Greetings and Good Evening (At Least From Here in America):
The much-respected accounting firm of Dewey, Cheatam, & Howe (formerly Hungadunga, Hungadunga, and Hungadunga, Esq.) has randomly drawn commanders for this fine exercise. Matters broke down like this -- with particular thanks to those who voluntarily assigned themselves to the reserves.
For the King of Prussia:
Hohenlohe - DoubleDeuce
Brunswick - Hatricus
Blucher - MetalDog
Ruchel - Barthheart
For the Empire of France:
Napoleon I - JasonPratt
I Corps - Bernadotte - Duke of Earl
III Corps - Davout - James Sterrett (only my deep respect for the fates kept me from overturning this one) >:D
IV Corps -- Soult -- Pinetree
V Corps -- Lannes -- PanzerDe
VI Corps - Ney - Dom
VII Corps -- Augereau -- Blackhorse
Imperial Guard Bessiere - VACANT -- May just assign to his Bonaparteness.
Cavalry Reserve -- Murat -- Lancer4321
Honored Reserve
Banzai_Cat
LegXXII
Tobias Archer
UCG
Weed and Porn
Bayonet Brant
The People of the Netherlands
I will shortly have a general rules post up in this thread.
In the meanwhile, will all commanders please e-mail me at jenacampaignATgmailDOTcom so I may set up proper comms?
This is all together exciting.
Best,
Jim
"Cyrano"
:/7)
email sent.
Email sent.
Reported for orders.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A SLAUGHTER! OR HOWEVER WE SPELL THAT WORD IN FRANCE! >:D :2funny:
Email sent.
Relatedly, I shall be setting up an AAR for this later, but not until we're done probably just for sake of security and to preserve the fog.
I will be doing an AAR as well.... just too good an opportunity for a good story to pass up.
Guess I didn't make the cut then guys?! Is it ok just to sit back and watch the action unfold? Really interested in seeing how this all works.
Cheers
Andy B (Hatricvs)
email sent
@Hatricus: Many apologies for the exclusion!! I have assigned you to the reserve, but am working on something else moving forward. Very much would like to involve you.
Email sent
Reading up on my good self I see my bitter rival was Lannes - don't get in my way Doug!!
Quote from: Barthheart on September 20, 2016, 02:22:25 PM
I will be doing an AAR as well.... just too good an opportunity for a good story to pass up.
Especially if you get elected as the operation marshal or... I dunno, who's in charge of the Prussian corps? I mean, is it automatically assigned (like Nappy is necessarily in charge of French operations here), or will y'all be working that out among yourselves?
I'm too stoned to send an email.
can't type with only one hand, anyway
Dutch
Can't live with them, can't stop them masturbating and spoiling it for everyone else
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 20, 2016, 05:47:55 PM
Quote from: Barthheart on September 20, 2016, 02:22:25 PM
I will be doing an AAR as well.... just too good an opportunity for a good story to pass up.
Especially if you get elected as the operation marshal or... I dunno, who's in charge of the Prussian corps? I mean, is it automatically assigned (like Nappy is necessarily in charge of French operations here), or will y'all be working that out among yourselves?
Dunno how it's gonna work... maybe we'll just gamble about without a tether... like in real life.....
It's almost like I pay you guys.
Let the rules roll-out begin.
One of the great joys of this game as a command simulation is the requirement that communication:
1. Proceed through official channels (i.e., the umpire using orders)
2. Observe the proper chain of command
With respect to the former, as suggested in a different post, once the initial orders are issued, commanders ought to speak to one another ONLY when they are within close proximity of each other. I will inform them when they are.
With respect to the latter, matters are more challenging. The French side is simple enough -- Napoleon is in supreme command and will be expected to draft general orders for his corps. Each corps commander will then have responsibility to order his divisions. On the Prussian side, Brunswick is the nominal commander -- the King said so and even rode himself with Brunswick's forces. Hohenlohe and Ruchel, however, were completely convinced of their abilities and each had proposed alternative strategies to those eventually adopted in the campaign. As for Blucher, he's got his independent AG, but I am also recommending to Brunswick that additional detachments be assigned to his command. It's historical in the first place and, in the second, there's a real need for the Prussians to divide up command or the armies will become unwieldy in battle.
