American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Officers of the Club,

The Cabinet has approved the following changes to the club rules, subject to ratification by a club-wide vote (as per Club Rule Section 9.0). The proposal generated much discussion in the Cabinet. Following the actual proposal are 'pro' and 'con' statements summarizing the opposing viewpoints. Please send your vote to all three members of the election committee in the same message, using your official club email address (as listed in the Department of Records).

The election committee members are:

D. W. Mallory (dwmallo01 - at - yahoo - dot - com)
D.S. Walter (generalwalter - at - dswalter - dot - net)
Ernie Sands (waryor - at - gmail - dot - com)

Any questions may be addressed to the election committee at the above addresses.

Voting begins immediately and will end on Wednesday, February 17 (three weeks from posting).

Your humble servant,
Gen 'Dee Dubya' Mallory


<b>RESOLVED,</b> that the club rules be amended as follows to provide for a better recognition of administrative and staff services within the respective military groups:

(<font color="orange">Proposed amendments in this color</font id="orange">.)

<u>1. Amend rule 3.1.2 as follows:</u>

<b>3.1.2</b> All members will hold some position in the hierarchy of their respective military group. Each military group is organized as follows, from lowest to highest, with the special exception<font color="orange">s</font id="orange"> of the commandant<font color="orange">s</font id="orange"> of the training academy <font color="orange">and of the war college</font id="orange"> of each military group and of the chiefs of staff. The commandants report directly to their respective CoA. <font color="orange">The chiefs of staff report to their immediate superior officer.</font id="orange">

<u>2. Renumber the positions within rule 3.1.2 as follows:</u>

3.1.2.4. (Army Commanders) to become 3.1.2.5
3.1.2.5 (Academy Commandant) to become 3.1.2.7
3.1.2.6 (Theater Commanders) to become 3.1.2.8
3.1.2.7 (Chief of the Armies) to become 3.1.2.9

<u>3. Add a new rule 3.2.1.4 with the following wording:</u>

<font color="orange"><b>3.1.2.4</b> <u>Chief of Staff („CoS“).</u> Limited to one CoS position to each Academy Commandant, War College Commandant, AC, TC, and CoA. Considered at the same level as DC for purposes of these rules; CoS to the CoA considered at the same level as CC. Duties include
a) Supporting the superior officer in the performance of his duties.
b) Other duties as assigned by superior officer.
The ability of the military groups to create other administrative and staff positions shall not be infringed by the limitation imposed by this rule. However, any additional staff officers shall not be considered at the same level as DC or CC for the purposes of these rules and shall not qualify for promotion under the provisions of rule 4.1.i or 4.1.j or for administrative points under the provisions of rule 4.2.2.i or 4.2.2.j. </font id="orange">

<u>4. Add a new rule 3.1.2.6 with the following wording:</u>

<font color="orange"><b>3.1.2.6</b> <u>War College Commandant.</u> Considered at the same level as AC for purposes of these rules. Duties include:
a) Having at least one game going at all times, with no more than a one month period between games.
b) Maintaining or supervising the maintenance of a web site for the war college.
c) Responsibility for keeping this website up to date with articles and intelligence reports.
d) Supervising additional war college staff as necessary.
e) Reporting to superior officer, as directed by their respective CoA’s.
f) Other duties as assigned by superior officer. </font id="orange">

<u>5. Amend rule 4.1 as follows:</u>

<b>4.1</b> <u>Military Ranks and Requirements.</u> Rank is determined by accumulated Officer Battle Dossier (‘OBD’) points and club service (as approved by the Cabinet).
(…)
i) <u>Major General</u> - 450 points and Division Command <font color="orange">or Chief of Staff to Academy Commandant, War College Commandant, AC or TC</font id="orange"> or higher (Cabinet approval required).
j) <u>Lieutenant General</u> - 600 points and Corps Command <font color="orange">or Chief of Staff to CoA</font id="orange"> or higher (Cabinet approval required).
k) <u>General</u> - 800 points and Army Command <font color="orange">or Academy or War College Commandant</font id="orange"> or higher (Cabinet approval required).

