Initial Enlistment Period is Over!
Please contact the GM (me) if you wish to join.
Next player orders due by 0901 hours CDT on Sunday
Introduction
Howdy, and welcome to ‘Southern Steel’.
While we are waiting for the resumption of 'MastahCheef117’s' ACW game, I thought this might be a pleasant way to pass the time.
If it works, then I could always run the Northern version next.
In this vision of the Civil War players take on the role of the major military commanders of the Confederacy beginning in late July of 1861. They command the divisions, corps, and armies of the South in an attempt to both win the war and secure their personal legacy for the future.
The players’ responsibility is primarily to direct the movement of their respective commands, identifying cities and regions to both attack and defend from the predations of the North. The GM handles the actual details of combat, reinforcements, supply, attrition and so forth.
Players may use their in game Influence to guide the GM in which military commands receive additional resources (troops, supplies, better equipment) as they become available.
In order to win the game, players must first ensure the South is victorious in the war (Player cooperation helps). Only in that happy occurrence will a player be eligible for the title of Game Winner (Player competition essential). With the Confederacy triumphant, the game winner is the player with the most Glory.
While we are waiting for the resumption of 'MastahCheef117’s' ACW game, I thought this might be a pleasant way to pass the time.
If it works, then I could always run the Northern version next.
In this vision of the Civil War players take on the role of the major military commanders of the Confederacy beginning in late July of 1861. They command the divisions, corps, and armies of the South in an attempt to both win the war and secure their personal legacy for the future.
The players’ responsibility is primarily to direct the movement of their respective commands, identifying cities and regions to both attack and defend from the predations of the North. The GM handles the actual details of combat, reinforcements, supply, attrition and so forth.
Players may use their in game Influence to guide the GM in which military commands receive additional resources (troops, supplies, better equipment) as they become available.
In order to win the game, players must first ensure the South is victorious in the war (Player cooperation helps). Only in that happy occurrence will a player be eligible for the title of Game Winner (Player competition essential). With the Confederacy triumphant, the game winner is the player with the most Glory.
Credits.
This game relies heavily on the inspiration provided by ‘MastahCheef117’ and his “War Between the States!”, as well as using the Matrix Games product ‘Forge of Freedom’ as the underlying game model.
Sequence
Each turn represents generally two game weeks, consisting of up to 48 hours of real time.
At the start of the turn, players issue movement and related orders to their units, then the GM resolves those instructions and updates the map and associated information screens with the results of movement, battles, etc.
At the start of the turn, players issue movement and related orders to their units, then the GM resolves those instructions and updates the map and associated information screens with the results of movement, battles, etc.
Current Game State
(Click on thumbnail title links for larger images.)
National Map - a view of the entire area of operations for the war, showing suspected locations of combatants, their estimated strengths, as well as current political control.
Map Legend - What the stuff on the map means.
Leader Board - the Influence and Glory each player has.
Political Control
Recent Battle Sites
Recent Battle Summaries
Where is Waldo?
Confederate Military Strength
Other National Reports
Diplomatic Front
North/South Comparisons
Confederate Army Unit Details.
Resources for Bid - Units, upgrades, Rail Transport, etc. available for player bid.
National Map - a view of the entire area of operations for the war, showing suspected locations of combatants, their estimated strengths, as well as current political control.
Map Legend - What the stuff on the map means.
Leader Board - the Influence and Glory each player has.
Political Control
Recent Battle Sites
Recent Battle Summaries
Where is Waldo?
Confederate Military Strength
Other National Reports
Diplomatic Front
North/South Comparisons
Confederate Army Unit Details.
Resources for Bid - Units, upgrades, Rail Transport, etc. available for player bid.
Underlying Game Mechanics.
Rules
Victory - How to win the game.
Note that players receive ten Glory for each victory point they earn.
In addition, the player causing the most enemy casualties in a battle gets a minimum of three Glory for the battle victory.
Finally, the player with the most troops in a fight that captures a city gains the glory for that.
In addition, the player causing the most enemy casualties in a battle gets a minimum of three Glory for the battle victory.
Finally, the player with the most troops in a fight that captures a city gains the glory for that.
Orders
Players use orders primarily to guide the GM in moving their HQ’s with assigned troops about the map.
Orders can be as simple as identifying a HQ and its destination province, or they can be more elaborate; it is the players’ choice.
Players may provide additional details in their orders for specifying particulars of movement, attaching and detaching HQ’s, or engaging in sieges and other what not.
It is up to the players on how much or little time they spend in preparing orders.
Within 48 hours of turn start, the GM processes all received orders.
Units without orders will not take any actions unless part of a larger HQ.
The earlier the submission of the orders, the greater the chance that the GM will be able to review them and respond to perceived issues.
Turn Orders Example.
Orders can be as simple as identifying a HQ and its destination province, or they can be more elaborate; it is the players’ choice.
Players may provide additional details in their orders for specifying particulars of movement, attaching and detaching HQ’s, or engaging in sieges and other what not.
It is up to the players on how much or little time they spend in preparing orders.
Within 48 hours of turn start, the GM processes all received orders.
Units without orders will not take any actions unless part of a larger HQ.
