Big disappointment

[Mad Russian]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

Regarding points being made by Buzzsaw and Mad Russian (and possibly others), one idea I'd like to implement for a FOF2 -- though it would be A LOT of work -- would be to add another data column to the generals' data file in which I could assign which theater the general first appears in, so that they don't all start off in Richmond or Washington. This is more complicated than it might seem, though: for example, what if a Confederate general attained that rank fighting in the Trans-Mississippi theater, but the Union has already taken all of those states, leaving him nowhere to appear? So, there would have to be contingencies coded into the game. In addition, we could have a separate (and moddable!) data file in which the generals who may not be assigned by the AI outside of their original theater could be listed.

Whether we would implement this depends on how many other changes we'd like to make that strike us as a higher priority, but it's something we'd consider. And thanks to the bios project we already have a lot of the info on where generals served.

I'm opposed to doing FoF2 for stated reasons.

That said, I agree that you can get too historical in a wargame.

If you want a simulation that's a different story.

I like my wargames as close to a sim as I can get it for DAY ONE. After that I'm in command.

The goal for me is to see if I can better the original results. Where is the challenge if you MUST send all the original participants to the same locations, or make the same decisions regarding the R&D choices you have, to where you want to fight in what time period. That just becomes a replay of the original conflict.

My DAR

An Unciviil War

shows not only the choices I took but I try to explain why.

My approach is much different from what others have offered as their way to win. If a game is good it will offer lots of variations, no single path to victory. Start restricting the choices by the use of history, as the only guideline, and the general gaming public won't appreciate near as much as keeping as many options as possible open.

Good Hunting.

MR

[*Buzzsaw*]

ORIGINAL: Randomizer
BTW, N.B. Forrest was promoted Lt. General over the heads of some forty senior Confederate Major Generals.  D.H. Hill was promoted the ninth Confederate Lt. General with seniority from 11 July 1863 before he went to Tennessee as a corps commander.  At least according to the Confederate general officers list...

DH Hill was promoted, then demoted because Davis did not like the way he critisized Bragg and was a large part of the officer's revolt that resulted in Bragg being removed from command of the Army of Tennessee.

Re. Forrest: I have no problem with a two star general with less seniority but a good combat record being promoted to 3 star over other two star generals with more seniority. Big difference between that and a green 1 star being promoted to 4 star in one shot.

Regarding Lee serving in Georgia and the Carolinas: He was asked to do this by Davis because Lee had a terrific record as an engineer, designing fortifications etc. and the coast of the Confederacy desperately needed fortifying, and to have the positions laid out by an expert who knew where to site guns, etc. This was understood to be a temporary assignment.

This subject by the way raises another issue, that being the fact the game only gives the Federals and Confederates 'improvised' heavy guns in their forts, except at Union Ft Pulaski.

This is completely incorrect, Federal forts had great numbers of 32 and 42 lber weapons, most of the Federal forts in the game should start with 32lbers. In addition, the Virginia State militia, when they captured Norfolk Naval Yard, seized over 1000 heavy cannon, (32lber and heavier) which were the basis of the Confederate heavy armoury and what were used to build forts etc. These cannon were shipped out all over the Confederacy, and used in forts like Donelson, etc. as well as in the CSS Merrimack and other ironclads.

Which raises another issue: Federal ships at the start of the war were not equipped with 'improvised' weapons either, they had 32lb cannon in most cases.

The game should differentiate between heavy weapons and small arms.