Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Excellent response to questions, Mark.

Good luck.

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Ernie Sands
1ère Brigade of 2ème Division de Grosse Cavalerie, Réserve de Cavalerie
de la Grande Armée
President, Colonial Campaigns Club

Hello Mark,

I have read your speech and I like your plan to increase our membership. I want to play games against human opponents, so the more human opponents there are the better. Your speech explains what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. I agree and will support you for PR Officer.

Good Luck.

I have been unsuccessful getting members of none European groups to join because a lick of knowledge in Napoleonic age. Do you plan on reaching out and enlighten these groups esp in England where they have a more enlighten groups?

Oh I forgotten one do you plan on leading from the front and delegating others to help you in your efforts? Will you baby set members who are more interested in doing nothing how will you handle them or will you ask them to
leave the club which is easier then understanding their side of the story?

Well first of all Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you but I like to make sure the answers I give have been well thought over.

Your first question you ask "Why do you suppose there has been so much infighting of late? Have you noticed any patterns"? Well over the last few months there has been a lot of changes within the club and as and I think at times all of us are unsure of change and whether it will be good or bad and it's only human instinct to want to put up a guard. On the other hand though there is always a room for discussion and discussion is healthy. Mainly I would say a lot of the bickering and infighting is centred around the progression of the club, and what we have to do as members and grown men is to conduct ourselves in a way that we look at the ideas put forward, and dscuss them as we all do and not let it get heated, don't say things that are offending and be respectful at all times.

You then ask "If so how would you propose to respond to his bickering and infighting if you were elected to this position and thus become a member of the cabinet? You mentioned a warning and then a harsh penalty. How might that actually work out"? Well for a start I'm not a policemen and secondly this is something that is a club matter and needs to be taken up by all the cabinet and discussed. I propose new changes to the rules to which individuals have their rights protected and any offender no matter who they are, from the top to the bottom is firstly reprimanded, and warned privately that any further remarks will be taken seriously and then that person will suffer a suspension for one week. If it continues the person is then stripped of there rank and points and if it is a cabinet member they will be removed from the cabinet. If it still continues a lifetime ban from the club, you could call this three strikes and your out. I also believe Scott Ludwig has come up with a good idea about this and to elaborate a bit further, a committee is set up from five active members and these are drawn from random so no favouritism can be shown and after all evidence is reviewed and digested the members take a vote as whether the individual is guilty or not guilty. This could be set up in a way a bit like a cross between a military court martial and a jury. The President or Acting President is then assigned to pass on the sentence like a judge. This would only be needed for the second and third phases, as I'm sure once a warning is given the member would see the error of their ways and apologise. In the UK there is a big thing about bullying in schools and the workplace and is taken very seriously so we as club should be up there defending our members rights. I must point out though, that at no time should any reprimand be done in public wether a warning or otherwise and all should be kept private and confidential. So you see the individual or individuals are given a chance and are given rights too. I also think that a new sub-forum that I think Mark Jones the President is setting up needs to be policed and all discussions conducted in a respectful way and this sub-forum does need to be monitored.

Finally you ask "The club seems to be polarizing around certain factions, how do we end this? No one is ever entirely right or wrong so how do we find common ground and compromise"? Firstly Ed your right, I don't think anyone is either right or wrong they all have very valid arguments and points but when a discussion is clearly starting to get out of hand a moderator should step in and end the discussion with a sum up of the arguments and then the post should be closed. I do think there are factions within the club and I know there are those who want change and those who are cautious of the changes, but what we need to remember is that we are all members of this club and we all have a say and we need to stop picking sides. I do not support one or the other I am me, I am Mark Hornsby, I am my own man and I will look at all points and make my own decision on the discussions made. As an elected Cabinet Member I will look at the facts put forward and make my own decision but I will at no time take a side and I urge all to look at the facts of discussions and ask yourself "Why was it posted", "What are the points it is trying to put across", and "Has this person got a valid point" before making a post or taking a side, that is the compromise and common ground I want to see. Think before we act because as you said Ed, "No one is ever entirely right or wrong".

