HOLF Players Guild
Order of Battle Models
The Studies Group of the Historical Online Learning Foundation is co-sponsoring Spring Session 2003. One of its main objectives is to analyze player preferences in the creation of units and combat organizations as well as preferences for mixes of weapons and tactical units. The basic resources for each team participating in Spring Session 2003 are:
7 batteries of artillery (5 can be 12-pdr Napoleon for field artillery or 6-pdr for Horse artillery)(2 are 12-pdr howitzers) NOTE: These forces are in excess of the 25,000 troops referenced above.
All teams start with a basic weapons mix -- muskets, 12-pdr Napoleons, shotgun cav (except for the "modern" weapons outlined above) (the team can switch around weapons internally if it wants).
Team leadership is encouraged to pursue innovative approaches to the formulation of its Order of Battle. In addition, this test is designed to allow the player teams to modify its OOB via CPAG acquisitions, transfer of troops from unit to unit using the requisite SAS order formats, and upgrade of weapons via CPAG accompanied by a formatted REARM order submitted by the team Quartermaster to the Test Director.
Options
Below are three models of team OOBs offered for your reference and modification. Two of the models are based on a field army structure and the third is based on a corps structure in deference to those players dedicated to the Union army structure of 1863 and after.
Model A (Field Army: single command node)
NOTE: This model reflects the immature state of command & control that was the standard in 1861 at the start of the ACW. This model would allow team members to de-centralize combat power to the lower echelon of command in the team. Each brigade is as strong as a 1863-era division in terms of muskets and artillery. Additionally, this model invests a large amount of combat power in the cavalry arm.
Model B (Field Army: wing configuration)
NOTE: This model reflects the prevalent order of battle used by most armies in the ACW in the 1862 time period. The organization is greatly influenced by the de-centralized nature of the single command node but the informal "wing" configuration is used to enable subordinate commands to mass more firepower than was entrusted to the brigade commanders of Model A.
Model C (Corps: triangle organization)
NOTE: Model C is a re-creation of a 1863-1864 era corps at full strength. Any historical analysis will lead you to find that almost all corps structures operated at 50-60% of assigned strength. However, if the organizational model had been at full strength, the power of the organization is quite intimidating. The main trend you see in the corps structure is an embedded reserve as well as strong brigades that can be transferred between divisions to form a viable main effort.