Governors of Alabama

[tripax]

In my mod I've decided to add state governors. I added models for each one based on Allan Pinkerton/Belle Boyd, locked them in the state capital, and automatically replaced them by event when they left office. They are all given ability Good Population Administrator, so capitals city loyalty will increase by 1 each turn up to 75%. So far, the images are mostly generic, but I've made images for Alabama governors (Let me know what you think, I added the color to the first and last). I think this is a fun bit of flavor, let me know what you think (bios below are from wikipedia/the internet).

[ATTACH]28678[/ATTACH]Andrew Barry Moore was the 16th Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1857 to 1861, and served as Governor at the outbreak of the American Civil War. Between the November 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln and the meeting of the Alabama Convention on January 7, 1861, Moore took several decisive steps to safeguard the state's financial status and defensive capabilities. He urged banks to suspend specie payments and to exchange large amounts of capital for state bonds. He ordered the state militia to seize the arsenal at Mt. Vernon and Forts Morgan and Gaines on Mobile Bay, and he contributed more than five hundred troops to assist Florida Governor Madison S. Perry in capturing the Federal forts at Pensacola. When the government of the Confederate States of America was organized in Montgomery in February 1861, Moore used his influence to help secure the election of the conservative Jefferson Davis over the more radical William Lowndes Yancey. After he left office, Moore was appointed special aide-de-camp by Governor John Gill Shorter, and he worked to coordinate the procurement and transportation of supplies to General Albert Sidney Johnston in northern Alabama. Following the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, Moore was arrested by Federal troops and imprisoned at Fort Pulaski in Savannah, Georgia, with other Confederate leaders.

[ATTACH]28679[/ATTACH]A disciple of William L. Yancey, John Gill Shorter was an ardent secessionist and a member of the so-called "Eufaula Regency," a small group of lawyer/planters in Barbour County who were instrumental in taking Alabama out of the Union in 1861. Shorter served in the Confederate Congress in Montgomery, Alabama, and Richmond, Virginia, until he became governor of Alabama on December 2, 1861. He served only one two-year term. His governorship was devoted to dealing with the problems and issues of the civil war as well as Alabama's relationship with the confederate government. Predominate issues included the defense of Mobile, raising troops (especially for the home front), caring for the indigent families of soldiers, taxes, slave impressment, raising arms, conscription, military training, military desertion, food supplies, the ban on wartime distillation, the scarcity of salt, the relationship between the state's civil and military authorities, state's rights (especially in regard to providing supplies to the Confederate government) and financing the war. An able and energetic war governor, Shorter was nevertheless defeated in the 1863 election, a casualty of the protests against the 1861 secessionists, the unsuccessful war, and anti-Democratic party sentiment.

[ATTACH]28680[/ATTACH]Thomas Hill Watts was elected Governor of Alabama in 1863. Assuming office on December 1, he began an eighteen-month governorship at a time when impressment, the tax-in-kind, and other severe wartime economic measures had become most odious. Watts had difficulty reorganizing the state militia, and his efforts were highly criticized and generally ineffective. Furthermore, the Confederate Conscription Act of February 17, 1864, inaugurated a policy of conscription that inevitably led to conflict between the state and the Confederacy. By September 1864 another turbulent issue confronted Governor Watts: the opening negotiations for peace. A faction in the Alabama House of Representatives introduced resolutions in favor of the negotiations. By 1864, Governor Watts had to deal with the increasing number of sacrifices demanded of his state, the breakdown of authority, the drain on war power, and an evaporating hope of victory, all of which contributed to the state's war-weariness. Governor Watts was well aware of his ineffectiveness and unpopularity by this time and made no effort toward re-election, although he continued to talk optimistically about the military situation. Watts was arrested for treason to the union in Union Springs on May 1, 1865.

Here is how it looks in game:
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[havi]

hey this is great! it adds flavor in the game and i think its more fun to play when u have these historic figures in the game now mod Jefferson and old abe in the game too!

