (Taglio Classico) by Luca Marini of Rome, Italy. A Spanish translation is also in the works for Classical Hack.

Viverito’s main goal has been to inspire others to create their own models, books and generally get involved in the study of history through historical miniature gaming. To achieve this end he continues to write and produce new models for shows. A task that is not always easy but which offers great rewards. As Viverito often says, “When it stops being fun, I’ll stop gaming and building.”

In addition to article writing Viverito is currently writing his first historical work to be published by LMW Works in 2009: a history book on ancient Egypt.