American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

OK, I'm sure this has been done before, but I don't think recently. So what do y'all do in real life? Other than "as little as possible"!!

I'm a Methodist minister, seconded to British Methodism from United Methodism (Western North Carolina Conference) in 1996, now transferred to British Methodism and one interview away from heading off to the south Pacific in '07. When I was growing up, I always knew I was going to be a career officer in the Navy or Marines, but when checking on chaplaincies I was told they were full up on Methodists and Baptists. But if I were Catholic, Jewish or Muslim they were desperate! Started wargaming in '79. I did a school report on Midway, and my parents saw this game called "Midway" in the toy store and got it for me.

I can still remember getting to the bottom of the box, finding the catalogue and thinking, "There are MORE!!" [:D]

My first computer was a Commodore Vic-20 with tape drive and 2K memory (I got the expansion to take it to 29k!!). It came with a King Arthur text game, and I've been computer gaming ever since.

38 & single (but working on it!).

Maj Gen Sean Turner
3rd Cavalry Division, "Yankee Thrasher"
I Corps
Army of Alabama

Sean, I am a retired USAF officer, now working for a manufacturing company as the IT Operations Manager (zzzzzzzzzzzz). I'm 50, and married with two boys. I love computer wargaming and also started with Avalon Hill board games. The first was Afika Korps, ah what a game it was. I also love to read history and science books (especially military history,) play golf, tennis and travel. I live in Greensboro NC. I'm in the ACWGC, CCC and NWC and enjoy them all. I am grateful to have found a way to meet so many guys with the same kinds of interests I have and to have made so many friends, even amongst the Rebs.



Lt. Gen. Ed Blackburn
VIth Corp/AoS
"Where We Lead the Army Follows"

Well I'm the shipping coordinator at the Pioneer plant here. We grow the company's sorghum seed and I oversee shipping it around the US and the world. Also several other seed types to salesmen in 7 states. Also take care of drying our crop when it comes in. Needless to say this is my busy time of year, getting all the farmers their seed in time for planting. Got my start with AH Stalingrad and Panzerblitz back in 1975.

General Mark Nelms
Union Chief of the Army

Well, to join the "clerical" crowd, I'm a Lutheran Pastor (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod if you wanna be fussy). I got my start in wargames also with AH games, Panzer Leader around 1978 or so.

Hm... Methodist vs Lutheran... that may be a nastier fight than Blue vs Gray [}:)]

Col. Gary McClellan
1st Division, XXIII Corps
AoO,USA

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Gary McClellan</i>
<br />
Hm... Methodist vs Lutheran... that may be a nastier fight than Blue vs Gray [}:)]

Col. Gary McClellan
1st Division, XXIII Corps
AoO,USA
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Garrison Keillor might agree...

I, on the other hand, was raised Southern Baptist, which of course means that I can't drink when other Baptists are around. (A little Baptist humor, haha) Though I do have an uncle who is a Methodist minister (former Vietnam Army Ranger.)

Myself, I have a church music degree from college, which I put to gainfull use currently working as an underwriter for Allstate Insuranec Company in our GAP Insurance division. It is woefully boring and monotonous, as one could well imagine. As soon as my wife graduates, I will look for a job in church music as a choir/orchestra director or writing and arranging music.

My uncle the Methodist minister helped get me into wargames at a young age - he's a profound history buff and lived in Atlanta when I was young and taught me a lot about the war of northern agression. I also grew up 10 minutes from Olustee Battlefield in Florida, site of our great victory over the northern foe, and was able to attend the annual reenactments. I got an Across Five Aprils wargame when I was in my very early teens and spent much time playing it alone. Fifteen years later I'm very glad that computers mean I don't have to go solo any more! Much more fun this way!

Regards,
Captain Alan Lynn
3rd Battery "Jacksonville Greys"
4th Div, II Corps, AoA
God bless <><

In real life I'm a General commanding a brigade in the Army of the Cumberland.

