General Campaign Discussion, Q&A, etc

Neal

I can't see a player volunteering to command just a couple of batteries. Should we change it so that a fixed number of guns and their calibres are available at division level and the division CO can organise these into batteries. Say each division gets 24 guns and these are:

8 12pr Napoleons
8 Ordnance Rifles
and 8 other guns of variable type depending if the div is Union or Reb?

For example I can see Reb divs having some 1841 6prs, Whitworths and howitzers while Union might have Rodmans and Parrots, etc.

Getting enough players so that the division commander only has to personally fight the guns would be ideal. In an intense battle it is difficult to fight a brigade, the guns and keep an eye on the big picture. Also if a player drops, the division commander has a new brigade to tend to.

But I don't think both sides should have equal amounts of artillery. The south always had fewer pieces in lower quality batteries on the field. That was balanced by the north having greener regiments sprinkled throughout the command.

Hey Digby,
I just noticed that we didn't have artillery and am currently trying to switch to commanding a battery.


Im stickin with my Florida boys! We shall give them the hot lead and cold steel!

SWeathers wrote:Hey Digby,
I just noticed that we didn't have artillery and am currently trying to switch to commanding a battery.

I'm likely going to add guns to both sides. Every side will have some of everything. Please command what you WANT to command. This campaign is for your enjoyment.

Its looking like we have a corps on each side already, (6 Reb brigades, 7 Union) and a cavalry division on the CSA side.

I just added guns. Historical imbalance.

Something for the Confederates to take.

Mr. Digby wrote:Its looking like we have a corps on each side already, (6 Reb brigades, 7 Union) and a cavalry division on the CSA side.

Hmmm, I wonder how many candlestick holders, silver of course, I can get for a shot out Parrott?

Had my first H&C game tonight. Although it crashed half way in and all I did was get lost and very confused , I'm hooked and would like to recruit a Reb inf brigade for a tour of the Shenandoah valley. I hear its beautiful this time of the year.

If I'm not too late, of course ( I could take the next available Loco from Manassas Junction )

No probs if I've missed the last train

Grog wrote:Had my first H&C game tonight. Although it crashed half way in and all I did was get lost and very confused , I'm hooked and would like to recruit a Reb inf brigade for a tour of the Shenandoah valley. I hear its beautiful this time of the year.

If I'm not too late, of course ( I could take the next available Loco from Manassas Junction )

No probs if I've missed the last train

Go here if you can: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Post up your commander's name, as well as the units in your brigade.

We'll squeeze ya in.

Thanks Father General, although I tried this link, typed in my username and password but it didn't allow me in.

Now when I try the link I don't even get the log in prompt.

The Lord sent me to test your faith

On that note, thanks again Gents for the game last night. You were very patient.

Grog wrote:Thanks Father General, although I tried this link, typed in my username and password but it didn't allow me in.

Now when I try the link I don't even get the log in prompt.

The Lord sent me to test your faith

On that note, thanks again Gents for the game last night. You were very patient.

Grog (Can't say I approve of the name...)

Please try again, but this time, do so using the Eye of Faith.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

-FG

I would play well.
Union or CSA does not matter.

Friedrich wrote:I would play well.
Union or CSA does not matter.

Friedrich, you must decide, I cannot choose for you. Both sides are pretty much even.

Flip a coin?

Once you choose, decide if you want infantry, artillery, or cavalry. Then pick a (semi-real/real sounding) name for your commander, the state, and the names of the 4 regiments (in the case of infantry or cav). Or the battery name in the case of artillery.

Just post it here and I'll grant you the correct forum access and update the OOB.

We need to get you on Teamspeak if we can. Do you have a headset?

-Neal

I am willing to play

I have considered my options and would enlist for the Union but the enlistment page appears to be locked.

Its getting to the point where I think we need to spread the sides more evenly, the Union side is a fair bit bigger than the Rebs right now.

We need to look at balancing each side with a mix of US and EU players as well so that each side can field enough players at any time of day.

Mr. Digby wrote:Its getting to the point where I think we need to spread the sides more evenly, the Union side is a fair bit bigger than the Rebs right now.

We need to look at balancing each side with a mix of US and EU players as well so that each side can field enough players at any time of day.

It may not be so imbalanced...

There have been some new enlistments over the past day. When I get home I'll update everything and prepare a summary. I'll take location into account as well. If anything, we may need second divisions!

-n-

Friedrich wrote:I would play well.
Union or CSA does not matter.

I am adding you to the CSA OOB.

Please send me your enlistment by posting here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Here is a preview of the campaign map.

Tomorrow in the PM (early AM for those in Europe), I will assign a battle (game) map to each node and post it along with the finalized version of the campaign map.

Black lines represent railroads, which may be a factor.