Now, I am NOT encouraging the Prussians who are not Brunswick to screw around with the plan eventually arrived at by him. In this, they will have an advantage over their historic counterparts. To keep matters accurate, though, I will expect him to engage in a hearty consult with his Prussian colleagues. If it is rancorous, so much the better. I will also certainly grant more latitude to those commanders on the Prussian side given to what we call freelancing.
Please keep the e-mails coming!
Next rule message will concern leaders and troops!
Jim
I hope not to do anything silly as Ney. I don't want to finish up with a red face.
I shall endeavor to persevere in comporting our strategy in a manner befitting my random assignment to this endeavor. Or better! O:-) >:D
Email sent to jenacampaignATgmailDOTcom
PLEASE KEEP THE E-MAILS COMING! MISSING MOST OF THE PRUSSIAN TEAM, AT THE MOMENT!
So, let's discuss leaders and troops. This is Marechal Bernadotte, Commander of the French I Corps:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTQeSQ1p.jpg&hash=677b8cdd124a801dce19d903c975d0b815ee9421)
He holds the distinction of being the one Napoleonic commander to be made a king whose heirs remain on the throne he won for them.
As with much else in this game, the statistics are simple:
1. His "Strategic" rating indicates how many divisions he can command in battle before his abilities begin to decline if, in a particular battle, he finds himself in overall command. If commanding 1-4 divisions, he grants a "0" die modifier. If he commands more than 4, however, he receives 1 fewer die.
2. His "Tactical" rating indicates how many dice he adds (in this case 0) if he is available as a commander in one of the sectors of a larger battle.
3. The years indicate those campaigns in which he participates.
Now let's talk about a couple of Bernadotte's divisions:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FwcjDP3X.jpg&hash=854b47aadabbbafbac8aed77da8b804d1434baa7)
1. That at the top is Drouet's Third Infantry Division. It is comprised of six "effectives" which are measured in units of 1,000, so Drouet has 6,000 men. It is important to note here that this number will alter dramatically during the course of the campaign -- from marching just as much as from battle.
2. Drouet's men have a morale of 35 which is a bit above average for line infantry. Elites are typically rated at 40 and the Old Guard and a few other very special units make it to 50. This number also will vary dramatically and the reduction of your opponent's morale is the number one objective of this game.
3. Drouet's men have an experience of +1 (the number in the red circle). This is a scale of -2 to +2, so these are experienced troops. This has an effect on the fatigue caused by road marching as well as in battle.
4. The division at the bottom is Tilly's cavalry division. Everything is as Drouet's division above except that Tilly has 2,000 cavalry rather than infantry. This effects how far from the unit Tilly is able to see while on the march. It also has a dramatic effect on pursuit after combat -- in the Napoleonic era, armies deficient in cavalry could not turn localized victories into the Niederwerfung von Clausewitz sought.
Next time -- The Business of War, or, A Day in the Life of a Napoleonic Commander.
Quote from: Cyrano on September 21, 2016, 10:31:57 PM
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTQeSQ1p.jpg&hash=677b8cdd124a801dce19d903c975d0b815ee9421)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FwcjDP3X.jpg&hash=854b47aadabbbafbac8aed77da8b804d1434baa7)
No comment; just making it less scrolly. O:-)
Oh, I guess I do have a question: why is Drouet's infantry flag yellow and Tilly's cavalry flag pink, with the shades corresponding to tactical and strategic (respectively)?
1: OK, how do I make pictures less scroll-y?
2: Just a convention VdA uses to distinguish between Cavalry and Infantry.
Jim
Quote from: Cyrano on September 22, 2016, 11:33:30 AM1: OK, how do I make pictures less scroll-y?
http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=9496.msg241431#msg241431
Quote from: bayonetbrant on March 07, 2014, 03:28:42 PM
How to size / scale
{img}url to image{/img} <-- actual size of image
{img width=xxxx}url to image{/img} <-- scales image so that width="xxxx" and the height adjusts accordingly
if you click on the image, it expands to full size; click again to return to scaled size
I usually scale at around 800px or so
replace the {} brackets with their straightened equivalents
You can also use a height=xxx command the same way. Not sure if the forum engine allows both at the same time...?
Usually adjusting width works better than height. I think I typically use 1024 width, although for those I used 900.
The pink is because the French cavalry are ponces.
Email sent from the reserve.
