American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Gentlemen!

From time to time I struggle - as I am sure many of Us do - with maintaining my Chain of Command, during the heat of battle.

One thing that I have been lucky enough to avoid during my career, has been the loss of a Major Commander . . . for example Gen'l Jackson. ( I <i>have </i> been lucky enough to make the odd Union capture - Li'll Mac at Antietam being one capture that springs fondly to mind!) [:p]

I have noted and watched with interest some of the various Armies' Sharpshooter Competitions and one weakness has always been to the forefront of my thinking.

Would it not be possible/desireable for the Game Engine to treat Captured Officers in a similar manner to captured Artillery? That is . . . OK - He's captured, points to the capturing Army. <b>BUT</b> if He were treated as per Artillery, he would have to be escorted to a particular point on the Map/ OR held for X number of Turns before He was beyond the point of Rescue by his Command??

Just a thought in passing regarding a minor subtlety that could be added to the Game. [;)]

Pat.

Patrick G.M.Carroll,
Lieutenant General.
Kilcullen Irregulars
II Corps
Army of Georgia Rtd.

" When My Country takes it's rightful place, amongst the Nations of the World, then and only then, let My Epitaph be written. "

General Carroll,

That would never do. Do you know how difficult it is for us Rebs to get Bragg captured sometimes? We generally have to put him all by himself on a road in woods so Union cavalry inadvertently run across him and pick him up. If your suggestion were to be implemented ... they could trick us into capturing him BACK! [V]


Your humble servant,
Gen 'Dee Dubya' Mallory



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

Actually, this is a problem with the game engine.....John should have allowed negative numbers for rating officers such as Bragg. Plus, there is nothing in the engine for murdering bad officers.....The Confederates should get a lot of points for Killing Bragg......I will say this for Bragg in real life, he wasn't stupid enough to go where his own men could have shot him during his battles....lol...

BG Hank Smith
Army of Georgia
Smith's Corp Commanding

Pat - great idea for an optional rule - just need to make sure to include an option to "Escort" or "Run 'Em Through with the Saber"[}:)]


General Jeff Laub
Eastern Theater, Commanding

Hi Jeff!

The 'run 'em thru' option is inextricably 'hard-wired' into the scenarios as is . . . . once the Officer is Captured - He disappears, whether smuggled of to a brothel, Run thru' or drowned in a VAT of Brandy matters not . . . He is no more, He is an ex-officer!! [:o)]

Now . . . . ideas on how to escort him to the Enemy's HQ . . . that's the Challenge! [;)]

Pat.

Patrick G.M.Carroll,
Lieutenant General.
Kilcullen Irregulars
II Corps
Army of Georgia Rtd.

" When My Country takes it's rightful place, amongst the Nations of the World, then and only then, let My Epitaph be written. "

I see your point but then you would also have to consider the 'disappearance' of captured cavalry/infantry units as well. If you are going to have to escort captured officers from the map then you should have to escort captured soldiers also. Then you run into what constitutes "recapturing" these men. Also can they 'fight-back' against their escorts? What size unit is required to escort men from the field? If you move them off the map behind your lines shouldn t you have to move the guards off the map as well? I think the reality of the problem is too great to worry about. Historically most captured officers were just quickly ushered off to the rear without problem. Then again, after Bushrod Johnson was captured at Fort Donelson he simply walked away and rejoined the Confederate Army. Requiring escorts and more special rules would only lead to confusion and arguments about technicalities. Look at the threads on routed units behind enemy lines and you can see how small issues can become buried in points and counterpoints.

I do agree though that the 'disappearance' of units is not very historical but I can't think of a better solution that would be very realistic.

Imagine capturing 10,000 Yankees and using 3,000 men to "guard" them behind your lines. Then a Yankee cavalry unit raids the prison camp and JAILBREAK! You suddenly have an entire Union Corps behind your lines! Choas!

Col. Blake L. Strickler
Army of the Mississippi
Chief of Staff
6th Bd/4th Div/IV Corps