At that time I will send general instructions to both sides and you will be off and running.

Feel free to start pondering and chatting amongst yourselves about strategy. By this weekend, you'll be on the march!

-Neal

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Map looks really good.

Martin

Map looks great, however can I share one observation?

I'm not too familiar with the area but it seems that the largest and more open of the valleys (western) has a relatively poor east-west road network. I'm sure you are aware of this and there is probably good strategic reasoning for it.

Without discussing strategical and gameplay implications, I wonder if just one lateral road might be considered.

This suggestion, of course, is based on a very ignorant understanding of the umpires overall design of campaign. In which case, ignore. Just making sure you have not overlooked it.

Cheers

Neal, you didn't need to re-upload the map again. You can use the original location. Its why I put it there. My hoster also allows viewing at a much higher resolution:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I have that extra node to add at your request, and I can add the town names of the nodes to a panel on one side as well. Then we'll be done.

Grog wrote:I'm not too familiar with the area but it seems that the largest and more open of the valleys (western) has a relatively poor east-west road network. I'm sure you are aware of this and there is probably good strategic reasoning for it.

Yes, the Shenandoah Valley has one good all-weather meatlled road up its middle - the Valley Pike that runs from Staunton via Harrisonburg to Strasburg, Winchester and Martinsburg. The nodes along here are spaced wide apart because travel is fast: Staunton to Winchester is 6 nodes

The western track from around Striblings Springs up to Winchester is a much poorer narrower road and so teh same journey requires 9 nodes, but it does bypass the main centres. Likewise the eastern road, also narrower and poorer from Port Republic and Conrad's Store (man I love these names!) up to Front Royal is 10 nodes.

Grog wrote:Without discussing strategical and gameplay implications, I wonder if just one lateral road might be considered.

Good point. The useful lateral roads between the Valley Pike and the Luray (eastern) side valley are already in place - as you can see the spine of Massanutten Mountain splits the Luray Valley off distinctly for much of its length - but perhaps a link or two could go in from the Pike to the western trail? Neal?

That's a good catch, Grog! Ergo, I like to post previews for discussion before starting. Crowdsourcing usually works pretty well. :-)

Mr. Digby, I can see anywhere from 2-4 lateral lines going in. I'll leave it to your discretion to pick the precise number.

Even with poor weather and moving cross-country, it is an easy enough march, however stretches between 22 and 24 to 25 appear to be rather long. 24-25 has a road as I can see, 22 to 25 does not -- or rather it connects to the middle of a path between 20 and 25. I'd leave that one out, or fudge it by connecting with 25.

-Neal

Mr. Digby wrote:Neal, you didn't need to re-upload the map again. You can use the original location. Its why I put it there. My hoster also allows viewing at a much higher resolution:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I have that extra node to add at your request, and I can add the town names of the nodes to a panel on one side as well. Then we'll be done.

Grog wrote:I'm not too familiar with the area but it seems that the largest and more open of the valleys (western) has a relatively poor east-west road network. I'm sure you are aware of this and there is probably good strategic reasoning for it.

Yes, the Shenandoah Valley has one good all-weather meatlled road up its middle - the Valley Pike that runs from Staunton via Harrisonburg to Strasburg, Winchester and Martinsburg. The nodes along here are spaced wide apart because travel is fast: Staunton to Winchester is 6 nodes

The western track from around Striblings Springs up to Winchester is a much poorer narrower road and so teh same journey requires 9 nodes, but it does bypass the main centres. Likewise the eastern road, also narrower and poorer from Port Republic and Conrad's Store (man I love these names!) up to Front Royal is 10 nodes.

Grog wrote:Without discussing strategical and gameplay implications, I wonder if just one lateral road might be considered.

Good point. The useful lateral roads between the Valley Pike and the Luray (eastern) side valley are already in place - as you can see the spine of Massanutten Mountain splits the Luray Valley off distinctly for much of its length - but perhaps a link or two could go in from the Pike to the western trail? Neal?

Father General wrote:Even with poor weather and moving cross-country, it is an easy enough march, however stretches between 22 and 24 to 25 appear to be rather long. 24-25 has a road as I can see, 22 to 25 does not -- or rather it connects to the middle of a path between 20 and 25. I'd leave that one out, or fudge it by connecting with 25.

Thats the neat thing with nodal maps. The distance between nodes is irrelevant, what is important is the relationship between them and where the links go. So while 22 to 24 looks a long way, that's of no importance because the route is a chain 8 nodes long vs 5 nodes up the central route.

Is a brigade the smallest unit to be moved on the map, or can regiments be detached?

Uncle Billy wrote:Is a brigade the smallest unit to be moved on the map, or can regiments be detached?

I'd say brigade unless you wanted to leave one portion under AI command?

Speedbump against a Confederate blitz?