For enjoyment I like to play a very realistic "real life/real time" game. My charactor is an architect living in Annapolis, MD. My charactor is self employed. He's an ornry old cuss that's generally a pain in the a**. He's handsome but modest, smart but prone to inserting his foot in his mouth, and has a tendancy to hit the "send" button before he's completly done thinking things through. All tough qualities to play in this game. Very challenging game with this charactor. Additional details is my charactor likes running and generally does 35-40 miles per week and has run 2 marathons and dozens of races of lessor distances....I hate the game when I have to play him after he's has a bad race. He reads military history and he's married to a wonderful lady and they enjoy traveling....I love the game on those days.

Complex charactor I know but a game I enjoy idling away my free time doing. It's a small comic relief from the heavy duties of commanding a brigade in the AoC.

Gen. Doug Burke
XX/AoC/USA

Wow... Sure are a lot of "men of the cloth" about for a wargames club :>

I am a software tester for our countries tax collectors ( I hear the boos and hisses already ). I like breaking software

My first computer was a TRS ( TRASH ) 80 colour thing from Radio scrap.

I play Chess as relaxation and luv sci fi

Colonel John Corbin
Commanding officer
2nd Division
XVIII Corps
AoJ

Well I am a retired soldier, 20 + years in the US Army Infantry (a Grunt 11B) I am currently attending Austain Peay State University here in Clarksville TN. I am majoring (you guessed it) History with a minor in education. I plan to teach Highschool History. I started in wargaming about 30 years ago with Wooden Ships & Iron Men and the Third Riech, good ole Avalon Hill games. My first computer was a Tandy Color III. I also play Chess (former member of US Chess Federation) I paint and draw, and enjoy old sports cars. I currently have 2 1966 Sunbeam Alpines, and my prize a 1954 Jaguar XK120 roadster.

LT. GEN. Tony Malone
III Corps AoA
Crimson Tide
"Do your duty in all things, You can never do more, You should never wish to do less".

I'm a career police officer - 25 years with the Ontario Provincial Police. Have spent most of my career in northern Ontario, spent 3 years in the Ottawa area. Currently a Detective Sergeant heading up the criminal investigation unit in the Sault Ste Marie area for the last 10 years.
I too started with Avalon Hill games - still have Afrika Korps and Gettysburg on a shelf somewhere. Married with 2 children - daughter in second year university and son in final year of high school. Play hockey for winter fun (hey, I'm Canadian, eh?) and chase golf balls around in the summer - mostly in the rough.

BG Jeff Bangma
2nd Division, VI Corps
Army of the Shenandoah

I play with dirt & rocks...watch other people work & get paid well for it!!!

I am a construction inspector with a local county government. I test the soil, concrete, stone & blacktop used to build roads. I also inspect contractor's work to see they are building the roads, utilities & infastructure according to engineering specifications.

[url="mtdavies@msn.com"]Captain Mike Davies[/url]
4/1/XXV
<i><b>"Keystone Brigade"</b></i>
Army of the James

I'm 37, live in York (England) and am married to a new Zealander and have two kids (girl-11 and boy-8).

In employment terms I'm currently on the scrapheap due to health problems which started over 3 years ago and are reluctant to clear up (I'm learning to be patient!). But I do what I can around the home (including playing wargames and watching rugby and cricket on the TV[;)]) and spend much time with my kids while my wife goes out to work.

My last job was in the library at the University of York, working with the library computer systems and electroninc information sources. (I'm a qualified librarian by trade). Prior to that I worked in a public library in Wellington in New Zealand and I've also worked as a curator/librarian at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. I've also been a swimming pool lifeguard and gym instructor and the manager of a lazer-copying shop (sometimes you have to adapt!) and spent time as a musician (where I didn't make any money!). I was doing some part-time university studies in archaeology when my health went downhill so that is on hold indefinately.

Since everyone seems to have some religious credentials I'll mention that I play a small part instructing the children at my church - not something I have a talent for but it gives me a sense of purpose.

I used to do miniatures gaming as a teenager, got into boardgames at University and started PBEM games as soon as the Battleground games came out. I just got back into boardgames again recently.