Sorry... missed this post.
dom
QuoteQuote from: panzerde on September 22, 2016, 05:39:09 PM
The pink is because the French cavalry are ponces.
Says Napoleon's own paladin...who died by some account in Napoleon's arms.
Quote from: Cyrano on September 22, 2016, 07:26:32 PM
QuoteQuote from: panzerde on September 22, 2016, 05:39:09 PM
The pink is because the French cavalry are ponces.
Says Napoleon's own paladin...who died by some account in Napoleon's arms.
I didn't say that they weren't
brave ponces. And don't you go judging Lannes! He was ahead of his time!
I promise to leave all dead commanders on the ground where they lay. I may declare, "That is a beautiful death," as I pose nearby in the sun on my white horse like one of the Apocalypse Riders, but that's all.
Admittedly, I do that for random enemy officers, too, as I deem appropriate. Rumors that they spring back to life afterward and arrive safely unwounded back home to their wife and newborn child thousands of miles away ARE COMPLETELY UNFOUNDED RUSSIAN RUMORS, besides which, for my enemies they would arrive home in time for their wife to die in childbirth sending them into a hellish depression of selfishness making them irresistible to 16 year old girls, resulting in horrible scandal.
It is not my fault that these rumors get spread, nor that they are so strangely detailed. Russians are weird like this.
Here is a Jena Campaign Order of Battle:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena%E2%80%93Auerstedt_campaign_order_of_battle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena%E2%80%93Auerstedt_campaign_order_of_battle)
I looked through the OOB. To me, it seems the more detailed, the more Napoleonic gamers, such as yourselves, like it. Another thought, do you play games like this to solve the puzzle of getting your troops when, where, how, and why? Or do you feel like you are effecting history in some way? Or maybe just enjoying the narrative the unfolding game brings according to the orders you and the others give? Is it something else altogether? What say you, gents?
@MetalDog: I learn through these games. I read the designer notes, read the histories, and discover things that I never would have realized had I not played. Simple example: It wasn't until I played LABAT Mt. St. Jean that I realized Napoleon couldn't have seen Hougoumont for much of the battle given where the record indicates he was located. I was elated when I found this to be true when I visited the first time.
I would also note that I play KS-style games because I love the feeling of groping in the darkness, guessing what's out there, and discovering in the end how horribly wrong I was. It's like Bind Man's Bluff with cannon.
Let's march, shall we?
One of the first realities that VdA, erm, inflicts on the player is that armies on the march in this era were really big, covering a lot of ground, and, if marching on a road, were really, really long.
Each day, corps commanders will be expected to lay out their orders for their troops in a format much like this one (stolen wholesale from a helpful link from Doug):
Sender:
Time Sent:
Recipient:
Time Received:(Filled in by umpire)
Unit Marching:
Route of March:
Time to Spend Marching:
Expected Objective:
Rules of Engagement:
Dispatches:
I've not finalized it -- it will look a bit fancier -- but you get the sense of it. Runners, moving at 10 kph, will have their arrivals calculated and the armies will lurch to life from there. On the march, they will look like big snakes making their way through Saxony. How big? Check this out:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F1c0DBbD.jpg&hash=ab2eaac27b3d8c8e612b9920d024a0733e7ac985)
A bit of simple math will tell you Drouet's 6,000 men above cover 3 km on the march. Were they Prussians, this would be closer to 3.5 km due to the 15% modifier for wagons. This matters in a number of ways:
1. It affects the entire corps' order of march as one division cannot leave until another has cleared the area -- unless they're marching side-by-side which can really slow things down for those not on the road.
2. If affects arrival on the battlefield as will be seen later.
3. I will consistently ask to know where corps commanders are. It is quite possible for their corps to be in an action that they cannot see without riding to the spot.
4. Should enemies chance into one another on the march -- as happened in this campaign -- it can effect where in the "line" the armies meet.
All this said, do not attempt to micromanage your troops. It can't work.
Next time, movement rates and tiring out on the march.
Quote from: MetalDog on September 22, 2016, 10:52:39 PM
I looked through the OOB. To me, it seems the more detailed, the more Napoleonic gamers, such as yourselves, like it. Another thought, do you play games like this to solve the puzzle of getting your troops when, where, how, and why? Or do you feel like you are effecting history in some way? Or maybe just enjoying the narrative the unfolding game brings according to the orders you and the others give? Is it something else altogether? What say you, gents?
