Command Control Mod

[Jagger]

Here is a neat little Command Control mod with the objective of increasing maneuver and encouraging concentration of armies for battle.

Currently to receive the army command bonus, you must be within command range of the army commander. That command range bonus is set at 3 regions plus the strategic rating of the commander.

For example, McClellan has a 1/1/2 (Strategic, Attack, Defend) rating. His stragegic rating of one produces a command rating of 1 (strat rating) plus 3 (regions) for a total command range of 4 regions. This means all corps within 4 regions (80-120 miles) of McClellan will receive McClellan's army command bonus. All command bonus have a negative 2 modifier. So McClellan will provide a -1/-1/0 bonus to all corps within his command range of 80-120 miles. (A single region varies between 20-30 miles)

A second quick example, Robert E. Lee has a 6/5/5 rating. His stragegic rating of six produces a command range of 9 regions. This means all corps within 9 regions (180-270 miles) of Lee will receive Lee's army command bonus. That command bonus also has the negative 2 modifier. So Lee will provide a 4/3/3 bonus to all corps within his command range of 180-270 miles.

For game purposes, the army command range works fine. However historically, I have difficulty accepting that an army commander would provide tactical attack/defense bonuses beyond his immediate control. Strategically, I doubt if he would actually provide much of a bonus either. Civil War commanders tended to move on their own (strategic rating) timetable--even when in the immediate proximity of their army commanders, much less a 100 miles away.

One of the negative side effects of the large army command range within PBEM games is the tendency to form a line of entrenched corps over long distances. In particular in the East but also very common in the early time frame of the west, is an entrenched line of corps which prevents any sort of maneuver. You must batter throught the weakest, but still heavily entrenched, part of the line. More similiar to World War One rather than the American Civil War. Basically maneuver room is eliminated. First you must break a very strong line then maneuver. Rather than first manuever, then fight style of the ACW.

So I have modded the command and leaders file in the settings folder to reduce command range substantially. With the mod, For all army commanders with a strategic ranking less than 6, command range is now a single region-the region occupied by the army commander. This change means that army commanders will only provide their strategic, attack and defense bonuses to corps in the same region as the commander. Corps also must be created in the same region as the army commander. Once formed, they can operate outside of the command control of the army commander but will not receive the army bonuses.

In addition, the mod reduces the automatic -2 army commander modifier to -1. The result is that an army commander provides a stronger bonus to corps within his region. So Lee, instead of providing a 4/3/3 bonus to corps within command range, will provide a 5/4/4 bonus to corps within his command range. McClellan will now provide a 0/0/1 bonus to corps within his command range instead of the -1/-1/0 bonus.

A few outstanding army commanders have strategic rankings above 5. Those commanders will have a command range of 2 regions (40-60 miles). Lee, Grant and Sherman are army commanders with strategic rankings of 6 or higher. High strategic ranked army commanders will provide their command bonuses beyond their immediate control as they were extraordinary commanders with the strong will and ability to direct and benefit corps commanders remotely.

By reducing the army command range and increasing the army command bonus, players will find it beneficial to concentrate their army within the army command range before launching a major battle. Players can still create an entrenched line of corps from Winchester to the Atlantic Ocean if they wish. And there will always be many perfectly valid reasons for detaching corps or divisons as circumstances dictate. But the players needs to remember that a single corps out of command range will be more vulnerable than previously to an attack by a concentrated army as the concentrated army has the army bonus which the detached corps lacks. With this mod, the location of your army commander should be the primary focus of your force.

Ultimately this mod is intended to increased maneuvering of armies which then concentrates to fight.

I have tested this mod against the AI in the 63 scenario and the Shiloh scenario. I am happy with the results. The mod is intended for PBEM play but can be tested with the AI. And you can use it in play against the AI but I don't think the AI will take into consideration the reduced command range. I don't know for sure.

The mod is very easy to install as it is a single very small file.

1. Upload the zipped file "Commanders&Leaders" into your settings folder within the ACW folder.
2. Use copy/paste to make a copy of your original "Commanders&Leaders" file.
3. Then unzip and overwrite with the new "Commanders&Leaders" file.
4. The mod can be introduced within an ongoing game.

If you have any questions, let me know. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Pocus]

The bonus does not work exactly as you say, but the essence remains.