River of Death
VASSAL Module version: 1.0 (j2)
The module offers many features to make gameplay more convenient and record keeping simpler. Some of these features are available directly through actions that are counter-specific - either using the keyboard shortcuts when a counter is selected or by activating the unit-specific pop-up menu by right-clicking on an individual counter and choosing an action to apply. Other features are available in the game menus.
There are a number of menus used for playing this module:
Markers – Deployment, PBEM, and information marker trays.
Notes - scenario-specific details and includes a place for each player to make public, private, and timed-release notes.
Combined CSA and Union Leaders and Combat Units, Efficiency Markers and Activation Markers
Union Order of Battle – map for routed, eliminated Union units as well as used Ams.
CSA Order of Battle - map for routed, eliminated CSA units as well as used Ams.
Time/Efficiency window - Shows the time track and holds the secret efficiency markers drawn for each player
Draw Pools window - holds the AM draw pool and the Efficiency Marker draw pool.
Overview – toggles the display of the entire map board.
Show/Hide Counters - makes all counters invisible in order to see the map underneath.
Reset Fire Flags - removes all phasing and non-phasing fire markers from all units.
Reset Moved Flags - removes all movement trails and moved flags from all units.
LOS - toggles LOS thread enables distance calculation and tracking of LOS/LOF.
Retire - enables you to switch sides during a battle.
There are three marker menus: for deployment markers for constructing scenarios, for markers useful for Play-By-Email, and for the informational and record keeping markers. All markers can be dragged from their menu tray onto the map and once on the map they can be duplicated or cloned (Ctrl+c) or deleted (Ctrl+x). Some markers that have a reverse side can be flipped (Ctrl+f).
Abandoned Guns - 1 on front, 2 on reverse
Advance - May Advance on front, Must Advance on back
Bridge Destroyed – Bridge under construction on reverse
Blown - (also available directly on mounted cavalry via pop-up menu)
Breastworks - under construction of reverse
Brigade in Reserve
Charge - cavalry on front, infantry on reverse (cavalry charge available from pop-up menu)
Collapsed - available on pop-up menu
Commander Extended Move
Command Finished
Day
Destination
Drunk
Extended Column
Extended Line (Confederate) - Right of front, Left on back
Extended Line (Union) - Right of front, Left on back
Fatigue - has a pop-up menu that can cycle through the fatigue levels (available from brigadier leader pop-up menu)
Hero
Hour
Ineffective Brigade / Division – Brigade on front, Division on reverse
End Scenario / Hour
Orders – Attack, then March, then Advance (available on brigadier pop-up menu) but useful for lone combat units w/o a Brigadier
Prepared Fire
Rain Ends
Refused Flank - Left on front, Right on back (available on combat unit pop-up menu)
Must Retreat
Shock - Check Cohesion of front, Continued Shock on reverse (Continued Shock available on combat unit pop-up menu)
Strength Point - can cycle through values from 1 - 14 with pop-up menu (available on combat unit pop-up menu)
Much of the module's functionality is available directly through actions on the individual counters. Each type of counter has a specific pop-up menu with a defined set of actions as well as a set of keyboard shortcuts that activate those functions as well.
All non-Marker counters have a movement trail function that can be enabled/disabled, as well as a flag that displays which units have moved.
Information markers have only basic functions:
Duplicate (clone): [Ctrl+c] saves having to pull a new marker from the tray each time a new one is needed
Delete: [Ctrl+x]
Rotate Clockwise/Counter-Clockwise: [CW: Ctrl+period][CCW: Ctrl+comma]
Flip: [Ctrl+f] for those units with reverse sides
All leader counters have the following functions:
Toggle movement trail: [Ctrl+t]
Toggle moved flag: [Ctrl+m]
Delete: [Ctrl+x]
Replace: [Ctrl+r], if the leader is killed or promoted during battle, his replacement side
Rotate Clockwise/Counter-Clockwise: [CW: Ctrl+period][CCW: Ctrl+comma]
In addition to the common functions, brigade leader counters have these additional features:
Out of Command flag: [Ctrl+o]
Fatigue sub-menu:
Increase Fatigue: [Ctrl+f]
Decrease Fatigue: [Ctrl+Shift+f]
Shock sub-menu:
Increase Shock fatigue counter: [Ctrl+s], first S0, then S1, then S2, etc. - for tracking brigade-level shock activity for fatigue purposes. The first shock attack/defense in any turn (S0) incurs no fatigue but every activity after the first (S1, S2, …) incurs fatigue.