For me, I'm primarily interested in the issues of command during the different periods. I run a small company, and the number one challenge is to keep everyone oriented toward the mission and what we're trying to achieve. It's 2016 and I have amazing tools to do that with. No one is shooting at us. The absolute worst thing that could happen to us is that we go out of business. It's still tough. But these guys that were playing as - they had to move tens of thousands of people across terrible roads, with no motorized transport, knowing that they were moving toward people that were going to shoot at them, the men knowing that they might well die - or potentially worse, be wounded! They had no radios, no aircraft, nothing better than guys on horses to go out and find where the enemy was - and yet, somehow they made it all work, got people where they needed to be, and quite frequently, pulled off amazing feats of generalship. The more a game simulates those challenges, the more appealing I find it to be. Very little comes as close as KS to simulating the problems of command during this era. Beyond that, I actually find the lessons that can be drawn from an experience like this very useful in my work. Doing things like this has given me some pretty useful food for thought.
Those that I've hung out with at Origins will know that the original reason I showed up there was because I wanted to play Command Post Wargaming, which is effectively a modern Kriegsspiel with an AI opponent. Flashpoint Campaigns is a fantastic game; but FPC played as part of a team acting as a brigade staff, in an umpired setting is flat out amazing. It's the same deal, just a different era.
The other thing that draws me in, and this applies to the Napoleonic era more specifically, has to do with learning about the interaction of the technology of the time, the society of the period, and how those things come together to produce a military environment that results in a specific type of armed force. There are specific times historically where those things produced dramatic change in how wars were fought and thus often caused significant changes in the course of nations and the lives of millions of people. The Napoleonic Wars were one of those periods. Napoleon was a product of his times, and the society he developed in, along with some technological changes that he was able to capitalize on. This is a period where a small group of military thinkers - culminating in Napoleon Bonaparte - took a look at how war was being fought and thought something different that dramatically changed how wars were conducted. In playing games like this I'm able to try and replicate that thinking, and to experiment with applying the principles of the era's warfare to many different situations. Adding people into it, and rules that more effectively simulate the conditions of the period only make that more fun and interesting.
Certainly there are a lot of Napoleonic gamers that are primarily interested in the uniforms, or the tactics, or other fascinating minutiae. I find that stuff cool, but not enough to really spend a lot of time on. I like it when the armies I deploy look sharp, but all of the uniforms could be completely wrong for all that I know. I don't care that much about square buttons. I guess that means I can't join the more fashionable Napoleonic gentlemen's clubs?
So, I guess it's a little bit of the puzzle, and a little bit of effecting history. As much as that though, it's just the fun of doing something like this with a group of people that are equally interested, and who will share an experience and story after it's all over and done that we can talk about over beers at Origins next summer.
Quote from: MetalDog on September 22, 2016, 10:52:39 PM
I looked through the OOB. To me, it seems the more detailed, the more Napoleonic gamers, such as yourselves, like it. Another thought, do you play games like this to solve the puzzle of getting your troops when, where, how, and why? Or do you feel like you are effecting history in some way? Or maybe just enjoying the narrative the unfolding game brings according to the orders you and the others give? Is it something else altogether? What say you, gents?
I don't get to play many games like this (and I may pick up the Drago(o)ns in the Fog AAR again just to mess with it in single player for practice in dealing with something like this); but very much yes, I'm going to enjoy the narrative the unfolding game brings according to how persons are each, from different viewpoints, solving the puzzle of getting troops where, when, how, and why.
Not unlike the grand strategic maneuvering of
Legends of the Galactic Heroes come to think of it. (But come to think of it, I've made that comparison before. ;) But I mean the specifically
narrative component.)
Let's move to moving...
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FNwuW430.jpg&hash=dd83fb2f5ba4f1b75d08acf18585db3086ccc914)
These are the movement rates, measured in kph. Significant here are the much lower rates for off-road movements. Off-roading too far from the enemy is a recipe for never quite getting to battle.
As units move they accumulate fatigue. The longer they move -- and particularly if they are moved at night -- the more fatigue they will gain. Each day, the fatigue accumulated by units will be calculated resulting in the number of effectives under arms and therefore available for battle decreasing. The rates by which this wastage occurs are laid out here:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FmZyJvNi.jpg&hash=8183ae3dcb868da08ac0edb5b9e77fc5f0082782)
These calculations will be made by me, but I wanted you to be aware of this rates.
