I got the AWI campaign rolling last week, and I’m now in a position where I can reveal a little more about the initial setup.
I’ve played in two PBEM campaigns over the years but never actually run one. Due to this relative inexpérience and bearing in mind the enormous scope and workload of Norm’s recent Napoleonic endeavour I deliberately chose to keep this attempt to a more modest size and format.
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| The British are coming! |
To: Brigadier General Parrot
From: Major General Henry Clinton
Tuesday June 3rd 1777
Warning Order
Sir.
I am preparing to move the army north towards Elizabethtown. To this end additional supplies and reinforcements are being brought by the Navy from Charleston and will pass up the Stone River to be unloaded in Coldstream harbour sometime around the 12th - when the tides next permit.
Of some concern is a recent dispatch from the Navy claiming that when south of Arrowhead rocks HMS Roebuck came under fire from American artillery emplaced upon the bluffs. I have indicated their approximate positions on your map with a red X. (Map omitted here - see previous post for a refresher.)
Though the Admiralty can be prone to flights of fancy it may indeed be possible that the rebels occupying the south bank of the estuary have transported guns across to the north shore and established themselves there.
In summary, whether the news be true or false, the possibility of them engaging our unarmed transports cannot be stomached and I would desire that you take such a force as you see fit to learn the truth of the matter.
I would entreat you to be quick upon it and pray you keep me appraised of your progress.
Yours, etc
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| Brigadier General Parrott and his Grenadiers. |
The American player received this one
To: Brigadier General Cummings
From: Major General Benjamin Lincoln
Tuesday June 3rd 1777
Warning Order
Sir.
I have received intelligence that the British intend to advance upon Elizabethtown by the end of the month, their hand currently stayed by a want of supply. Patriots in Charlestown have observed a large convoy of enemy shipping departing the port, presumably to address this very lack. Given where such succour needs be unloaded they have little choice but to proceed to Coldstream harbour beneath the very noses of the battery’s you recently established on the north bank of the Stone River.
I cannot but think that the enemy may have some intelligence of your positions and would caution you to take all steps necessary to protect this, our only means to strangle the enemy design at birth. Should the enemy transports arrive unhindered I have grave doubts that we will be able to prevent their subsequent onslaught.
I would entreat you to keep me appraised of your progress.
Yours, etc
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| Brigadier General Cummings and some of his rebel chaps. |
I gave each player 28 « game points » with which to purchase units - and a range of equally important army support options.
Actual fighting units cost 3 points for the best quality ones down to 1 point for the less reliable militia types but choosing the fighting force was the easy part because, out of the 28 points they also needed to consider purchasing some of the following:
1 Point per unit of supply. A unit of supply includes ammunition, powder, victuals, clothing, and other necessaries. 1 unit of supply is consumed for every day the force under your command is in the field, as a result of every battle, and for every one level of défense your units construct in a strategic map hex. Additional supplies might be obtained from random event outcomes…but dont count on it.
1 Point per level of intelligence gathering – to a maximum of 3. 1 point assigned to this will give you an approximation of the strength of any detected enemy units. 2 points will reveal their type and strength, 3 points their type strength and posture (column / line etc.) Enemy units are automatically detected when they occupy an adjacent strategic map hex.
1 point per level of influence. (to a maximum of two) with any Indians or Settlers that you encounter. The point or points will provide a die modifier in your favor in any interactions with the locals. Generally, settlers may provide additional supplies and Indians with an enhanced scouting range if the interactions turn out well. Be aware there is usually a price to pay for this help.
1 point per level of naval support. 1 unit of Naval support may transport 1 pre embarked regiment to either Indian Cove or Trappers Landing.
Random events.
Random events add a little spice to a game and each player is subject to one every turn. The mechanism is a simple 1D10 roll for subject but from each subject a « decision tree » of outcomes is triggered. I’ll spare you the detail on this with the game still in progress - but it’s fair to say it’s already produced some interesting outcomes. The ten subject headings include:
Political interference, Terrain changes, Indian interactions, Weather, Settler Interactions, Supply, Sickness, Discipline and desertion, Command friction, and Spies.
Points spent on influence become positive die modifiers when determining which branch of a decision tree outcome is taken in interactions with Indians or settlers. The more points spent on this the more likely a player will generate a favourable outcome.
I have encouraged the two generals to use the game rules as an outline and to act and behave as their real life counterparts might do when the rules don’t cover a particular situation or they wish to pursue a particular course of action that I’d not considered in the game set up. This free and easy approach has already bitten me in the ass and in the interests of fairness I’ve allowed both players to free style on at least one occasion - with very interesting outcomes.