Tom Braunlich

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Tom Braunlich in 2022. Still: The Booster Pack Network.

Tom Braunlich co-designed Decipher's Star Wars Customizable Card Game (SWCCG) with Rollie Tesh. His main contribution was the idea of using the draw deck as the player's Force.[1][2]

The credits page of the Premiere Two-Player Introductory Game rules booklet (1995) thanks Tom Braunlich "for countless details and creativity only a true fan could provide".[3]

Service

Dates Service
1993–1994 Co-designer, Star Trek: The Next Generation Customizable Card Game, Decipher[4][5]
1994–1995 Co-designer, SWCCG, Decipher[6][7]
1994 – February 1996 Answered players' emailed rules questions, Decipher[8]
1998–1999 Co-designer, Young Jedi, Decipher[9][10]
2000–present Chess tournament organizer[11][12][5][13]

Before Decipher

Braunlich met Tesh through chess at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Pente inventor Gary Gabrel recruited both as playtesters at Oklahoma State University, and both became Pente world champions.[14][5] Warren Holland met them through Pente Games, which sold his Decipher prize puzzle.[15] Braunlich holds a USCF Life Master chess rating.[5]

Their early Decipher projects were the board game No Dice and the Star Trek VCR game Klingon Challenge. Living on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, they met Magic: The Gathering designer Richard Garfield and pitched Holland a licensed card game. It became the Star Trek: The Next Generation CCG in 1994.[16][17][4]

Designing SWCCG

Work on Star Wars began right after the Star Trek launch, before the license was signed.[6] Braunlich and Tesh planned the game at designer Richard Borg's house in Florida. In 1995 they moved from Seattle to Virginia Beach to be near Decipher.[6][7]

The game started as each player building a base that the opponent tried to destroy. The base became the deck, and the deck became the Force a player spends and loses. Working out the Force pile and Used pile took weeks.[18] Destiny numbers replaced dice so the game needed nothing but cards. Strong cards got low destiny to keep decks balanced.[19][20] Holland's interest in Joseph Campbell's hero's journey led to the split into Light Side and Dark Side.[21]

Braunlich worked 80 to 90 hours a week through 1995.[22] In the evenings Holland, Tesh, Jerry Darcy and others met in Braunlich's apartment. They projected proposed cards on a wall and reworked them one by one, often until 3 or 4 a.m. Holland approved no card he did not love. Braunlich proposed card functions and Darcy set the numbers.[23]

Decipher bought a 70mm print of the films and an expensive editing machine to pull clear frames, even of background aliens. Skywalker Ranch let the team photograph props. Proposed lore went to Lucasfilm for approval, with sources.[24][25] A large spreadsheet assigned planned cards to future sets, and some Premiere cards carried icons that only mattered later.[26][27]

For the A New Hope launch in 1996, Decipher took the press out on Braunlich's boat, with David Prowse as a guest.[28] Braunlich attended the first World Championship, in Vail, Colorado (1996 Decipher World Championship).[29] He answered players' emailed rules questions until he handed that job to Jason Winter.[8] After the first year or two Braunlich stepped back from SWCCG as Decipher's design staff grew to about a dozen.[30] Former Decipher staffer Mark Tuttle called SWCCG "Tom and Rollie's … game."[31]

Chess

In 1999 Braunlich said he "had a Masters rating in chess".[32] He played in US Opens from 1976 and in the 2007 United States Championship, and his last FIDE rating was 2101.[33] Decipher's own introduction to SWCCG compared the game to chess; see Inspirations for Star Wars CCG#Chess.

Later Decipher work

Braunlich designed the battle system of Young Jedi.[9] He was not involved in Decipher's later Wars game.[34] He and Tesh began a Harry Potter card game for Decipher, in which players would cast spells by saying the words. Decipher did not get the license.[35] He is thanked in the credits of the Jedi Knights Trading Card Game rulebook (2001).[36]

Anagrams

Printed titles scramble Braunlich's surname.[37][38]

Card Unscrambled Relation
Nabrun Leids Braunlich game creator

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 4:40–5:12. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  2. ↑ Star Wars Customizable Card Game, Wikipedia. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  3. ↑ Introductory Two-Player Game Rules Booklet, Decipher / Parker Brothers (1995), credits page. Preserved copy: Internet Archive
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kathy McCracken, The History of Star Trek CCG: The Timeline, Decipher (2004). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Tom Braunlich, Wikipedia. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 3:06–4:40. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Diane Tennant, House of Cards, The Virginian-Pilot, Daily Break p. E1 (11 December 1995). Preserved copy: File:Virginian_Pilot_House_of_Cards_Google_index_2018-02-22.txt; Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Inside the Star Wars CCG: Secrets from Decipher (Jason Winter interview), Imperial Remnant (23 November 2025), 1:50–3:03 and 7:45–8:59. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Inside the Star Wars CCG: Secrets from Decipher (transcript).
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 44:42–45:16. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  10. ↑ Broadcast 16 – Radio Free Decipher (30 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 2), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 30 April 1999), 0:00–2:31. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 16 transcript.
  11. ↑ Virginia Chess Newsletter 2001–#2, Virginia Chess Federation (2001), pp. 1, 3. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  12. ↑ David Luscomb wins Holiday Open, Oklahoma Chess Association (December 2025). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  13. ↑ Braunlich, Tom, FIDE ratings (ID 2017016). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  14. ↑ Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 1:02–3:08. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  15. ↑ Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 4:08–4:39. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  16. ↑ Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 4:39–6:44. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  17. ↑ The Booster Pack #27 — The making of the Star Trek CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (10 August 2022), 9:06–10:30. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  18. ↑ Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 10:16–12:19. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  19. ↑ Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 12:47–13:19. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  20. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 10:00–11:03. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  21. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 8:55–10:00. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  22. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 13:09–14:12. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  23. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 21:23–23:57. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  24. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 17:27–19:43. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  25. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 56:43–57:43. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  26. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 40:00–40:37. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  27. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 59:21–1:00:53. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  28. ↑ Inside the Star Wars CCG: Secrets from Decipher (Jason Winter interview), Imperial Remnant (23 November 2025), 10:46–11:46. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Inside the Star Wars CCG: Secrets from Decipher (transcript).
  29. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 27:59–28:59. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  30. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 37:08–37:57. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  31. ↑ Guest Interview: Mark Tuttle, Fantha Tracks (15 March 2018). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  32. ↑ Broadcast 14 – Radio Free Decipher (16 April 1999): Rollie Tesh, Tom Braunlich (Part 1), Decipher; posted by Player's Council (aired 16 April 1999), 0:27–1:05. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: Radio Free Decipher/Episode 14 transcript.
  33. ↑ Tom Braunlich, chessgames.com. Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  34. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 46:45–47:17. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  35. ↑ The Booster Pack #28 — The making of the Star Wars CCG with Tom Braunlich, The Booster Pack Network (24 August 2022), 51:01–53:07. Preserved copy: Internet Archive. Transcript: The Booster Pack/Episode 28 transcript.
  36. ↑ Jedi Knights Trading Card Game rulebook (credits), Decipher (2001). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  37. ↑ Anagramed Decipherians. Preserved copy: Internet Archive
  38. ↑ SWCCG Collecting Encyclopedia 3.2 (p.200). Preserved copy: Internet Archive
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