Reset Shock fatigue counter: [Ctrl+z], resets the Shock counter
Brigade Ineffective flag: [Ctrl+i]
Brigade Orders: [Alt+o], first Attack, then March, then Advance, the Choose, then back to nothing. The Advance and Choose options are included to assist with scenario initial setups to indicate which commands are fixed and which can be chosen.
In addition to the common functions, division leader counters have these additional features:
Out of Command flag: [Ctrl+o]
Division Ineffective flag: [Ctrl+i]
Overmove flag: [Alt+Shift+equals] sets command range to 0
Division Orders: [Alt+o], first Attack, then March, then back to nothing (Advance)
In addition to the common functions, corps commander counters have these additional features:
Overmove flag: [Alt+Shift+equals] sets command range to 0
In addition to the common functions, overall commander counters have these additional features:
Overmove flag: [Alt+Shift+equals] sets command range to 0
Note: all of the features marked as ‘flags’ toggle on/off when activated multiple times
All combat units have an advanced set of features available:
Movement trail (de)activation: [Ctrl+t]
Rotate Clockwise/Counter-Clockwise: [CW: Ctrl+period][CCW: Ctrl+comma]
Delete: [Ctrl+x]
Disorder: [Ctrl+d], displays the disordered state or after rally the re-ordered state.
Mark as moved: [Ctrl+m], toggles the moved flag
Firing sub-menu:
Phasing Fire flag: [Ctrl+Alt+f]
Return Fire flag: [Ctrl+Alt+r]
Reset fire flags: [Alt+c], removes any fire flags
Increase Ammo depletion level: [Alt+x], first to -2DRM, then to Out of Ammo, then to fully supplied.
Resupply Ammo: [Alt+Shift+x], increase ammo supply by one step (Out of Ammo to -2DRM, or -2DRM to fully supplied).
Refusal sub-menu:
Refuse Right flag: [Ctrl+r]
Refuse Left flag: [Ctrl+l]
Casualties sub-menu:
Inflict Casualties: [Ctrl+equals], inflicts a one strength point loss to the unit
Remove Casualties: [Ctrl+minus], adds one strength point back to the unit
Reset Casualties: [Ctrl+Alt+c], removes the SP loss flag, returning the unit to full strength
Hits/Collapse: [Ctrl+s], the old casualty mechanism, still included for backwards compatibility
Collapse flag: [Ctrl+q]
Out of Command flag: [Ctrl+o]
Artillery counters have the features of combat units plus these extra features:
Artillery sub-menu:
Approach Move flag: [Alt+m]
Abandon Guns: [Ctrl+a], first Abandoned 1, then Abandoned 2, then normal
Fire sub-menu additions:
Approach Fire flag: [Ctrl+Alt+a]
Infantry counters have the features of combat units plus these extra features:
Shock sub-menu:
Charge flag: [Ctrl+c]
Continued shock flag: [Ctrl+Shift+s]
Fire sub-menu:
Withdrawal Fire flag: [Ctrl+Alt+w]
Pre-Shock Fire flag: [Ctrl+Alt+p]
Cavalry counters have the features of combat units plus these extra features:
Shock sub-menu:
Charge flag: [Ctrl+c]
Blown flag: [Ctrl+b]
Continued shock flag: [Ctrl+Shift+s]
Fire sub-menu:
Withdrawal Fire flag: [Ctrl+Alt+w]
Pre-Shock Fire flag: [Ctrl+Alt+p]