Map and Counters

PART I: the Strategic Situation and Battle Area

WATERLOO is a historical simulation of the Emperor Napoleon’s final, ill-fated military campaign against the forces of the Anglo-Allied and Prussian armies in Belgium in June, 1815. This classic title was originally designed by Thomas Shaw and Lindsley Schutz, and published by The Avalon Hill Game Company (TAHGC) in 1962. Some years later, the game underwent a relatively minor rules overhaul and, thereafter, was published with a 2^nd Edition version of the standard rules.

INTRODUCTION

WATERLOO — PART I: the Strategic Situation and Battle Area is the initial offering in what will ultimately be a series of related essays, each of which will examine different, but important aspects of this classic Avalon Hill game. One important caveat: the 2^nd Edition Rules, along with the WBC sanctioned Tournament Rules modifications should be considered to be in effect in this, and all subsequent discussions of game situations in this series of essays. That being said, this first post will focus on the initial starting positions of the opposing forces and the WATERLOO game map; it will also address the strategic implications that these two important game elements hold for the plans of both the French and the Prussian Anglo-Allied (P.A.A) players. For purposes of clarity, it is assumed that the reader is familiar with the traditional map “grid” unit location system. And, most importantly, that the reader has at least a basic grasp of the general flow of play in a typical WATERLOO contest between two experienced and knowledgeable opponents.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: the Game and History

British 52^nd attack a French battery.

Waterloo is, almost without question, the best-known battle ever to have been fought. Virtually everyone who has ever been exposed to European history has at least heard of this famous action. Of course, from a purely historical standpoint, other military confrontations — Lepanto, Poitiers, Midway, and Stalingrad, to name just a few — have been at least as important strategically, if not more so, than the decisive clash that occurred between the armies of Napoleon and Wellington on a field of Belgian ryegrass, on 18 June, 1815. None of these other engagements, however, has achieved anywhere near the same iconic status in western culture as has Waterloo. As battles go, this decisive confrontation between Napoleon and Wellington had everything: legendary, larger-than-life commanders; colorful supporting players; courage and cowardice; fateful blunders; and finally, the late-day arrival of Blücher’s Prussians on the French right, just in time to save Wellington’s hard-pressed and exhausted troops from defeat at the hands of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard. In short, the Battle of Waterloo — besides offering large helpings of high drama — was, as Wellington, himself, observed: “a very near-run thing.”

Charge of Ponsonby's Union Brigade
Given the Battle of Waterloo's unique cultural cachet and its innate drama, once commercial board wargames began to appear in the late 1950’s, it was really only a matter of time before the climactic face-off between Napoleon and Wellington became a popular, and much revisited topic for the then rapidly-expanding field of wargame publishing. And so it has been. Waterloo’s iconic historical status and its many tantalizing (what if?) variables: weather, terrain, balance of forces, the mental state of the commanders, and the uneven performance of subordinates — all of which contributed, in varying measures, to the ultimate outcome of the battle — have combined to make this clash an irresistible and repeated subject for conflict simulations. Thus, it is no surprise that over the years, numerous game designers have attempted to model the major elements of Napoleon’s failed 1815 campaign: TAHGC’s WATERLOO; GDW’s 1815: The Waterloo Campaign; Gama Games’ NAPOLEON; and SPI’s NAPOLEON’S LAST BATTLES, just to name a few. Other designs, however, have opted to focus on one or more of the campaign’s four battles. Hence, we have SPI’s classic introductory game, NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO; the “stand alone” games in NAPOLEON’S LAST BATTLES (Ligny, Quatre Bras, Wavre, and La Belle Alliance); Yaquinto Games’ THE THIN RED LINE (Waterloo); SPI’s magazine game, NEY vs. WELLINGTON (Quatre Bras); and, most spectacular and detailed of all, SPI’s terrific tactical simulation, WELLINGTON’S VICTORY (Waterloo).

Of course, popular attempts to simulate or “game” the events at Waterloo actually predate by many years the arrival of conflict simulations on the popular scene. Miniatures enthusiasts, for example, have been refighting this battle for many, many generations. However, in 1962, the Avalon Hill Game Company finally got around to publishing WATERLOO: the first traditional, commercially-produced board wargame to deal with this colorful and dramatic topic. And although the Avalon Hill game’s title was taken from the climactic battle of June 18^th, this early design actually simulated the most decisive first days of Napoleon’s entire offensive campaign against Wellington and Blücher. By today’s standards, TAHGC’s WATERLOO is both nondescript in its graphics, and somewhat primitive in its game mechanics. Nonetheless, it remains, despite having been around for almost half a century, probably one of the best-balanced and most chess-like simulations of the 1815 Campaign ever produced by any game publisher. For this reason, and in spite the game’s several flaws and numerous historical shortcomings, this early classic continues to retain a dedicated and enthusiastic following, particularly among many of the older, long-time players in the hobby. And even after all these years, it still regularly shows up in face-to-face and PBeM play; and, as further testament to its durability, WATERLOO remains, to this day, an ongoing tournament event at the annual WBC Championships in Lancaster, PA.

THE STRATEGIC SITUATION: the Goals and Starting Positions for the Opposing Armies

The action in TAHGC’s WATERLOO begins at 7:00 am, on the morning of 16 June 1815, with the bulk of Napoleon’s troops across the Sambre River and ready to push north towards Brussels. It will be the task, in the coming game turns, of the initially dispersed forces of Wellington and Blücher to stop them. The French start the game at full strength: fifty combat units totaling 193 combat factors. There are no French reinforcements. The Prussian and Anglo-Allied armies (P.A.A.) begin the game with only thirty-five combat units totaling 116 combat factors. As the game progresses, another forty-three units totaling an additional 121 combat factors will enter the map as reinforcements. Given his numerical disadvantage once the P.A.A. forces are finally concentrated, Napoleon’s goal is to push steadily north and to defeat the armies of Wellington and Blücher in detail, before the rising tide of P.A.A. reinforcements can tip the scales against the French.

Napoleon addresses his guard during the Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon’s army starts play with the French I^st Corps (7 units; 29 combat factors) concentrated in the village of Machienne au Pont on the Sambre River. The reinforced and powerful II^nd Corps (8 units; 36 factors) begins the game deployed in the village of Gosselies; a forward French position that sits astride the primary road that runs between the southern map edge and the cross-roads at Quatre Bras. The balance of the Armée du Nord (31 units; 128 combat factors) will be positioned wherever the French player chooses along the primary and secondary roads that connect the town of Charleroi in the far south, to the village of Fleurus in the northeast. The French player always deploys his units first.

The King's German Legion in action at the Battle of Waterloo
The Prussian Anglo-Allied player positions his units after the French player completes his opening set-up. Wellington’s Anglo-Allies begin with only two small contingents on the map: one detachment (3 units; 7 combat factors) is positioned to the far west in the village of Nivelles; the other (7 units; 12 factors) is located at the important central cross-roads of Quatre Bras. The balance of Wellington’s army (34 units; 87 combat factors) will enter play piecemeal as reinforcements during the first three days of the campaign. The Prussians are a different story; three-quarters of Blücher’s army begins the game on the eastern side of the map, and ready for battle. In addition, the various divisions and brigades of the three Prussian corps that make up Blücher’s starting force have — fortunately for the P.A.A. player — much more flexibility than the British units when it comes to the Allied player’s choice of their starting positions. The Prussian I^st, II^nd, and III^rd Corps (25 units; 97 factors) can be deployed anywhere on the game's map board north of Ligny and east of Quatre Bras. At start of the game, one-quarter of the Prussian army, the powerful IV^th Corps (9 units; 34 factors), is not yet in play; it begins the game to the east of the battle area and will not arrive via the east map edge until the morning of 18 June.

