"Cumberland Gap: Drive for Knoxville" HG Game 11 Info & Sign Up

Players new to HITS MEETS GCM should carefully read “HITS/GCM Game Basics” http://forum.kriegsspiel.org.uk/t585-hits-gcm-game-basics#5107

“Cumberland Gap: Drive for Knoxville” HITS/GCM Game 11
Game Day & Time: Saturday, March 23; 19:00 GMT
Note the time change for those outside the U.S. (Daylight Saving Time has arrived)
Sign-Up: http://doodle.com/2bq3q7rcv2vmat8w
New Players: Always Welcome!
Location: GCM TeamSpeak site (HITS sub-channel) see http://www.sowmp.com/gcm/home/teamspeak

Download a Battlefield Map: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cjd64315xn5a5hq/HG11%20Antique%20Map.pdf

Overview
Union fortunes in the West have reached a crescendo. Buoyed by the string of successes in Kentucky, General-in-Chief Henry Halleck has decided to drive for the prize at Knoxville, and has so instructed General Burnside, now in operational command. Burnside has assigned General “Bull” Nelson an important, though secondary role of screening Confederate-held Cumberland Gap to protect his flank and prevent the troublesome Rebels from interfering with the grand plan. Nelson’s force is in position at the entrance to the Gap.

The fiasco at Wildcat Mountain was the final nail-in-the-coffin for Kirby Smith’s fortunes in this theater. Smith, a rising star just a few short months ago, has been sent packing to the Trans-Mississippi. Jubal Early has now arrived at Cumberland Gap with his fresh division detached from the Army of Northern Virginia. His orders are to take command of all Confederate forces in the area and counter-attack. There is nothing “Old Jubilee” would relish more than to relegate the pompous and much-reviled Bull Nelson to the growing scrap-heap of used-up Union leaders.

In the HITS/GCM game series the goal is to simulate the challenges of Civil War division and brigade command by combining traditional HITS play with the enhancements and unique maps of Garnier’s Campaign Mod system. Adding to the command challenge are real-world limitations that place significant responsibility for executing players’ orders in the hands of the AI’s computer-controlled subordinates – who bring varying degrees of ability! (see “Restrictions on TC’ing brigades and regiments” below). To further enhance the player experience, participants are asked to be aware of their own position in the game’s OOB, and act accordingly when responding to “orders,” requests and other communication from the Army CinC, corps commanders, and teammates. The in-game chain of command is set up to add realism, direction, and cohesion. Don’t be afraid to have fun role-playing with it!

What’s new in this Game?
The two sides will vie for control of the entrance to Cumberland Gap with, once again, smaller brigade-size commands.
Infantry & Guns
-The Rebels, with fresh reinforcements, will have a 10% infantry advantage but are without artillery support having lost their guns in Kentucky.
-The Yankees will be able to deploy a few batteries distributed as they wish among their brigades, concentrated in artillery pools, or a combination of each. They are also in established positions at the entrance to the Gap.
Other changes in place for this game include:
-All players are limited to brigade-size infantry commands (Veteran players will occupy division & corps positions as usual to maintain command cohesion);
Special Movement during Councils of War (10:00 - 10:10). Yankees may move toward the objective during the Council period. Rebels beginning in the vicinity of the objective MUST move away in the direction of their main force.
Movement after Councils of War (10:10 – 10:20). Yankees may freely move for an additional 10 minutes (or less, at their option). Confederates may also move during this time with the restriction that all Rebel regiments must end this period no closer than half-way between the objective and a map-edge. Both sides may freely scout during this period within the guidelines of HG and KS rules i.e., scouting player-leaders may not knowingly move within 200 yards of enemy infantry and non-player leaders (e.g., objective holders, subordinate officers) must remain within 100 yards of friendly infantry. Communication during this period is by courier.

*We will once again use GCM’s “Fog of War” mod that removes score and enemy casualty information from game displays until the “End Battle” screen. Players must start the game using the “Start Scourge of War with Fog of War” button in the GCM Launcher.

