Over 10% of the ACW Society membership took advantage of our special pre-publication offer on the SHENANDOAH CAMPAIGN SYSTEM prior to the December 31st deadline. Now being advertised in other magazines at a price of $10 plus shipping, SHENANDOAH seems to have filled a void that has existed for some time. As it turned out, we were not able to gear the system for ON TO RICHMOND because of the differences between those rules and sets such as JOHNNY REB, STARS N BARS 3, and RALLY ROUND THE FLAG, which use the regiment as the basic unit. Even so, our campaign rules have found a nice niche in the wargaming community. For those of you who may not be aware of SHENANDOAH, it is a campaign system that involves an imaginary campaign in the Shenandoah Valley during 1863. No umpire is needed, and anywhere between 2 and 12 players can participate. The armies are randomly generated, preventing either side from knowing the exact composition or numbers of the opponent. Grand tactical movement is conducted on large maps. When two forces come into the same map dot, the resulting battle is played out on the gaming table using miniatures and any of the 3 rules sets listed above. Once a battle is completed, players again revert back to the grand tactical map, with more battles coming up. The campaign ends after 30 days, the victor being the team that has accumulated the most victory points. SHENANDOAH offers ACW gamers a reason for their battles and prevents the typical "die to the last man" engagements that so often take place. Scouting and grand tactical strategy are combined with a team's tactical gaming skills to allow for many exciting days on the wartable. While all troops begin the game as average soldiers, through the course of the campaign they may move up or down in morale grade depending on how they did in battles. It is a proud general who can get several of his regiments up to "Elite" status! The better commanders will send small forces to hold mountain gaps or bridges, fortify important crossroads, and at the same time consolidate a larger force for a thrust at the enemy, hoping to overwhelm them at their weak points. Just remember, the enemy is planning the same thing. Who will end up being a Jackson or Sheridan, having smashed through to take the Valley? Will you be a cautious general, paralyzed by reports of enemy forces advancing, or will you take the initiative, striking where you are least expected? All of this is part of the fun found in SHENANDOAH! Back to The Zouave Vol III No. 1 Table of Contents Back to The Zouave List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1989 The American Civil War Society 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