French cuirassiers attacking a Highland square.
Once play commences, the French player wins by eliminating all of the P.A.A units on the game map, either through direct combat or through forced P.A.A. defections brought about by the exit of French units off the edge of the game map on or between the roads leading north to Brussels. Alternatively, the P.A.A. player wins if even a single Allied unit survives through until the end of the game.

A complete game of WATERLOO lasts 30 game turns (five days) when playing with the standard (box) rules, but is 28 turns (four days) long when playing with the WBC (one extra 7:00 pm daylight turn on each day) Tournament rules. The four-day WBC Tournament version, besides being two game turns shorter, also — through the addition of one extra daylight game turn per day — has the effect of delaying P.A.A. reinforcements from 16 June on. This means, for example, that the Prussian IV^th Corps will enter play in the Tournament game two full turns later than in the standard game. There are no scenarios or other optional rules.

THE BATTLE AREA: the “WATERLOO” Game Map

The hard-backed 22” x 28” three-color WATERLOO game map covers that region of northern France and southern Belgium over which the opposing armies maneuvered and fought during the 1815 campaign. Although the terrain scale is not provided by the game’s original designers — based on comparisons with other maps of the battle area — each hex can be estimated to be approximately 800 yards ( a little less than a half mile) across. This means that the map’s boundaries extend approximately twenty-three miles from north to south, and sixteen miles from east to west; a total playing area that represents about 364 square miles.

Charge of the Old Guard, by Richard Simkin
The WATERLOO game map serves up only six different basic types of terrain hexes: clear, river, forest, roads (primary and secondary), hilltop/crest, and towns/villages/hamlets. Despite their limited number, however, these simple terrain types are sufficient to provide both players with a wide range of challenges and opportunities as the game develops. Considered one-by-one, the direct and indirect effects of the game’s different terrain types are instructive.

Terrain Types & Effects

1. Clear terrain hexes are neutral for purposes of movement and combat.
2. Rivers impede movement by requiring a “crossing” unit to halt on the river hex before moving off (in any direction) during a subsequent movement phase; rivers also double units defending behind them when they are attacked exclusively from river and/or crest hexes. And as if all this wasn’t enough, even when crossed, rivers remain formidable obstacles: a unit forced by combat to retreat from a clear hex back onto a river hex is eliminated.
3. Forests block maneuver by restricting movement to a single forest hex per game turn; in addition, units are eliminated if their first retreat hex is onto a non-road forest hex.
4. Roads have no effect on combat, but both primary and secondary roads allow movement across or through blocking terrain (i.e. across rivers or through forests); primary roads also increase the movement allowance, by up to four hexes, of those units moving directly from one primary road hex to another.
5. Hilltop hexes — that is: those hexes that represent the high ground adjacent to the thick markings of crest hexes — double the combat strength of defenders, but only so long as all enemy units are attacking from crest and/or river hexes; on the other hand, neither hilltop nor crest hexes affect movement in any way.
6. Town, village, and hamlet hexes, somewhat surprisingly, have no effect on combat; however, town (i.e., Charleroi) and village (i.e., Gosselies) hexes are considered primary roads for purposes of movement; hamlet (i.e., Quatre Bras, Waterloo) hexes are present on the map apparently only to add a bit of additional historical color.

Map Scale and Movement: the Game’s “Built-in” Limits on Maneuver

The scale of the game map in WATERLOO, as previously noted, allows it to encompass a relatively large section of France and Belgium. Added to this, the combat units in the game are comparatively slow: in the absence of primary roads, infantry and artillery move four hexes per game turn, and cavalry only six. In “real world” terms, this means that the typical infantry unit, when marching across open ground, covers slightly less than one mile per hour; and only double that rate on primary roads. The combination of these two design factors means that maneuver across the WATERLOO game map is almost always slow, and, because of the effects of terrain, often difficult.

To help the reader visualize exactly how slow and difficult, consider that any of Napoleon’s infantry or artillery units beginning in Gosselies, and travelling along the central north-south primary road for the entire distance, would require — even if there were no Prussian or Anglo-Allied units barring their way — five to six game turns to exit the north map edge on the road to Brussels. And French infantry or artillery starting in Fleurus and marching north through Tilly — because of the absence of any primary roads for almost the entire route — would need, even without any P.A.A. opposition, at least eleven game turns to effect an exit from the north edge of the game map. East-west transfers for the French, again absent possession of a primary road and assuming no P.A.A. interference, are no easier. Any redeployment, for instance, of Napoleon’s infantry from the Nivelles front to the Tilly sector of the battle area would require a minimum of seven game turns to complete. The Prussian Anglo-Allied player, at least in the early game turns, has a much easier time of it, in this regard, than his French counterpart; this P.A.A. starting advantage, however, will be examined in greater detail at a later point in this discussion.

What all this means is that, in WATERLOO, both players must typically plan several, if not many game turns ahead, and that major maneuvers must be carefully considered before being initiated. In this game more than most, impetuosity is a very dangerous fault. Mistakes in deployment and force allocation, once exposed, are almost always costly and usually very difficult to correct.

Last but not least, the preceding section also underscores the importance to both players — because of the movement limitations of combat units and the scope of the WATERLOO map area — of bonus movement along major roads. The significance of the few north-south primary roads has already been alluded to; even more important, however, is the single major road that runs from the east edge of the map all the way to Nivelles in the far west. This lone east-west primary road is, quite simply, the linchpin of the early Prussian Anglo-Allied defense. This is because it allows the P.A.A. player to rapidly shift forces from one threatened sector to another across virtually the entire length of his front. For this reason, a skillful P.A.A. player can be expected to use this lateral communications asset very aggressively, and when it is threatened by the advancing French, to defend it tenaciously.

The Game Map: a Terrain-Based Overview of the “Flow” of the Game

When the whole WATERLOO game map is laid out and carefully inspected with an eye towards the long-term strategic implications that its different types of terrain hold for the two opposing players, a regular and predictable sequence of French moves and P.A.A. counter-moves logically presents itself. This consistent pattern of player actions and reactions is probably easiest to comprehend if the game map is first divided into three separate parts: the southern portion; the central portion; and the northern portion. Each of these separate map sections can then be seen to roughly correspond to a different stage of the game.

The Southern Section

This map area is significant primarily because it is where the French army sets up before the start of the game. It should also be noted, however, that from Napoleon’s standpoint, the Ligne River in the east, the Pieton River in the center, and the absence of any primary roads leading towards Nivelles in the west, also mean that this southernmost portion of the game map is generally unhelpful to the French advance. Only the central north-south primary road helps the Armée du Nord to rapidly close with the P.A.A. during the critical first few game turns. In view of these factors, the maneuvers of both armies, as they move across this part of the battle area, will tend to follow a carefully-choreographed pattern of French actions and P.A.A. ripostes.

