after serving in the u.s. army, miller continued his studies at illinois state university in 1972 under the g.i. bill. there he joined the isu game club, created by rich banner and frank chadwick. banner obtained a grant that funded the printing of blank hex sheets (suitable for making war-game maps). adding new members loren k. wiseman and john harshman, the isu game club drafted a variety of designs. some of these designs were derivatives of existing games, and had generic names like "guerre" and "swamp," while others were amalgamations, such as "triplanetary."