Lt. Gen. Antony Barlow
CO, XIV Corps,
XO, Army of the Cumberland

Hmmm,I'm a Neurologist. Funny how often I get asked how I can be a Doctor and be interested in playing wargames. I try to explain that they don't actually allow us to kill anyone but that doesn't seem to register. I started with Avalon Hill myself and I still have a box somewhere with Third Reich, Squad Leader etc. and a few SSI games as well. Noone to play with now. I used to love to run but my knee gave out on me hiking down Bell Rock in Sedona (with my daughter in a baby pack on my back, finishing that hike was fun) so now I bike in front of ESPN. I coach my kids basketball team (5 and 6 year olds playing basketball is truly one of the funnest things I've ever seen. If they don't cheer you up, nothing can. After the last game one of the little girls asked me why I shaved the top of my head, lol.) I play a ton of poker. When my wife and I were discussing finances last time my son suggested I go win the money in a game. Yeah, my wife loved that. I'm jealous of Tony's XK120. Right now I work on my car and take it to the track every once in awhile but I have no room for an old car to restore. I'm trying to save up enough money to build a new house with a big garage and then I will restore an old car. I'm thinking an old BMW 2002 though an old Jag would be fun as well (are the electricals as bad as I hear Tony?). Well, there's no money or room for that now anyways. I love playing these games and I cherish the friends I have made in the club. I think the civil war games are unusually biased against Union troops. My favorite example is Baxter's brigade of I Corps. Despite inflicting extremely heavy casualties and not retiring from Oak Ridge till they were out of ammunition they are consistently rated D Class troops. But that's a post for another day.

Major General Don Golen
Army of the Potomac, USA!

I'm in my second marriage, this one's gonna last!

Professionally, I finance affordable housing. My borrowers are from an association on nonprofits (NGOs to those overseas) who build both rental and homes for sale throughout the U.S. We think we're the best at what we do, changing people's lives and improving communities, and doing it at scale.

I like to make and drink beer, follow the Red Sox and the Pats, and whup Rebs. I do volunteer work for my alma mater (U.Chicago) and like backpacking, but haven't been out enough the last couple of years.

My first AH board game was Gettysburg. I still have copies of Bulge, D-Day, Waterloo and Anzio collecting dust in the attic.

Lt. Gen. Matt Perrenod
<i>The Blue Ghost</i>
VIII Corps, Army of the Shenandoah

Well, I dove many things over the years to earn a buck or two Prior to moving to Wisconsin I was in Pest Control Sales. In the portion of Wisconsin I live in jobs are limited to manufacturing and farming, period. So, upon my arrival, I started working in a maufacturing plant. I did this work for a couple of years until in January of 2001 I was injured while at work. It turns out I had a herniated disk (L5S1). To complicate matters there is degeneration of the two disks above the herniated one and it seems to scare the doctors away from doing surgery which is what normally happens with this injury or so I have been told. I am still trying to go back to work but cannot get a release fromt he doctors....they do not want to do anything for the injury other than tell me to do stomach crunches (been doing those for two years now) but they won't release me for work either. I don't mean to hammer the docs but its been very frustrating to say the least. I have been passed off to more docs than you can shake a stick at, all with the same result.....go see this guy...no, go see this guy....you know this guy can probably help you, lol. Currently I am a student in the University of Wisconsin system seeking a CIS Degree.

Anyway, I started PC gaming with SMG and found these clubs in 2000, I think. Sorry for all the rambling I just saw doctor in a post and poof there it went, lol

BG Mike Smith
3/3ANV
[url="http://convolutedmuse.blogspot.com//"]Convoluted Muse Me[/url]

Until August I was a carpenter in Wilmington, NC. Since then I have moved with my wife Sunny to West Palm Beach, Florida where I have started a window cleaning\powerwashing business....and there are many times when I miss my tool belt and the freedom labor brought. I started gaming when I was about 11 years old playing Anzio with my older brother. I still have all my old board games, many never played. My favorite was "Terrible Swift Sword".

Marschal Jonathan Thayer
Comte de Vienne
1eme/1er Chasseur a' Pied
Vieille Garde
1/11/III
Armee du Nord

Lt Col
Old North State Guard
2/3/III
Army of Northern Virginia