- Joined
- Oct 8, 2013
- Location
- “...somewhere between NY and PA”
While I have the time and the ability to dedicate the space, another look at ACW OCD...
My all-time favorite game is still The Civil War, 1861-1865 by Victory Games, but this beauty, designed by Joe Youst for War Between the States, 2nd edition (Decision Games, 2004), is in my opinion the best strategic-level hex-map ever made:
With my trusty home-made pieces and my quirky, heavily "house-ruled" game system, we have a fairly recognizable situation by the April 1862 turn. "Pope" has set up a siege of the Confederate river fort at Island No. 10, "Grant" has established a position at Pittsburg Landing. "AS Johnston" has used up the Confederate rail capacity for the turn, but has concentrated an army at Corinth (with an initiative marker enabling a major attack). But wait... "Buell" has not yet arrived at Savannah and has failed his initiative roll...:
Further rolls allow the Confederates to advance. Union reconnaissance is hindered by less available cavalry and the fact that Tennessee is not friendly territory, but suspicion that something is afoot allows "Grant" to put the Federal army on defensive alert. He'll need it, because apparently "Buell" likes where he is very much...:
What you are seeing is my take on the "double-blind" system used in many games. The player knows where the enemy is, but not what he has. Cavalry reconnaissance rolls tell you more, depending on whose side the surrounding population is on, how many cavalry units you have relative to the opponent, the terrain occupied by either side, etc.
Now, with help from the McElfresh Map Company, the fun begins in the next installment...
My all-time favorite game is still The Civil War, 1861-1865 by Victory Games, but this beauty, designed by Joe Youst for War Between the States, 2nd edition (Decision Games, 2004), is in my opinion the best strategic-level hex-map ever made:
With my trusty home-made pieces and my quirky, heavily "house-ruled" game system, we have a fairly recognizable situation by the April 1862 turn. "Pope" has set up a siege of the Confederate river fort at Island No. 10, "Grant" has established a position at Pittsburg Landing. "AS Johnston" has used up the Confederate rail capacity for the turn, but has concentrated an army at Corinth (with an initiative marker enabling a major attack). But wait... "Buell" has not yet arrived at Savannah and has failed his initiative roll...:
Further rolls allow the Confederates to advance. Union reconnaissance is hindered by less available cavalry and the fact that Tennessee is not friendly territory, but suspicion that something is afoot allows "Grant" to put the Federal army on defensive alert. He'll need it, because apparently "Buell" likes where he is very much...:
What you are seeing is my take on the "double-blind" system used in many games. The player knows where the enemy is, but not what he has. Cavalry reconnaissance rolls tell you more, depending on whose side the surrounding population is on, how many cavalry units you have relative to the opponent, the terrain occupied by either side, etc.
Now, with help from the McElfresh Map Company, the fun begins in the next installment...