We're getting very close indeed to campaign launch so, please, if I don't have your e-mail yet, please send it to me as soon as is possible!
The next post will concern the basics of combat -- details will NOT be provided!
Doug, JP, thanks for the answers. I have always wanted to like games like this. It's not that I don't understand the concepts or grasp the rules. I think it's more that I have never had enthusiasts to hang around. So I will be following closely the goings on. And thank you to all the participants for entertaining us. And most especial thanks to Cyrano for putting this all together.
To all corps commanders: if I receive word you or your divisional or brigade commanders have crossed into Spain during this operation, I shall require a full report. -- Napoleon
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2016, 09:19:31 AM
To all corps commanders: if I receive word you or your divisional or brigade commanders have crossed into Spain during this operation, I shall require a full report. -- Napoleon
Wait...I thought we were invading Italy again? I do so love spending a season in Tuscany!
Quote from: Cyrano on September 20, 2016, 04:02:09 PM
@Hatricus: Many apologies for the exclusion!! I have assigned you to the reserve, but am working on something else moving forward. Very much would like to involve you.
Thanks Guys ..looking forward to following this game and possibly getting involved if the opportunity arrives but am more than happy to stay on the subs bench and watch the history unfold! Cheers Andy B
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2016, 09:19:31 AM
To all corps commanders: if I receive word you or your divisional or brigade commanders have crossed into Spain during this operation, I shall require a full report. -- Napoleon
And you shall have it! Now, about my impending invasion of France....
Quote from: panzerde on September 24, 2016, 10:52:39 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2016, 09:19:31 AM
To all corps commanders: if I receive word you or your divisional or brigade commanders have crossed into Spain during this operation, I shall require a full report. -- Napoleon
Wait...I thought we were invading Italy again? I do so love spending a season in Tuscany!
Italy is fine, you can vacation invasion there once we fight the Prussians. I will also set aside some French territory on the Swiss border for Davout to liberate ahem I mean practice maneuvers in. Spain is more of a curiosity I would rather not be distracted by at this juncture, but a recon in force might prove instructive. RUSSIA HOWEVER IS RIGHT OUT!
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2016, 09:19:31 AM
To all corps commanders: if I receive word you or your divisional or brigade commanders have crossed into Spain during this operation, I shall require a full report. -- Napoleon
I hear Russia is quite nice this time of year...
Quote from: James Sterrett on September 24, 2016, 12:44:31 PM
And you shall have it! Now, about my impending invasion of France....
Which begs the question... If the French invade France, who surrenders first?!
The result is Seduction, not Surrender.
and we're back to porn...
Only if it's a public display. :)
Though either way we have drugs too, given the inevitable presence of alcohol. :D
I turn my back for one minute...
I still need to hear from Lancer4321, Blackhorse, and Leg22 over at the organizational e-mail.
Bob (to my great regret!) has had computer difficulties punch him out of this one so I've activated Dom to the ranks of the regulars.
Morale post to come shortly.
I am ready.
-dom
@Dom: Glad of it!
And so to feelings, mood rings, serotonin deficiencies, and other things like marching that affect morale:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHyWju5O.jpg&hash=ebe400abb039bd144b8925bb04f084fa81e1b044)
Nothing too complicated here. The longer one marches each day, the more the morale drops. Only full days of rest can restore lost morale. Zero morale troops are, well, hard to control.
And combat...
Battlefields are areas 5km X 5km. They will be set up based on the terrain and other circumstances whenever two large forces make contact. Vedettes, obviously, do not start combats. I will explain those details of combats leaders need to know when they occur. However, again as should be evident, units are not eligible to participate in a combat unless it has entered the square described above. This is why the length of troops on the march can matter so very much.
I'm going to give the missing players a few more days, but these, in sum, are the rules as they will be given to the commanders. I will gladly entertain any questions you might have.
Following final preparations, I will be mailing the two sides a group e-mail encouraging them to consult. Then, I will ask the respective commanders for final orders as well as initial troop dispositions. Thereafter the game clock will start running and all communication should only be through the umpire.
Salute!
Quote from: Cyrano on September 24, 2016, 08:30:33 PMMorale post to come shortly.
On any other website, this would not be a dangerous proposition. With the misanthropes we have around here, tho...
Morale...