The earlier the submission of the orders, the greater the chance that the GM will be able to review them and respond to perceived issues.
Turn Orders Example.
Groups
Groups are HQ’s. They serve as containers for the actual combat unit, the brigade, as well as other HQ’s.
The smallest group is the Division, which contains only brigades.
Next up is the Corps, which can hold both brigades and Division HQ’s.
Finally is the Army, which can contain all of the other types.
Armies do NOT contain other armies.
The major advantage to being part of a Group is that the brigades and other assigned HQ’s as part of that group all move as one entity.
Based on historical sources, Confederate groups can contain slightly more units than Union groups.
The Group Chart provides details on this capability.
The smallest group is the Division, which contains only brigades.
Next up is the Corps, which can hold both brigades and Division HQ’s.
Finally is the Army, which can contain all of the other types.
Armies do NOT contain other armies.
The major advantage to being part of a Group is that the brigades and other assigned HQ’s as part of that group all move as one entity.
Based on historical sources, Confederate groups can contain slightly more units than Union groups.
The Group Chart provides details on this capability.
Movement
Infantry Units may try to move one or two provinces by land, cavalry may go up to three.
Starting in a River province gives a maximum of three potential provinces movement.
Rail movement is limited by remaining rail capacity.
One brigade moving one province uses one capacity.
March Details
Starting in a River province gives a maximum of three potential provinces movement.
Rail movement is limited by remaining rail capacity.
One brigade moving one province uses one capacity.
March Details
Supplies
Most brigades in each unit use supply every turn.
Movement costs supply, combat costs more supply.
If a brigade runs out of its supply, soldiers start leaving the unit in significant numbers.
The GM manages the supply for all brigades.
The GM lets players know when their orders may have a significant negative effect on the supply situation for their units.
Some things a player can keep in mind about supply:
Out-of-Supply
If, even with re-supply, a unit cannot meet its Supply costs that turn, it is out-of-supply.
This has various negative effects, such as each turn that a brigade cannot pay its Supply cost, it suffers 20% attrition
Movement costs supply, combat costs more supply.
If a brigade runs out of its supply, soldiers start leaving the unit in significant numbers.
The GM manages the supply for all brigades.
The GM lets players know when their orders may have a significant negative effect on the supply situation for their units.
Some things a player can keep in mind about supply:
1. Troops in forts and cities do NOT use supply.
2. Rail Supply: A brigade is in Rail Supply whenever it can trace a path along railroad lines to a province no more than 2 provinces away that is controlled by their nation, so long as no enemy units are in Rail Supply does not extend from or through provinces that are in Unrest. The base level of Rail Supply is 2 additional Supply a turn.
3. Land Supply: A brigade is in Land Supply if it is not in Rail Supply, but is adjacent to a province controlled by their nation. It receives a base level of 1 Supply for its re-supply each turn.
4. Fleet Supply: A brigade is in Fleet Supply if it is in neither Rail Supply nor Land Supply, but is in a province adjacent to a friendly non-empty fleet. Its base level of re-supply is 1 Supply each turn.
2. Rail Supply: A brigade is in Rail Supply whenever it can trace a path along railroad lines to a province no more than 2 provinces away that is controlled by their nation, so long as no enemy units are in Rail Supply does not extend from or through provinces that are in Unrest. The base level of Rail Supply is 2 additional Supply a turn.
3. Land Supply: A brigade is in Land Supply if it is not in Rail Supply, but is adjacent to a province controlled by their nation. It receives a base level of 1 Supply for its re-supply each turn.
4. Fleet Supply: A brigade is in Fleet Supply if it is in neither Rail Supply nor Land Supply, but is in a province adjacent to a friendly non-empty fleet. Its base level of re-supply is 1 Supply each turn.
Out-of-Supply
If, even with re-supply, a unit cannot meet its Supply costs that turn, it is out-of-supply.
This has various negative effects, such as each turn that a brigade cannot pay its Supply cost, it suffers 20% attrition
Disease
Almost every turn Disease will strike a brigade on both sides, chosen at random from all the brigades in the game.
If a brigade is stricken by disease, all units in the same province are also affected.
Disease deals 0-28% damage to the Strength of affected units (but usually around 14%), plus an additional 10% for every edge of the province that borders a swamp.
During autumn turns, disease casualties are reduced by three-quarters; in winter disease casualties are reduced by half.
The “Medical” attribute for brigades reduces these casualties, as does any friendly Hospital in that province.
TIP: To reduce vulnerability to disease, do not keep units in large stacks, but try to split them up into multiple provinces whenever this is possible.
If a brigade is stricken by disease, all units in the same province are also affected.
Disease deals 0-28% damage to the Strength of affected units (but usually around 14%), plus an additional 10% for every edge of the province that borders a swamp.
During autumn turns, disease casualties are reduced by three-quarters; in winter disease casualties are reduced by half.
The “Medical” attribute for brigades reduces these casualties, as does any friendly Hospital in that province.
TIP: To reduce vulnerability to disease, do not keep units in large stacks, but try to split them up into multiple provinces whenever this is possible.
Forts and Siege Details
If it isn't clear, please ASK!
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