American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Greeting Gents,
I'm a relative newbie to HPS and have several scn.going in several
of the different HPS titles. I was just curious as to why
HPS Gettysburg has a Union brigade command radius of 2 hexes
while Penisula/Atlanta have 3 hex radius. That 2 hex radius is
a real pain in the arse!!!

Col.John Lytwak
Div. Commander
2nd Cav.Div XVI AoT

You will see several differences between the "philosophies" on which the different designers base their titles. PDT values are one, but for instance you will also notice that in HPS Gettysburg cavalry and artillery are even more costly than in other HPS ACW games. Personally, I have come to the point where I choose the titles I purchase not by theme but by designer, according to the style I prefer.

Drew Waggenhoffer: Corinth, Ozark, Peninsula
Doug Strickler: Gettysburg
Rich Walker: Franklin, Shiloh, Atlanta, Chickamauga

It's similar in the Napoleonic series where instance where there are quite noticeable differences between the PDT values and OOB styles used by Rich Hamilton and Charlie Cutshall on the one hand and Bill Peters on the other hand.

On the issue at hand, I suppose the lower command range has been carried over from BGG where I assume it was used to compensate for the tighter command structure of the Federal army (7 corps and some 20 divisions as opposed to 3/9 for the Rebs, for just a slightly higher number of troops) and maybe also to give the Rebs one more edge ...

Gen. Walter, USA
<i>The Blue Blitz</i>
3/2/VIII AoS

General Walter,
Thanks for your reply. I didn't realize the variation depending on the designer.Though now that you mention it I also noticed the difference
in VP's in CGB.Thanks for that bit of intelligence!

Col.John Lytwak
Div. Commander
2nd Cav.Div XVI AoT

Here's to hoping Rich, Drew and/or Doug are working on some Eastern Theater games as we speak so those titles can add to the philosophical discussion![:D]

Yes, I'm greedy...[:D]


General Jeff Laub
Union Chief of the Army
ACWGC Cabinet Member
http://www.geocities.com/laubster22/UnionHQ/

Hopefully one of the scenario designers will respond with their thoughts on the choices but here is my opinion:

I think it mostly reflects the difference in organization of the two armies. At Gettysburg the ANV was divided into 3 Corps of 3 Division each with 4-6 brigades in each division. Most ANV brigades have more regiments than a Union brigade. The brigade difference of 2 vs 3 hexes is a little harder to justify but reflects both the relative number of regiments between the two and I think designers opinion of the brigade level officers. An ANV brigade simply has to cover a larger frontage. Union brigades average about 1500 men compared to ANV's 1800.

Division wise its more obvious. ANV has 9 division officers to control 38 brigades while the AoP has 19 division officer to control 50 brigades. A Rebel division officer needs a larger radius to control an average of four oversize brigades compared to a Union officer only controling 2.5 brigades.

Peninsula the armies are organized quite different so the difference in radius may not be needed but I haven't analyzed theirs.

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