American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

"Pride of Erin" - Dale Gallon

About the ACWGC & How to Join

 

The American Civil War Game Club (Club) has been formed to play American Civil War games. The Club wishes to provide a military and historical flavor for its members, not just a simple points ladder club, but a way to participate and enjoy the times portrayed in various aspects. The Club emphasizes human to human exchange of game turns via Play by Email (PBEM).

 

How to Join:

To apply for membership in the Club you must decide which side you with to be part of.

To join the Club as a member of either the CSA or Union side see: https://www.wargame.ch/wc/acw/Join_Form/index.php

There are no membership dues.

 

Supported Games:

The games we currently play are the Civil War Battles series by Wargame Design Studio (WDS) [Formerly John Tiller Software (JTS)] and John Tiller's Battleground Civil War by Matrix Games/Talonsoft. We also support the games Forge of Freedom (FoF), Gary Grigsby's War Between the States (WBTS) by Matrix Games as well as American Civil War I: The Blue & the Gray (AACW) & Civil War II by AGEOD/Matrix Games.

 

New Members:

Players of all skill levels are welcome from novice to expert. We take pride in providing a friendly atmosphere for all kinds of members. All new members will pass through a training session, either at the Vicksburg Military Institute (VMI) or the Union Military Academy (UMA), to familiarize them with Play by Email (PBEM) and the Club Rules and Philosophy. Your level of expertise with the game you conduct during training with will be taken into account. The excellent staff at VMI and the UMA are there to answer questions and to help you better understand the game mechanics and improve your gameplay. Questions are welcome and the instructors, like the rest of the membership, are more than happy to answer them.

You will be contacted shortly after your application is received by the Superintendent of the UMA if you have applied to join the Club as a member of the USA side or the Commandant of VMI if you have applied to join the Club as a member of the CSA side. The shared goals of the UMA and VMI are to instill:

  • “Fair-mindedness” in, and an ethical approach to game play.
  • Gentlemanly conduct towards your opponents.
  • Promptness in exchanging game turns as agreed to with your opponent.
  • That winning or losing is secondary to your overall enjoyment of the games and Club Membership.

"It's better to win a friend than it is to win a battle." - General John Dragan

 

Advancing in the Club:

Promotions are based on quality of play and leadership, not just on the number of games played.

Points are awarded for the outcomes of games but do not weigh victories much heavier than defeats. The Club places high value on things like volunteering to help make the Club run, good sportsmanship and respect – all things that are needed to make Club membership enjoyable and foster comradery and new friendships.

 

Club Structure:

The Club is organized in a General Military Staff type system with a "civilian" cabinet administration to balance the pure military perspective. Service as a Commander or Cabinet Member is voluntary and not required to maintain Club Membership. Participation by members is encouraged to reduce paperwork and administrative duties so that the Club runs smoothly.

 

Forums:

The Club Forums has multiple sections and serves as the heart of the Club. The various sections include:

  • The Opponent Finder Forum is the main place to post challenges, find players seeking games, and accept game invitations from other Club Members.
  • The Mason-Dixon Tavern is the primary Club Forum and a good place to hang out. There are a lot of different discussions and Club related activities that happen here.
  • The Cartography Office and Scenario Center provides a place for game modifications, custom designed scenarios, graphics, maps, etc that all enhance the enjoyment of the games. Members are welcome to use and share the items in this section.
  • Feedback Section for Games and Scenarios is a section that gives members the ability to provide feedback on the games and scenarios you played. Each Game title has its own area to provide feedback in.
  • The Book Forum is a quiet corner of the Mason-Dixon where you can enjoy your best sipping whiskey, a warm fire, and vigorous conversation about good books.
  • Questions for the Cabinet, Ideas, Suggestions is the place for Members wanting to ask specific Club questions or raise issues and ideas. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions about the Club rules, submit ideas for review, or to discuss any Club business they would like.
  • There are also Army specific Forums for the Confederate and Union Armies.

Note: Role playing is encouraged (but not required) to recreate, in a friendly and non-political way, the natural rivalry of competitive gameplay between members of the two sides. Friendly banter is the norm. Rude and antagonistic behavior and posts unrelated to the purposes and philosophy of the Club will not be tolerated by Forum Moderators.

 

Maintaining Your Membership:

There is only one requirement of the Club which is to respond to a regular muster report that you are alive and enjoying Club Membership (and related to that, suggesting ways to improve the Club from your perspective). Even if you are not able to play any games (though we hope you will!), you will remain a member in good standing as long as you respond to the muster.

 

 

For Additonal Information, Stop By the Club Recruiting Office

 

 

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Last Updated: February 12, 2022 2:45 PM