<u>6. Amend rule 4.2.2 as follows:</u>

<b>4.2.2</b> <u>Administration Points.</u> Administration points are earned by serving in designated command positions within the military groups and/or the Cabinet. (…)
a) Club President - 15 points per month
b) Cabinet Secretaries - 15 points per month
c) Chiefs of the Armies - 25 points per month
d) Theater Commanders - 20 points per month
e) Training Academy <font color="orange">and War College</font id="orange"> Commandants - 15 points per month
f) Army Commanders - 15 points per month
g) Corps Commanders - 10 points per month
h) Division Commanders - 5 points per month
<font color="orange">i) Chiefs of Staff to CoA - 10 points per month
j) Chiefs of Staff to Academy Commandant, War College Commandant, TC and AC - 5 points per month</font id="orange">

<u>7. Amend/change section 8 of the club rules (abbreviations) as follows:</u>

AC - Army Commander (Rule 3.1.2. <font color="orange">5</font id="orange">)
BC - Brigade Commander (Rule 3.1.2.1)
CC - Corps Commander (Rule 3.1.2.3)
CoA - Chief of the Armies (Rule 3.1.2. <font color="orange">9</font id="orange">)
<font color="orange">CoS - Chief of Staff (Rule 3.1.2.4) </font id="orange">
DC - Division Commander (Rule 3.1.2.2)
LoA - Leave of Absence (Rule 2.6.1)
OBD - Officer Battle Dossier (Rule 4.1)
PBEM - Play-by-E-Mail (Rule 2.3)
MIA - Missing in Action (Rule 2.6.2)
RM - Result Modifier (Rule 4.2.1.1)
SLM - Scenario Length Modifier (Rule 4.2.1.1)
TC - Theater Commander (Rule 3.1.2. <font color="orange">8</font id="orange">)
WLR - Win/Loss Result (Rule 4.2.1.1)

<hr noshade size="1"><font color="orange">
<b>Pro:</b> "This club isn’t all about leaders and battles. Timely credit for games and victories, medals, promotions, lively forums, and up-to-date websites with attractive graphics provide an enjoyable gaming environment, keep members involved, and strengthen the esprit de corps of units. Such crucial services are largely provided by officers who serve on administrative rather than command positions. With their valuable contributions, these officers lessen the workload for commanders and make the club a better place for everyone.

Under club rules, so far, such contributions are entirely voluntary and can’t be rewarded in a way comparable to service on command positions. Especially, while commanders can advance to Major General and beyond, staff officers, like everybody else, can only go as far as Brigadier General. This seems hardly fair. It also makes it difficult to find good administrators, and incidentally also harder to find capable commanders, as they expect to be stuck with all the work with nobody to help.

The proposed rules change permits a better acknowledgement of administrative contributions. It does not expand the number of general officer positions as such, but provides for an alternative way of earning such a position." </font id="orange">
<hr noshade size="1">
<font color="violet"><b>Con:</b> "The club has been a military-based concept since it began, several years ago. The various levels of command were developed to allow for any member to progress in rank, within that structure, for example, Division and Corps Commanders. Over the years there have been a few limited additions to allow members not in direct line of command, such as the Commanders of the Academies, to also advance. Those members are also awarded Administrative Points to compensate for their non-gaming efforts.

The proposed rule amendments add additional positions that members may use to advance through the ranks without having the duties of COMMAND functions within an army. These new positions are Chiefs of Staff for various positions, like the Chief of Staff of the War Colleges and Training Academies. In the past, IF there were such assignments, they could NOT advance in rank without having been in a COMMAND position, like Division Commander, and they were compensated from a pool of Conduct Points (Discretionary Points the Chief of the Armies has available).

In order to maintain the historic aspect of the club, these proposals should not be allowed."</font id="violet">
<hr noshade size="1">



David W. Mallory
ACW - General, 3/2/I/AotM (Club President & Cabinet Member)

Officers of the Club:

The voting is concluded. There were ‘80’ “Yesâ€