Section 1: Philosophy
1.1: Club Core Values
1.1.2: The American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC) (Club) was formed to encourage, promote and facilitate inter-member play of the Wargame Design Studio (WDS) [Formerly John Tiller Software (JTS or HPS)] Civil War Battles series of American Civil War computer games and the John Tiller's Battleground Civil War by Matrix Games/Talonsoft.
1.1.2: The ACWGC acknowledges that members’ personal schedules, outside obligations, and preferences will dictate the number and pace of individual games played. Therefore, the Club imposes no minimum gaming frequency or number of games as a membership requirement.
1.1.3: The ACWGC provides historical and military flavor to its activities by asking that members join either the CSA or USA as “officers” within their chosen army and by using a military structure as the basis for the ACWGC organization. Accordingly, the ACWGC encourages voluntary role-playing by members to portray the spirit and language of the Civil War era and the natural rivalry between the Confederacy and the Union. However, in all aspects of Club affairs members are strictly required to conduct themselves as gentlemen and no language or behavior detrimental, antagonistic, racist or abusive to any other member or disruptive to the good order and functioning of the Club will be tolerated.
1.1.4: The ACWGC is not a "ladder" type club in which Club “standings” are based on games played or games won. Rather, members are awarded points for assuming leadership roles within the Club, for playing games, and for exceptional service or achievement. These points are a member’s “standing” within the Club and help determine “promotions” within the ACWGC military structure.
1.1.5: The ACWGC has no dues.
Section 2: Membership
2.1: Initial Enlistment
2.1.1: An individual becomes a member of the Club by choosing which military group (USA or CSA) to join and then selecting either the “CSA Join” or “USA Join” link at the ACWGC HQ website and following the directions provided. Individuals may enlist in only one side of the Club (USA or CSA) and no one may have multiple simultaneous enlistments. Enlistment under an innocuous pseudonym is acceptable. New members who “enlist” in the Club are enrolled as a Cadet in the Training Academy.
2.1.2: The Training Academy provides Club administrative information and game-play training to Cadets. Cadets are assigned an instructor to introduce them to Club forums and Club rules of conduct while playing a short game to ensure that they are familiar with Play-By-Email (PBEM).
2.1.3: The Academy Commandant may recommend to his GinC that a Cadet be dismissed from the Academy based on the Cadets fraudulent enlistment, consistent lack of communication with his instructor, or conduct detrimental or abusive to any other member of the club or disruptive to the good order and functioning of the club. With the concurrence of the GinC, the Academy Commandant will dismiss the Cadet and ensure his DoR record reflects this dismissal and that the dismissed Cadet’s forum access and privileges are revoked.
2.1.3.1: Fraudulent Enlistment is an enlistment by a former member while expelled, or by an individual already a member, or by a former member under an alias for the purpose of concealing past unacceptable disruptive behavior. A dismissed Cadet may seek reenlistment after one year by contacting the Academy Commandant after one year.
2.1.4: Cadets are probationary members of the ACWGC until graduated and commissioned, at which time they become full members. Cadets may not participate in club-sanctioned tournaments or other game competitions. Cadets have no voting privileges. Cadets do not have forum access and privileges upon enlistment; rather, these are granted during their training period.
2.1.5: Based on the recommendation of the Cadet’s instructor, the Academy Commandant will graduate Cadets upon completion of their training, promote them to Lieutenant and make them available for assignment within their respective military group (USA or CSA).
2.2: Mustering and Current Membership Status
2.2.1: Musters are a periodic accounting of all Club members. An officer’s response to the muster call/request, in part, determines his status according to the definitions below. CSA and USA will conduct musters at least quarterly using procedures established by their respective GinC.
2.2.1.1: The status of officers is determined primarily by the consistency and timing of their response to muster requests. Accepted status categories as defined by the Department of Records are: Active, Leave of Absence, Hospital, Missing in Action, Retired, or Discharged.
2.2.1.1.1: Active. Officers who are in sustained contact with their chain of command, or (at the least) responding to muster calls are present or active.
2.2.1.1.2: Leave of Absence (LoA). Officers who are taking an approved Leave of Absence will be marked as such in the Department of Records.
2.2.1.1.2.1: Officers may request a LoA from active duty from their AC for a prescribed length of time. The AC to which the members is assigned will automatically approve LoA requests.
