Are you worried about the next battle?

How will you do in the next battle? It's a question on many minds...

I'm not sure how to approach the growing concerns voiced by some of you who have decimated units and are worried about the tactical situation on Saturday, but I'm out of time to ponder and tweak. The scenario is now in the can and ready to go. At this point, it isn't changing.

All of this reminds me of the anecdote of Lincoln and McDowell before Bull Run. You know how it goes. "My men are too green..." "They are green too."

To me, what makes KS so awesome is that losses are permanent and that should inform your gameplay decisions. Sometimes, it's agonizing because your men are ordered into a bad situation or you see a gap and only you can fill it to save the army. C'est la vie.

I have a story that I am telling but nobody here knows the whole story. Only I do. After this battle, and possibly before or shortly after the last, I will reveal the story to both sides. Much of that story has been written as your commanders interact with me and make important decisions. Sometimes they make decisions without realizing how important they are. It really is cool to be a moderator. Both commanders express their concerns and wants and it's really insightful to see that happen. I can't say too much because I can't give anything away just yet, but wow. You should try moderating a campaign sometime. It's work, but it's also deeply interesting and engaging. Even though I have functionally participated in zero battles, I have actually enjoyed this time. It's work, but it's really fun work.

The end of the scenario has not yet been written. There are a couple different things that could happen from a major twist to a minor surprise. I am sure some of you have an idea what may happen. All you need to know is that in the end, no matter how well he does, Kevin loses. (JUST KIDDING!) I hope it proves to be an interesting ending.

I promise to do all I can to make the last battle fun, even if this one is a tremendous challenge for some of you.

Now about those small units...

If your brigade is small, you have a few options. I'm not going to reinforce your men. I'm really sorry, but that's how the campaign goes, at least through Saturday.

If you feel your unit is too small to be effective, I encourage you to consider unconventional tactics. Think as you would do if you were really there. Work the flanks, fall back, act as bait for a trap. Hold an objective, coordinate closely with another brigade, find and hold only the best ground you can. Do everything you can to stay alive without turning into a coward.

You have another option too -- command a different, open brigade. There will be a lot of slots this battle. More slots than players, even with all the GCM guys. You don't HAVE to play your unit if you feel you won't have fun with them. I really want you to have fun, and if you're going to be bored, or dead in 10 minutes, then what's the point? Take another brigade as available. Play for the other side if you have to. Ask for division command. Those are some suggestions. I don't want you to hate the coming game, but I have reason for what's happening.

I have a reason for allowing some units to atrophy via combat. You don't get to know that reason yet, but you will next week and some of you will like it. Some might not. I know that sounds crazy, but... look at who you're dealing with.

Please try to have fun. Everybody should be able to play on Saturday and everyone should be able to find a worthwhile command or special role on the battlefield. Digby has helped craft a clever scenario. In fact, he's taken it to a higher level than I imagined. Please thank him.

When I get home next week, I will start working on the end of the story and we'll wrap this thing up. In the meantime, don't panic, and try to have fun. Yes, some of you could be destroyed. That's KS. Play careful and try to have fun.

-Neal

Well said. I always prefer umpiring campaigns than playing in them, the hard work of doing everything to create them and move them along is more than rewarded by watching the players develope the game in ways you didn't expect.

In campaign games I always play more cautiously. I don't mean that I'm reluctant to engage heavily, but that I always have the next battle in my mind while fighting this one and the preservation of my units is always high on my list of priorities, so falling back comes before a suicidal last stand or charge. That is why, as Simpson in the last game, I ordered my division off that hill and back to the Barlow Farm hill which was the best position to defend I could see nearby. I could have ordered the division to storm the objective hill but it was crawling with Rebs (Jack was amongst them and boy do I hate losing to Jack!), so I retreated. It may well have cost us that battle but an attack would most likely have destroyed my division.

After Neal has completed this campaign I am definitely going to continue my Peninsular Campaign. For those who weren't involved last time its Napoleonic, set in Spain in 1808 with a quarter million troops in-theatre and Spanish vs French with the British under Wellington and Britain's Portuguese allies joining in as the summer goes on. There will no doubt be slots open for new players but of course the old players are welcome to reassume their old commands.

Here, here.

Heck, I just might join myself!

By the way, I am planning for the Saturday of 7/19 to be OFF, so there will be NO campaign battle that day. I'll be planning the final battle during that time.

Perhaps that would be a good day to run a Napoleonic battle and hook people in?

-Neal