Memorial Circle Augusta's Vietnam War Dead Marker

Location: Augusta, Maine

Features: Marker

History: Unknown

Traveler's Notes: Photographed October 2013

Resources: http://www.markeroni.com/catalog

Rebel Raiders of the High Seas

The first game of the new year was a test run of Rebel Raiders of the High Seas with Vance.  A quick and fun little game; a quasi CDG with some simple, if at times quirky, mechanics.  Most of our action took place with the blockade on the high seas.  We didn't see as much movement on the rivers, mostly due to some fumbling with the rules on our part.  Now that we have some of the bumps worked out I would like to try it again.

Stonewall Jackson's Way II: AGA Scenario II: Johnston Vs. Patterson

As much as the first scenario of "All Green Alike" presented a straightforward situation, the second scenario offers a far more complex series of decisions and victory conditions that belies its small scope.  "Johnston Vs. Patterson" recreates the situation of July 1861 when Gen. Johnston slipped away with his Confederate Army to reinforce Gen. Beauregard and tip the scales to a Southern victory at 1st Bull Run.  The is the only other scenario except for the previously reviewed Scenario 1 and the full Virginia campaign that will use the west map from "Here Come The Rebels."  The game is 3 turns long and musters roughly 5 brigades for the South and 8 for the North.

The Confederates are tasked with exiting the map, defending Winchester and attacking the Union army with the goal of creating panic.  The North achieves its objectives by also exiting the map, preventing the South from exiting, taking Winchester and causing the Confederates to panic.  Panic is a new game mechanic added to "All Green Alike", a far more comprehensive rule than the relatively simple concept of panic that was found in the original "Stonewall Jackson's Way."  Each army in the game is given a panic level.  Once enough units in the given army take retreat or rout results in combat the whole army may panic.  A panicked army suffers various effects, most notably a -1 modifier to all combats as attacker or defender for the rest of the game.  Each side has to carefully pick its objectives while planning both offensive and defensive possibilities, all under the fast moving 3 day time limit.  Be sure to read the victory conditions carefully.  On our first playthrough I failed as the South to account for the fact that all 5 brigades must exit the map or face a VP penalty.  That mistake cost me the game by a very narrow margin.

Johnston Vs. Patterson Setup

Memorial Circle American Civil War Monument

Location: Augusta, Maine

Features: Monument

History: Unknown

Traveler's Notes: Photographed October 2013

Resources: http://www.maine.gov/civilwar/monuments/augusta.html

Stonewall Jackson's Way II: AGA Scenario 1: Across the Potomac

The first scenario from SJWII's "All Green Alike" focuses on the overlooked pre-Bull Run campaign in the Shenandoah Valley.  The game takes place from July 2-5, 1861 as Gen. Patterson leads the first major Northern invasion of the region.  The historical dates for this scenario are the earliest represented in the GCACW and even fall before the dates set for the AGA advanced games, making this scenario the unique starting point for the whole war.  This scenario does take place exclusively on the "Here Come The Rebels" west map, so ownership of that game is required to play.

This scenario provides an excellent introduction to the game system with low counter density and a simple set of victory conditions.  The Southern force contains 4 infantry brigades vs. the North's 6 brigades.  The Union objective is to secure a series of locations, the deeper into enemy territory they go the higher the overall VP reward. This sets up a nicely balanced meeting engagement as the Confederates move north to stop the incursion and take back objectives.  All the "green" restrictions are in play here as leaders have a limited ability to command troops to march and attack.

Across The Potomac Setup

Tecumseh Monument

Location: Thamesville, Ontario, Canada

Features: Stone monuments on highway wayside

History:  During the War of 1812, Tecumseh lead an alliance of Native American tribes who joined with the British in the goal of preventing future American encroachments on their territory.  These hopes were dashed when the British were defeated at the Battle of the Thames in October of 1813 and Tecumseh was killed.  The site of his death is marked by this monument.

Traveler's Notes:  Photographed August 2012

Resources:  Tecumseh, Battle_of_the_Thames

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Memorial

Location: Gettysburg Soldiers' National Cemetery

Features: Monument on cemetery grounds

History:  Today's post marks the date 150 years ago on November 19, 1863 when Lincoln gave his famous speech at the new Soldiers' National Cemetery.  The Battle of Gettysburg was a mere five months past when Lincoln dedicated this ground to those who died and were buried on the gentle slope of the very hill where the Union cause was saved.  This monument was placed in 1912.

Traveler's Notes:  Gettysburg remains the inspiration for all my historical travels.  After 25 years of nearly annual pilgrimages to the battlefield, it never fails to provoke an emotional sense of awe, reverence and connection.  For me, no other place so singularly and physically demonstrates our relationship to those who have come before and the importance of understanding how their actions shaped our lives.  Lincoln's words accurately describe this pervasive sense of reciprocity that lingers at Gettysburg to this day.

Resources:  Gettysburg_Address, Gettysburg_National_Cemetery