2.2.1.1.2.2: Officers returning from LoA will report to their AC. Officers who do not report to their AC when their leave has expired may be declared ‘Missing in Action’. Officers on leave may return before the expiration of their authorized leave.
2.2.1.1.2.3: The (AC) may assign the returning officer to a position within the army or refer the officer to the GinC for reassignment elsewhere.
2.2.1.1.3: Hospital. Officers who request an LoA may voluntarily provide a “real life” illness as their rationale. Such rationale may be as general or as specific as the requesting officer desires; specifying how much, if any, of this information may be divulged by the Army Commander. Muster reports will list these officers as “Hospital” and the military groups will change their status within the DoR to “Hospital.” Officers may return from the “Hospital” at any time. They may also be discharged if they fail to reestablish contact with their superiors after an appropriate period of time.
2.2.1.1.4: Missing in Action. GinCs may declare officers Missing in Action (MIA) who continually fail to muster, fail to report for duty after their authorized LoA has expired, or otherwise show no continued club activity. GinCs will determine specific criteria and procedures for declaring an officer MIA. MIA officers may not vote in Club elections.
2.2.1.1.5: Retired. Officers may request retirement at any time for any reason through their AC. In practice, retirement is an LoA with no fixed termination date. Military groups will change the status of retired officers to “Retired” within the DoR. A retired officer's rank, field army assignment, game, and OBD Point record are preserved within the DoR. Retired officers may seek reinstatement under the Rule 2.3.4.
2.2.1.1.6: Discharged. GinCs may, at their discretion, discharge officers from their military group. Discharges are generally reserved for those officers who continually fail to muster after being declared MIA. GinCs will establish criteria and procedures for the discharge process. Military groups will change the status of discharged officers to “Discharged” and “Inactive” within the DoR. A discharged officer forfeits all voting privileges and access to club forums. A discharged officer's rank, field army assignment, game, and OBD Point record are preserved within the DoR. Discharged officers may seek reinstatement under the Rule 2.3.5.
2.3: Extraordinary Circumstances
2.3.1. Transfers. Officers of the rank of Colonel or above may request a transfer from one military group to another through their AC. The AC will refer the transfer request to the GinC, who may approve or disapprove the request. GinCs who approve transfer requests will coordinate with their counterpart to complete the action. Receiving GinCs may refuse a transfer request. Transferring officers will lose all but 15 Officer Battle Dossier (OBD) points and be reduced to the rank of Lieutenant upon their transfer.
2.3.2: Resignation. Any officer may resign from the club at any time for any reason by notifying their army commander. Officers do not have to state their reasons for resignation. The GinC is the approving authority for resignations, although approval is automatic. The club will maintain all records and OBD points of resigned officers.
2.3.3: Expulsion. An officer may be expelled from the club by a unanimous Cabinet vote for actions and/or speech deemed by the Cabinet to have been detrimental or abusive to any other member of the club or disruptive to the good order and functioning of the club. Expelled members will be removed from the Club for a period of one year. The may reapply for membership at the end of that time under Rule 2.3.5.2.
2.3.4: Reinstatement. Officers who have retired, been discharged, been expelled, or voluntarily resigned their commission may request reinstatement.
2.3.4.1: Officers desiring reinstatement will apply via email to the GinC of the last military group in which the officer served. If the officer requesting reinstatement wishes to join a different military group, he will so state in his request. Except as below, the GinC will approve requests for reinstatement. The GinC will normally reinstate the returning member at the rank last held and with the OBD points he had amassed at the time of his departure. However, the GinC may require the returning member, or the returning member may request, to rejoin at the rank of Lieutenant with 15 OBD points.
2.3.4.2: Members who were expelled from the club may request reinstatement after one year. Such requests are made via email to the military group Cabinet member and GinC, who will forward requests to the full Cabinet for deliberation and decision. Reinstatement requires unanimous cabinet approval. A member who is reinstated will return at the rank of Lieutenant with 15 OBD points.
2.4: Personal Grievances.
2.4.1: If a member has a grievance against another member, including alleged failure to honor agreed upon house rules, he will attempt to resolve the matter between or among the members involved in a private and respectful manner. If this effort fails, the officers involved may seek assistance from their chain of command. If this also fails, the GinC(s) may bring the matter to the attention of the Club President for resolution. The Club President may, at his discretion, involve the Cabinet in resolving the grievance.
