Has the Bar Closed?

[David Danner]

Gentlemen: I stop by every day but can't find anyone to sit with or buy me a drink. Where is everyone? Must I use Ned Simms wallent given to me by Mark Nelms? Maybe Antony Barlow will show up!

[cameronm]

General I am more than happy to be on the "Save the Bar" Committee. If I must sacrifice my spare liver then so be it.

[nsimms]

I would be happy to buy everyone a drink, but I can't seem to find my wallet. In turn, I will do the honorable thing, which is to hide over here in the corner until someone comes in and then I'll sneak outside and go through their saddlebags.

[David Danner]

This is wonderful gentlemen. Two top officers have stopped by. But isn't tactical sham "liver sacrifice" and "going through another's saddlebags" one of those gamey tactics they keep talking about over at the M&D?

[nsimms]

Gamey tactics! The games are full of unrealistic stuff - they are games. I'm for them being as realistic as possible but the idea of adding house rules is extremely repulsive to me as it complicates the games too much. I don't see how people can remember what rules they are playing by when every game they are playing is with different options and different house rules. I have enough trouble keeping up with the variations from game disk to game disk such as movement points in woods, supply wagon movement points, cavalry and leader movement points, different colored terrain, etc. But, the club is big enough to handle all comers with all attitudes as there are opponents out there for all of us. However, some sectors sure like to talk about it more than others.

Now, here is enough money for a round for every one. There were two horses tied up outside and their saddlebags proved profitable.

[Nicodemus]

General Simms <salute>

Suh, you are correct on both counts!

1) There were two horses out there until Nicodemus arrived, but the saddlebags were left untouched.

2) There are plenty of "house rules" to go around, the biggest problem being everyone believes everyone else knows what "house rules" they assume to be standard.

I'll leave a jar on the counter; perhaps we can contribute to a fund in case General McOmish's spare liver gives out and he needs a new one.

Highest regards,

[Douglas E Shaw]

Sirs, I apologize for my absence from the bar. I have been busy learning all the details of an AC. I am sure that the large pay raise I got for my recent promotion is more than enough to buy the next round of drinks.

I agree that there are too many house rules for realism. I am of the opinion that the John Tiller games are just games and not historical simulations. You cannot simulate the true nature of the Civil War in a computer game. If you did, it would be quite boring. Can you imagine a game where all you did was march your units to the front and then start firing away until both sides were too tired to fire anymore? That is not my idea of fun. When I play a game it is my objective to totally defeat my opponent. I prefer maneuver to combat and most of my battles are won before I even engage in combat.

I also agree totally with Gen Hebert's statement that everyone believes that everyone else knows the house rules. Even when you fully explain your definition of the house rule they still get confused. I had one gentlemen from Italy that just could not understand the no melee by infantry in column house rule. He finally quit when he objected to my melee by some mounted cavalry. It might have been a language issue.

Enjoy this next round of drinks on me.

Sincerely,

[nelmsm]

Say, did I hear someone was buying drinks! I should drop by here more often!!

[David Danner]

Yes Mark--please do. That wallet you gave me is full of great "wadges" of cash........there is enough for a whole corps to drink on. Where did you get such a stake?

[nelmsm]

Well there was an incident in my sector where the Provost Marshall had to close an unlicensed bordello where General Simms was seen leaving out the backdoor without any pants. Naturally I had collect them for evidence and make sure all the contents were kept safe.