Battle Monsters is our restoration of the 1992 game Battle Masters, which was designed by our very own Stephen Baker! We threw a few questions his way to dive into that game and Stephen’s tabletop journey.
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How long have you been in the tabletop gaming industry?
My first job in the industry was at the original Games Workshop, located at 1 Dalling Road, Hammersmith, in the early 1980s. When I left college, I went to work for a bank back in the 1980s, which was considered a job for life and very stable. I was based in Hammersmith and would go down to the Games Workshop during lunch, as my friend worked there. At the time, Games Workshop had only eight stores across the whole of the UK. When my friend left, an opportunity arose for me to work at the store. I quit my job at the bank and, much to the amazement of friends and family, started working as an assistant in a game shop. The bet paid off. A few months later, the manager moved to another store, and I was promoted to store manager. Ultimately, this was what created the opportunity for me to join Hasbro and everything else that followed.
What got you into tabletop games in the first place?
I have been a keen game player ever since I was young. My passion has always been military history. I would make model tanks, planes, and paint plastic soldiers. My friends and I would play simple stand ’em up, knock ’em down type games. However, this damaged the models and chipped off the paint. So, I soon made up some rules, all very basic with simple dice rolls for shooting. My dad then found a book at the library called “The War Game” by Charles Grant. That book, which I still have, changed everything. It was 1973, and I was nine years old.
The terrain, miniatures, and sheer spectacle of tabletop wargames have always been a key influence on the games I design.
What brought you to Restoration Games?
I left Hasbro in 2019 and set up my own company. I split my time between consulting and inventing games. I had worked with Rob Daviau for several years when we were both at Hasbro. He asked if I would be interested in working for Restoration. I was more than happy to say yes. It’s a great team with a truly great mission: to bring back those games we all remember.
What inspired you to make the original Battle Masters?
At the time, I was leading the design for Hasbro’s fantasy range. That included titles like HeroQuest and Space Crusade. HeroQuest was basically role-playing in a box, and Space Crusade provided for an entry-level WH40k experience. The next classic play pattern to replicate was tabletop battles. Battle Masters aimed to provide players with a complete tabletop wargame experience out of the box. It had an expansive playing area with hexes to facilitate easy movement. The game came with over 100 minis.
What design hurdles, if any, did you face with making the original game?
There were many challenges. The gameboard was key. I knew from years of trying to get people into wargaming that troop formations and movement were always the most challenging aspects for new players to manage. I decided that the game needed spaces and that troops would be different, but would not have different formation states. My initial inspiration for the game board was to have a large folded gameboard similar to Torpedo Run, which was a skill and action “Floor Wars” game that Hasbro launched in 1986. However, that box had been too big for retail. I then turned to the idea of a full-color print on a Twister-like mat. The original battle map had a beautiful painting, but it turned out that the rollers that did the printing only had a circumference of 68 cms. The map, therefore, had to be a repeat pattern.
As the original designer of Battle Masters, how does it feel to see a new version of your game being created?
I love any game that creates a spectacle. Working alongside the team to help bring this game to life has been a lot of fun. The idea of a tabletop miniatures game with massive Titans stomping around and wreaking havoc is so appealing to someone like me who just loves two armies laid out on the table. I suspect Godzilla may be paying a visit to one of my historical games in the not-too-distant future.
How was the Monsterverse license chosen for the game?
The team are always on the lookout for great licenses and there are several very keen Monsterverse fans within the company. When the license opportunity came up, the design team quickly saw Battle Masters as an inspiration for what a Monsterverse game could be.
What is your favorite thing about working in tabletop gaming?
The things I most love about games in general are the range of creative skills and disciplines that are involved, from the game design, art, graphics, engineering, storytelling, and more. There is always something new to learn, to master, and to explore.
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Thanks Stephen! We’re lucky to have you on the team. Learn more about Battle Monsters and back the campaign here!