2.4.2: At all times, these discussions will be private, and the grievances will not be discussed or alluded to outside of the process outlined above. At no time will the specific details of the grievance, the resolution process, or the outcome be made public unless the Cabinet votes to expel the member under Rule 2.3.3. In this case, the Cabinet may decide to publish the outcome of the proceedings.
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Section 3: Military Organizations
3.1: Overall Organization
3.1.1: The ACWGC is organized into two military groups, USA and CSA. Each member volunteers to join one of these two military groups.
3.1.2: The USA and CSA organizational structure mimics the historical structure used by these armies during the Civil War. These are limited to brigades, divisions, corps, and armies. Within this organizational hierarchy each military group determines its own internal structure and the specific named or enumerated unit identities.
3.1.3: Military Academy. The Club maintains a single military academy for the administrative in processing and initial military training of all new members. The Campus is managed by a Commandant nominated by the President and approved by a majority vote of the Cabinet.
3.1.3.1: The Academy Commandant will:
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arrange for the maintenance, amendment, or improvement of the ACWGC Training Campus website as required
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process membership applications
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promote and coordinate the “Lieutenant’s Cup” matches between recent graduates.
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Develop instructions, guidance, and/or checklists for use by instructors and cadets
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Establish contact with new recruits and assign them to side-specific instructors for training and introduction to DoR and Club forums, ensuring a positive handover of cadets to instructors.
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Upon request by instructor, obtain DoR and Club forum access for cadets in training.
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Coordinate with GinC and ACs to identify and recruit qualified and motivated instructors.
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Maintain a roster of cadets.
3.2: Ranks
3.2.1: The Club bestows a military rank on each officer. The following ranks are currently in use within the ACWGC: Field Lieutenant (CSA-only), 1st Lieutenant (USA-only), Captain, Major, Lt. Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and General. Members are encouraged to use their rank in all Club-related correspondence and forum posts.
3.3: Promotions
3.3.1: The specific rank of a member is related to OBD points earned and, for ranks above brigadier general, service within certain positions of the Club.
3.3.2: Promotions from Lieutenant through Colonel are automatic and self-initiated through the DoR. The following are the requirements for ranks below brigadier general:
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Cadet - (upon enrollment in Military Academy)
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1st Lieutenant/Field Lieutenant - 30 points (promoted to such upon graduation from the Military Academy)
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Captain - 45 points
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Major - 60 points
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Lieutenant Colonel - 75 points
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Colonel - 150 points
3.3.3: General Officer promotions require only GinC approval after meeting the following criteria:
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Brigadier General - 300 points
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Major General - 450 points; current role as DC, CC, AC, or Academy Commandant; CoS to either AC, GinC, or Academy Commandant
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Lieutenant General - 600 points; current role as CC, AC, GinC, or Academy Commandant
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General - 800 points; current role as AC, GinC, or Academy Commandant
3.3.4: GinCs will notify the Cabinet of all promotions above the rank of brigadier general.
3.3.5: GinCs will not alter the eligibility criteria specified in Rule 3.3.3 in any way.
3.4: Assignments
3.4.1: Every member of the ACWGC will be assigned to a position within the military hierarchy of their side by their GinC. The most common position to hold is brigade commander.
3.4.2: Each unit above the brigade level has a “commander” who serves as an administrator and advisor for those officers and organizations subordinate to him. Unlike actual military service, the rank an individual holds in the Club has no bearing on his assignment within the hierarchy of his military group. The ACs and/or GinCs will develop and promulgate specific duties and responsibilities for each command level.
3.4.3: The GinCs may assign and reassign officers to command and staff positions within their military group at their discretion. This includes the option to leave positions vacant if necessary. All members, including the Club President and Cabinet members, must occupy a position in an army.
3.4.4: The GinC and each AC, with the concurrence of the GinC, may create any number of additional administrative and staff positions to best serve the needs of their organization. The GinC or AC will appoint officers to these positions; ensuring that each appointed officer also occupies one command position within their military group (e.g. the Army CofS would simultaneously serve as DC). With the concurrence of the GinC, officers may serve in any number of administrative or staff positions simultaneously.
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Section 4: Club Governance
4.1: ACWGC Cabinet
4.1.1: The Club is governed by a group of elected officers known collectively as ‘the Cabinet’.
4.1.1.1: The Cabinet contains the only elected officials in the ACWGC.
