American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

What is the reason (I believe the designers gave one) for prohibiting the construction of breastworks in some scenarios?
I am playing a campaign secenario on HPS Peninsula as Union and I feel my opponent has gained a very real advantage by the fact that I am unable to build breastworks to meet his attack. All day long we have both marched and countermarched in an attempt to gain a favourable position over each other. But I have found that even if I do get my men to where they need to be in good time, they are unable to improve their position once they get there. I rush a Bigade of men to a river line running through wooded terrain with the benefit of raised elevation...but my men then just have to sit there and wait whilst doing nothing. Given that many sources say that the troops on both sides were very proficient at creating improved positions as and when required, it hardly seems realistic?




Lt.Col. Jim Wilkes.
2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, XX Corps.
AoC. U.S.A.

Jim,

Here's what the designer has to say in the Campaign Notes:

<font color="beige">9. Building Breastworks:

Many scenarios in Campaign Peninsula will not allow breastwork construction in-game. While playing one of these scenarios, the player will see the message "Breastworks cannot be constructed in this scenario" when breastwork building is attempted. Another way to check this feature’s availability for a particular scenario is to view the Parameter Data Help menu—the building % will be 0. <b><font color="yellow">Historically, Civil War armies on the move and during battle did not generally construct makeshift breastworks at each opportunity during the war’s early years (1861-1862)</font id="yellow"></b>. Of course, there are notable exceptions to every generalization but, given that breastwork construction is unlimited within the game system, it would be more realistic to disallow battlefield breastwork construction altogether than to allow it to go unchecked at levels seen ordinarily only in the period from late-1863 through 1865. However, for those players that do not wish to be restricted, many of the historical and historical variant scenarios included in the game have versions that are different only in a player’s ability to build breastworks.</font id="beige">


[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/acwgc/acw.htm"]General Antony Barlow[/url]
[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/acwgc/western_theater.htm"]Commander, Western Theater, Union Army[/url]

Col. Wilkes,

The same go's in HPS Shiloh in some of the scn. you can't build them and I play the Rebs. Anyway good luck in your game hope the Reb you are playing is beating the heck out of you [:D][:p]

Respectfully,
Lt. Gen. Gery Bastiani
III Corp
AotM CSA



"If there is a shell or bullet over there destined for us, it will find us" - General James Longstreet