American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Wow, I can't believe its been 15 years. I remember finding my first opponents using AOL there was a online group on AOL when Talonsoft first game out with the PBEM option. I must have played thousands of games and they have all been fun except when I have been crushed by those who know how to use Yankee Artillery.

Thomas DeHoff

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Maj Gen Tom DeHoff I Corps AOM CSA

Living in a rural area finding FTF gamers has been difficult and opponents for large Civil War games next to impossible. Then in 2001 I found ACWGC!! After hacking my way through the computer process I was like a kid in a candy store. I started playing morning to night. I soon learned that generals like Kennon Whitehead and Ross McDaniels were far my superiors and would always be so.It was a good learning experience and I was then able to quit worrying about wins and losses and to just have fun.

I eventually became a General in the Union Army and then discovered that I knew many Southern guys and few Yanks even though I was in their Army. I switched sides!! A great move as then I got to know so many wonderful Yankee fellas. I climbed to General in the Reb Army!!

What a GREAT club!! Its had its moments but with tremendous leadership it has carried on.
Thank you one and all!!
<SALUTE>

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Lt Col Tony Best
3rd Brigade "Tony`s Best"
AoC

Gentlemen! <salute>

Well I got my start back in October of '04. Rich Hamilton had been planting the seed to join the Club for about 6 months prior. At VMI, Commandant Dustin Arnold assigned me to Russ Levy and he made me go and purchase the TalonSoft BattleGround series before I could continue training even though I already had some HPS games. I was on the tailend of a special $20 deal that gave me all 5 titles. I haven't looked back since.

As with so many of us in this gaming hobby finding an opponent to game against with mostly a dream until joining this Club. Many friends have been made over the years from all over the world and like my Friend Tom Phillips, meeting and exploring ACW battlefields with Club members is a very sweet treat indeed. Being Commandant for so many years at VMI has given me an edge in meeting the new guys coming into the Club. Each one brings a different point of view and all I am sure think of themselves as General Lee when gaming against the A/I. But that all changes once they begin to game in the Club.

So here is a SALUTE! to the Club and all those members past and present and for the next 15 years of gaming and meeting new folks!

Oh yes, and many thanks to Pierre for continuing to tobe the force of this great adventure!

Respectfully,

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Respectfully,

Your Obedient Servant,

General Nick Kunz
Commandant, VMI

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Salute to all, and thanks for the games, challenges, discussions and friendships. Special thanks to Kelly Ross for making my nose bloody many a time in Lee's venture north to Gettysburg. I enjoy winning, but enjoy the frustration of not figuring out how to beat an opponent all the more.
Salute to all
LTG Laabs
A of M (1st div)

Congratulations to the American Civil War Game Club!

I've been a member since 2005 and have enjoyed my time here alot. Great opponents and people who step up to run this club and arrange tournaments etc.

It's a great community! Salute!

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Yours Respectfully
Major General Kling
5th Brigade
1st Division, Vth Corps
AotP, Union Army

Joyeux anniversaire à tous !!

By a french member !

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Col Olivier Bianchi.
French volunteers brigade.
2e brigade/2e division/14e corps.
Army of the Cumberland

Congratulations to the ACWGC on its 15th anniversary! I have met many fine individuals (by email of course) on both sides and it is great to see that we have men from the very first days to add to the continuity of the club. They are the binder that holds this club together. I wish someone would write a history of the club with sections for both sides so the memories could live on.

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Gen. Drex Ringbloom,
AotS ,Commanding

It was 1999 and I finally gave in to the wife and kids entreaties and signed us up for this AoL dialup internet thing. Being an electronic tech by trade I had been using computers since the early days and being an old boardgamer I got into the computer wargames early. When I upgraded to a 486 computer one of the first games I bought was Battleground Ardennes and when the second game, Battleground Gettysburg came out I quickly bought it being what some would refer to as a Civil War Nut and had played it solitare and hot seat with my two local wargaming buddies. Imagine my surprise to find not only a place where I could download updates to the game but also the ACWGC, an online gaming club where I could actually play these games against someone who not only shared my interest in the ACW but who didn't know my every tendency from playing me for 15 years. I signed up for the union army in November 1999, was assigned to Lt.Gen. Randy Brooks for training and graduated from the old WPA in January 2000 and was assigned to the 1st Brigade of the newly formed 2nd Division/XIX Corps. Well I've been here 13 years now, gone through 3 computer upgrades, updated to high speed internet service, played 181 battles and countless maneuvers and training games. Along the way I have had the opportunity to form a new division, a new corps and command two armies. I've also had the opportunity to do some playtesting and learned a bit about maintaining websites and got to meet many fine people on both sides several of whom I've been fortunate enough to meet face to face at various club get togethers and the Tiller Cons. Last year I recorded my 100th ACWGC victory and although due to real life constraints on my computer time I'm not as active as I once was I still enjoy both my gaming and helping out where I can with the admin side of the club.