4.1.2: There are five members of the Cabinet: Club President, GinC (USA), GinC (CSA), and one Cabinet Secretary from each military group. No club member may hold more than one seat on the Cabinet at any one time.
4.1.2.1: Club President. The Club President will serve as chair for all Cabinet discussions. The Club President will have veto power over all Cabinet decisions. Presidential veto may be overridden by a unanimous vote of the remaining Cabinet members.
4.1.2.2: Cabinet Secretaries. The Cabinet Secretaries will participate and vote in Cabinet decisions and perform other duties as requested by the Club President or their GinC.
4.1.2.3: General-in-Chief. The GinC’s participate and vote in Cabinet decisions and perform other duties as requested by the Club President. Each GinC shall have veto power over all Cabinet decisions. The veto may be overridden by a unanimous vote of the remaining Cabinet members.
4.1.3: Cabinet Duties. Through majority vote, subject to veto, the Cabinet decides all interpretations, understandings, and applications of club rules and, as required, determines the Club’s position on any Club-related matters not specifically addressed by these rules. The Cabinet provides a forum to raise and resolve individual grievances and develops procedures for grievance resolution. The Cabinet coordinates and conducts all elections and voting within the Club, including those for rule changes.
4.1.4: Terms of Office. Each Cabinet member will serve a two-year term. Any Cabinet member may succeed himself in his elected office once, for a total of four consecutive years. After the second term, the member must wait for one election period to run again for the same seat. Nothing in this section would preclude a Cabinet member (having served up to four years) from assuming a different position on the Cabinet at the end of that four year period.
4.2: Eligibility and Nominations.
4.2.1: Eligibility. Candidates for Cabinet Secretary or Club President must hold the rank of Colonel or above. Candidates for GinC must hold the rank of Major General or above.
4.2.2: Nominations. Any active officer may nominate or second the nomination of a candidate for Club President. Any active officer from the corresponding military group may nominate or second the nomination of a candidate for Cabinet Secretary or GinC.
4.2.2.1: Officers will send nominations and seconds to the nomination via email to the entire Cabinet during the one-week nomination period announced by the Cabinet in the Mason-Dixon Tavern. Nominations must include a statement that the member nominated agrees to serve, if elected. The Cabinet will place correctly nominated and seconded candidate officers on the ballot.
4.3: Schedule, Campaigning, Endorsements, and Voting.
4.3.1: Dates for nominations and voting are to be set by the Cabinet and published in the Mason-Dixon Tavern. The Cabinet will provide a period of one week for nominations, two weeks for campaigning, and one week for voting.
4.3.1.1: The Cabinet will not schedule an election in November or December.
4.3.1.2: The Cabinet will not schedule more than one election in any 30-day period.
4.3.2: Campaigning. Candidates are encouraged to campaign within the MDT once they are placed on the ballot and once the official campaigning period established by the Cabinet has begun.
4.3.2.1: Candidates on the ballot may campaign for office during a two-week period which begins when the Club President provides a campaign post thread in the Mason-Dixon Tavern. After this two-week period, the Club President will close and lock the campaigning thread.
4.3.2.2: Candidates can post a general campaign statement in that thread, identifying themselves and inviting comments and/or questions from any qualified voter, including election opponents. As this thread develops, the Cabinet will monitor its content and remove any posts that are negative comments about the candidates or their character or that are clearly intended to bait or entrap the respondent. Questions of policy are allowed and are open to direct examination.
4.3.3: Endorsements. Endorsements by non-Cabinet members of the ACWGC are acceptable during the Campaigning period.
4.3.3.1: The President, as an impartial member of the Club, will refrain from publicly endorsing candidates on the forum, in mass emails, or in other ways. The president may share his views and opinions in private emails but will otherwise refrain from influencing the outcome of any election.
4.3.3.2: Cabinet Members may endorse members for elected roles on their own side of the Club.
4.3.3.2.1: No Cabinet Member, or GinC, may endorse any member when the position to be filled is their own.
4.3.4: Voting. Voting for elected offices will occur at the conclusion of the two-week campaigning period. Voting will last for one week.
4.3.4.1: All active officers are eligible to vote in the election of the Club President
4.3.4.2: All active officers of the corresponding military group are eligible to vote in the election of their representative Cabinet Secretary.
4.3.4.3: All active officers may vote for their side’s GinC during election periods.
