The following article suggests a rank structure to be followed by the members of our wargaming club when involved with Napoleonics. It is based upon the past performances of current members and allows for the introduction of new members, but only after they have, as historically happened, passed through the ranks. I would appreciate member comments. Marshal: Jean Lochet. This high rank is both deserved by his many hours of work on the rules, and his ability to tread that very thin line that a referee must in order to keep the game going. Since the majority of the Napoleonic games will be at his home, and since there must be someone with the final authority on questions and problems, this rank is fitting. General de Brigade: I have chosen this rank for obvious reasons. The first is that we seldom have a single player commanding more than a BRIGADE, in rare cases a RE-ENFORCED BRIGADE. The following members shall hold this rank. In the course of setting up the game, one of these members, representing each of the opposing forces, shall be designated the Commander-in-Chief. William Berei William Perry Claude Lochet Mike Gilbert Tom DeVoe Vic Zipser During the past four years, each of the above have had the opportunity of acting as C.I.C. plus the game experiences to merit them the rank. Honorary General: To be awarded for services rendered to the club as a whole or to a member seeking advice or information. A vote of the entire membership in good standing will be necessary for the awarding of this status. Colonel: the rank of Colonel shall be applied to a member who has attained a working knowledge of the rules and is able to handle an infantry regiment (or two separate battalions) plus artillery support. I propose the following for that rank. Eric Rosen Bob Johnson Captain: A captain shall be in command of a single battalion. This will enable a new player to start almost immediately getting combat experi3ence, though at the lowest level of command. as the member increases his proficiency in troop management, comprehension of basic moves, such as movement, morale, melee value, ranges, and so forth, he will become eligible for field promotion. I submit the name of Dick Ponsini for this rank and all in-coming members. The length of time required for promotion should be less important that the ability of the person in question to both handle the new responsibilities and the readiness to command larger units. During a game, members should be aware of the limits of their rank; a Captain for example should not tell a general that he just made a foolish mistake (although it does happen), Junior officers should obey the orders or directives that they receive from their respective headquarters. This might even help to cut down the tremendous amount of unrelated chatter that is so much a part of our games, while allowing the individual officers more of a chance to concentrate upon the field and the next orders for the troops under their commands. As a second measure for concentration, I would like to propose the awarding of medals to our individual command figures for their actions. While the half-a-horse can be funny, it is after all a negative award. The attainment of GLORY was a contributing factor towards the conduct of many of the troops, both officers and men, under the First Empire. Why not allow our command figures the honor of receiving awards for services rendered. These awards should be in line, both with the tasks for which they are to be awarded, and the historical point of fact. In other words, the Legion of Honor, much sought after in the French Armies, should not be given for the simple taking of a hill; likewise no fictitious medals, like the Grand Order of Lochet, or the Order of the Pink and Blue Necktie should be allowed, as again they bring on the aspects of a joke. The more concentration put into our games (plus the fun of gaming) the better the games will be, and the more moves that can be accomplished in a night. Back to Empire, Eagles, & Lions Table of Contents Vol. 1 No. 8 Back to EEL List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Jean Lochet This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com