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Gen. Ken Miller



The McKeesport Union Guard

3/1/II
AotP

I have only been in the club since December but have been made to feel welcome and been embraced like a comrade since the moment I joined. My trainers were excellent and perfectly patient and made the experience a good one. And I am most grateful that I have been able to join even though I am unable to play due to circumstances for months at a time.

My hats off to all and mostly for the grand old Army of Mississippi! <Rebel Yell>

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Lt. Col. Dagan M. Chambers

Forrest's Calvary Corps, Red Jackson's Division, 2nd Brigade (The Cavaliers) Commanding

Army of the West

I'm in the club a few months, but I play Talonsoft since 1996...
what a shame to know you so little time!
Long Live the club




MAJOR PAOLO PIZZINGRILLI V/II/III ANV

Gentlemen,

The next round is on me, as you gather around and listen to my story.

I don't remember the exact date I joined the club but, like General Turner, it was in the late 1990's. I bought a copy of Battleground: Shiloh from Babbage's and fell in love. I handily whipped the AI (playing first the Reb side then the Union side) and congratulated myself on being a military genius. Then I found out about this club and signed up for VMI. Due to a severe misunderstanding and mistake on my part, I defeated my instructor during my training scenario. It was my first experience with a modified scenario and I accidentally used the wrong map. My instructor was amazed when I sent some of my troops around behind him - marching on the Tennessee River! (Can anybody say "Kobayashi Maru"? )

After my graduation from VMI and assignment to the AotM, I was ready to take on all comers. My first opponent was Field Lieutenant Stacey Jemay, who was to gain fame (or notariety, depending on which side you were on) as "The Gal in Blue". I made a wager with her - if I won, she would have to come to the AotM tavern and dance the Virgnia Reel with me. If she won (yeah, right - like a mere GIRL had a chance against me!) I would go to her tavern and shine her boots.

Yes, I ended up carrying my shoe shine kit into her tavern. But at least I was in good company - she cleaned the clock of nearly every Reb who came up against her. I learned a lot from her, the hard way, about playing against real opponents who knew what they were doing.

The most fun I had in the club was as a VMI instructor myself, introducing cadets to PBEM and coaching them in some of the basics along the way. I ended up serving as CSA CoA and was the second (of only three, so far!) president of this fine establishment. I also had the great pleasure of attending two of the three "Tiller Cons" and getting to meet many of my fellow ACWGC officers (and John Tiller himself!) face-to-face.

I was pulled aside to other pursuits and have been in semi-retirement from the club for several years now, but I still appreciate the friendships that I built over the years.

Barkeep, all this jabbering has made me thirsty. I'll take a shot of "Texas Tea", in honor of the officer I have long considered my mentor - General Garry Cope, and his "Polecat" Brigade.


Your humble servant,
Gen 'Dee Dubya' Mallory

First things first.A very big THANK YOU to the people who put in so much of there time behind the scenes making this such a great club

I joined in 2007,Willie Tisdale was my trainer,achieved a draw if i remember correctly.
Nick Kunz corresponded with me and encouraged me to join the AoG.Nick impressed me greatly with his committment to our hobby and i enjoyed a couple of manouvres with him.

I have played some great guys over the years,Mike Seger,Drex,Digglyda,Frank Mullins,Mark Van Der Hagen,Pat Thompson,Stew Crisp,Jeff Laab in a tourney.
Frank Mullins and Pat Thompson,boy i really learned a lot playing those two.
Pat and i have been playing each other for around two years and have now teamed up in a MP game.
Jeff Laab really kicked my butt!!!!!

Anyway i have had a fantastic five years in the club........Here is to another five.

Long live the ACWGC.

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Major General Andy Taylor
6th Bde
Hardees Corps(1st Corps)
Army of Tennessee
CSA

Greetings from Africa!

Thank you to all that make the ACWGC what it is. A toast to you all.
Long live the ACWGC!

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General Stewart Stiles

Army of Northern Virginia

Gentlemen.

I'll just duck in and back out again.

I couldn't let this anniversary pass without paying my respects. For once - I won't write an epic.

Best wishes to all and many thankees for the unbelievable (and sorely missed) comradery, friendship and entertainment Y'all have given this ole Irish Rebel.

I hope, pray and plan to visit the hallowed ground at Gettysburg in '13 . . . if it comes to pass - I'll be hoping to physically shake the hands of some of the finest gents I have had the privilege to 'meet' through the ACWGC.

Salutes and Sláinte to the ACWGC . . . . . and the next 15.

Pat.

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