The Prince of Orange at Quatre Bras, by J.W. Pieneman
At the start of the game, except for the obligatory Prussian sacrifice unit on EE24 which prevents the French II^nd Corps in Gosselies from seizing a lodgment on the Quatre Bras Heights on the very first turn of the game, it is doubtful that the P.A.A. player will make any significant attempt to interfere with the initial French advance in the center. Hence, in most games, the bulk of Napoleon’s army will quick-march forward along the Charleroi-Quatre Bras road and then fan out towards Nivelles in the west and onto the open ground between the Quatre Bras forest and the Ligne River to the east. Most experienced P.A.A. players will deploy in strength near and south of the east-west road in order to delay an overly aggressive French advance towards the Quatre Bras gap; at the same time, the experienced Allied player will also start the game with a line of powerful Prussian divisions behind the Ligne River.

Confronted with a typical P.A.A opening set-up, the French units that start near Fleurus will usually move northwest to seize as much open ground as possible; at the same time, other divisions from this contingent will begin to maneuver against the Prussian river defenses on the Allied far left. Once the P.A.A. player has strongly garrisoned the Quatre Bras Heights (turn one), reinforced the Anglo-Allied detachment at Nivelles (turns two-four), and has begun to back away from the Ligne River (turns three-five), the game will usually settle — for the next few turns, at least — into a regular pattern of meticulously-planned, hex-by-hex P.A.A. retreats and sacrifices, followed by equally methodical French attacks and advances.

Beginning on turns four and five, the French columns that were dispatched towards the northwest should finally start arriving in sufficient strength to threaten both the forest corridors south of Nivelles and the south bend of the Samme River. Thus, by game turn five, the Armée du Nord should have completed the first phase of its advance to contact with the Prussian Anglo-Allies, and the southern one-third of the game board — except for the occasional effects on French movement of the Pieton River and the Trazegnies Road — will cease to have much further influence on play.

The Central Section

The middle one-third of the WATERLOO map is usually where the seeds of final victory or defeat are planted. Because this portion of the game board is cluttered with an interlocking maze of rivers, forests, and hilltops, it presents a formidable series of obstacles to the French advance; while, at the same time, it provides a treasure-trove of excellent defensive positions to the P.A.A.

Napoleon's problems begin, once his troops actually enter the "central" map section, with the paucity of passable routes for a French advance north towards Brussels. Because of the thick forests in this part of the battle area, there are only six useable paths through this very difficult terrain: the narrow (one hex-wide) eastern gap at Z12; the Tilly Corridor; the Quatre Bras Gap; the Q.B. Heights; the two forest gaps at Nivelles; and the Samme River crossings near the western map edge. By channeling the French offensive into one or more of these obvious funnels, the central map section magnifies the combat power of the P.A.A. defender, while restricting that of the attacker. In short, the combination of both blocking and doubling terrain, and the advantage to the P.A.A. player of possession of the game's single east-west primary road, makes for an extremely strong initial barrier to the French advance. To really appreciate the defensive depth of this portion of the game map and the many difficulties with which it confronts the French player, it is only necessary to examine — looking east to west — its various layers. And these layers are, beginning with the Allies' initial advanced positions, all very strong.

Starting on the first game turn, the P.A.A. player will usually move to establish a powerful forward line of resistance that starts with a doubled defense of the Ligne River and a light (one or two unit) screen deployed on the Ligny plain to cover the east-west primary road, and, at the same time, the southern approaches to the Tilly Corridor and the Quatre Bras (Q.B.) Gap; this line then extends through the hilltop hexes of the Q. B. Heights. Next, this early defensive line skips across the face of the central wooded hexes, but then resumes in front of the Nivelles forest gaps, and continues west to finally end behind the south bend of the Samme River. This position, strong as it is, however, is not invulnerable; the French army will, through a combination of combat and maneuver, slowly gain ground.

Once the Prussian Anglo-Allied left has been driven back behind the lateral road, a gap will gradually begin to open between the Q.B. force and the units defending in the Tilly Corridor. At this point in the game, these two newly-separated sectors of the front will, of necessity, become the responsibility of independent P.A.A. detachments. Thus, while the main body of the Allied army will remain close to Quatre Bras, a fairly strong independent force — often a full Prussian corps — will usually be assigned to cover the Tilly Corridor. This independent corps will typically use a mixed strategy of sacrificial blocks backed-up by the credible threat of powerful counterattacks to slow the progress of the pursuing French. At the same time, individual P.A.A. delay units, supported by powerful infantry stacks, will continue to grudgingly give ground, one hex at a time, in the Quatre Bras Gap; not surprisingly, heavy artillery and infantry divisions will maintain an intimidating presence both on the Q.B. hilltops and in the Nivelles forest gaps; while, in the far west, already-dispatched P.A.A. units will take up positions behind the fork of the Samme. The French, because of their preponderance in strength, however, will usually be able to steadily press ahead with their advance and — at some point, late on the first or early on the second day — these initial P.A.A. defenses will finally begin to give way. Defenders that have been newly-deployed onto the hillocks and ridges paralleling the east-west road, in concert with a careful strategy of delay, should succeed in preventing Napoleon's army from pushing forward too quickly. Nonetheless, even after these powerful forward positions have fallen (and they usually will); and even after the east-west road has finally been cleared by Napoleon’s troops, the P.A.A. player can still fall back on yet another formidable string of defensive positions.

This final line of resistance runs from the Dyle River in the east and then branches west to run along the banks of the Genappe and up to the pair of ridges in the center of the map; from these heights, this string of defensive positions then picks up and follows the Samme River all the way to the western map edge. Along this defensive line’s entire length, there is only one small sector (hex T34) that is not doubled against a French attack. Only when the Armée du Nord has decisively broken this final position, do things begin to look truly worrisome for the P.A.A.

The Northern Section

The battle area encompassed by the final “northern” section of the WATERLOO game board represents a significant change from that in the central section. Here, for the first time, the game map favors the French. Thus, when the action finally reaches the northernmost section of the battle area — that part of the map north of the Genappe River — the terrain, at long last, begins to present significant defensive problems for the P.A.A., while, at the same time, it offers much more favorable ground for the offensive operations of Napoleon’s army. And, most importantly, for the first time in the game, the P.A.A. player can no longer pick the time and place of battle.

The Duke of Wellington waves his hat for the final attack, "The Line Will Advance"

Once the P.A.A. player falls back from the Genappe River, he really has a lot to be concerned about. Unlike his situation in previous game turns, the Allied player — because of the proximity of the northern exit hexes — must now seriously worry about a French breakthrough towards Brussels, and must deploy accordingly. The good news for Wellington and Blücher, such as it is, is that the historical Waterloo position south of Mont St. Jean is difficult to turn. In the west, a long meander from the Samme River covers the Prussian Anglo-Allied right; in the east, the P.A.A. left is screened along its entire length by the La Lasne River. Regrettably, in the center, there is only open ground; that is, except for a single ridge that dominates the Brussels Road, but which — disappointingly for the P.A.A. player, at least — is oriented so as to favor the attacking French. Here the Prussian Anglo-Allied army must fight to the last; with both the Brussels exit hexes and the Forest of Soignies to their rear, there is little room for further delay or retreat. On the other hand, if Wellington and Blücher can hold out until the arrival of the Prussian IV^th Corps, then these fresh divisions may, as was the case historically, be enough to tip the scales against Napoleon. If not, then the Armée du Nord will probably succeed in breaking the P.A.A. army and will then march off the map towards Brussels and victory.

