American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Thanks for your replies thus far, sir!

I think I only have one more question to ask - and I think this may interest many in the Club.


Where do you see the ACWGC in five years? Also, what can we, not just the Cabinet/President but ALL the Members, do to help the Club?


Thanks in advance for your input and best of luck in the election!

General Weir,
Bob,

Thank you for your prompt reply, Sir! <salute>

I would like to ask you what your feelings are about allowing Club Members to have both a Union and a Confederate profile within the Club? Perhaps this might be a part of the solution for those members of the club (on one side or the other) that are having difficulty finding opponents?

I believe that individual Club Members should have the FREEDOM to play from either side or both sides of the Club in an unrestricted fashion. If I get on my Playstation to play Medal of Honor... I can choose to play an Axis profile or an Allied profile. Why can't we do this is the ACWGC? When I go to Burger King... I shouldn't have to buy a Whopper every time I visit. Maybe I want to have the Crispy Chicken sandwich this time. I believe that Club Members are being forced into a single option (burgers only) based upon their initial recruitment into the Club. Are you open to a change in this area? If not, why not?

I would also like to ask you if you feel the average Club Member has a voice within the Cabinet?

I've grown accustomed to hearing the following canned response from Cabinet members when people want to propose changes within the Club. "Why don't you write up a proposal that would spell out how the entire thing would work and submit it to the Cabinet and see what happens?"

I have submitted proposals and I NEVER see what happens because the proposals are discussed behind closed doors and I have no idea of what the arguments for and against those proposals are. Then latter on I get notice that the proposal was either passed or rejected and that is all I hear. I have absolutely no idea if a rejected proposal could have been passed with some minor modifications or tweaks.

If you make a presentation in the business world... you are in the video conference room to present your ideas, to explain them and to hear the arguments for and against them. And then a decision is made by the powers to be. That is not happening in the ACWGC. That is why this election for a Club President is so vitally important to me. I want to ensure that our new Club President will represent the Club Membership and just not his own military group. I want a Club President who will not simply be a Chairperson who counts up the votes and declares that this proposal passes with a 3 to 2 vote. I want a Club President that will fight to make sure that the individual Club Member has a voice and that their voice will be heard whether he agrees with the proposal being brought before the Cabinet or not.

As you can see... I'm rather passionate about the subject. I mean no disrespect to you or any current or past Cabinet Member. I apologize if it sounds like that. I am simply stating that I would like to see some changes within the Club and feel that to follow things as they have been done over the past 10 years would be a disservice to our fine Club.

Your thoughts, Sir...

Well said sir, I would expect anyone who is willing to run for office would have the good of the whole in mind and not have leanings to the left or the right, but to be a straight shooter, right down the middle. Good luck to both of you gentlemen you have equally good qualities and it should be a good fight. With this in mind and in the spirit of good electioneering I trust the voters allowed is an even split i.e. 20 Union 20 Confederate as everything is then above board and beyond suggestions of foul play. I trust that makes sense and nobody is offended by this.

_________________
Brig Gen Lynn T
Supt
UMA
USA

Thanks Mark for your answer.
I am not entirely satisfied though (and the same with Mark's answer), so I will give it another try.

I understand what you say about participation of officers which comes and goes. You are right but the trouble is that a new coming officer who won't be able to find an opponent (or enough opponents) will probably leave the club very soon. and it is also the case for veterans (I know what i am talking about, that is exactly what I did with my previous club which I left after 10 years because I couldnot find enough games). and I am not satisfied to read that it is just coming and going.

The promotion of gaming, of making sure every officer plays what he wants to play, from the old timers to the new and discreet youngster should be one of the main goal (if not the main goal) of the club leaders.
but I could not find any mention in your original statement or answers.

I also have the feeling that the current cabinet/leaders have slightly forgotten about this and that running and ruling the club has become more important than promoting gaming within.
No disrespect at all. I am perfectly aware that personal commitment is really high within the club leaders and I thank them for this. It is just that the club (as an entity) appears to me to be the ultimate goal and that the promotion of gaming is just one task among others, as important as making sure the club rules are correctly written.
I would hope the priorities of the next president and cabinet will slightly comes back towards the promotion of gaming as we shouldn't forget that this is a wargaming club and that the ruling should IMHO come second or third in the TO DO lists ...

One specific example : Tournaments within the club are a good way to promote gaming.
I am so surprised for a club that is so well structured with so many internal rules that there isn't a topic which makes the list of the current ongoing tournament.
I made my own which is probably not correct :
RBCT
AotS seasonal maneuvers
Gator alley / Hancock division match
CSA Brigade Honors
Lt cup
there used to be a commandan'st Cup also but I feel it has been abandonned.
why isn't there somewhere a list for them and the way to apply?

When I joined the club 15 months ago, I was ready to take on 10 games in parallel and participate to any tournament ongoing. I was just amazed that except the Lt's Cup, I could find no info about the current actions ... I did find my games, but what about a new officer coming in to see what's going on here and unable to find information. some officers might ask. some will just go.

why isn't it also in the cabinet TO DO list to make sure that there ain't too many tournaments or maneuvers going on in parallel ?
Last year, the AotC had talks with the AotM for a divisional tournament. we had to cancel because there was not enough players on the rebel side. Apparently there was some CSA maneuvers which already occupied a lot of officers. If we had known about it, we would have postponed the idea. It is just amazing that there is no club wide communication about all these actions just to let the members know about them, give ideas to others etc ...

I would appreciate to read your thoughts about the promotion of gaming within the club and its position in the cabinet's list of priorities and your opinon about tournament handling.
Thanks

_________________
Lt. Gen. Francois Chatain
CO XX Corps and Adjutant, AotC, USA
Red Badge of Courage Tournament Deputy Director