I hope this answers your questions and I hope they meet your approval. Can I also point out, whoever gets this position will have a hard job on their hands and I personally want to see new members in this club and see it grow to be a Number One club within the gaming community, a beacon that everyone uses to guide their own clubs. A club that people say they enjoy being a member of, but we all need to pull together and work as one.

Well Cliff, these are some good questions, Firstly in the UK, I believe we have a very strong Napoleonic following, such as 60 Miniature War-gaming Clubs and a dozen Napoleonic Re-enactment societies, but I believe as in the UK and Europe because these wars were part of our history people tend to know a lot about them and are interested in them as I'm sure the same is to be said in the USA where your Civil War played a big part in your history so that again has a massive following over there, But I totally agree we need to educate people and again as part of the social networking sites I would like to put out there I would like to involve some of the history into the Napoleonic Wars, get the minds racing of a British square surrounded by French cavalry while they protect theirs and their Kings Colours. French units fighting to the last man in the name of Napoleon. Murat and Ney at the head of their cavalry charge as they race towards the enemy lines. The colourful uniforms of the period such as the dashing Hussars, and the cavalry of the age. The elaborate uniforms of the many troops from the various nations that took part. I want to put how exciting it is in the club, how brilliant it is to fight a real opponent instead of a computer. There is so much to be done and can be done and I'm sure with the ideas of the members and the cabinet we could certainly evoke a great following and open up a whole new world to Napoleonic age and the NWC.

Cliff you know, I don't believe in delegation, I took on the nomination for this position because I want to make a difference for the club but that is not to say I won't decline any help, I believe Scott Ludwig, if I am elected has offered to help me and I certainly will not look to turn down those wishing to involve themselves, in fact it would be a very nice gesture and one where we are all going to benefit from. As for baby sitting members that choose to do nothing, well that is their right they joined to game and so be it, I don't see why anyone regarding what their membership involves be left out or even removed from the club. I do understand their story, they want a place to go and game with real opponents on the history that they love. That to me is just as important than someone who takes an active part in the forum or decides they want to move up the ranks and take an active part in running the club. We have to remember we are here for one reason and one reason only and that is to take part in gaming with others like us on the virtual battlefields of the Napoleonic Age.

I think it's something to think about that if all wars in the world were conducted in this manner from now can you imagine how different the world would be.

Monsieur it was brought to my attention that I support you only because you made a way for me too play a Multi –player game. They felt that wasn’t enough reason for me to support you. I question that as all the reason I need since your opponent also had a Multi-player team and made no effort to secure players like you did. How else would I know who you or others then that, how would any one else know you other then what you write. It is said that your appointed is much like by the French recruits because he was a training officer. How do you plan to over come your own disavange by a hand pick man for this post?

Well first of all I'd like to call on those who have said this to you to explain themselves and to remember this is supposedly a democratic process. I want people to vote for me because of what I said I would do. What is in my nomination speech counts and I stand by that and I believe I have conducted myself in a most serious and professional manner throughout this voting process and also including my time in the NWC and also the nomination speeches should be what decides the votes not because of what a member has done in the past. This should not be a case of favouritism but about who is good for the job.

Cliff, I certainly hope this is not the case. If it is true it would be most unbecoming conduct for any officer. Everyone should be free to support whichever candidate that they wish without any pressure, whether actual or implied by virtue of rank.

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Marechal Jeff Bardon
Duc de Castiglione et Prince de Wagram
Commandant de la Garde Imperiale

Gentlemen

Having read Andy’s latest post on the subject in hand I hesitated to contribute as I believe it is as “good as it can get”.

However as is my way I find it difficult to be silent 

Read in full the comments of each candidate and decide who will best benefit the whole club.

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Jim Hall
Field Marshall
Commander Anglo-Allied Army

I am quiet impressed with Both candidates. Both have stepped up to hopefully fill an very important position in our club.

I also agree with my esteemed colleague Andy Moss and urge everyone to read all that the candidates have said and how they answered the questions put to them by the membership at large.