4.4: Election Methodology.
4.4.1: Dependent upon the circumstances and current technical status of the forum(s), the Cabinet shall make a consensus determination of which of two voting process shall be utilized as specified below.
4.4.1.1: Forum Polling: Prior to start of the voting period, the Cabinet will have a Polling Post made within the Mason Dixon Tavern to accommodate the vote. Access to the Voting Poll will be restricted by the use of a password sent out by the President through the chains of command to all of those officers eligible to vote. The Voting Poll will be structured to allow only one vote per officer, the results of which shall remain undisclosed until the end of the voting period.
4.4.1.2: E-Mail Voting: Active officers submit their votes to the entire Cabinet for counting and verification. Verification of votes cast will be by using the email address the voter uses to submit the vote. The email address that the voter uses must be the email address of record in the Department of Records. The Cabinet will attempt to contact, via email, any voter whose email address is different than in the DoR in order for that member to have an opportunity to correct the address held in the DoR. Any addresses not corrected by the end of the voting period will not be valid and not be counted.
4.4.2: In all elections the Cabinet will declare the candidate receiving the most votes as the winner of the election. In the event that two or more candidates receive the same number of votes, the Cabinet will coordinate and conduct a run-off election between these candidates not more than one week after the conclusion of the regular election.
4.4.3: If only one eligible candidate has been nominated and seconded by the end of the nominating period, the Cabinet will declare that candidate the winner of the election.
4.5: Vacancies and Extraordinary Circumstances.
4.5.1: Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs in a Cabinet position, the following procedures are used to fill the position. Interim appointees must meet the requirements for election to the position to which they are appointed, per Rule 4.2.1
4.5.1.1: Club President. If a vacancy occurs in the Office of the Club President, the Cabinet will elect one of the remaining Cabinet members to serve as Interim President until a special election can be held.
4.5.1.2: Cabinet Secretary. If a vacancy occurs in a Cabinet Secretary seat the GinC, with the concurrence of the president, will appoint an interim secretary to serve until a special election can be held.
4.5.1.3: GinC. If a GinC vacancy occurs, the Club President, with the concurrence of the corresponding Cabinet Secretary, will appoint an interim GinC to serve until a special election can be held.
4.5.1.4: The Cabinet will conduct special elections as soon as feasible and not more than 90 days from the date of vacancy. Special elections are subject to the same criteria as regular elections as outlined in Sections 4.3 and 4.4.
4.5.2: Removal from Office. If any Cabinet member fails to regularly perform his duties, he may be removed from office by a unanimous vote of the remaining Cabinet members. If the member removed is a GinC, his removal from the Cabinet would also include his removal as GinC.
4.6: Recruitment Officer.
4.6.1: Recruitment Officer (RO). The RO manages the ACWGC recruiting efforts.
4.6.1.1: The RO is appointed by the President and serves at his pleasure.
4.6.1.1.2: In the event no officer is available for this post, it may be left vacant.
4.6.1.2: The RO may serve without term limits.
4.6.1.3: The RO does not serve on the Cabinet nor have access to private Cabinet business.
4.6.1.4. The President, in collaboration with the Cabinet, will develop and provide appropriate guidance to the RO for his recruiting activities.
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Section 5: Officer Battle Dossier (OBD) Points
5.1: OBD Point Types.
5.1.1: There are three different types OBD points within the ACWGC: Engagement Points, Administrative Points, and Discretionary Points. All of these are generically known as OBD points.
5.1.1.1: Engagement Points. Members earn Engagement Points by playing games against a live opponent when such games are formally registered and ended in the DoR. Members may play either side, USA or CSA, regardless of their actual military group affiliation. Points are awarded when an End Game form is submitted in the DoR. Only one player from each game should register and end the game for each contest.
5.1.1.1.1: Basic Formula. Normal games (“Battles”) are those conducted against a player from the opposing military group. Battles receive base points equal to the sum of the Scenario Length Modifier (SLM), plus the Result Modifier (RM), plus 1 additional point for the winner. If two or more players join forces in a multi-player game, all players will earn points as if they were a single player (i.e. points will not be divided among players of a side.) There is no limit to the number of Engagement Points an officer may earn in any given month.
a) Scenario Length Modifier (SLM) = Number of Completed Turns divided by Four (# Completed Turns / 4).
b) Result Modifier (RM) = (Number of Completed Turns times the Win/Loss Result (WLR)) divided by 100.
c) Win/Loss Result (WLR)
1) Draw = 0 points
2) Minor Victory = +1 point
3) Major Victory = +3 points
4) Minor Defeat = -1 point
5) Major Defeat = -3 points
d) Example: Calculation for a Major Victory after 30 completed turns.
