American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

I would like 1st to say, the new optional rules are really fantastic that have been added so far.

Only one thing more on my wish list.

More leaders added to OOB, with Command & Control over movement.

So, add in the extra leaders like Nappy Series (Waterloo). Then make all units dependent on the leaders for movemnet.

After touring the Manassas battlefield, I believe this is the only thing that would make it more realistic.

Rules:
No Leader in Command Control - 1 hex no matter what.
In Command & Control of Leader for unit - 100%
In Command & Control of Leader up Chain of Command - 75%
In Command & Control of Leader in another unit - 50%

I am talking only a hex range for Command & Control. Not passing checks.

This would mean having extra leaders like HPS Waterloo so essentially each Brigade would have a Colonel and Regiment has a Brig. Gen. in most cases.

I would then have Rating add hexes to Range. A = +2 B = + 1 C, D = 0
E or Below = -1

Brigade = 3 hex range
Division = 5 hex range
Corps = 10 Hex Range
Army = 30 Hex Range

This would put the focus on units staying together and no lone unit end arounds.

Anyways, this would essentially make Leaders really important, take away blitz style melee, and make players appreaciate the importance of having leaders and not losing them.

A Killed or Captured leader would essentailly put a freeze on the troops until following turn when new commander is promoted. Thereby restoring order.

Routed units to have no restriction and can run full movement in that sate.

Disrupted lose 50% of what the would normally get.

Cheers,


<font color="gold"><b>Brig. Gen. </b></font id="gold">Paul Wakeman, <font color="limegreen">Sharpshooter</font id="limegreen">
[url="http://www.acwgc.org/acwgc_members/paw/Wakeman.html"]OBD[/url]
Kansas Dragoons
<font color="beige">2nd Cavalry Division </font id="beige">
<b>XIX Corps, AoS,<font color="gold"> USA</font id="gold"></b>



Cartographer

Paul
Have indeed played using your command rules as house rules.Effect was excellant!!

Colonel Tony Best
Army of Georgia

If I am correctly following what you are saying you would use CC to determine if a regiment could move using the following:

In CC of Brigade Commander - full movement
Out of CC of BC but still in Division or Corps Command - 75%
Out of CC of BC but within a non chain leaders - 50%
Out of CC of any leader - one hex

This would encourage keeping regiments together but I am not sure it would be that more effective than the required CC for recovering from Disruption does now. It would prevent lone units from being used for scouts but this would also cause problems since I have seen numerous posts wanting more scouting ability not less.

The command ranges would need to be adjusted for the particular battle's army organization. One size fits all would cause forces with fewer or no Corps organization problems. For example at Gettysburg the Union has seven Corps versus the ANV's three. Using the same CC ranges would badly handicap the Reb player.

You really don't need regimental Colonels since they are considered part of the Unit counter. Waterloo has extra brigade and above officers because it has no auto replacement for killed officers. I have never figured out how these "staff" officers work out in the CC system though. You could simulate the affect you are talking about for a Colonel getting killed by just adding some type of "Pin" result to combat.

But speaking of "Pin" or some type of reduced movement to one hex, this creates a number of problems. For a force retreating before an advancing enemy any result that cause reduction of movement to one hex is the same as a future surround kill. There has been considerable protest against the Disrupt's half movement, one hex would be extreme. Also routed units usually end up far enough away and usually in some odd location that they would be subject to the one hex movement once they rallied creating problems trying to save them from surrounds and getting them back in CC.

How a CC system should be implemented depends a lot on what the objective is. To restrict movement, keep brigades together, limit coordinated attacks, etc. The current HPS system encourages keeping formations together but does not restrict movement directly. In adding other affects for it one has to be careful of what the side affects are.

LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
III Corps, AoM (CSA)