American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Gentlemen,

I would like to teach my nine year old son how to play these games. Looking for advice from any dads out there. Currently, I have BGBR, BGG, BGS, BGN, and HPS Corinth. If UPS does its job, I'll have HPS Gettysburg and Vicksburg tomorrow. Which scenarios do you recommend for teaching purposes? Its been years since I was at VMI, so I need some help.

BG Jon Hooper
Choctaw Mounted Rifles/3rd Div/II Corps/AoM

I would use HPS Gettysburg as the tool, IMO. Corinth and Vicksburg seem to have more wooded areas and it would be easier to show how to play on the more open maps of Gettysburg. I would stick to the smaller scenarios.

At 9 years old, I would leave on the sounds, videos, music, etc, but I would stick to 2d versions for now. The 2d versions are less graphic and do not display individuals, so it is more of an abstraction.

30 something years ago, I started my 9 year old son on the board games of Tactics II and Gettysburg. We actually had to buy a second Gettysburg, as we wore out the board and counters of the first set. We graduated to D&D games during high school and college, but that was all before computers were getting a foothold.

Now, he at 43 years old and he still plays computer games, but mostly the real time wargame stuff. I have never been able to reinterest him to the games I now play, HPS and the BG ones.

I think the board games, whether Monopoly, Risk and the strategy games on the copmputer DO help to maintain an active imagination, more so than the current "kid" computer games out there; the FPS ones in particular.



<b><font color="gold">Ernie Sands
General, Commanding, Army of Ohio

ACWGC Cabinet Member
ACWGC Records Site Administrator
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Thanks for your reply Ernie. At 44 I think I can empathize with your son. About the same time I left ACWGC, I also gave away all my board games,thinking gaming was in the past for me. However, I did keep Risk and all my naval miniatures, so my boys and I at least can do some tabletop gaming.

You made great suggestions, and I plan on following them. He's pretty dang good with WWII tactical games, it will be interesting to see how he bends his mind around the CW.

BG Jon Hooper
Choctaw Mounted Rifles/3rd Div/II Corps/AoM

A topic of interest to me as well. Although I'm "in between training" right now. My sons are in their 30's; my oldest grandson is 3.

I think the Battleground games are a better place to start. The scenarios are more tactical and you get to the action quicker. I also think there is a larger number of small scenarios so you can easily sample multiple battles. I do agree 2-D is better to start, but if it is a small sceanrio the 3D does add more "eye candy" and can have appeal. 3D may make the "facing topic" easier to see. I also agree with leaving the sounds on, and crank up the volume.

I'm also saving some older PCs with the hope of being able to use two of them to play the Battleground games head-to-head.

Your son sounds like he is already into gaming, so the PC games are probably an easy palce to start. I have a copy of the Hasbro Battle ground game that I plan to try when the grandson is about 6. Also among the board games, I was thinking the tile base games from Columbia - Bobby Lee and Sam Grant might be good for kids. Even there civil war card games might be a good introduction. With regard to reading material, years ago I picked up a copy of the Golden Book of the Civil War - mine was printed in 1976 - I don't know what the target reading age is - it's 200 pages - lots of pictures and illustrated maps. I think it would be good for any first time civil war gamer. The book and the battle ground games are actually a pretty good set of education tools. Try your local library or an inter-library loan.

... and don't forget an "after action" report for those of us who may do this again.

Lt Gen Bob Breen
Commanding 5th Bde, 1st Div, XIX Corps, AoS
"Defenders of the Right"

I totally agree about the reading material, Bob. I could swear I have that book around somewhere.

This weekend I'm going to try him on both game systems, and see which he likes best. I think to teach tactics, 2D is the way to go. Its easier to see what going on. Thanks for the help.

BG Jon Hooper
Choctaw Mounted Rifles/3rd Div/II Corps/AoM

My 8 year old started playing Gettysburg. I also had him play a few scenarios in Atlanta. We left the sound on, he likes the 3-D view.

He also likes to watch the movie Gettysburg, particulary Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge.

MG Randy Hartwig
IX/AoO, USA