The Battles of the American Civil War
(using an idea by Jean Tessier of the Napoleonic Wargame Club)

Introduction

   Welcome to a new form of PBeM gaming using John Tiller's Civil War series of computer games.  This is a multi-player game emphasizing command and control concerns over the usual tactical micro-management available thus far through standard PBeM gaming.  Each player assumes the role of a historical commander and using a system of Messages and Orders, sent via Moderator, communicates with his fellow players and virtual troops to help his army defeat that of his opponents.  Note that players do not move, fire, or otherwise click on the game interface for any reason other than to see the effects of their Orders and the progress of the battle. All point-and-click mechanics of the game are undertaken by the Moderator, according to the intentions and plans of the players, expressed via e-mail, using written Messages, Orders and Couriers just as their historical counterparts did.  (...well, except for the e-mail part.)

    The first game we will try is a Norris-Frost version of the 3 days of Gettysburg. In addition to the 2 Moderators we will need 13 Confederate and 11 Union volunteers for the game. Although we will not need this many to get the first day of battle started.  If you are interested in participating in this game please read the rules below, they will explain just how the mechanics of such a game works.  Please send an E-mail note to either Dierk Walter or Jess Norris. You may sign up as either a CS or US player, and list in order of priority which commander you would like to be on the field. For the CS side this is Army, Corps or Division commanders. For the US side it will be Army or Corps commanders. Although on the US side as it becomes appropriate Reynolds, Hancock and Slocum will be designated as wing commanders and their senior division commanders will be advanced to command of their Corps. You may also sign up as an aide de camp for either side. (AdC's will be backup players.)

Regards,
Jess Norris

PBeM Rules of Play

1    Definitions:
    ~ Player Commander: the players themselves, represented by their leader icon in the game.  Usually all divisional leaders and up will be represented by a player.
    ~ Non-player Commanders: those leaders not represented by a player.  Every formation/unit in the game is assumed to have a leader, from brigades which are represented by an actual leader icon, to detached regiments as represented by the unit itself, etc.
    ~ Units: all, infantry, cavalry, artillery and supply wagons are considered units.  All units may be given Orders as if they were Non-Player Commanders.
    ~ Aides de Camp: spare or backup players, stacked with their side's superior Player Commander.  AdC's sole function is to provide a ready pool of generals ready to assume command of a formation whose Player Commander becomes wounded, captured or killed.
    ~ Couriers:  messengers not physically represented in the game.  They deliver Messages, Orders and Reports. Each have 24 MPs, their movement calculated according to the leader movement cost chart.
    ~ Moderator: unbiased official of the game, organizes and communicates all Messages and Orders sent to him by the Player Commanders.  Operates all game engine mechanics according to player Orders and Standing Rules (see below.)
    ~ Turn Report: the Moderator sends the turn's Messages/Orders/Game files appropriate to each player.
    ~ Turn Deadline: the day by which all players send in their Messages and Orders.  If a player has no Messages and Orders to issue he is still required to respond to the Moderator before the deadline to make sure he is still active in the game.

2    The Turn Report: an e-mail message with attachment containing the following information:
    ~ Subject Line: Game and turn number (ex. GB - Turn 6)
    ~ Turn Deadline: date by which Orders and Messages from players must be received by the Moderator.
    ~ Orders: All outgoing Orders sent by the active Player Commander.
        (example - Sent 9:45am        To: General Wadsworth    From General Reynolds
         General march your brigade with all possible speed to the Seminary on the Ridge North of town)
    ~ Messages: All outgoing Messages sent by the active Player Commander, and any incoming messages from other Player Commanders including time sent.
        (example - Sent: 2:45pm    From General Howard
         General Reynolds I request you detach a regiment of cavalry to my command)
    ~ Reports: Any incoming reports from Non-player Commanders including time sent.
        (example - Sent 2:15pm         From General Buford to General Barlow
        General, there is an overwhelming force of  Rebel infantry coming down on your right flank, I advise you to withdraw immediately)
    ~ Zipped files: containing .bte game files for players to visually see the game turn as it progresses.  All players whose leader icons are on the game map will receive a zipped .bte file attached to their e-mail.

3    Command Points: are used to measure a Player Commander's ability to send Messages and Orders. Every Player Commander will be assigned a Command Point number for Messages/Orders allowed per Turn, the number of which is determined by nationality, rank, AdCs available, etc.
    ~ A Message/Order can be as long and as verbal as a player wishes them to be but clear and concise Messages or Orders will generally go further in relaying your intent.  There is a -1 die roll modifier to the Order Acceptance Table (see below) for complicated Orders of 20 words or more sent to a Leader/Unit.
    ~ Command Points may not be saved from one Turn to the next, nor may they be shared with other Player Commanders.