1) Winner’s total = SLM (30 / 4) + RM ((30 * 3) / 100) + 1
or SLM (7.5) + RM (.9) + 1 = 9.4
2) Loser’s total = SLM (30 / 4) + RM ((30 * -3) / 100)
or SLM (7.5) + RM (-.9) = 6.6
5.1.1.2: Administration Points. Members can earn Administration Points when serving in command positions above brigade level, in certain staff positions, or in the Cabinet. Administration Points are cumulative for those officers serving in multiple qualifying positions.
5.1.1.2.1: The Administration Points which may be awarded by each military group’s GinC each month per position is:
5.1.1.2.1.1: Division Commander – 5 Points
5.1.1.2.1.2: AC CoS – 5 Points
5.1.1.2.1.3: Recruitment Officer – 5 Points
5.1.1.2.1.4: Corps Commander – 10 Points
5.1.1.2.1.5: GinC CoS – 10 Points
5.1.1.2.1.6: Academy Commandant – 15 Points
5.1.1.2.1.7: Army Commander – 15 Points
5.1.1.2.1.8: Club President – 20 Points
5.1.1.2.1.9: General-in-Chief – 25 Points
5.1.1.2.2: The number of Administrative Points available to each GinC each month is determined by the number of eligible command and staff positions occupied within his military group.
5.1.1.2.3: Administrative Points may be withheld by the GinC if the officer to whom they would normally be awarded does not meet the standards for his position during that month.
5.1.1.3: Discretionary Points. The intent of awarding Discretionary Points is to recognize and encourage robust role-playing, mustering, extensive game play, and any other actions that benefit the Club or the officer’s military group. The Club and the military groups have also established commendations and awards that have Discretionary Points associated with them. An officer may receive up to 20 Discretionary Points monthly from his military group, plus the number of points associated with any ACWGC-wide awards received that month. The GinCs will establish procedures for entering such awards and their points in the receiving officers’ DoR records.
5.1.1.3.1: GinCs may award Discretionary Points to members who distinguish themselves.
5.1.1.3.2: GinCs may establish procedures, in writing, for awarding Discretionary Points and may delegate the authority to award Discretionary Points.
5.2: Issuance of OBD Points.
5.2.1: Each GinC will receive 200 OBD points each month to utilize towards Discretionary Points.
5.3: Loss of OBD Points.
5.3.1: Except in the case of incorrectly entered OBD points into the DoR, only the Cabinet has the authority to remove OBD points from an officer. If such forfeiture results in a total number of OBD points that no longer support the losing officer’s current rank, the Cabinet will simultaneously reduce that’s officer’s rank to the grade commensurate with his new OBD total.
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Section 6: Gaming
6.1: Standard Rules
6.1.1: The following rules will be followed in all club games, unless all players agree to negate one or more of these rules.
6.1.1.1: Players will not use wagons to cut off an enemy retreat.
6.1.1.2: Players will not use officers not stacked with a cavalry, artillery, or infantry unit as scouts in front of friendly lines.
6.1.1.3: Players who withdraw any of their forces from the battlefield map, other than via a designated Exit Hex or as specified in the scenario as a victory condition, shall suffer a two-step reduction in the level of victory.
6.1.1.4: Player will not move routed units to deliberately cut off an enemy retreat. Units moved by the computer are exempt from this restriction.
6.2: House Rules, Optional Rules, Pace of Play.
6.2.1: House Rules. Before game play, opponents may voluntarily agree to certain House Rules for the game they are about to play. These House Rules may contradict those in section 6.1.
6.2.2: Optional Rules. Before game play, opponents will agree on the Optional Rules to be used
for the game they are about to play.
6.2.3: Pace of Play. Before a game begins, players may establish mutually agreed upon expectations regarding the return of moves by the involved players or teams. Players or teams who subsequently cannot meet these expectations will inform the opponent(s) and, if necessary, reach a new agreement on timeliness of returning moves. If players cannot reach a new agreement, the player/team unable to meet the former agreement will either concede the game at the current level of victory or find a level of victory mutually agreeable to all involved. In the absence of an agreement, the player/team unable to meet the former agreement will take a 2-step reduction in the level of victory currently enjoyed.