I for one, am my very impressed with Mark Hornsby and his passion and commitment to the expansion of our club membership. I officially endorse Mark Hornsby.

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Mon ami let me first apologize to your opponent for a remark that I don't know personally. You Monsieur do have a disadvantage in that your opponent knows many of your Armee fellows because he was place in a role as a trainer which gives him an advantage over you. But Monsieur as General Robert Edward Lee once said we don't consider numbers we will stand like that General over there standing like a stone wall. I know it was another general before all you know it all make a comment. Monsieur's a leader is a servant to the people he serves he is not an over Lord, to help his friends and disregard others. We have that problem that cause in fighting and my ami was removed. I never understood why a volunteer club would need overseers over grown men and when you label a person a trouble maker because his views don't agree with yours. If I was to start another club I would need the support of this club. Mon ami it with great humbleness that I say that the world is looking and waiting to be invited into these types of clubs for relaxation, Historical and teachers of History are waiting to be invited to join, it's only a e-mail away.To feel welcome and no a stranger! Groups of history clubs only need to know that they are welcome and invited to join war game clubs, role playing buffs ect. If you don't invite people you will never gain members, you can't win soul's without an innovation. I wish you God's blessing on this and may he open a door that no man can close.

Mark,

Todd’s nomination speech is clear on what counts for him and I am sure Todd stands by that. I believe Todd has conducted himself in a most serious and professional manner throughout the campaign process and for that matter also including all of his time in the NWC. The fact that he has given freely of his time on many occasions and reached out to many other members should not be considered a negative – I thought that was we wanted from the club executives.

It is certainly not for us to tell members what they should consider in making up their minds on a specific candidate. The nomination speeches provide a good indication of what the candidate is proposing going forward and as you say should be considered when members are making up their minds to vote. Members may also certainly want to consider what the candidate has done in the past, however, in your comments you imply that members should not base their vote on what a member has done in the past. It is nonsensical to pointedly ignore the past when trying to determine the future. It is the very experience and actions of someone in the past that gives us an indication of what is likely to follow from them in the future.

As I have stated above–let’s leave it to the members to decide for themselves what they do or do not consider important when selecting the candidate of their choice

Up until now the posts have remained relatively positive, but these last several posts contain deplorable insinuations on the character of one of the clubs most dedicated members.

Cliff,

I am happy to see you saw the wisdom to retract your statement that Todd was the “Hand Picked Candidate, as you so rightly point out there is no evidence to support such an unfounded claim .

Mr. Seeney, with respect to your additional comments I would suggest you review your previous postings as , you wrote above that "...since your opponent (meaning Todd) also had a MP team and made no effort to secure players like you, (meaning Mark Hornsby) did." Cliff I ask you now;

a) Is it not true that Todd has helped you with MP games in the past?

b) When you were still in LGA and forming a Corps Artillery MP team didn't Todd participate in a maneuver with you and two other officers? and;

c) when you formed the Rot Adlers as a Prussian MP team did Todd not personally field a MP team to play with you?

I personally know that the answer to all three questions is YES

Finally, Jeff you assert that any "actual or implied pressure upon Cliff would be most unbecoming conduct for any officer".

In the same quote from Cliff used by you, Cliff says that Todd has an advantage as "a hand pick man for this post." (which he has since retracted). Is this insinuation, without shred of evidence to substantiate your comment, not at least as unbecoming in conduct as the post that is implying disdain on Todd’s character? Jeff, perhaps you should not be so quick to assume the posting you are apparently supporting is in fact accurate

Gents,

I think this is the type of stuff of why folks don't wish to get involved anymore in the Club. Todd & Mark Hornsby both deserve respect for stepping forward to take this important position. I suggest that everyone who has an issue with another persons post, go take it to the War Room, where it belongs.

This type of back and forth and shredding a part of each others comments is exactly why I stopped and will never serve in this Club again. I am sure it is why others no longer engage either. I could say negative things if I wanted to and show examples et al of things done against me and also done by me, but the past is the past when it comes to that.

Let's not clutter up the campaign speeches.

Thanks!

Mesi Mon ami that was a mute point! Since am not the one running