4    Messages: are used by Player Commanders to pass along instructions or information to fellow Player Commanders.
    ~ A player may send a Message to any player on his side's forces, including those off map.
    ~ Player Commanders may send any number of Messages to another Player Commander who remains in the same hex for the duration of the upcoming Movement Phase, yet all Messages must still be sent via the Moderator, and never directly to another player.  Such Messages are called In-Person Verbal Messages and  do not cost Command Points.
    ~ Messages to a Player Commander 1 or more hex(es) away must get there by Courier and costs 1 Command Point per Message.
    ~ Player Commanders may read up up to three (3) Messages per Turn, irrelevant of Command Points available.
    ~ Player Commanders may send the same Message to the same Player Commander as many times as he wishes, if he has enough Command Points to do so.
    ~ Messages are received at the time accorded by a Moderator roll on the Courier Success table, but no sooner than the next following Turn.  (In-Person Verbal Messages excepted.)

    How to write Messages:  the following style format is strongly encouraged for players to use when sending in their Turns. Their contents are, of course, only an example.

Example 1: when the sending player is in the same hex as the receiving Player Commander at the beginning of a Turn, before any movement has occurred..  No courier is needed for these Messages, they do not cost Command Points and exact hex locations may be used if in LOS. IPVM means In-Person Verbal Message and as many of these may be sent by qualifying players to the Moderator before the Friday deadline. To: is receiving Player Commander.  From: is sending Player Commander.

            IPVM                            To:  Longstreet            From: Lee
            "General, I believe that the key to their defense is that hill behind the stream. (29,48). We should bring more artillery to bear in that direction.

Example 2: when the sending player is not in the same hex as the receiving Player Commander at the beginning of a Turn. Moderator rolls on the Courier table, each such Message costs 1 Command Point and exact hex locations may not be used. Sent: is the present game Turn time.  From: is sending Player Commander.  To: is receiving Player Commander.

            Sent: 2:00pm               To: Hood               From: Longstreet
            General, take your division on a wide sweep around the left, dislodge the enemy from the woods about the Devil’s Den and attack his batteries!  McLaws division will be in position to hold the enemy infantry in place.  Strike hard, general!
                                    Yours, James Longstreet

5    Orders: are used by Player Commanders to pass along instructions to Non-player Commanders or Units in their chain of command.
    ~ A player may send an Order to any unit or leader not represented by a Player Commander, including those located off map.
    ~ Player Commanders may give Orders to Non-player Commanders or Units who remain stacked together for the duration of the upcoming Movement Phase. Such Orders are called In-Person Verbal Orders and do not cost Command Points.
    ~ Orders to a Non-Player Commander or a Unit 1 or more hex(es) away must get there by Courier and costs 1 Command Point per Order.
    ~ Player Commanders may send the same Order to the same Non-Player Commander or Unit as many times as he wishes as long as he has enough Command Points to do so.
    ~ Orders are received only after following the instructions of the Courier Success Table if applicable.
    ~ Received Orders are then rolled on the Order Acceptance and Execution tables.
    ~ Player Commanders, may also send Orders to units not in their chain of command, but then run the risk of alienating their fellow players and confusing the command structure of his side's forces, to include negative modifiers to the Order Acceptance and Execution tables.  This option however may be used to create ad hoc commands according to a superior commander's desire or to react to a local situation.

How to write Orders:  the following style format is strongly encouraged for players to use when sending in their Turns. Their contents are, of course, only an example.

Example 1: when the sender is in the same hex as the receiving at the beginning of a Turn, before any movement has occurred.  No courier is needed, they do not cost Command Points and exact hex locations may be used if in LOS.  IPVO means In-Person Verbal Order. To: is receiving Non-player Commander.  From: is sending Player Commander.

            IPVO                   From: Hood           To: Mclaws
            "General suh, form column and follow me with your Division.  A final assault on the ridge will most assuredly break the enemy's back.  Forward!"

Example 2: when the sender is not in the same hex as the receiving Non-player Commander or Unit at the beginning of a Turn.  Moderator rolls on the Courier Success table, each such Order costs 1 Command Point and exact hex locations may not be used.  Sent: is the present game Turn time.  To: is receiving Non-player Commander. From: is sending Player Commander.

           Sent: 2:00pm        From: Longstreet       To: Porter Alexander
           Sir, I am attaching all your artillery to Picketts Division.  Do your utmost to support that General's efforts.

Command Points have been calculated as to allow divisional Player Commanders to issue their Orders to as many formations as he has under his command.   It is therefore far more efficient for a divisional Player Commander to issue broadly encompassing Orders to his Brigades and then in the following Turns, tweak individual units if he so wishes, using more specific Orders.   Players who habitually issue highly detailed Orders, instructing every move and hex designation made by subordinate battalions, will be very disappointed when they are implemented in a slow and disjointed fashion by their Non-player Commanders due to multiple results based on the Order Acceptance and Execution tables.

