Colonial Campaigns Club (CCC)

I agree with most that has been said in the last posts. I also feel the ACW club is most alive, and it IS my priority club not the least because of that. The Prussian Army in the NWC is a bit quiet, and so is the British in the CCC. <br>
But, gentlemen, it's take and give. In all clubs, there are those who try everything to keep it alive with all means. But the others (oh, yes, we come to the eternal thruths here) have no right to complain about a club not being alive if they don't get involved. It can't all come from above, from the generals and presidents. It needs not much to bring live to a virtual community, but I am convinced it has to start on the lower levels. If you are new to a club, you can feel pretty alone with nothing but a club-wide discussion board that seems to be dominated by veterans. You need some guys of your own kind, you need sort of a small "family" in the brigade/division, depending on the club. I think that's where it starts. As Bill Peters said, "mail from the division commander", and I add: something you do together with your fellow regimental/brigade commanders. <br>
My ACWGC division is really a small community where you can feel at home. On the other hand, I have never "met" anyone from my NWC brigade, and my CCC brigade seems not even to have a CO! (BTW, Stefan, you and me are this brigade - is there a way to do anything with it?). <br>
To sum up, I think club-wide events like tournaments and such are fine, and discussion boards like this one are essential. But I think most guys will only begin to feel a part of the club if they are not confronted with a 60 to 300 strong anonymous "army", but with a small unit which helps them to familiarize themselves with the costums and procedures and gives them someone to talk to. So my solution is to strenghten the brigade/division level. Encourage MP games between brigades, for example. Award citations/decorations to the most active brigades/divisions. I think that's how the club life will be really an enjoyable experience. <br>
Just my two cents.

<font color=blue>Lt. Col. Walter, 3/2/VIII AoS</font id=blue><br>SLt. Walter, Artillery, 2nd Prussian Brig.<br><font color=red>Cpl. Walter, 4th Regt. "King's Own"</font id=red><br><br><img src="http://home.datacomm.ch/dierk.walter/Fahnen.gif" border=0>

Some excellent input from Cpt Peters, Lt Reuter and Cpl Walters and others. I think it is an excellent idea to develope the brigade and division commanders. There doesn't seem to be the interest in doing this, though. For the higher level positions, we seem to be able to recruit commanders, but get very few members pushing to become commanders at the brigade or division levels. Without the subordinate levels, the structure seems to be one big group.

I don't think that the diverse group of members we have creates a language problem. There might be members that are reluctant to post messages, etc, but I do not have the feeling that this is very widespread, at all.

As for a Newsletter, that is possible, but it seems to me that these start with good intentions and start lagging after a relatively short period of time.


<font size=4><font color=yellow>Please keep the</font id=yellow><font color=red> dialogue going.</font id=red><b><font color=blue> A free flow of ideas is always worthwhile</font id=blue></b></font id=size4><img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>

<b><font color=orange>Ernie Sands</b></font id=orange>
<b><font color=red>LtCol, 3rd East Kent,British Army,CCC
Lt,1 Konig,VIII Corps, Adu
BG, 3/3/X AoO
President, CC Club
Schütze,183Inf Regt,VIII Korps, PzC </b></font id=red>

Burn-out is a big problem, and Bill correctly pointed out that many players have committments to several clubs at once.
I think to keep a club active, and I mean REALLY active, there has to be a level of involvement and personal contact to keep the interest going.
Three things I would suggest:
1. More tournaments, medals and stats - keep the competive juices flowing..
2. More 'layers' of command to keep a personal contact with players. I have 20 players on the Northern dept and it is nigh on impossible to chat to them as often as possible - if there were some brigade or divisional commanders, the chain of command would be easier.
3. More active recruiting among the PBEM community, re-enactment socities and wargamers - any club needs new blood to survive.
my two shillings worth..

Commander Northern Dept CCC 'Moriarty'

Dierk,
it guess you and me we having no greater problems to be active in our army. Maybe we can do something (what??)for the whole 1812 department?

Ernie,
let me know if you can need some help (oh no! I have no experience in WebDesign)

CCC - 1. Regiment (Royal Scots), British Army, Leutnant
NWC - I. Corps, Prussia, General

Stefan, do you think there is any need for a separate 1812 department? I have been wondering about that before. We are just 12 officers (ah, NCO's and Regulars, like me, included - just my ACW club habit) there (some certainly inactive), and as far as I can see, we have neither a department CO, nor brigade CO's. Are maybe new members joining the 1776 section more often than the 1812 one? Will there ever be more than now in the 1812 section? Maybe the whole thing should be consolidated into a single brigade or two, and incorporated into the 1776 structure. <br>
Col. Sands: I don't know for sure, but maybe it's the same in the 1776 section. I don't know why people don't volunteer to take over brigades. (I certainly would offer my services, only I won't hold the appropriate rank for some more years.) But maybe people are just waiting to be asked? Have you tried it? <br>
Finally, if I can be of any service for the club as a whole or for our department, please let me know.

<font color=blue>Lt. Col. Walter, 3/2/VIII AoS</font id=blue><br>SLt. Walter, Artillery, 2nd Prussian Brig.<br><font color=red>Cpl. Walter, 4th Regt. "King's Own"</font id=red><br><br><img src="http://home.datacomm.ch/dierk.walter/Fahnen.gif" border=0>

Bumping this up to the top...would like to see EVERYONE comment on this if possible...

