- Message from the CiC -

Current Commander-in-Chief of His Most Britannic Majesty's British Armies in America:

Personal Command Page

Past Commander-in-Chief's of His Most Britannic Majesty's British Armies in America:

2/2000 - 1 /2001 - Field Marshal The Marquess of Charlotte, KCB (Ernie Sands)

1/2001 - 8/2002 - Major General Sean Coffey, OSM

8/2002 - 1/2003 - Field Marshal The Marquess of Brandywine (Phil Natta)

1/2003 - 3/2003 - Field Marshal The Marquess of Charlotte, KCB (Ernie Sands)

3/2003 - 6/2008 - Field Marshal The Marquess of Kingston, KCB (D.S. Walter)

7/2008 - 2/2011 - Major General The Lord Jones of Rhode Island, OSM (Steve Jones)

To the officers &c. of the British Armies in America,

Gentlemen,

While it is naturally the first and foremost duty of H.M. soldiers to win battles and thus contribute to the final victory in our struggle for the furthering of culture, civilization, and progress, and for the upholding of the rightful rule of H.M. in North America, there is one duty that is higher than our loyalty to the cause and the army and that must stand above our determination to win glorious victories - that is our commitment to the Colonial Campaigns Club. It is an often repeated truism that the most important thing in the club is to have fun. On paper we all subscribe to that, and yet - in the heat of battle we often forget to live up to it. Hence, I am speaking entirely out-of-character now.

It goes without saying that cheating during a game is entirely out of the question for anyone of us. It is just not worth it, and I am entirely convinced that we number no cheaters among us. Yet, there are many ways in which we can avail ourselves of advantages at the expense of our opponent, fairplay, or the chance for all to have fun that are perfectly legitimate on paper. I hereby ask, nay, I expect all my officers &c. to refrain from using any such questionable tactics or tricks. Quite to the contrary, we will at all times display exemplary behaviour becoming for an officer &c. of the finest and largest army in the club. Let me put it plainly to you - we are not exactly disadvantaged in most scenarios of The War of 1812 and of The French and Indian War , and enjoy massive advantages in most scenarios in Campaign 1776 . We have no need of questionable ways of gaining a victory. Rather, we will win our battles the proper way, and if that cannot be had, then we will lose them with honor, and with the conduct becoming for a gentleman.

I especially ask my officers &c. to keep the following guidelines in mind at all time and act upon them:

1. In battle, refrain from using any tactics that can be considered "gamey", such as using leaders or wagons for encircling enemy troops, blocking entry hexes, conducting commando raids on enemy leaders, &c. If you are in doubt, discuss the tactics in question with your opponent before using it. If your opponent objects to anything you do, have an open ear for his complaint. If you cannot convince him of the reasonableness of your action, apologize and don't do it again in this battle. Next time, discuss it beforehand.

2. If you object to anything your opponent does, send him a note explaining exactly to what you object and why. If he is a gentleman, he will listen to you and not use the questionable tactics again in this game. You are both expected to deal with disagreements like grown-up men, not like children. Don't explode and use swearwords when you see something you object to. Don't post accusations on public boards. Don't put your opponent on your "black list" the first time something you object to happens in a game. He may not be aware of the fact that you object, or of the very fact that his behaviour is questionable; he may have been doing something inadvertently that looks like a deliberate action to you. Discuss it with him. Complete the game with him, and only afterwards make up your mind as to if you want to play him again. Usually it's not worth losing a gaming friend over a minor gameplay issue.

3. Complete all games when at all possible. Even if real life intervenes and calls you away from the computer for good, be it temporarely or for long time, even if things happen in your life that make playing wargames look unimportant and pointless, please have the decency to inform your opponents, but in any case the club leadership or your chain-of-command of the fact that you are leaving. This needs only a one-line e-mail or message on the main board. It is frustrating and disappointing for your opponents when you just cease to answer mails; it is a tedious and quite unnecessary procedure for the club staff to figure out that you have left when there is just silence.

4. When your opponent disappears on you, i.e. ceases to send turns, make sure you verify that he is actually gone. Send him reminders, not one, but at least three over the period of a month. Only after that, advise your commanding officer, if you have none your commander-in-chief, of the situation. He will then try to find out about the whereabouts of your opponent through the chain-of-command. If your opponent cannot be located, you are entitled to file an end game report, with the victory level to be determined at your discretion. Personally, I file a draw in these cases, unless the battle was about over and decided for good. For me, there is little honor in claiming a victory for an abandoned game. It is your decision though; common sense and your personal sense of honor will give you the answer if you are in doubt.

5. When you lose interest in a game because it seems unwinnable, surrender your sword properly to your opponent so that he can claim a victory with good conscience. Often, however, your opponent may be grateful if you play out a number of turns nevertheless, for instance if you are only some turns away from completing half of the scenario, which is necessary to qualify for a battlefield medal. If your opponent asks you to do so, it would be a nice gesture to comply. If you do so, however, do it without sulky demonstrations of disinterest, like sending back turns without having moved any units. If you cannot commit to playing on properly, better refuse and surrender right away.

6. If you are a veteran taking on a newbie from another army, don't capitalize on his inexperience. Don't select optional rules obviously disadvantageous for him. Don't pick a scenario he is bound to lose. Such behaviour would be positively damaging to the club - you ought to encourage new members, not humble them. Instead, offer him advise during the battle. If you see him do something that tells you he is not aware of the game mechanics or of the proper tactics of the era, try to help him improve. In the end, it will increase our mutual enjoyment if our opponents are a challenge for us.

In short, in all those situations, and in the many more I have not specifically mentioned, behave like a gentleman and try to work for the best of the club. A victory is just that - a victory. Giving your opponent a positive experience in your game though may win you a gaming friend for many hours of exciting and entertaining battles, and make this a better club for all of us.

April 19, 2003

The British Army Command

(Authored by Former British CiC the Lord Kingston)