The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (Full Version)

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Joe Meyer -> The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/17/2014 11:18:12 PM)

The ACWGC is entering its 17th year of existence, still very much alive and well and offering the same great enjoyment in a rich environment of camaraderie, competition, respect, friendship, honor and challenge, all wrapped up in as much role-playing as you may want. Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War 1861-1865, Gary Grigsby's War Between the States, AGEOD's American Civil War The Blue and the Grey and John Tiller's Battleground Civil War all offered by Matrix Games are directly supported by the Club.

Club membership is no longer tied to any minimum standards of gaming activity and members may indulge themselves at any rate equitable with their personal schedules and to their opponents. All that need be done to maintain a membership is to simply answer up to the monthly Muster Call. While primarily a PBEM (Play-By-E-Mail) organization, nothing prevents ACWGC "officers" from lighting up their computers with Internet Direct Play.

The Club derives great technical support from its automated Department of Records, which provides all of necessary data for game, membership and award records, designed by the remarkable and talented Don Adams. And while an "officer's" performance is tracked through his Officer Battle Dossier (OBD), there are no ladders to climb or scheduled competitions to observe. Both private and club-sponsored tournament play are offered, and multiple-player competition is very much active! Ranks are achieved through battle and service points, the latter a strictly voluntary function.

The ACWGC is divided into two separate Military Groups, North and South, replete with their own command structures, the whole overseen by an elected, "civilian," seven-man Cabinet. There are no charges or fees involved. And while each member is responsible for his own game "arsenal," there is no requirement to own every game supported by the club. You'd have to go a long, long way to find so much offered in gaming enjoyment for so little a price.

Contrary to the suggestion made elsewhere that the ACWGC is the domain of a select few, it is wide open to anyone who has an affinity and interest for the American Civil War military history, or who would like to!

[image]local://upfiles/36625/4A80E3C9F4F44049824C77B9BF4F19F6.gif[/image]



berto -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 12:08:47 AM)


I visit the ACWGC site daily, and own most of the games you cite and that are "endorsed" by the Club (including every single John Tiller ACW title and Matrix JTBGS). Many times I have wanted to join in the forum discussion, but I've been deterred from signing up because I'm not really into PBEM play, and don't have time for it anyway. (See my sig.)

But you are saying that even if I don't actively play other Club members I can still join the Club? If so, sign me up!



jimi3 -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 12:25:42 AM)

Exactly...+1



Greyshaft -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 12:49:39 AM)

A link would be useful ... [sm=innocent0009.gif]



Joe Meyer -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 1:09:02 AM)

Glad to see the interest! I'll dirtect you our main webpage at http://www.wargame.ch/wc/acw/.

From there you'll be able to make application to join either the CSA or USA Military Group of the ACWGC. The choice is completely yours and once you've become a member you'll have all of the posting privileges of the forums and can play any of your games any time you chose, whenever you may want.

[image]local://upfiles/36625/10E47D0C464545308168C018504340CC.gif[/image]



2ndACR -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 2:03:30 AM)

How can you have a Civil War group and not have Scourge of War offered? That is the most realistic, simulation there is on the Civil War.



berto -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 2:15:42 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

How can you have a Civil War group and not have Scourge of War offered? That is the most realistic, simulation there is on the Civil War.

+1

In some aspects, it beats the JT games.



Steveonfirst -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 2:17:18 AM)

Agree with 2ndACR. But will join the site and hope.



Bozo -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 3:48:34 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: berto


I visit the ACWGC site daily, and own most of the games you cite and that are "endorsed" by the Club (including every single John Tiller ACW title and Matrix JTBGS). Many times I have wanted to join in the forum discussion, but I've been deterred from signing up because I'm not really into PBEM play, and don't have time for it anyway. (See my sig.)

But you are saying that even if I don't actively play other Club members I can still join the Club? If so, sign me up!


The PBEM play is SOOOO much different and, IMO, better than vs ANY game AI. Sometimes the AI is predictable, but human opponents are quite unpredictable and that leads to excellent gaming.

Also, you can play at your own pace; some play one turn per week others play one or two turns per month! Then you have the players that like to play a few turns per week. We cater to all those types of players. Quite often, when posting for opponents, members state their frequency concerns.

If you want to try out a PBEM game in any of the game series you mentioned, I can give you a taste of human play (better than the AI, I HOPE![:D]) You can reach me at waryor[at]gmail[dot]com (Ernie)



berto -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 1:44:08 PM)


Yes, yes, yes. But I have my own reasons for avoiding PBEM, which I won't rehash here and now.

We both agree that the JT ACW AI sucks. When I play the JT ACW games, it's strictly hot seat solitaire (with extreme FOW, and willful pretend ignorance) -- an old habit from my youthful board war gaming days. I'm good with it. It's what floats my boat.

(Yes, yes, yes, I know, PBEM is so much better than solo play blah, blah, blah... [;)])



Bozo -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 2:57:34 PM)

Ok. I thought I would try. I just read your signature and see that you are the lead programmer of the Campaign series. [&o][&o] Was it for both the ACW series and the Napoleon series? They are still solid games and are played quite a bit on both the American Civil War Gaming Club and the Napoleon Wargame Club.



berto -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 3:54:16 PM)


No, the Campaign Series is 20th Century conflicts only. I'm not the original designer/programmer. The legendary John Tiller was. I'm just recently picking up where He (and later developers) left off.

That said, and aside from my keen interest in the WWII Pacific Theater, my other gaming True Love is the American Civil War. In me, that river runs deep.



Bozo -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 4:24:51 PM)

I am glad to see there is still interest from MATRIX on the ACW John Tiller series. It is played a lot.

I have playtested for JT for several years.



Joe Meyer -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/18/2014 8:07:04 PM)

Gentlemen, I would not be surprised to see the ACWGC looking into a number of innovations concerning the incorporation of Real-Time movement ACW games, the Scourge of War series included. Civil War II will most probably be integrated within the Club in a very short time as well. The ACWGC also has its eyes upon the forthcoming Brother Against Brother: The Drawing of the Sword.



Zap -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/19/2014 1:27:03 AM)

Similar to Berto very interested in CW. If you you expand to SoW ,Brother against brother. I would most likely join. I;m an avid p-bem player WWII. Would like to expand that to CW



Joe Meyer -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/25/2014 5:54:51 AM)

As the current "General-in-Chief" of the ACWGC Union Army I'm always on the lookout for new applicants to our Military Academy! The Union Military Academy may be found and explored at http://www.unioneaglesonline.com/UMA/UMAMainPage.htm.

Of course the academy is primarily designed to introduce a new, prospective player to the protocols of PBEM play in the game(s) of his choice, the various conventions of club administration, officer conduct and impart some basic skills along the way. This is all accomplished within a relaxed training game with a veteran Instructor, who stays with the "cadet" until he is ready for an assignment to one of the four, current, Northern field armies.

But the academy also serves as a refresher course for any officer reinstated from retirement or discharge, if he so prefers.

Not everyone who enters the academy completes the course or becomes commissioned. Sometimes a cadet will discover that what the ACWGC offers is not really for him, or that the PBEM mode of play just doesn't cut it for his level of a gaming experience. But those who stay the course have a whole "career" awaiting them upon graduation, and the vista of acquiring a ton of new friends and acquaintences.

The beauty of the system is that you get to call the pace at which you'd like to play your games and a wealth of opponents from which to chose! The club places no restrictions on how often or how fast you play your games. But it does offer various tournaments from time to time for those players who need a ticking clock to motivate or challenge them. Multiple-player contests also abound in which anywhere from four to eight or more players are engage as teams upon the same field.

Each of the two Military Groups, CSA and USA, have their separate administrations, command organization and forums, and each encourages as much role-playing as you care to undertake. North vs. South in the American Civil War Game Club is very much alive and well.

You can find the Union Army Headquarters at http://www.unioneaglesonline.com/UNIONARMY/UAHQ.htm. Don't forget to activate the music!

[image]local://upfiles/36625/E81F6D3D24FF4AAA997D62F4BF92A09A.gif[/image]



berto -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/25/2014 12:58:58 PM)


Are you at liberty to divulge the Union & Confederacy officer counts? Or if not, the ratio? Which is more popular, North or South? Is this on a web page somewhere?

If I had all the time in the world (I don't [:(]), not only would I be an active member of The Club, I'd take up the ACW re-enactor hobby also. Many ACWGC members are re-enactors I suppose.



Joe Meyer -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/25/2014 6:17:03 PM)

Thanks for the questions, Berto! At the moment the USA side of the ACWGC numbers around 160 Aggregate, around 155 Present and about 140 Effectives. I believe that the CSA side has similar numbers, possibly a little higher. We keep track of such things as Leaves of Absence and Missing in Action (Out-of-Contact) on a monthly basis. From those numbers you can see that about 88% of the members are actively responding to their Muster Calls each month, a very simple and easy thing to accomplish.

I have generally believed that the CSA side of the Club is the slightly more weighted, since the mystique of the underdog and "Southern chivalry" is always present. But there are firmly committed Union officers who are bent upon prosecuting the war to a conclusion! Of course that will never happen! And even though an applicant to the ACWGC is asked to chose his side, mirror matches and cross-over play is common. In fact, a Union officer may receive the designated ribbon for scoring a Major Victory in the listed scenario (generally one rated at 35 or more turns), if he played as the Confederate commander and his opponent was a CSA officer! But most of the time it is Yank against Reb, with all colors flying, no holds barred!

The CSA and USA monthly reports are usually posted within the admin forums of each side, and the current OOBs are always displayed within the automatic Department of Records, which is reserved for only Club members. You can also view the status of each CSA and USA field army by reviewing that army's webpages. For instance, the Union Army of the Tennesee can be viewed at http://www.unioneaglesonline.com/AotT.htm.



berto -> RE: The American Civil War Game Club Is Alive and Well! (1/25/2014 6:25:51 PM)


See my forum avatar (also the logo for my Open Source software project, PIKT). I'm Billy Yank, no question!



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