Dear Dave,
While this letter should not be considered a slam on Bryan Gagen's article in the Winter 1993 issue, I thought it important to comment on the frequent discussions and complaints I've heard regarding Fire & Fury rules.
About ten years ago, I began to develop a set of grand tactical ACW rules when it seemed like most players were not very interested in that style of game. I wanted a "bigger picture" and felt that when I finished that project, I had done a fairly good set of home grown rules. Unfortunately, the set ended up on the back burner and my interest in grand tactical combat wasn't piqued again until Fire & Fury showed up.
I think the biggest problem gamers have with grand tactical rule sets is that they are unable to break out of the "tactical mode," viz-a-viz brigades as basic maneuver groups instead of regiments; thirty minute turns instead of fifteen minutes, etc. I hear complaints that there is no bonus for close range fire, no initial volley modifier, whole stands of troops shouldn't be eliminated, etc. In my opinion, rule sets are nothing more than how the author thinks "it was" for whatever period the rule set is trying to simulate. To be sure, these impressions must be based on what facts we have to work with, but none of us were there so we really don't know for sure what the Civil War was really like. I would never criticize an author's rule set simply because he has a different impression of what ACW combat was like.
Let's take a few examples. Fire & Fury has no modifiers for close range fire or initial volleys, but there is a charge rule that seems to simulate close range combat fairly effectively. I think that Livermore's Numbers and Losses indicated the average ACW firefight was over in twenty minutes; hence in Fire & Fury, a firefight should be over in one turn, which it usually is. My impression of the charge rules are that within the scope of the thirty minute turn, the charge represents several close range volleys, advances and retrograde, inherent morale checks, etc., even though all the players do is move into contact and determine the outcome.
Another example might be rolling to see how each brigade moves within the thirty minute turn. I feel that Fire & Fury does this quite elegantly, even though there are no written orders, no order chits, or myriads of charts to look at. The die roll simply tells us how the brigade is "feeling" at that time. It doesn't take much time to move your units, and you get a fairly realistic feel of maneuvering a division instead of a brigade.
I don't mean to ramble, but I wanted to make a point that some players need to break out of the tactical mindset and think in a more grand tactical scope. Once you do this, you will better understand Fire & Fury, what it is trying to simulate, and better accept that it is not a tactical set of rules. I have nothing against tactical sets of rules, but the ACW gamer would do well to understand both the tactical and grand tactical problems confronting the generals of the time.
Dear Dave Reynolds,
Thank you for reminding me to renew my subscription to The Zouave.
I'd like to see more battle scenarios suitable for 22mm or 25mm figures. I have approximately one thousand figures, and can set up some interesting scenarios using Johnny Reb and On to Richmond rules.
I'd also like rules reviews and articles on the construction of basic game pieces (in 22mm scale) for Civil War naval games. I have attended the Historicon wargame conventions held in Harrisburg and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and would like to try this approach to ACW games.
I'm a solo gamer and enjoy the hobby by myself. There seems to be little interest and activity in my area in wargames. So my only source of information and contact is through your publication. I've enjoyed playing many of the scenarios in your magazine and have tried some of the rules variations suggested by your readers. I'm very open to anything and everything I can read to enhance my games.
Thanks for a great magazine!
Dear Dave,
Enclosed is my $18.00 for my 1994 subscription. I always look forward to the arrival of The Zouave. I have a few ideas which may be of interest. First, how about a "Letters Page" where readers could share ideas with each other? Second, there could be a "Queries Section" where readers could help each other with problems or tips. I envisage two distinct parts to this, one dealing with history and the other dealing with gaming.
These additions to the magazine would perhaps encourage more readers to make contributions, and would be a method of increasing the size of the magazine as mentioned in a previous issue. There must be a wealth of knowledge in our society and I am sure it would be beneficial to tap into this.
Finally, I wonder what response there would be to an ACW competition, similar to that held by the Society of Ancients through their magazine Slingshot? The competition would be open to all members and would involve gaming points for victories over other society members. A major problem, though, would be finding someone to take on the responsibility of competition organizer, as the competition would involve a lot of work!
Many thanks to you and Jeff for your labors on our behalf. Long may you continue.
Dear Sir:
I have enjoyed my subscription to The Zouave for two years now, and I would like to suggest a few things I'd like to see added to the magazine, if possible. First of all, I would like to see a "Letters to the Editor" page added. Also, perhaps a question and answer section could be included in "Letters to the Editor." I realize that the staff of the magazine may not have the time to research the answer to every question which it might receive. So perhaps a question could be printed in a particular issue, and readers' responses to the question could appear in the subsequent issue.
The second feature I'd like to see would be an "Opponents Wanted" section. This would be a big help to people like myself who live far from a hobby store.
Finally, I'm interested in writing scenarios on the battles of Olustree, Prairie Grove, or Cane Hill. Can you tell me if The Zouave has printed articles on these battles?
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