6    Reports: are used by Non-player Commanders to pass along information to Player Commanders in their chain of command. As players have the advantage of seeing the status and strength of all units in their chain of command, Reports will be used sparingly, but may become valuable to ascertain the fighting spirit of a formation, or a Non-player Commander's interpretation of an Order.  Reports need not roll on any chart and are sent purely at the discretion of the Moderator.

7    Player Commander Movement: players may designate where they wish their leader icon to be moved to, every Turn if so desired, by either specifying an exact hex location or specifying a Leader or Unit to stack with or remain stacked with.  The Moderator will then move the icon by the safest/fastest way possible to that location.  Player Commander movement does not cost any Command Points.

8    Hex Grid Designation: may never be used as part of a Message and/or Order unless:
    ~ a Message/Order/Report is to a Leader/Unit/Player Commander in the same hex. (IPVMs and IPVOs)
    ~ a Player Commander designates the exact hex his leader icon wishes to get to during an upcoming Movement Phase.
    ~ a Player Commander's leader icon remains stacked with the same Unit for the entire upcoming Movement Phase, he may designate an exact hex location for that unit to move to.
    The Moderator will edit out any hex grid references found in Messages or Orders, if found to be inapplicable.

9    Fog of War: extreme Fog of war will of course be toggled on but in addition, a player may not look at a unit or stack of units in his side's Army not under his command.  It is realized that there is no way, given the present game mechanics, to keep players from checking on the status and/or strength of everyone's units, all the Moderator can do is ask players not to do so for the betterment of the game, in fairness to fellow players and most importantly for your own personal enjoyment of the game.  The uncertainty of the battle and situation including that of fellow players is what can make this MP style game work.  Player Commanders not located on the map, will not receive .bte files.

Moderator Charts

        The following charts are used by the Moderator to determine variable events of the game.  They are rolled for using standard 2d6 dice, with the results kept secret from Player Commander knowledge.

    ~ Courier Success: rolled for every Message and Order sent by a Player Commander.
    ~ Order Interpretation: rolled for every Order received by Non-player Commander.
    ~ Order Execution: rolled for every Order received by Non-player Commander and relates to the execution of the Order by the units.  For example:  Panic may indicate a formation retreating despite Orders to the contrary.  A Blunder may cause infantry to stack with cavalry thereby causing a Disorganized stack.  A formation that waivers will be hesitant and may attack piecemeal, etc.  The Order Execution table will also be used, at the Moderator's discretion, for Non-Player Commanders attempts to gain initiative should an opportunity present itself.
 

Die Roll

Courier Success

Order Acceptance

Order Execution

2

Courier is lost unbeknownst to Sender.

Order is ignored.

Leader/Unit panics and blunders.

3

Courier is lost. Sender becomes aware of this instance 1 Turn later.

Order is sent back for verification.

Leader/Unit panics.

4

Courier arrives 2 Turns late.

Order is implemented 2 Turns late.

Leader/Unit blunders.

5

Courier arrives 1 Turn late.

Order is implemented 1 Turn late.

Leader/Unit wavers.

6 ~ 11

Courier arrives as scheduled.

Order is implemented as stipulated.

Order is executed as stipulated.

12

Courier arrives 1 Turn early, or same turn if applicable.

Order is anticipated and implemented immediately before Courier arrives, if beneficial to do so.

Leader/Unit aggressively seizes available opportunity.

 

 

 

 

 

Modifiers (cumulative)

Modifiers (cumulative)

Modifiers (cumulative)

 

 - 5  Sender or receiver is isolated.

 - 2 Leader/Unit is isolated.

 - 2 Leader/Unit is isolated.

 

+ 1 Sender and receiver are in LOS of each other.

 - 1 Order sent to Leader/Unit not in chain of command.

 + 1 Formation has majority Morale A units or better.

 

+ 1 Sender and receiver are in adjacent hexes.

+ 2 In-Person-Verbal-Order.

 - 1 Formation has majority Morale D units or worse.

 

 - 1 Receiving Player Commander moved at least 1 hex during the current turn.

 - 1 Complicated Order.  20 words or more.

 - 2 Formation has majority Yellow Fatigue units.

 

+ 1 Receiving Player Commander has remained in the current hex for at least 2 consecutive turns.

 - 1 Replacement Leader.

 - 3 Formation has majority Max Fatigue units. 

 

 

 

 - 1 Attack Order and Unit/Formation has suffered 20% casualties or is 50% Disorg./Routed.

 

 

 

 - 2 Attack Order and Unit/Formation has suffered 35% casualties or is 65% Disorg./Routed.

 

 

 

 - 3 Attack Order and Unit/Formation has suffered 50% casualties or is 85% Disorg./Routed.