6.3: Forfeiture.
6.3.1: Forfeiture. If an opponent leaves the Club, becomes inactive, or inexplicably stops responding for a period of two weeks, the remaining player or team will notify the opponent’s next superior officer in his chain of command and try to ascertain his, or their, whereabouts. If they remain unresponsive for an additional week then that player or team is authorized to end the game in the DoR as a Major Victory.
6.4. Types of Games.
6.4.1: Game Types. There are five types of games recognized in the DoR to be registered. The following game types are recognized in the DoR:
6.4.1.1: Training. A Training game is defined as one between a Cadet and an instructor from his military group’s Training Academy. The Cadet receives 15 points for completion of this training game and the instructor receives 10 points.
6.4.1.2: Maneuvers. A Maneuver is defined as a game played by two members of the same military group. This action could be taken as an advanced training exercise. The points received for completing a maneuver would be computed by using the basic formula, then dividing the results in half.
6.4.1.3: Multi-player Games. Multi-player games are defined as those with more than two players involved. These games will be scored using the basic formula, as long as the two sides are made up entirely of officers from the same military group. If the groups are mixed, the game will be treated as a Maneuver. Each player will receive the full score for his side. (That is, the score for one side is not divided by the number of players on that side.)
6.4.1.4: Campaign Games. The WDS series allows for campaigns of games, battles joined together in a series. Each game in the campaign is to be filed separately as a regular battle. Players engaged in campaigns will earn the score for each individual game completed.
6.4.1.5: Battles. Battles are games conducted against a player from the opposing
military group.
6.4.2: Special Games.
6.4.2.1: Moderator-led Games. A Moderator-Led game is one in which a club member serves as moderator, receiving instructions from the players and executing those instructions by playing both sides. Players receive the normal points for this type of game. The moderator receives double the points of a single player of the winning side.
6.5: Gaming Grievances.
6.5.1: Gaming Grievances. In the absence of any house rules to the contrary, if an officer believes his opponent has violated Section 6.1, he should first address his concerns with his opponent. If this fails to bring satisfaction, the offended officer should discreetly bring the alleged violation to the attention of his own Cabinet Members (chain of command is to be bypassed in this instance). The Cabinet Members in receipt of such allegations will initiate a dialogue with the alleged offender and seek to resolve the matter privately.
6.5.1.1: Through their discussions, should the Cabinet members conclude that the alleged offender is in fact in violation of Section 6.1, they will agree to an appropriate disciplinary action. The imposition of this disciplinary action will close the matter.
6.5.1.2: Through their discussions, should the Cabinet members be unable to form a conclusion regarding the alleged violation of Section 6.1, they will inform the parties involved and end the game in the DoR (if registered) at the current level of victory.
6.5.1.3: At all times, these discussions will be private, and neither the allegations, the inquiry, nor the results will be discussed or alluded to outside of the process outlined above. At no time will the specific details of the allegations, the resolution process, or the outcome be made public.
6.6: Cheating.
6.6.1: Cheating is the deliberate premeditated action by a game player to subvert the official game rules or to manipulate “stock” in-game Parameter Data Tables (PDTs) to obtain an unfair advantage over an opponent or opponents.
6.6.2: A player cheats to gain intelligence when he manipulates or replays his move to discover the location of opposing units, thereby allowing the more effective movement of the cheating player’s units.
6.6.3: A player cheats to gain move favorable combat results when he manipulates the official game Parameter Data Tables (PDTs) and/or repeats his move to obtain and “save” desired fire or melee results.
6.6.4: When a player believes his opponent has cheated, his allegation will be submitted to his military group’s Cabinet representatives who will then present the case to the full Cabinet for deliberation and decision.
6.6.5: At no time will the specific details of the charges, the inquiry, or the outcome be made public unless the Cabinet votes to do so. The Cabinet may decide to publish the outcome of the proceedings.
6.6.6: Officers may bring other forms of alleged cheating to the Cabinet’s attention. The Cabinet may, through majority vote, choose to or decline to adjudicate such instances on a case-by-case basis.
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Section 7: ACWGC Medals
7.1: Medals. Medals and other special awards may be conferred by the two military groups separately. The medals and awards created by the military groups may be accompanied by the award of OBD points associated with the medal or award. Only the Cabinet may confer any ACWGC-wide medals and special awards.