British guards defending Hougoumont

From Napoleon’s standpoint, the final battlefield is advantageous on several levels. The threat to the P.A.A. flanks from French cavalry means that the Allied defense can be spread out and thinned at little cost to French combat power. In addition, the Prussian Anglo-Allied position has little depth; the Forest of Soignies is only a few hexes behind the Allied front. For this reason, the P.A.A commander must accept an attrition battle in the open whether he wants one or not. He really has no choice. If Wellington’s and Blücher’s troops can be pushed back even a few hexes in the center, then the P.A.A. army runs the risk of being split in two. Once this happens, the French army should then be able to defeat one or the other of the isolated Allied wings in detail, hopefully before Prussian reinforcements can make their presence felt on the French right.

Marshall Ney's massed cavalry attack on the Allied squares at Waterloo.

In most games between seasoned WATERLOO players, the northern map section is where the last bloody act of the campaign ultimately plays out. And, it must be admitted, the final great clash at Mont. St. Jean is always an exciting climax to the game. Neither the northern map section, nor Mont St. Jean, however, is really where the game is won or lost. Instead, victory or defeat is almost always the product of the many different decisions made, by both players, throughout the match; it is the accumulated outcomes from these many player choices that will, in virtually every case, finally determine how the drama actually ends.

PART I: CONCLUSION

This rather long post is the first in a new series of essays on WATERLOO that I will be publishing on this Blog as time goes by. In this initial offering, I opened with a discussion of the strategic positions and goals of both the French and the Prussian Anglo-Allied players at the start of the game. From there, I went on to consider, in some detail, the WATERLOO game board; specifically, the characteristics of the game’s terrain and map scale, and the effects of both on the overall flow and tempo of the game. Looking to the future, this inaugural post is only the first installment in what ultimately will be a whole series of WATERLOO essays. Part II in this series will discuss the game’s combat units (counters) and their tactical employment. Other, future essays will take a detailed look at the different phases of the game; at the tricks of movement and combat in WATERLOO; and still others will examine the game from the French and from the Prussian Anglo-Allied perspectives.

Recommended Reading

Book Review: Waterloo: Day of Battle; by David Howarth; Anthenum (1968); Library of Congress catalog number 68-27663

Book Review: “The Campaigns of Napoleon: The Mind and Method of History's Greatest Soldier ;” by David G. Chandler; Scribner; Illustrated edition edition (March, 1973); ISBN-13: 978-0025236608






Those players interested in decorating their game room using a Napoleonic theme might consider the following:

With 2009 Coming to an End, It is Time to look forward to 2010

“Map and Counters,” was launched — pretty much on a whim — in April of this year, and thus far, over one hundred and ninety separate posts have been published on its pages. The steady growth, over time, in the numbers of new and repeat visitors — currently, the site averages about six hundred unique visits and over 2,100 page views per month — has been both a tremendous source of encouragement and the main justification for my decision to continue with this effort in 2010. That being said, I want to take the occasion of the end of the old year, and the beginning of the new, to thank all of you who have taken the time to visit “Map and Counters” and have stayed long enough to read my often eccentric and sometimes frivolous musings. Your interest is deeply appreciated.

From its start, this Blog’s essays have centered on presenting highly-detailed game profiles and operational analysis of traditional board-style wargames. However, in addition to these regular, game-related posts, the site has also occasionally offered commentary on other subjects as diverse as movie and book reviews, our national Holidays, convention announcements and updates, and even a few posts to cover important breaking hobby-related news. This basic format will not change appreciably with the advent of the New Year. On the other hand, what really matters is which subjects you, the “Blog’s” visitors, really want to see featured in the coming year. And for that reason, I have listed a number of topics that I have either begun work on, or that I expect to write about, in the next few months. If any of these or other subjects are of particular interest, please let me know via the comments section of this post.

Possible Topics for Future Posts

• Additional “game profiles” focusing on somewhat more obscure, older, or less popular games, i.e., 1914, HITLER’S WAR, WORLD WAR II (the original Dunnigan version), MIDWAY ’64, D-DAY, FRANCE ’40, etc.
• An AFRIKA KORPS essay on the “Second” Battle of Tobruch
• A similar essay on the “Battle at El Alamein”
• A discussion of the AFRIKA KORPS “end game”
• Essays on various aspects of TAHGC’s STALINGRAD
• Essays on the various critical phases in TAHGC’s Tournament WATERLOO
• Additional lists of “game specific” articles from the General
• Game analyses for titles such as LEIPZIG, NATO,WORLD WAR II, 1812, NARVIK, 1815: The Waterloo campaign, etc.
• Additional movie reviews of recent films, such as THE HURT LOCKER, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, etc.
• Movie reviews of some of the classic older films, such as THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, 12 O’CLOCK HIGH, SERGEANT YORK, THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, THE DUELISTS, MIDWAY, FORT APACHE, ZULU, BREAKER MORANT, THE HILL, BALLAD OF A SOLDIER, SANDS OF IWO JIMA, THE DESERT FOX, GUNGA DIN, PATTON, PORK CHOP HILL, GALLIPOLI, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, DAS BOOT, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, THE WIND AND THE LION, STALAG 17, EL CID, MASTER AND COMMANDER, THE GREAT ESCAPE, ENEMY AT THE GATES, GUADALCANAL DIARY, BLACKHAWK DOWN, 30 SECONDS OVER TOKYO, etc.
• Additional book reviews on “Game Design,” on the Gulf and Afghan Wars, the Arab-Israeli Wars, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, World War II, World War I, The Russo-Japanese War, the Spanish-American War, the Franco-Prussian War, The American Civil War, the Crimean War, the Mexican-American War, the Napoleonic Wars, the American Revolution, the French and Indian Wars, the Wars of Frederick the Great, the Hundred Years’ War, the Wars of Islamic Expansion, the Crusades, the Wars of the Classical Age (Greeks and Romans), etc.
• Guest posts.
• Other potentially interesting subjects not mentioned as part of this list?

Any comments or suggestions about the preceding list or about the future direction of this Blog in the coming year are welcome. Hopefully, “Map and Counters” will continue to be a site worth visiting regularly in 2010. That, at least, is my sincere wish. The year that is now ringing to a close has, for a variety of reasons, been a difficult one; let us all pray that 2010 will be a much better time, in every possible way, for us all!

An Exhaustive List of the Good, Bad, and Indifferent 'MIDWAY' Articles that Appeared from 1964-79 in the Avalon Hill General

MIDWAY is a historical simulation of the crucial carrier battle between the naval forces of Imperial Japan and the United States that occurred in the Central Pacific near Midway Island, on June 4, 1942. In this aircraft versus ship engagement, the Japanese advance across the Pacific was decisively defeated and turned back by a few hundred intrepid American naval airmen. More than any other single fleet action in the long Allied struggle against Japan, this battle — in which the surface vessels of the two opposing fleets never came into view of each other — represented the strategic turning point in the Pacific War. In the course of a single day’s combat, four of Japan’s best fast carriers were sunk at the cost of a single American flat top. It was a blow from which the Imperial Japanese Navy would never recover. MIDWAY was designed by Larry Pinskey and Lindsley Schutz and published by the Avalon Hill Game Company (TAHGC) in 1964.

