"Johnny Reb" is without a doubt the most successful set of rules for American Civil War and at the same time a benchmark other rule writers would do well to aspire to. One of its most vital assets is the ease with which the wargamer can adapt the set to suit either a particular historical circumstance or the opinions of a like group of individuals. I list below several changes which my own group has made over the years. 1.No Officer Benefits for shooting. Reason: The mere presence of officers does not ensure their men shoot more accurately or quicker. 2.Only troops charging medium or heavy works may opt for empty guns. Reason: This tactic was extremely rare in open battle. 3.Mounted cavalry charging other mounted cavalry do not suffer a +2 for not having bayonets. Reason: You can't possibly use the weapon from the back of a horse. 4.A unit in March Column cannot fire. Reason: So few men would be able to shoot without interference that the effect becomes negligible. 5.Troops lying prone and charged from without 6" are not subject to the [FM] penalty Reason: The time lapsed before impact would easily allow a regiment to rise and deliver a full volley. 6.Troops trying to change formation and charged from within 6" do not get to shoot. Reason: Although having enough time to form up, there would be no time to deliver anything more than a ragged, ineffective fire against an attacker. 7.Arc of visibility to extend 45 degrees to the rear of the unit. Reason: Most people can easily give a quick glance over their shoulder. A complete turn takes more effort. This change makes the isolation rule more realistic. 8.Troops take consecutive tests for each routed unit within one foot up to a maximum of three; they also suffer a + 1 penalty for each routed unit e.g. 1st test + 1, second +2 etc. Reason: Routing troops always have a harmful effect on those who see them, it is usually a progressive effect hence the steady deterioration. 9.Troops moving "through" a building are dis- ordered. Reason: Model buildings represent complete entities; e.g. farms or mansions with all their outbuildings and impedimenta scattered around gardens, fences, wagons etc. Therefore, a formed line is unlikely to keep formation whilst traversing these areas. These changes hopefully complement the rules while remaining relatively simple to put into effect. Back to The Zouave Vol VII No. 4 Table of Contents Back to The Zouave List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 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