*In past games players have had a number of command choices. In this contest all players will command infantry brigades (exercised by some through division and corps leaders).

*In future games we expect to explore options to build in additional asymmetries in infantry numbers, guns, OOB structure, victory conditions, etc. to add variety and interest. To that end, please feel free to post your ideas on specific scenarios for the HG format.

Game Day Reminders
*All players must register on GCM ahead of time http://www.sowmp.com/gcm and run the GCM launcher the day of the game. Plan on joining GCM Teamspeak 15 minutes before game time.

*Regular HITS Players must be sure that the mods below are disabled before the game begins:
-CouriersAndMaps1-5
-SmallCouriersAndMaps

*Players may use most other mods and are encouraged to activate
-GCM Toolbar (or other favorite enhanced toolbar. Only 1 toolbar should be activated)
-Marching-Thru-Georgia’s “Just Couriers” mod for enhanced written courier order capabilities (see link under “Resources” below)

*To encourage those new to the HITS experience and accommodate any who wish to play only a brigade, players are asked to express command preferences in advance at http://doodle.com/2bq3q7rcv2vmat8w

*Restrictions on TC’ing brigades and regiments:
The HITS/GCM games impose limitations on players’ ability to take control (TC) their units that differs from standard HITS and GCM play
a) Players may give the full-range of written courier, command map, point & click, and button-rock commands to brigades, through AI-controlled brigade leaders, at any time. It is then up to computer-controlled subordinates to carry out those orders. Courier(s) will deliver all player-orders issued by any method;
b) Civil War division and corps commanders did occasionally step in to personally direct individual brigades and regiments. In this game, players may take direct control of (i.e., “TC”) and issue direct orders to any infantry brigade (through its leader) or individual regiment(s) within 50 yards. Once a player moves beyond 50 yards away, all TC’d brigade commanders and regiments must be returned to computer control. A unit that is TC’d may receive orders by any method. In other words, to take personal, direct control of a brigade or regiment, a player must be there, and remain close by. Unlike earlier games, it is possible for a player to have multiple leaders and regiments TC’d at the same time so long as he remains within 50 yards of each;
c) The only way a player may give direct orders to an individual regiment is when he is within 50 yards per “b” above. Beyond 50 yards, players may never send orders to a computer-controlled regiment. This direction must come through orders (typically written) given to a regiment’s brigade commander;
d) Batteries, individual guns, objective holders and supply wagons may be freely TC’d and moved by any method at any time;
e) Players at brigade-command level are subject to the same TC’ing limitations as divisions i.e., a brigade commander may only TC regiments within 50 yards and must return regiments to AI control once beyond 50 yards.

Resources:
-GCM Website: http://www.sowmp.com/gcm
-More on Kriegspiel HITS: http://forum.kriegsspiel.org.uk/f32-scourge-of-war
-More on HITS play in SoW: http://www.norbsoftdev.net/forum/hits-headquarters-in-the-saddle
-GCM TeamSpeak Channel (GCM Site): http://www.sowmp.com/gcm/home/teamspeak
-Blaugrana’s Tips on Setting Up TeamSpeak Whisper Channels: http://forum.kriegsspiel.org.uk/t270-teamspeak-whisper-keys
-More on sending couriers: See page 62 of the SoW Game Manual
-Marching Thru Georgia’s “Just Couriers” mod download (an enhanced set of written orders for courier delivery): https://www.dropbox.com/s/lhsoim0115jk89q/JustCouriers.zip
-More on the 1862 campaign to control the Cumberland Gap “The American Gibraltar” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Cumberland_Gap_(June_1862)
-Listen to 2nd South Carolina String Band sing “Cumberland Gap”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgntNdjwzUE

Those playing in today's HITS/GCM Game 11, please be sure to read the game briefing (especially, the "What's New..." section). This one has a bit of asymmetry built in and early movement to allow the Union to set its defense -- should make for an interesting contest!

Also, don't forget to download the map of the battlefield! https://www.dropbox.com/s/cjd64315xn5a5hq/HG11%20Antique%20Map.pdf