Ian Marsh
Encyclopedia
Ian Marsh is a British
writer and editor. He graduated in 1983 from the University of Surrey
, Guildford
, with an honours degree in Materials Technology (also called Materials science
).
Along with school friends Mike Lewis and Marc Gascoigne
, he wrote and edited DragonLords role-playing fanzine
from 1980 to 1984.
In 1983 he joined the staff of Games Workshop
, Sunbeam Road, London. He became editorial assistant on Games Workshop’s role-playing publication White Dwarf (magazine)
in January 1984, progressing to assistant editor and finally editor.
When Games Workshop relocated to Nottingham in 1986 he left the company, preferring to remain in London.
In 1989, he approached Peter Darvill-Evans
at Virgin Books
about writing a new Doctor Who
role-playing game, Time Lord, following the expiration of the licence held by FASA. Time Lord (role-playing game)
materialised in 1991 as a paperback distributed through the book trade. In 1996, Marsh regained the rights to Time Lord and republished it free on the internet.
He moved to Freshwater, Isle of Wight
, in 1999 and established wargaming
figures distributor Fighting 15s. He and Lewis jointly run wargames rules publisher Oozlum Games, which published Marsh’s Napoleonic wargames rules Huzzah! free on the internet in 2003. Oozlum Games published Martian Empires, Lewis's Victorian science fiction wargames rules in 2007; the rules, influenced by Huzzah!, were edited and designed by Marsh.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer and editor. He graduated in 1983 from the University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
, Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, with an honours degree in Materials Technology (also called Materials science
Materials science
Materials science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to various areas of science and engineering. This scientific field investigates the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. It incorporates...
).
Along with school friends Mike Lewis and Marc Gascoigne
Marc Gascoigne
Marc Gascoigne is a British author and editor.He is the editor, author or co-author of more than fifty books and gaming related titles, notably various Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, Shadowrun novels and adventures, Earthdawn novels and adventures, the original Games Workshop Judge Dredd roleplaying...
, he wrote and edited DragonLords role-playing fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
from 1980 to 1984.
In 1983 he joined the staff of Games Workshop
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
, Sunbeam Road, London. He became editorial assistant on Games Workshop’s role-playing publication White Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
in January 1984, progressing to assistant editor and finally editor.
When Games Workshop relocated to Nottingham in 1986 he left the company, preferring to remain in London.
In 1989, he approached Peter Darvill-Evans
Peter Darvill-Evans
Peter Darvill-Evans is an English writer and editor.He was born and lived in Buckinghamshire until he went to university, graduating in 1975 from University College, London with a degree in History....
at Virgin Books
Virgin Books
Virgin Books is a United Kingdom book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Enterprises, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company.-History:...
about writing a new Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
role-playing game, Time Lord, following the expiration of the licence held by FASA. Time Lord (role-playing game)
Time Lord (role-playing game)
Time Lord — Adventures through Time and Space is a Doctor Who role-playing game, written by Ian Marsh and Peter Darvill-Evans and published in 1991 by Virgin Publishing. This game is totally unrelated to the previously released Doctor Who RPG by FASA, having different and simpler mechanics that...
materialised in 1991 as a paperback distributed through the book trade. In 1996, Marsh regained the rights to Time Lord and republished it free on the internet.
He moved to Freshwater, Isle of Wight
Freshwater, Isle of Wight
Freshwater is a large village and civil parish at the western end of the Isle of Wight, England. Freshwater Bay is a small cove on the south coast of the Island which also gives its name to the nearby part of Freshwater....
, in 1999 and established wargaming
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
figures distributor Fighting 15s. He and Lewis jointly run wargames rules publisher Oozlum Games, which published Marsh’s Napoleonic wargames rules Huzzah! free on the internet in 2003. Oozlum Games published Martian Empires, Lewis's Victorian science fiction wargames rules in 2007; the rules, influenced by Huzzah!, were edited and designed by Marsh.