Not moral.
I know better than to hope for the impossible.
Trust me, these guys know how to keep up their morale ;)
Quote from: Pinetree on September 24, 2016, 04:26:47 PM
Quote from: JasonPratt on September 24, 2016, 09:19:31 AM
To all corps commanders: if I receive word you or your divisional or brigade commanders have crossed into Spain during this operation, I shall require a full report. -- Napoleon
I hear Russia is quite nice this time of year...
Per my subsequent communique, Russia is right out. It is a very silly place! With huge...
{groping for the best description}
...tracts of land!!
{rummaging around}
Look! This report justifies my concern that Russia will be a ruinous distraction!
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.mirror.co.uk%2Fincoming%2Farticle8624367.ece%2FALTERNATES%2Fs615%2FAverageBreastCupSizeintheWorld-1.jpg&hash=90d82988d5695d363996407296e861a58886c60b)
So, Spain (nor Egypt) is not so distracting, it appears.
But their women are generally much cuter, so they have that advantage. :coolsmiley:
Well played, sir. Well played.
OK, before you straight loonies drive your armies into some weird ditch...or cul-de-sac at a minimum...I've taken the liberty of swapping in those who have contacted me for those who have not. I realize this gives us a very thin reserve, but I figure a good plan today is better than a perfect one tomorrow. Check the OP for new assignments. MetalDog...saddle the hell up, brother. You might well be going to Montana soon.
With that said, I'm going to give to evening tomorrow (Tuesday, GMT -6) to squawk and then I'm sending out briefings to both sides.
To the fields of honor, men!
To the fields of honor...
Blucher reporting, sir! Dental floss at the ready. Where'd this tiny horse come from though?
Looks like I'm way too late to this party, but if you need another player for whatever reason let me know.
Can I respectfully withdraw - I feel like an asshole but I've got a tonne of work stuff to do over the next month, shits got real and I need employees/menus/websites and equipment as soon as
Yay, convenience! (Will miss Ugeek, but glad to have B_C vol in. As... {checking notes} ...Brassiere? :o)
Quote from: Cyrano on September 26, 2016, 10:38:11 PM
MetalDog...saddle the hell up, brother. You might well be going to Montana soon.
Note to corps commanders: if Blucher gets orders to deploy to Montana, LET HIM! The women there aren't very cute anyway, compared to Spain or Italy. (Although I will fairly consider evidence to the contrary.)
Remember, never interrupt an enemy when he's making an error.
Cy,
Have you covered supply rules yet? I don't recall them being explained....
Well...okay, Brassiere, boobyhead, whatever. If there's nobody else to take up the reins...
Well, well, well, sounds like UCG is OUT (never a worry, life is grim that way) and B_C is IN. I will update the roster immediately, placing UCG in the reserve should he later wish to mobilize.
Re: supply: The first volume of this series does not take up supply in the detail II & III do. The argument from the author being these campaigns are too brief for supply to have a dramatic effect. That said:
1. The lines of communication for both armies will be clearly identified in the briefings and there will be an obligation to protect them.
2. Each division has long supply trains that must be protected. I may, in fact, inquire where they are in the line as appropriate. Losing supply trains has a deleterious effect on morale.
Jim
All right. I'm locking the teams in and will be sending out the team e-mails shortly.
As I say, to the battlefield!
Oh, hey, B_C, may I get an e-mail contact please to jenacampaignATgmailDOTcom?
Thanks,
Jim
Quote from: Cyrano on September 27, 2016, 09:56:52 AM
2. Each division has long supply trains that must be protected. I may, in fact, inquire where they are in the line as appropriate. Losing supply trains has a deleterious effect on morale.
Is that length covered by "add wagons", or something else?
@James: A bit of both, though more the latter. Trains are calculated into the 500m/SP but then the non-French are further penalized by having their inefficient supply systems tacked onto the back of the divisions in the "add trains" calculation.
Do we know the length of our division trains or is it mysterious? :)
Quote from: James Sterrett on September 28, 2016, 09:57:23 AM
Do we know the length of our division trains or is it mysterious? :)
serious question: did the commanders back then
honestly know the lengths of their division trains? or was it mysterious? ;)
Quote from: bayonetbrant on September 28, 2016, 10:22:11 AM
Quote from: James Sterrett on September 28, 2016, 09:57:23 AM
Do we know the length of our division trains or is it mysterious? :)
serious question: did the commanders back then honestly know the lengths of their division trains? or was it mysterious? ;)
I'd guess they had a reasonable guess, but not necessarily more.
