Does anyone know if there is a link between Group One Games and Judges Guild? Group One Games published very few products, but on close inspection their printing style, grade of paper, font, letter spacing, text block setting style and general feel are all strikingly similar to those of Judges Guild.

Group One Games' address in 1981 was 1737 Walnut Grove, Decatur, Illinois.

The one product I know of that was published for D&D, Ironhoof Highlands, has no credits in it whatsoever. No author, no contributing artists, no editor, nothing.

Yep, Group One was founded in late 1980 by a number of folks who left Judges Guild, including Bob Bledsaw's sister Debbie and her husband Marc Summerlot, plus Mark Holmer and some others (Bob can't recall who all was among them). It was a friendly split, and Bob even helped them out with advice, equipment, and such (remember, JG was flush at the time and their products were selling like hotcakes, far more demand than supply at the time). But Group One never really amounted to anything. Ironhoof Highlands (1981) was the only fantasy product they actually published, and they were supposed to publish some Traveller books, too, but Bob wasn't sure that they ever actually got printed. Most of the folks that left for Group One returned to Judges Guild afterward, in late 1981 or early 1982.

The address was Bob's sister's house, and Bob actually lives in that house today...

An interesting thing about the map in Ironhoof Highlands was that it used semi-standardized symbols, which the Judges Guild maps did not. Each Wilderlands map was hand-drawn by Bob, though he did use various templates for the forests and such, each mountain and hill was hand drawn, etc. Not so for the Ironhoof Highlands, which apparently entirely used templates (not having Bob to draw the maps). And the map was in color, too, which was not done with the Judges Guild maps. After the Tekumel maps in Empire of the Petal Throne and Greyhawk in the gazetteer, I think this might have been the third published full-color map for a fantasy RPG, a step closer toward the style that was eventually used for the Known World Gazetteers (Mystara).

Shane,

I've seen that Traveller list before, but never actually seen the products... have you seen them? Could you perhaps put a section up on the Acaeum/JG board with listings and pictures and information on each? I'd be very interested in that... and Group Once does count as Judges Guild's bastard stepchild, after all...

Wow! Thanks Shane! Seeing those covers is to me like seeing the Loch Ness Monster... something often rumored, and you want to believe in it, but never would expect to see in your lifetime...

Now I've got to hunt those down on eBay, too...

Hello!

Curious lurker dropping by... Is this Ironhoof Highlands product good? I am especially interested if it is the vein of traditional JG supplements - e.g. Wilderlands of High Fantasy, Portals of Torsh, Verbosh, etc.

Thank you for your reply, killjoy.

I have been trying to complete my Group One collection because of the JG connection (and I collect all things Classic Traveller).  I have benefited form the recent auctions on eBay, picking up three items I was missing.  I think the latest round of items must have observed previous prices and set the prices accordingly.  $75.00+ is a little rich for my blood.