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I still remember, after almost four decades, my first attempt at playing MIDWAY. It was during my Junior Year at college. A Friday marathon session of DIPLOMACY had just broken up at about 11:00 pm in the student “commons” and, since I still had a couple of hours to kill before I had to pick my girlfriend up from work, I was pretty much at loose ends. One of the other DIPLOMACY players — who also happened to be both a regular opponent and a friend — suggested that we try something completely different. When I agreed, he trotted off to his dorm room and returned a few minutes later with four Avalon Hill games under his arm: ANZIO, BISMARCK, GUADALCANAL, and MIDWAY. Since I had never played any of these titles before, it took a few minutes for me to decide on a game; but, after briefly looking over the different rules and game boards, I quickly chose MIDWAY as the least offensive of the four.

In our first match, I took the Japanese. My American opponent effortlessly dodged my searches and, with my planes readied but sitting on their flight decks, I saw all four of my carriers sunk before the end of the first day of action. This first game, I reassured myself was just a learning experience. So, having so far spent more time sorting the game pieces than playing, I took the Americans in the rematch. This game turned out to be a little more interesting, if only because it was a little longer; the end result, however, was pretty much the same: by mid-morning on the second day, all three American flat tops had been bottomed and only the Japanese Hiryu had been sunk. And so it went. I think, all told, that we played four games, and I got (deservedly) shellacked in every one of them. Naturally, at the end of this session, I was completely hooked and, with a freshly-kindled desire for cardboard vengeance burning in my heart, I couldn’t wait to get my own copy of MIDWAY. However, since revenge was my ultimate goal, I also decided that it might be a good idea for me to read every article in the General about the play of the game that I could get my hands on. And that is what I proceeded to do.

Interestingly, in the course of my study of the game, I quickly discovered that the usefulness of the different articles presented in the General tended to vary inversely with their publication dates. The early pieces were usually of little real value, and occasionally even counterproductive. The later articles, on the other hand, were, with a few notable exceptions, much more instructive. The writings from acknowledged MIDWAY experts like Harold Totten and William Searight were particularly valuable in helping me to grasp the nuances of this classic title. And even Don Greenwood — who, before he decided to specialize in losing at BREAKOUT: NORMANDY, was a fearsome and diabolical MIDWAY player — provided many useful insights into the finer points of evasion and maneuver on the search board. And the end result of all my study? I freely admit that I didn’t win every one of my subsequent games, but I did win quite a few; and most importantly, I never again suffered the types of crushing defeat that I had endured during my first late-night attempts at MIDWAY.

Which brings me, finally, to the purpose of this list: my hope is that some of my readers will be inspired to revisit this great old title; and further, that they will benefit, as I did many years ago, from the expert analysis contained in the insightful articles written by some of the best players to ever sit on one or the other side of a MIDWAY search board. So, for those of you who still have a pile or two of old issues of the General gathering dust somewhere around the house, or who have a friend who has a lifetime’s stash of gaming magazines stacked up in his game room, this list is for you. Even if you read all or most of these General articles a very long time ago, I encourage you to go back and give them another look. You might even find it hard to put some of these old Generals down, once you start turning through their pages!

For no particular reason, I have arranged this rather long list in chronological order, from the oldest (1964) to the most recent (1979).

• “MIDWAY-Reworked” by Victor Madeja, Vol. 1, No. 3 (pg. 5)


• “The Japanese Have The Best Of It In MIDWAY” by John E. Curtis, Vol. 1, No. 6 (pg. 4)


• “Amercs Have It Made In MIDWAY” by Lou Zocchi, Vol. 1, No. 6 (pg. 10)


• “MIDWAY Solitaire” by Robert Olson, Vol. 2, No. 2 (pg. 2)


• “MIDWAY’s Hidden American Power” by Lou Zocchi, Vol. 2, No. 2 (pg. 12)


• “Thoughts On MIDWAY” by Carl F. Knabe II, Vol. 2, No. 3 (pg. 9)


• “Definite Edge To The Japanese” by Victor Gervol, Vol. 2, No. 4 (pg. 9)


• “MIDWAY For The Cautious Japanese” by Jack Donovan, Vol. 2, No. 5 (pg. 6)


• “MIDWAY, Bismarck Style” by Peter Harlem, Vol. 2, No. 6 (pg. 10)


• “Operation Atsui” by Bill Stone, Vol. 3, No. 1 (pg. 2)


• “MIDWAY By Mail” by Earl Hodin, Vol. 3, No. 1 (pg. 3)


• “MIDWAY-The First Day” by John Michalski, Vol. 3, No. 3 (pg. 13)


• “Gross Injustice To Submarines” by Richard Gutenkunst, Vol 3, No. 5 (pg. 8)


• “MIDWAY-Play-By-Mail” by Richard Giberson, Vol. 3, No. 5 (pg. 12)


• “How To Change A Dull Japanese Victory Into A Heartless American Win” by Richard Shagrin, Vol. 3, No. 6 (pg. 10)


• “MIDWAY Un-Stereotyped” by Mark Saviet, Vol. 4, No. 2 (pg. 7)


• “Mastery Of MIDWAY” by Jared Johnson, Vol. 4, No. 3 (pg. 11)


• “What Next? Destroyers At Midway ” by Steve Marston, Vol. 4, No. 4 (pg. 8)


• “MIDWAY-Equilibrated” by Carl G. Nelson, Vol. 4, No. 5 (pg. 10)


• “Surprise At Midway” by Chris Meagher, Vol. 5, No. 5 (pg. 7)


• “Five Fickle Factors” by Dough Hallet, Vol. 5, No. 6 (pg. 5)


• “One Ship Invasion Fleet” by Charles B. Pelto, Vol. 6, No. 3 (pg. 7)


• “Chicken Yamamoto” by Lincoln Clark, Vol. 6, No. 6 (pg. 4)


• “MIDWAY In Focus” by Kevin Slimak, Vol. 7, No. 4 (pg. 10)


• “MIDWAY And The British Home Fleet” by Richard D. Thurston, Vol. 8, No. 6 (pg. 11)


• “Mass Or Maneuver” by Monte Gray, Vol. 9, No. 3 (pg. 10)


• “The MIDWAY Thesis” by Harold Totten & Donald Greenwood, Vol. 9, No. 4 (pg. 3)


• “The Rest Of The Alphabet” by Lloyd Berger, Vol. 10, No. 1 (pg. 7)


• “SERIES REPLAY” — Bill Barr, Don Greenwood & neutral commentary by Harold Totten, Vol. 10, No. 2 (pg. 15)


• “Leyte Gulf” by Robert Harmon, Vol. 10, No. 3 (pg.3)


• “SERIES REPLY” — Mick Uhl, Don Greenwood & neutral commentary by Harold Totten, Vol. 11, No. 3 (pg. 18)


• “Back To Nuts And Bolts” by Harold Totten, Vol. 12, No. 4 (pg. 16)


• “SERIES REPLAY” — Mick Uhl, Don Greenwood & neutral commentary by Thomas Hilton, Vol. 13, No. 3 (pg. 24)


• “MIDWAY By Mail” by Tom Cragg, Vol. 13, No. 6 (pg. 32)


• “Away From The Combined Fleet” by William B. Searight, Vol. 14, No. 5 (pg. 27)


• “Pacific Theatre Via Midway” by Alan R. Moon, Vol. 15, No. 5 (pg. 3)


• “Advanced MIDWAY” by Mark Dumdei, Vol. 16, No. 3 (pg. 30)

I should probably note, by the way, that in addition to this batch of articles, there are actually a number of other MIDWAY essays and “Series Replays” that appeared in the General after 1979 but that — because of a lack of time (read: motivation) on my part — did not make it onto this particular list. On the other hand, who knows? I may yet get around to cataloging these remaining pieces at some later date. In the meantime, this compendium of early articles on one of Avalon Hill’s first naval games should be complete enough to satisfy most of the long-time gamers who, like me, still have a “soft spot” for this classic design. Sadly, MIDWAY, like a number of the other great old games, has been out of popular favor for some years now; which is really too bad because this title — despite its dated graphics, and its “baby” blue and “frou-frou” pink counters — was, besides being a fast-moving and exciting game, actually a ground-breaking design in its day; and, I may be old-fashioned, but I still enjoy playing it whenever I have the opportunity.

