SHENANDOAH 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 3 rules sets. 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 warn 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 gaining 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! ADVANCE THE COLORS is a skirmish rules set with a ratio of one casting equaling one actual combatanL While intended for 15mm figures, conversion ratios are given for 25mm, 10mm, and 5mm scales. These rules were written with historical accuracy and playability in mind. Simple in concept, a tremendous amount of research went into the effort, including such factors as killed to wounded ratio, probability of hitting a target at several distances under stress (this was accomplished by finding the total ammunition used by certain regiments at various battles where the distance from the enemy was well know), and the ability to stand up to fire and melee in various conditions. Having used a computer to establish probabilities and statistics for the different tables, the game should come close to approaching actual battle results - but of course, there's always that random modifier to prevent the outcome from being too predictable! ADVANCE THE COLORS places you in the position of being a colonel leading your favorite regiment. Movement and fire is by company, with each company having its own line officers and NCO's. Your field officers (Colonel, Lt. Col., and Major) and line officers (Captains, 1st Lieuts., and 2nd Lieuts.) are quite important to your tactics, since each has a skill and moral rating which effects the troops being led by them. Of course, great emphasis is placed on the color guard protecting the units flags! Figures already based for most of the popular rules sets will not have to be rebased for ADVANCE THE COLORS. However, some additional solo based officer castings will be needed for captains and field grade officers. Develop pride in your own regiment and order ADVANCE THE COLORS today! Back to The Zouave Vol VI No. 4 Table of Contents Back to The Zouave List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1992 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