{"id":1029,"date":"2012-03-29T23:49:53","date_gmt":"2012-03-29T23:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=1029"},"modified":"2012-04-01T11:55:26","modified_gmt":"2012-04-01T11:55:26","slug":"114th-signal-professional-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bucksurdu.com\/blog\/?p=1029","title":{"rendered":"114th Signal Professional Development"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Early<\/a>
Early view of the game, during setup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In what has become an annual event, Chris Palmer and I supported Sam Fuson and Ed Duffy in running a wargame for the 114th Signal Battalion Officer Professional Development (OPD). \u00a0This time Eric Schlegel joined us.<\/p>\n

In the past, Sam, Ed, Chris, and I ran WWII games using Look, Sarge, No Charts: World War II<\/em>. \u00a0We’ve found that a bunch of folks unfamiliar with wargaming can easily pick up the rules.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The game is underway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year’s event \u00a0was the battle of Chancellorsville, involving 45 players and 5 game masters. \u00a0Each of the senior leaders in the battalion assumed the role of one of the historical division commanders. \u00a0The overall commanders could determine their own battle plans and did not have to stick with the historical plan. \u00a0 The Confederate commander played a cautious, delaying game, rather than the audacious plan \u00a0of the actual battle.<\/p>\n

We used A Union So Tested: Look, Sarge, No Charts: American Civil War<\/em>. \u00a0Sam did a tremendous amount of work preparing for the event. \u00a0He mounted over 4000 plastic 1\/72-scale figures onto stands and made all the labels for the bases. \u00a0This took him over 400 hours of work in preparation.<\/p>\n

We arrived at 0730 and were busy setting up the tables, terrain, and troops until 1000. \u00a0It takes a long time to get that many figures laid out. \u00a0This was a big game! \u00a0The pictures don’t really do justice to the size of the game.<\/p>\n

In order to partially compensate for the numerical superiority of the Union, the Confederate forces were located off the table. \u00a0For the first three turns, the Union had to spot the Confederates. \u00a0This caused the Union players to be more cautious. \u00a0It also diverted a corps of Union troops to be diverted hunting for Rebs on their flanks.<\/p>\n

\"Many,<\/a>
Many, many figures!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sam didn’t have time to paint all the figures, so most were unpainted. \u00a0Painted figures were organized into the elite regiments and brigades. \u00a0Purists might object, but even with unpainted figures the board was impressive.<\/p>\n

Chris and I were happy to see that LSNC: American Civil War<\/em> rules hold up in a game with 45 players. \u00a0The officers, senior NCO’s, and civilian leadership of the battalion seemed to get a lot out of the event again this year. \u00a0The event will be followed by a staff ride of the battlefield in which the officers, senior NCOs, and civilians will compare their actions in the game with those of the actual commanders.<\/p>\n