Finally, for those gamers who are relatively new to the hobby but who would, none-the-less, still like to check out some of these early MIDWAY articles, your situation is far from hopeless. Happily, there is an internet site (see my “helpful links” sidebar) that offers reprints from the General; alternatively, for those who insist on getting the “real thing,” there are also almost always old copies of the General and other hobby publications surfacing in the “board wargame section” on eBay. So, one way or another and with a little patience, interested gamers should still be able to track down quite a few, if not all of these early pieces, given enough time.

THE CIVIL WAR: 1861-1865 is a strategic level simulation of the American War Between the States. The game spans the years 1861-1865 and focuses on combat operations in the three main theaters of the Civil War: the East, the West, and the Trans-Mississippi. THE CIVIL WAR was designed by Eric Lee Smith and published by Victory Games, Inc. (VG) in 1983.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In the confused and chaotic days that immediately followed the outbreak of war between the anti-secessionist Northern States and the still-forming, pro-slavery Confederate States of America in the spring of 1861, clashes between the breakaway South and the Unionist North flared up repeatedly, particularly in the states that lay between the two belligerents; however, these actions were typically limited to relatively small-scale skirmishes between opposing bands of militia. Hence, although the War Between the States had actually begun with the Rebel attack on Union forces at Charleston, there had not been another major battle between Confederate and Federal troops in the four months following the surrender of Fort Sumter by its commander, Major Robert Anderson, on the 13^th of April, 1861. Neither side, however, spent this period in complete idleness: volunteers were called up and new armies began to take shape on both sides of North-South divide.

Finally, in mid-July, the 35,000 enthusiastic but poorly-trained Union troops bivouacked around Washington, D.C., stirred to action and began to lumber south. The Union commander, Brigadier General Irvin McDowell, although deeply skeptical about the battle-worthiness of his freshly-minted army, had at last reluctantly succumbed to political pressure and ordered his soldiers to move against the Confederate Capital at Richmond. Barring McDowell’s path were 20,000 Confederates under the command of the same Rebel general who had accepted Fort Sumter's surrender only a few months earlier, General P. T. Beauregard.

The location and approximate strength of Beauregard's force was no mystery to McDowell; nor did its presence cause the head of the invading Federal army undue concern. Unbeknownst to the Union commander, however, an additional 12,000 Rebel soldiers from the Shenandoah Valley, under General J. E. Johnston, were already rushing to Beauregard’s aid. And by the time the slowly advancing Union troops at last encountered the first Confederate pickets, fresh reinforcements for Beauregard’s army were only miles away. The two opposing hosts — both composed mainly of green recruits and 90-day enlistees — spent the day after their initial contact with each other engaged in desultory sniping and minor skirmishing, but with no serious fighting. This brief period of relative calm did not last, however, and on 21 July, 1861, the two armies violently crashed into each other near the hamlet of Centerville, in Virginia.

The Union soldiers opened the battle with a flanking attack against the Confederate left, and for a time, Beauregard's troops were forced to give ground. Unfortunately for McDowell, Rebel reinforcements began to arrive just in time to shore up the wavering Confederate line. With the timely arrival of Johnston’s troops, the two armies were now almost evenly-matched. The Union soldiers, however, had been in almost constant action throughout the morning and were beginning to tire; gradually, the initiative shifted to Beauregard as Johnston’s fresh regiments continued to enter the fight. The seesaw battle lasted through most of the day, but by late afternoon, the battlefield belonged to Beauregard. Their unexpected defeat at Confederate hands quickly led to a breakdown in both the morale and the discipline of the green Union troops. And just as McDowell had feared, the Union retreat quickly turned into a rout. The confident, even eager, army that had marched out of Washington only a few days earlier, now fled back towards the same city largely as a disordered mob.

This action was the first real preview, for both sides of the conflict, of the true and tragic cost of the war that lay before them. Fourteen hundred and ninety-two Union troops had been killed and 1,600 taken prisoner, while the victorious Confederates’ losses numbered 1,752. Word of the outcome from the fighting at “Manassas” — also known as the “First Battle of Bull Run” — would produce rejoicing in the South, and shocked disbelief in the North. An unknown Union officer, without political connections, named William T. Sherman would first impress his military superiors with his courage and leadership during this bloody clash; while in the enemy camp, an obscure Confederate officer would, after this battle, ever after be known as Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. Tragically for both sides, a political argument between countrymen had become a life-and-death war between states. And although neither the officers nor the men from either army who fought at Manassas on 21 July, 1861, could have known it at the time, the fight at Centerville had been the first major battle in what would ultimately become the deadliest war in American history.

DESCRIPTION

THE CIVIL WAR is primarily an army/corps level simulation of maneuver and ground combat during the war between the American North and South, 1861-65. The ground operations portion of the game, because it deals with the unique problems of a multi-year, continent-wide land war in the mid-nineteenth century, places special emphasis on what the designer perceives to be the three most important strategic challenges posed to both sides: leadership (which historical leaders command which armies where?); theater resource allocation (where will each side decide to concentrate their main effort?); and initiative (which side acts first during the Action Phase of each game-turn?). These three core game elements are both reasonable and comparatively standard fare in Civil War simulations presented on this scale. However, one aspect of the game’s design is particularly intriguing: this is the simulation’s requirement that players secretly choose a single one of the game map’s three operational theaters as the focus of their impending ground operations. This 'fog of war' aspect of the simulation can be important both to the flow and to the tempo of the game; if both players choose different theaters, for example, one player — typically the one without the 'initiative' — is very likely to find himself with serious operational problems. Thus, strategic misdirection and the lack of intelligence as to the enemy’s intentions and strength play a more significant role in this game than in many other large-scale simulations of the American Civil War.

Naval operations also play an important, if supporting, role in the long-range plans of both sides in the game. And, it should be noted, Eric Lee Smith does a nice job of keeping naval operations both interesting, exciting, and yet easy-to-perform for both players. The United States (Union), as was historically the case, has an enormous advantage over the Confederacy in the realm of sea-going and riverine combat power and capabilities. Nonetheless, naval operations are still relevant to both sides’ conduct of the war; nor is the Southern player completely helpless in the face of the powerful Union Navy. In the turn-to-turn play of THE CIVIL WAR, players will find that the naval conflict between the Confederate States of America (CSA) and the North has been highly abstracted. This part of the game concentrates on the three naval elements of greatest strategic significance to the outcome of the war: the Union sea blockade of Southern maritime commerce; the Southern effort to raid Northern shipping; and the Confederate campaign, using 'blockade runners' and 'ironclads', to break the commercial stranglehold imposed on Southern ports by the Union naval blockade.

THE CIVIL WAR, from a purely graphics’ standpoint, is attractively packaged; and the game is, on the whole, nicely presented. The title’s components are generally good to very good: the counters are a little drab, but clearly-printed, and the maps are colorful and relatively unambiguous. One minor nit regarding the game maps: the Far West map section is — in my opinion, at least — so bland as to be almost off-putting. But, on the other hand, this theater of operations was historically so unimportant to the overall outcome of the war that most players will quickly find that its inclusion in the game — unless the Union player really wants to reprise Freemont’s failed campaign in the Far West, or unless both players want to drag the Southwestern Indian tribes into 'someone else’s' war — is easily dispensed with. The back-printed charts and tables for THE CIVIL WAR are uniformly clear and easy to use. The “Rules Booklet,” on the other hand, although reasonably well-written and fairly complete, seems a little too long and awkwardly organized. For this reason, while I personally found individual rules sections to be relatively clear as to the designer’s intent, I nonetheless found it to be impossible to conduct the first read-through of the game rules without repeated references to earlier sections and rules cases. This is not a big problem, but it does mean that new players should expect to spend a bit of time acquainting themselves with both the familiar and the unorthodox elements of the game’s design architecture.

Although it was designed (and is best) as a two-player game, THE CIVIL WAR can be played by teams. Each game turn in THE CIVIL WAR is equal to two months (except for the winter game-turn) and consists of an integrated, interactive sequence of play. The game turn sequence has eight steps: the Reinforcement Phase; the Command Phase; the CSA Commerce Raider Phase; the Blockade Effects Phase; the Action Phase; the Command Point Table Use Phase; the Rally Phase; and the End Phase. Considering the scope of THE CIVIL WAR as a simulation, these various player operations are neither particularly cumbersome nor tedious. In fact, most player operations are intuitively logical and proceed fairly quickly. This relative simplicity in the game’s design platform, however, is deceptive. Thus, no individual turn phase is unduly complicated or time-consuming, and the piece count, given the simulation’s overall size, is really quite manageable; nonetheless, the game is still richly layered with detail and, because of this fact, is surprisingly difficult to play well. In short, on any given game turn there is almost always a lot going on, both at the strategic and the operational level — even when both sides appear to be relatively inactive — and for this reason, it can be frustratingly easy to make mistakes.

Command and control, logistics, terrain, and manpower all play an important part in THE CIVIL WAR. However the proper use of leaders is, without doubt, the single most important consideration in the game. The Union player needs commanders like Grant and Sherman to spearhead his invasions of southern territory; the South depends on generals like Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet to move decisively during the Reaction Phase to block the invading Yankees as soon as they march into Rebel areas. This fact, however, does lead to the unrealistic player tactic of parking incompetent generals like McClellan and Butler well to the rear where they can do no real harm. Not surprisingly, long-term planning pays, but given the fluid nature of the game system, it is virtually certain that both players will suffer unexpected reversals. Of course, it can also reasonably be argued that the inevitable surprises and missteps that crop up in the course of play add a distinctly historical flavor to the simulation. Presidents Lincoln and Davis, after all, were both plagued by disobedient or incompetent subordinates, and experienced unexpected military setbacks and disappointments of their own; often because of factors completely outside of their direct control.

THE CIVIL WAR offers four basic scenarios: the 1861 Scenario; the 1862 Scenario; the 1863 Scenario; and the 1864 Scenario. Players interested in simulating the entire Civil War may opt to expand the scope of the game to include operations on the American Frontier by adding the Far West Option. In addition, the game offers a number of what-if(?) Optional Rules — for example, Jackson and Lyons aren’t killed, cavalry use in intelligence gathering, changes in restrictions on army sizes and placement, and others — from which the players can pick and choose. These additional rules options can be used either to add variety or more realism to a specific scenario, or alternatively, to adjust play-balance between unequal opponents.

The victory conditions, as might be expected, vary according to the scenario being played. They are also, thankfully, both intuitively logical and historically reasonable. As was the case in the real war, the political significance of attaining certain geographical objectives, particularly the control of the Border States are often central to both players’ plans. Play balance in THE CIVIL WAR, although far from perfect, seems to fall within acceptable bounds; which is to say that, with skillful play, either side has a decent chance of winning.

A PERSONAL OBSERVATION

All and all, weighing the pros against the cons, THE CIVIL WAR is a very good game. And while it certainly is not a “ground-breaking” new treatment of the war between the North and South, designer Eric Lee Smith still manages to successfully meld a number of traditional gaming concepts with a few clever design wrinkles of his own to produce a well-balanced and exciting simulation. Moreover, despite its size, it is actually, once players become comfortable with the game mechanics, surprisingly playable. Still, all that being said, most players will still want to ask: how does this title stack up against other similar Civil War games? The short answer to this question, I would argue, is probably “better than most.” However, even this answer really depends on which titles this game is being matched against. Set against games like FOR THE PEOPLE and THE WAR FOR THE UNION, Smith’s design looks pretty good, particularly if a player is biased against 'Card Driven Games' (CDG) like FOR THE PEOPLE. But there’s a rub. Because of the subject matter and scale of the game, the temptation to contrast THE CIVIL WAR with Irad Hardy’s WAR BETWEEN THE STATES (WBTS) is well-nigh unavoidable. Unfortunately, this is not an easy comparison to make: the games are simply so very different in concept and execution.

Hardy’s older (1977) WBTS design places far more emphasis on the historical problems that arose from the mobilization and organization of the manpower and economic resources of the North and South. The weekly game turns and low movement factors of the ground units, combined with the virtually perfect information available to both players about the disposition of enemy forces, means that campaigns have to be planned well in advance. Sweeping maneuvers and stunning surprises are, with the exception of rail and naval movement, almost never a factor in the game. Moreover, the combat and leadership rules for WAR BETWEEN THE STATES, although somewhat cumbersome, tend to reproduce the bloody and inconclusive battlefield results that actually characterized most of the engagements fought during the Civil War. The issue of leadership illuminates another frustrating, but historically accurate facet of WBTS: leaders are so scarce — particularly in the early phases of the war — that both sides have no choice but to place incompetent generals in positions of command. And then there is the Strategic Production Cycle that shows up every four game turns. Some players love this aspect of the game, and others just hate it. However, for those McClellan-style plodders, like me, who actually enjoy a heavy dose of administrative and organizational detail, WBTS is probably still the best strategic simulation — despite its several well-documented flaws — ever published on the War for Southern Independence.

Eric Lee Smith’s 1983 design, THE CIVIL WAR, takes a very different approach to America’s bloodiest conflict from that of Irad Hardy’s WAR BETWEEN THE STATES. The two-month game turns and limited intelligence baked into THE CIVIL WAR game system makes for a much more dynamic and free-wheeling (read: nerve-racking) gaming experience. Major surprises are almost nonexistent in SPI’s WBTS; they seem to be almost commonplace in Smith’s newer simulation. By the way, one nice little historical touch in THE CIVIL WAR that is usually absent from games on this subject is that, as the war progresses and the Union naval blockade really starts to bite, Confederate rail capacity steadily deteriorates. This is a little detail, but it is one of many that give Smith’s design its unique flavor. On the down-side, several of the subroutines in THE CIVIL WAR seem almost too simple; and the outcomes of battles, although bloody enough, seem somewhat more decisive than was the case historically. That being said, Smith’s Victory Games design will probably appeal more to the R.E. Lee or Grant-style gamer than WBTS would. THE CIVIL WAR may not have the historical simulation chops that WBTS does, but it is still a richly-textured and challenging treatment of America’s costliest war.

So where does all this leave us? I suppose that one way to put it is that, if I, personally, could only own one Civil War monster game, then, hands down, that game would have to be WBTS; if, on the other hand, I could add one more Civil War monster to my collection, then that second game would probably be THE CIVIL WAR. This is not to say that the Victory Games title is for everyone. This is not a simple game; and learning its game system, even for experienced players, takes a bit of work. For this reason, while THE CIVIL WAR is a good choice for those seasoned players interested in a detailed treatment of this tragic page from American history; given the sheer scope and complexity of its design, this title is probably a very poor choice for the inexperienced or casual gamer.

Alternatively, for those novice or casual players who would like to own a smaller, more manageable (read: non-monster) game that still covers the entire Civil War, and not just a single battle — and for experienced players looking for a great 'beer and pretzels' game, as well — I strongly recommend GDW’s little gem of a game, A HOUSE DIVIDED, in any of its several versions. This title is an excellent game in its own right; it is also a challenging, fun, and very playable alternative to the other more complex simulations discussed in this profile.

Design Characteristics:

• Time Scale: two months per game turn (except for winter game-turns which represent four months of real time)
• Map Scale: 40 kilometers per hex (estimated)
• Unit Size: strength points (each infantry strength point equals approximately 5,000 men; each naval counter, depending on type, equals one or more ships)
• Unit Types: Union and CSA infantry strength points, Union naval units, CSA ironclads, Union and CSA leaders, forts, Union depots, Far West Scenario counters, and information markers
• Number of Players: 2 (viable candidate for team play)
• Complexity: above average
• Solitaire Suitability: above average
• Average Playing Time: 3-25 + hours (depending on scenarios, and whether the Far West Option is being used)

Game Components:

• Two 22” x 32” hexagonal grid Map Sheets (with Turn Record/Reinforcement Tracks, Terrain Key, Union and Confederate Command Tracks, Resource Allocation Track, Army Tracks, General Records Track, and Port Boxes incorporated)
• 520 back-printed ½” cardboard Counters
• One 8” x 11” Rules Booklet (with Scenario Instructions incorporated)
• Two 11” x 16” back-printed Player Aid Cards (each with a Terrain Effects Chart, Ground Combat Results Table, Combat Differential Table, Leader Loss Table, Command Points Table, Naval Combat Results Table, Blockade Table, Confederate Supply Loss Table, Indian Raid Table, and Massacre Table)
• One 8¼” x 11¼” x ¾” clear plastic Counter Tray with Cover
• Four six-sided Dice
• One 7½” x 11” Avalon Hill Game/Parts Order Form
• One 3½” x 7½” Avalon Hill Customer Response Card
• One 8½” x 11½” x 2” bookcase style cardboard Game Box

Recommended Reading

See my blog post Book Review of this title which is strongly recommended for those readers interested in further historical background.
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THE WEST POINT ATLAS OF AMERICAN WARS (Complete 2-Volume Set); edited by Brigadier General Vincent J. Esposito; Frederick A. Praeger, Inc. (1959); ASIN: B000MTBTEU .
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Also see my blog post Book Review of this definitive three volume work on the officers of the Army of Northern Virginia by Douglas S. Freeman.
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Also, for those interested in battlefield maps, the "museum book" collection of historical Civil War maps by William J. Miller, released in  2004, or the atlas compiled by Stephen Hyslop in 2009 of Civil war battlefields are worth collecting.

Recommended Artwork

This Giclee print of a map of the Battle of Gettysburg is suitable for framing and makes a nice wall decoration for a game room with a Civil War theme.

Battle of Gettysburg - Civil War Pano... 9x12 Giclee Print Buy From Art.com

Discounts on BPA Membership Fees for 2010 will Expire Soon

It’s hard to believe, but it is actually that time of year again. Although the WBC Convention in Lancaster, PA is still a little over eight months away, those gamers who are planning to attend this or any of the other premier gaming events that are hosted by the Boardgame Players Association should start making their arrangements now. This means, among other things, that you “grognards” out there all need to renew your BPA memberships for the 2010 convention season.
Time is running out, so those gamers who wish to vote on next year’s WBC events and who also want to receive a discount (and who doesn’t?) on their BPA membership fee for the coming year should mail in their BPA dues and 2010 WBC event ballot on or before January 2, 2010. Not only could Don Greenwood use the cash right after the Holidays, but a December membership renewal enables next year’s convention attendees to save a little money on their BPA 2010 tournament entry fees; more important, it also allows interested players to vote on their favorite game titles for inclusion in the 2010 WBC tournament event calendar. And if all that weren’t enough, those players who mail in their dues for a “sustaining” or higher level (read: more expensive) membership before the year’s end also get a “free” BPA tee shirt. How can anyone turn down a deal like that?

To register or renew your BPA membership for the coming year’s tournament and convention events, click on this link to the Boardgame Players Association website 2010 membership page.

Thoughts on an Uncommonly “Dickensonian” Christmas Season

This post is a belated, if somewhat somber Holiday Greeting to all of the visitors who, by one path or another, have found their way to the pages of this Blog during the preceding year. I sincerely appreciate your interest in my sometimes peculiar and always frivolous musings. However, I must confess that in the days leading up to this Christmas Holiday, I had a hard time deciding on what, if anything, to post about the current Holiday Season. We seem to be living through a troubling, even an anxious period in our history; for that reason, the usual festive mood of this time of year seems noticeably muted. Maybe it is just me, but Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has never seemed more poignant or appropriate than it does right now.

Saying Farewell at Christmas

Traditionally, of course, the celebration of Christmas is both an uplifting period of religious renewal, and a festive time for gift-giving and for the gathering together of friends and family. That, at least, is what we and most of our friends typically expect during this, the “happiest” time of year. The Christmas of 2009, on the other hand, has turned out to be a very big let-down for a great many Americans. And, as the present year rapidly winds to a close, I think that it is fitting that we remember the millions of our fellow citizens who are presently without work and who now, through no fault of their own, find themselves facing serious financial hardship. This situation is especially troubling because, in many cases, their plight could actually be far worse.

Welcome Home Daddy

In point of fact, this Holiday Season would be even more difficult for many struggling American families without badly-needed assistance from the privately-funded charities and other non-profit organizations that tirelessly labor on the behalf of those in need. Thus, I think that it is important to remember — particularly when economic conditions are tough, as they are now — that the many worthwhile charities that work in our various communities across the country all depend on the voluntary contributions of individual donors. In times like these, private generosity — not just at Christmas, but year-round — really matters. It truly is “more blessed to give than to receive.”

A Korean War Christmas

In addition, I think that it is fitting that — at this time of year, particularly — we direct our thoughts and prayers towards the American servicemen and women who daily face an implacable enemy on our behalf in many distant and dangerous corners of the world. They are the first and truest guardians of our way of life, and their overseas’ deployment is a hardship that must be borne both by them, and by their family members back home. For that reason, I urge that we all take the time to remember and honor those fellow Americans who, because of their military service, are bound by duty to spend this and other Christmases separated from their families and loved-ones. Their ongoing gift to the rest of us, because of the many sacrifices that it entails, is a very special one, indeed.

American Soldiers, Ardennes, 1944

Finally, as we approach a brand new year, let us all fervently hope that it will, in due course, end on a more up-beat note than 2009! Perhaps, the worst news really is behind us; if so, then ever the optimist, I will, with fingers crossed, wish everyone a Happy New Year for 2010.