Mixed result in a mirror match at Shiloh

[Mason Jar]

Gents, and the rest of you too,

I have been trying to get to the second day of Shiloh in a mirror match but in both game the south won a major victory before lunch. Fld Lt James Foster showed how deadly the weak ZOC rule can be when you push the game engine to it's limit. He kept apologizing every turn about how "dissimilar" the game was from the real battle and destroying my units in detail. If there was ever a time for the alternative release for fixed units rule this was it. My boys wouldn't release until they were attacked, even if there was a melee in the hex behind them! Still with a mirror match sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander and I had the same advantages when I put on the butternut. I did not have the same single minded drive that Lt Foster demonstrated though. I contenting myself to seal off Pittsburgh Landing itself and the nearby supply hex. I was trying not to wrack up as many casualties as my opponent when it was my turn in grey, but still ending Grant's career. Plus I was trying to keep my command and control from getting all tangled up, conserve my ammo for the second day, ect... None of it made a bit of difference. With the rules we had; full out balls-to-the-wall was the only way to go. I shudder to think what it would have been like without the alternate melee resolution turned on.

It was a lot of fun, but I am itching to get into a multiple day battle where both armies aren't spent by 10:00am. No matter how careful you are If you keep attacking you will get fatigued. Neither one of us could keep the Union boys from running for the bluffs. We talked about in the future having a "house" rule that a max fatigue unit should not be used for offensive action until it has made it back at least to green status in fatigue. We are looking for a better simulation not necessarily a more exciting game. Such as this: the Union units started out disrupted to "simulate the disorder" the early morning surprise attack had. The Units had then several fixed turn to un-disrupt, (change facing, build breastworks ect...). Wouldn't it make more since to save the disruption effect until the unit is released?

[K. Koch]

General Bulloch,

please explain how the weak zone of control can be deadlier than a Hard zone of control.

As I gain more experience I am trying to wrap my head around understanding the optional rules. From my experience a Hard ZOC is deadlier, but my experience is much less than most in the club right now, so I need help understanding.

Thanks,