I'm not telling Cyrano which answer to give, I just want to know what I do or don't know, so to speak. :)
So you want the unknown knowns...
I don't know that they knew the length of the trains, but they certainly experienced the pain when the back end of the division in front of them got stuck hard like happened to Jose I.
The length is known insofar as it's built into the calculation for the length of divisions on the march. Infantry stretch 500m/SP and cavalry 2 km/SP, so 10 SP infantry divisions with no attached cavalary run to 5 km + the appropriate national modifier.
OK, so the charts earlier are generally accurate, but we should know they will tend to be a bit wrong in practice. :) (And probably never *shorter*. :) )
Well, as I'll be arbitrating them on a map with a ruler that won't bend, there's always a wee bit of estimation...
And a dash of "what the hell, close enough", plus some occasional "screw it I can't remember what I was measuring anyway, where's the whiskey?" ;)
I'll bet Berthier knew the lengths of the wagon trains! He probably had a estimation formula similar to the one outlined earlier regarding the length of the stretched out column. Berthier was one sharp cookie.
Stuck at work at the moment, but I will be pulling Elting down from the shelf this evening to see if anything supports Duke's assertion. As his miniature is near me always, I'd like to think the Prince of Neuchatel would, indeed, have known.
As to business --
Organizational e-mails are OUT and the clock for first orders is running.
If either B_C or Tobias Archer are listening, I'd love to hear from you (or, for that matter, for any of the reserve members who never responded to the call for e-mails). A spot or two stands to be open otherwise.
S!
Jim
Won't be able to look them over until this afternoon or tonight; but have been fulminating for several days already, so --
....
...PLANNING! I mean planning. >:D
Sorry, Cyrano. I only just today read through everything as best I could. :)
I sent you an email from my work email address; it will be a lot easier for me to notice emails on that account than on my normal email, as I've been having issues with my personal email account for a while now.
As John McClane said from the Nakatomi:
Welcome to the party, pal!
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FjHS3409.gif&hash=9ccf971fb59fcc0c6dbfdfe640d1c3cc8eb3611c)
Welp, is there any chance someone else can take on the role I volunteered (stupidly) for?
After getting 30+ emails today and having zero time to look at any of them, I'm having major doubts I will be able to play this, much less do it justice or understand any of the concepts.
Sorry to do this to you guys. If you don't have anyone else I'll do my best so you're not left hanging, but if you have someone to take over that would be great.
Messenger traffic on the Prussian side has been relatively light so I went ahead and sent my recommended deployments for Prince Hohenlohe's forces to the "Duke of Brunswick pending his approval. Hopefully I have his email correct. ???
Err... yeah.. our commander is suspiciously silent.... ???
Quote from: Barthheart on October 03, 2016, 05:11:11 PM
Err... yeah.. our commander is suspiciously silent.... ???
Hmmm, no activity since the 28th. Wonder if he knows he was elevated from the reserves to the Big Chief?
Hohenlohe's deployments received!
Ping sent for Hatricus.
I know that Jason said he might have one or two candidates for the reserves, so we may be able to relieve you there B_C. I will say that the flow of paperwork drops precipitously once you actually start marching as it's communication down "slots" and I don't have to share everything with everyone.
See what we get...
Jim
One of them (also named Cy or maybe Sy ??? ) said he'd like to be in the reserves, and I gave him the email address for the game -- if he hasn't registered in yet, I can't recommend counting on him. :-\
My brother was the other one, and he was worried that he'd either be expected to play it during a week-plus trip to Chicago with his wife and kids (starting Thursday) or that he'd be lost if he got called up when he got back. He did want me to keep him updated on how the game was going, but I can't really do that since I don't know in advance what side he'd be called in on (unless we just designated him a French reserve commander).
Sooo, yeah sorry I've got nuthin' atm. :-\ :-[
I've got a call in to my cousin. He's pretty busy, but, this is right up his alley.
Let me know if you need more people to tap.
You are seriously not telling me I have gone from being a novice sitting in the reserve...twiddling my thumbs to being in the high-command on the Prussian side....that's just bonkers!
You do realise that I have never played this game or a game like it...???