7.1.1: Side-Specific Medals. Each side may create, delete, or edit, their own set of side-specific medals as they see fit. Any accompanying OBD points for deleted medals will stay in the officer’s OBD account. No OBD point rewards for medals may exceed 20.
7.1.2: ACWGC Medals. The ACWGC Cabinet may award medals to outstanding members at their discretion. The following medals are currently recognized:
7.1.2.1: Washington Medal of Merit (WMOM). The Washington Medal of Merit is the ACWGC’s highest honor and awarded by the Cabinet to those officers who make exceptional contributions to the ACWGC as a whole. The Cabinet grants 200 OBD points to WMOM recipients. The recipient’s GinC will annotate the officer’s record in the DoR and award these OBD points. There is no limit to the number of WMOM’s an officer may receive.
7.1.2.2: Special Service Medal (SSM). The SSM is awarded by the Cabinet to those officers who make significant contributions to the ACWGC as a whole, but which do not merit award of the LOM. The Cabinet grants 20 OBD points to SSM recipients. The recipient’s GinC will annotate the officer’s record in the DoR and award these OBD points. There is no limit to the number of SSMs an officer may receive.
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Section 8: Supported Games
8.1: Supported Games. These are games for which the Training Academy and its supporting instructors are prepared to assist Cadets in learning to play. The only “supported games” are the Wargame Design Studio (WDS) [Formerly John Tiller Software (JTS)] Civil War Battles series (https://wargameds.com/collections/civil-war-battles). Individuals wishing to join the ACWGC must own at least one title in this supported series or download the free WDS demo.
8.2: Other Games. The ACWGC recognizes the existence and popularity of older games and allows for their registration within the DoR and the subsequent awarding of OBD points for game play. These games are: John Tiller's Battleground Civil War by Matrix Games/Talonsoft, Forge of Freedom (FoF), Gary Grigsby's War Between the States (WBTS), American Civil War: The Blue & the Gray (AACW), Civil War II by AGEOD/Matrix Games.
8.3: Future Games. The Cabinet may add games to the “supported games” list when such an addition is clearly in the best interests of the ACWGC. Any member may recommend through his Cabinet Secretary that the Cabinet add a specific non-WDS game to the supported game list (new WDS titles are automatically added). New non-WDS games recommended for support will have a two-week discussion period in the Mason-Dixon tavern followed by a vote in Cabinet about its inclusion. A simple majority of the cabinet is sufficient to add the new game. The vote shall consider whether there are instructors willing to commit to supporting training in such games.
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Section 9: Club Websites
9.1: Club Supported Websites. The following websites form the nucleus of our club’s internet home:
9.1.1: The American Civil War Game Club Main Page (the primary site for the Club) is at: http://www.wargame.ch/wc/acw/
9.1.2: The Department of Records (the primary database of club information) is at: http://www.acwgcrecords.net/
9.1.3: The AWCGC Forums (the Club’s primary boards for discussion of issues related to club activities and the American Civil War) is at: https://wargame.ch/board/acwgc/index.php
9.1.4: The ACWGC.net Homepage (the home of our Recruitment Office and the Training Academy) is at www.acwgc.net
9.1.5: The War Libraries (the home for the War Libraries of both sides) is at http://acwgc.net/warlibraries
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Section 10: Rule Changes
10.1: Any member may suggest revisions to these rules via email through their military group’s Cabinet representatives. The Cabinet will consider suggestions and may approve them for consideration and voting by the entire membership.
10.2: The Cabinet will organize and conduct any Club-wide vote on rule changes, allowing two-weeks for member discussion and one week for voting. A simple majority of those members choosing to vote will either approve or disapprove the change. Tie votes will be resolved by the Cabinet.
10.3: Changes to correct spelling, formatting, or grammatical errors are not subject to review and will be made by the Cabinet as needed.
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Common Abbreviations
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AC - Army Commander
BC - Brigade Commander
CC - Corps Commander
CoS - Chief of Staff
DC - Division Commander
GinC - General in Chief
LoA - Leave of Absence
OBD - Officer Battle Dossier
PBEM - Play-by-E-Mail
MIA - Missing in Action
RM - Result Modifier
SLM - Scenario Length Modifier
WLR - Win/Loss Result
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