<HTML>
Maj. Hamilton      LGen. Hamilton   Gen.de Brig. Hamilton
New York Militia   II Corps, ANV     Retired Frog
Secretary of War
CCC
</HTML>

For <font color=red><b><font size=5>ANY </font id=red></b></font id=size5> higher level command, the actual rank is not an issue. We need people that are willing to help out in a small way or in larger ways. Being a higher than regimental commander and actively being that commander is a help when trying to get information to the members or just helping out with member problems. For instance, I need only send an email to the 2 Army CIC's, not to 130ish individuals, to get information out.

A Division commander could send a monthly (or quarterly) <font color=yellow>"ROLL CALL" </font id=yellow> email to his command. This would help to identify members that no longer are active or have just completely dropped from the club. Then identify those no longer active to higher command. Right now, we find out someone has dropped when his game opponent reports that so and so's email hasn't worked.

I would be nice to have webpages for units, Brigades, divisions, etc, but that is NOT a requirement and, as Stefan rightly points out, everyone isn't proficient in making and maintaining websites, nor might they have the <font color=green><b> TIME </font id=green></b> to do that.

<font color=yellow><b><font size=4>So how do you become a division commander? Simple! Ask your CIC. </font id=yellow></b></font id=size4>

This club does not assign ranks to members in higher level positions, so a private (regular) can be a Division Commander. Nor does anyone that becomes a Division Commander need to go beyond that position.
Essentially, rank is a gauge of your GAMING skills or gaming participation.
Administrative points are awarded on an individual basis for club contributions.

<b><font color=orange>Ernie Sands</b></font id=orange>
<b><font color=red>LtCol, 3rd East Kent,British Army,CCC
Lt,1 Konig,VIII Corps, Adu
BG, 3/3/X AoO
President, CC Club
Schütze,183Inf Regt,VIII Korps, PzC </b></font id=red>


Edited by - ernie sands on 07/15/2001 16:49:30

Well, I maintain the US 1812 page and I get notices of games being played by the people on that page. I forward the e-mail on and that's all I really do. I hope it helps the club.

So if you have no time but can read your e-mail weekly, and forward messages up and down the chain when necessary you too can 'command' a brigade or division.

Sgt. Al Amos 1st US Dragoons, 1812

Sorry, Al, but I think to really bring the division or brigade alive, it needs a <u>little</u> more than just being a e-mail relaying station. But then I think you are playing down your involvement a bit!

<font color=blue>Lt. Col. Walter, 3/2/VIII AoS</font id=blue><br>SLt. Walter, Artillery, 2nd Prussian Brig.<br><font color=red>Cpl. Walter, 4th Regt. "King's Own"</font id=red><br><br><img src="http://home.datacomm.ch/dierk.walter/Fahnen.gif" border=0>

It is true that more can always be done, but it is important to have members participate, at whatever level and amount they are comfortable with.

<b><font color=orange>Ernie Sands</b></font id=orange>
<b><font color=red>LtCol, 3rd East Kent,British Army,CCC
Lt,1 Konig,VIII Corps, Adu
BG, 3/3/X AoO
President, CC Club
Schütze,183Inf Regt,VIII Korps, PzC </b></font id=red>

I think communications are the most vital point here. When people talk, things generally tend to happen. What we need is people at various levels that will take a little time to talk to thier group, say of 5 or 6 members. Then those leaders talk to the next level, etc....we all no the drill. It's just a matter of getting people in place.

If you are interested in helping out, as Ernie said, please contact your CIC. If you don't know who that is...

British CIC - Sean Coffey - HVWF@cs.com

American CIC - Garry Cope - gco047@airmail.net

Also Ernie (President) and myself (Sec. of War) will be glad to help get you placed...just ask.

<HTML>
Maj. Hamilton      LGen. Hamilton   Gen.de Brig. Hamilton
New York Militia   II Corps, ANV     Retired Frog
Secretary of War
CCC
</HTML>

One of the things I like about this club is that the paper work is handled at more centralized locations. This tends to "free" up Department and Brigade leaders to let those who wish exercise their artistic talents and do things with their sites. It also keep repetitious record keeping to a minimum.

And another thing: I would like to encourage members at all levels to build themselves a site. These sites tend to garner more visitors and are sources for neat and diverse bits of information that every one seems to enjoy viewing from time to time.

So if you are able, and want to help increase traffic to the CCC try your hand and a regimental site.

And if any of you Colonial/American regiments have sites up that are not listed at our Headquarters just drop me a line and I will get them listed. That way folks can visit you without having to travel down through all the departments and brigades and such.


Garry Cope
[url="http://web2.airmail.net/gco047/1776/DucCope/ddillon.htm"]1er,7e,d'Dillon,French,CCC[/url] Lt Colonel
[url="http://web2.airmail.net/gco047/csausa/4thTexas/4thTexas.htm"]1st Div, II-Corps, ANV, ACWC[/url] General

So Rich, you're encouraging me to talk more? <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

al

Rich, what were you thinking?! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Doh!! Ok, may be not YOU Al, but everyone else!! <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>

<HTML>
Maj. Hamilton      LGen. Hamilton   Gen.de Brig. Hamilton
New York Militia   II Corps, ANV     Retired Frog
Secretary of War
CCC
</HTML>