Quote from: Hatricvs on October 04, 2016, 04:01:26 PM
You do realise that I have never played this game or a game like it...???
That's what Freidrich Wilhem said too! ;)
Quote from: Hatricvs on October 04, 2016, 04:01:26 PM
You do realise that I have never played this game or a game like it...???
Welcome to the club! :D
Total n00b here, too. Am I sensing a theme on the Prussian side............???? ;)
What the hell, I randomly drew Napoleon, remember. I've played maybe four Nappy-era games briefly in my life, and definitely nothing in this particular mode.
Experience is absolutely NOT a benefit here in some ways. Mssr. Bonaparte-Pratt is doing a fine job simply thinking through a lot of this stuff.
Orders in soon!
Also, new commander in as Augereau!
Welcome back Blackhorse!
Cyrano - I haven't posted in this thread (or checked the forums really) since that last post of mine asking to be relieved. I was a dummy trying to take this on; there's too much to try to take in and I just don't have the time. I thought it would be fairly easy to wrap my head around, so shame on me for making that assumption. I haven't been able to read any of the emails sent, either, except the first few, and I'd just hold the entire thing up at this point I think. Let me know.
Gotcha.
Saw your post and should have responded and said what was going on in my head.
Steffan was straight gone so, when Blackhorse stepped up, I slotted him in there.
I'll vacate you from the roster in the hope that one of the folks Dr. S. is recruiting line up.
Jim
No joke, the orders have started rolling in and I'm excited.
Desperately hating not being able to have at my map...
Nappy has sent his initial orders after much consultation, for the umpire to disburse to the corps.
Now I sit back and wait... >:D
Sounds good.
ALL FRENCH MARSHALS --
PLEASE CONSULT YOUR E-MAIL INBOX.
My Thanks!
And I thought you all might like to know that my beloved has taken an, erm, interesting approach to assisting me in map movement...
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYn23GzY.jpg&hash=c1db09e9eeb01d70080f73a60c65e1a886c57c62)
Well, she needed SOMETHING to help me track all these troops...
Quote from: Cyrano on October 14, 2016, 09:33:30 AM
And I thought you all might like to know that my beloved has taken an, erm, interesting approach to assisting me in map movement...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=534296026760325&set=a.113839522139313.1073741827.100005397967349&type=3&theater
Can't get to that page for some reason.....
???
@Barth: This one any better? FB at times confuses me greatly. Dark sorcery.
Survey says...nope!
"Allonnnn-sy!"
Pass down the word, corps commanders: don't shoot until you can see the whites of their eyestalks.
I can see it now.... Extrapolate.... Extrapolate... :D
Fighting against the rival Daleks who chant Interpolate.... Interpolate!
All orders received EXCEPT:
Blucher
Hohenlohe
I have measured and marched all the others and am ready to fire the game clock.
This is going to be fun.
And Vorwarts and Co., gimme a shout, eh?
Hurrah!
Quote from: Cyrano on October 14, 2016, 09:53:10 PM
All orders received EXCEPT:
Hohenlohe
Sorry, I should have mine in later today. Been swamped at work.
My apologies as well. I should have them in by Sunday noon.
I say to you both: AWESOME!!
Orders sent!
Got em!
I had one follow-up question sent to e-mail.
Jim
*whew*
This has been an AWESOME evening.
Exhausting run of movement, dispatches, and responses.
The forces are rolling and, once we have Blucher in place tomorrow, I can advance the clock to September 11.
I don't know about all of you, but I'm truly enjoying all this. As always with a great KS, the friction and uncertainty feels real.
Best,
Jim
Thanks, Jim!
I am sure Blucher will arrive in the nick of time. He is good at that. :)
Orders sent. And may God help us all!
AND WE HAVE A TURN!!!!
I will be shifting all day-to-day business to the game turn post.
Want to give a shout out here and in the main thread to DoubleDeuce/Hohenlohe.
Holding as long as I can on his orders.
Thanks!
Jim
Time for a reserve to step in for DDeuce as Hohenlohe?
...asking for a friend. His name is, uh, Prason Jatt. ... ..... he loves Star Wars, possibly not his real name. He thinks he'd be great as Hohenlohe and will ensure the victory of the Imperial offensive!
Nice try my fine, cunning Corsican...
Frickin French Nancy boys trying to cheap to win! :knuppel2: