Attributed to: "Gary S. Moody" <gsmoody@empire.net>

Additional Optional Rules for VG's The Civil War 1861 to 1865

 

Page 7L  CSA Commerce Raider Phase: Minor Commerce Raiders­

Historical Inspiration:  The Confederates had considerably more commerce raiders then the game presents. Early in the war the Union Navy was subject to severe public abuse for their failure to counter these early privateers and had their naval policy directly effected by the need to respond.

·          Starting Game Turn 2 the Confederate Player has one minor commerce raider counter placed in the At Sea Box. This marker represents 3 minor commerce raider points. (A 3 SP marker at the start will do). Reduce the SP marker by 1 if the Union controls hex 5613. Reduce the SP marker by 1 if the Union has a depot, (Coaling Station), in a coastal hex in North Carolina, South Carolina or the Atlantic side of Florida.  Reduce the SP marker by 1 if the Union has a depot in a coastal hex in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or the Gulf Coast side of Florida. If the depot condition is lost on a coast then increase the marker by 1 until the depot is re-created.  As an exception to the regular rules Naval CPs can be spent to create this depot on a coastal hex. The depots functions normally once created.

·          The Union Player commits 0, 1 or 2 Naval, (and/or Discretionary), CPs to modify the raider roll per the usual procedure. These same points count separately against regular Commerce Raiders as well.

·          The Confederate Player makes single Raider roll of 2 dice.  Do not modify this roll for Naval CP commitment the way regular rolls are modified.  Use the procedure below instead to determine the number of ships sunk.

·          The Confederate Player sinks 1/3 of the number rolled for each point of Minor Commerce raider he has in the box. However, each Union Naval CP negates 1 Minor Commerce Raider point for the turn it was spent in.  Round losses down for fractions.

Page 7R  Blockade Effects Phase: Blockade Patrol Squadron Coaling Stations

Historical Inspiration:  The ability of the Union to control blockade running was directly related to how far they needed to travel to reach their patrol area. Obviously the long the haul the less time they could remain on station.

·          When calculating the Confederate Port Capacity for turn ignore Ports along the Atlantic Coast that are closed only because of Union control of another hex, as listed in the port control box on the map, unless the Union has a depot in a Atlantic Coast hex per the requirements listed under Minor Commerce Raiders. (Exception is Petersburg, which is closed unless Fort Monroe is taken by the South. Likewise, apply these rules to those ports along the Gulf Coast if the Gulf Coast

·          Depot is not in place per the Minor Commerce Raider rule.

Page 10R  Command Point Types: The Army's Boats

Historical Inspiration:  The initial river forces assembled by the Union were not under Navy control until later in the war. The Army also hired its own transports for ocean moves as well.

·          To reflect this conflicting command problem, during turns 1 through 3 at least one of the points spent to move Union river forces in the Western or Trans-Miss Theaters must come from the theater's CPs. Since river NSPs are placed along hexsides, in cases where the NSP(s) are adjacent to both theaters the CP can come from either side. (The ocean aspect is handled later on by requiring an army officer be a part of any amphibious landing operation).

Page 11R Army Leader Removal: Leader Removal Restrictions:

Historical Inspiration:  Generals got commands early on for various reasons, often ones connected with who they knew or for past accomplishments.  Once in place it was often hard to get rid of them.

·          An army commander cannot be removed unless he lost his last battle while in command of the army, (lost meaning his army failed to remain in the hex at the conclusion of combat). Or he may be removed if his army did not move at all in the previous Game Turn. (Reactions and Retreats do not count as movement for this rule.

Page 12R Leader Effects on Rally; Rally of forces while out of supply:

Rule Problem Being Addressed:  The standard way to get around rally while out of supply is building a depot. In effect this makes all leaders Initiative rating 2 for rally purposes. In addition the Army is now in supply for its next move and combat.  A later rule limits creating depots to situations where they are only created in supplied hexes as part of an extending and functional supply chain.

·          An Army can be rallied when out of supply by spending CPs equal to the Army Commander's Initiative rating plus 1.  And as the troops are considered to be foraging for supply at this time this action counts as movement for the pulse.

Page 12R Army Leader Loss and Page 13R Stacking Limit; Garrisons and Lesser Armies:

Historical Inspiration:  There were several other Armies created during the war that are not represented in the game.  When of sufficient size these were commands of prestige and required generals be assigned to them just like the provided armies did.

·          The most SPs that can garrison a hex without a leader present are 3 SP.  Add one to this limit for a city hex, one for the presence of a depot, one for the presence of a fort, two for the addition of a fortress.  Thus 7 SP is the maximum that can garrison a hex without a leader present. In hexes that contain neither a city, depot, fort nor fortress their can never be a medium sized force without a leader being present.

·          Once a leader is present in the hex the garrison size of the hex increases by the number of SPs the general can normally command for movement. Only the command capacity of the ranking leader in the hex can be used to increase the garrison size.  SPs in Armies are never counted against the garrison capacity of the hex.

·          If a hex contains more SPs then allowed by the above listing because of leader loss, or depot removal then it is treated exactly like an army whose commander has been eliminated.  With the following exceptions:

·          The player does not need to bring a 3* general to command the forces in the hex unless there are 5 or 6 SPs over and above the non leader garrison capacity of the hex that are causing the need for a leader. Likewise a 2* does not need to be sent if a 1* general can fulfill the command requirements.  Generals outside of armies cannot be moved to the hex if a general of sufficient command capacity is available who is not in an army. A general cannot be pulled from a hex if his withdrawal would create a condition of insufficient command in the hex.  If no leader is available who can put the hex under proper command then the hex can be left unattended until a leader becomes available from later arrivals, promotions or force reductions in other

·          hexes.  No new SPs can be entered into the hex unless proper command requirements per this optional rule can be met.

 Page 13R Leaders and Ground Movement & Page 14L SP Movement Limits: Adjustment to Movement of Strength Points:

Historical Inspiration:   There was a difference between 2* and 3 ranks.  Also there are times when a force was spread out to accomplish a specific mission and then pulled together for a new mission. In the standard rules gathering in SPs is overly expensive in terms of CPs required.

·          2 * generals can only control up 2 4 SPs at a time.

·          A general can spend his Initiative Rating in CPs to assemble any SPs within 4 MPs of his location. To be moved by this method a SP must be in a hex without a leader, be able to reach the assembly hex following normal movement requirements and restrictions, and not be within 4 MPs of another leader who outranks the leader making the recall. This action counts as movement in the pulse for all SPs that move to the hex and all SPs already in the leader's hex.

Page 14R Cavalry Leaders:  Redefined Cavalry Leader Ability:

Calvary Leaders can be more easily abused then other leaders under certain conditions. And were historically often infantry officers as well.

·          A cavalry leader is considered as a regular 2* leader. Under such conditions the cavalry abilities of the leader are lost.

·          A cavalry leader cannot leave a hex containing only 1 SP unless there is an non-cavalry leader present in the hex already.

Page 15L   Rail Movement: Using converted rail in enemy territory

Historical Inspiration:   Keeping a rail line operating in enemy territory was a difficult task.

·          A rail line hex in enemy territory can only be used for rail movement if the hex is occupied by or adjacent to at least 1 friendly SP. An enemy SP moving without a leader cannot convert such protected hexes back to their original control.