American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

The longer I play these games the more I keep changing the controls.

I now view the unit bases ON, have hex outlines, elevation contours on, back ground music off and sound off.

The unit bases I thought I would never turn on because I really liked the look of the 3D map with them off, but I find my self zooming in more and more, because it helps me get a better picture of what is going on at a certain point in the line. with the unit bases on I can quickly see unit facings and can better find a facing that might need to be changed.

anyone else progress through a similar gaming arc?

Regards,

_________________
Brigadier General Kevin Koch
2/2/VI
AotS

If time permits, I toggle between the 3-D (close focus), 3-D (far focus), and 2-D (non-zoom-out).

Each view presents a different perspective that is helpful.

But, once I know what I want to do, I go to the 2-D for playing.

For my money the view option with the greatest value is "Highlight Brigade Colors" in 2-D.

<salute!>

Currently I do not use the "highlight brigade color" option. I only use the Highlight Organization button.

Maybe that will be the next option change for me. I will have to try it out.

Thanks,

_________________
Brigadier General Kevin Koch
2/2/VI
AotS

Colonel Koch,
Kevin,

I believe there may be other contributing issues of which you are unaware!



Perhaps you should try viewing the map with one of your eyes closed?

Hey,

Do not Knock it until you've tried it.

Totally new experience with them glasses. My routed units feel like they are charging right at me

_________________
Brigadier General Kevin Koch
2/2/VI
AotS

I went through a similar arch too. I am using more 2d now, especially when I want more of a big picture thing and to help me think about space/time. I do not use the brigade colors very often, sometimes it can be too much information. I use the highlight formation. I use the highlight division choice in the panzer campaign games and the WWI game because it does epl there...

Interesting that the highlighting organization and brigade color options are being discussed. I thought that few members even knew about them, let alone used them, because few players seem to take the trouble to keep their brigades and divisions sorted out, either on the march or in battle!
I introduce here a new term. In addition to "historical" purists, there are also "military" purists who think that moving and fighting should be done in a military manner instead of just ramming one's units across the battle field.
I are one.
J

I try very hard to keep my troops organized and together. Col. Koch will tell you that in our current game it has taken me 3 hours to sort out my troops after a head-long, night time retreat (well, I am not sure what he can see but now that I am fully reorganized I have nothing to hide!). However, once things get heavy, it can be difficult to maintain "pure" hexes and even unmixed section of the line. I may go a little beyond history, but in the real civil war troops got mixed up and fought together, although mixed offensive melee's as we know them were likely more rare than in our games. But on the offensive and defensive brigades and at times divisions would get mixed up. regiment to plug a gap here, a brigade to pass through another, etc...

But I have found that most of the time, the side that does a better job keeping its troops in command will have a huge advantage...

The most glaring example that I can think of is Chickamauga, a battle that was lost (by the Union) by faults in administration rather than leadership. Yes units often get mixed up in combat, but often a unit marching to battle should be able to keep its ducks in a row, and I often see the contrary. I wrote up a brief march SOP a while back but never put it out for fear of being laughed off the thread.
A new optional rule is supposed to penalize mixed stacks, but I have not seen any impact.

A few thoughts:
1. please post your march write up. I am always interested in how other players do things. I have been playing these games since Corinth and Eckmuhl came out, and it is only in the last 2 years that I have become an average or better player of the Napoleonics...

2. I am playing with that optional rule, and am mindful of it. But expediency often trumps careful maximization of the rules..

Please send a courier to hisbluedog@yahoo.com and I will send it to you privately. It is no big deal, but I am conscious that hardly anybody would even try to use it and would think it was silly.
J Ferry
LTC 2/20th Corps

Am I the only one who enjoys listening to the background music? I find it entertaining and helps me feel more into the period. I've been using brigade colors since I discovered and I find it helps keep troops together a great deal.

_________________
General Mark Nelms

3/2/XX/AoC "Blackhawk Brigade"

Union Military Academy Instructor

_________________

Mark, is that why you are throwing me back in the Wilderness? I used to listen to the music but (a) I have heard it a lot now, (b) I will sometimes listen to the news, etc while I play, and (c) I often play while children are sleeping nearby!

I figured your troops were just retreating from the horror of all the Union bodies they are piling up. I've made sure I've copied all the music from all the games so that each game has the music from the whole series which cuts down on the replay boredom somewhat. However I really like some of the tunes quite a bit. My last birthday gift card went for a nice pair of headphones so I can listen to the music while the wife watches her soaps or any Lifetime movie or whenever anyone else in the house is sleeping. However I don't listen to the background sounds, just the music.

_________________
General Mark Nelms

3/2/XX/AoC "Blackhawk Brigade"

Union Military Academy Instructor