American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Bill

Did a BCE game with Jon Thayer. We kept track of each Brigade and when the average hit 7 the Brigade was BCE`d and could no longer melee or advance into contact. The Brigade un bce`d when the average went back below 7.

It worked quite well. Keeping track was bothersome at first but we both soon got into the spirit and it was easy. One sure didnt waste taking too many extemperanious hits and keeping units rested was essential. Also. the "feel" was good as Brigades could not fight on forever, they just plain wore out.

Field Lt. Tony Best

I know we already have tons of optional rules in the HPS ACW games, but this one looks like a winner. The Gamers' Brigade series of games uses a method similar to this as well. As others have already mentioned, the Civil War was primarily a shooting war, so anything that limits melees in a sensible way has my vote.

-Brett Schulte
HPS Playtester

ACW Campaign Games Design Center:
http://www.brettschulte.net/ACWCGDC/index.html

My Civil War Book Collection:
http://www.brettschulte.net/ACWBooks/

I played a Battle of Gettysburg miniatures game at Fort Monmouth using a similar process from Rick Barber's Summer Storm Gettysburg Boardgame (Clash of Arms). I forget the details, but he rolls the effectiveness calculations up to Divisions and Corps and has criteria for them as well as Brigades. Barber himself did the calculations and tracking for the miniatures game. It worked well and introduced an element of uncertainty into the game -- in that we did not know exactly when events were going to be triggered.

I think the record keeping is a pain for a house rule, but I would like to see it imbedded into the HPS engine. Good luck with the experiment.



Lt Gen Bob Breen
Commanding 4th Bde, 2nd Div, VI Corps, AoS
"Where we lead, the Army follows" - VI Corps

Was there any type of fire bonus modifier for brigades that stayed together and fought together, say within so many hexes of each regiment and their BG to maintain the modifier?

Brett Kolcun
3/Cav/XX/AOC

<i>Was there any type of fire bonus modifier for brigades that stayed together and fought together, say within so many hexes of each regiment and their BG to maintain the modifier?

Brett Kolcun
3/Cav/XX/AOC</i>

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In the Fort Monmouth Gettysburg miniatures game we were using a set of rules called Fire & Fury - the basic unit in a game was a Brigade. These rules include a check at the begining of each turn and Brigades within the command range of their Division, Corps and Army Commanders have a better chance of passing. (there are versions of the rules that allow you to play smaller games with regiments).

The combat effectiveness process was based on casualties -- men, guns, commanders. As I recall, once a brigade, Division or Coprs reached some number (we were not told what it was or whether it was the same for all units)it was no longer able to advance or initiate melee. It could fire and and if attacked defend.



Lt Gen Bob Breen
Commanding 4th Bde, 2nd Div, VI Corps, AoS
"Where we lead, the Army follows" - VI Corps