[tripax]

I did Davis and Lincoln, here is Davis in the game. They both have abilities charismatic, patriotic, and good population administrator. Since Davis has a greater military background, he is 2-1-1. Lincoln is 1-1-0 (1 offense since he sort of gave a lot of military advice and seemed to prefer an attacking general and maybe helped organize an attack on that fort), but neither should be used to lead, of course. I think they can't, as they are the same types as Pinkerton/Boyd. Both have a high (200 points, I think) VP cost to make it too costly to let them die. Lincoln is removed if assassinated or kidnapped. Both are stuck in the Richmond/DC for 24 turns but are unstuck if an enemy army gets close (so they can flee if you wish). The governors are stuck in their capitals until replaced (or attacked, if they aren't killed in an attack, they can flee, too).

[ATTACH]28682[/ATTACH]

[Eugene Carr]

Good Idea, chasing them out of their state capitols will be worthwhile.

S!

[tripax]

Good Idea, chasing them out of their state capitols will be worthwhile.

S!

Yes. I've given governors extra VPs (20 right now). Since it is easier for the Union to chase governors out, I'll need to give the confederacy some extra VPs or it will be even easier for the union to win on VP. But it is a nice addition. In my current CSA test game (I've got a version of the mod playable uploaded in the forum, but recommend waiting a bit longer before really getting in to it) I recently lost the governor of Missouri (September 1861 Lyon took Jefferson Missouri) and found myself more conscientious of the state capital. It was a nice addition to an otherwise commonplace event in the game. In my mind, of course, the governor is in hiding. If I retake the capital in time for the next election, I think the next Confederate governor will be installed in his proper seat. Hopefully that code is working.

[Merlin]

This is a superb idea. Govs. Brown and and Vance in particular were a PITA for Davis, so I think this can add some excellent flavor.

I haven't commented on your unit mod, but I do enjoy seeing the more accurate brigade names in game, and all things considered you're fast becoming the go-to CW2 modder.

[tripax]

This is a superb idea. Govs. Brown and and Vance in particular were a PITA for Davis, so I think this can add some excellent flavor.

I haven't commented on your unit mod, but I do enjoy seeing the more accurate brigade names in game, and all things considered you're fast becoming the go-to CW2 modder.

Thanks! I'm ok adding the governors myself (other than the graphics, it is done), but I was hoping that I could drum up interest in helping with two other tasks. One task is the bios/unit text. These would probably look similar to bios/unit text for generals. I can go through wikipedia and write up something basic, but if someone else wanted to do it (and format it), it would make things easier for me.

The other task is that I'd like the governors to have historically appealing abilities. In the game there are already abilities such as propagandist, corrupt, and drunkard which could be applied to a governor. I don't think the effects of those abilities would matter, since they affect are army stacks more than regions, but that is ok, since from the perspective of the player, the governor shouldn't matter too much, but if the governor was a bit of a buffoon, the player should be able to see that.

Anyway, what abilities should particular governors have? I'd like to go through the governors somewhat systematically, but as you can see from the Alabama example above, most of these people seem to have simply done their best in a very difficult time, and it is hard to say if one was more or less effective than another. They all had different ideas and some were not in support of the war, but Watts' lack of support compared to Moore's support doesn't suggest an ability to me. I'm fine with creating new abilities, so if you have an idea but the ability doesn't exist, I'd still like to hear it.

Supported effects of abilities, generally speaking, are effects on: battle, movement, supply, siege surprise, retreat, command indians, patriotism, training, fog of war, transportation, cohesion, area loyalty, comand points, hide and seek, and commit units. Also, It is possible for abilities to have no affect and simply be a little graphic and some text.

[Merlin]

Sadly, my knowledge of state politics during the ACW is very limited. If you ever decide to flesh out the US - Dakota War, I'd be of much more assistance. Even so, I'd need to re-read a lot of material.

[tripax]

Sadly, my knowledge of state politics during the ACW is very limited. If you ever decide to flesh out the US - Dakota War, I'd be of much more assistance. Even so, I'd need to re-read a lot of material.

I'm always over nervous about duplicating work, I'd love to work on an Indian wars mod (I see it as 1 mod with a dozen or so scenarios and maybe one or two grand scenarios combining different wars) next but it is an obvious extension of the game and I assume it is possible that it would be a published expansion. I'm pretty sure AGEOD doesn't have plans along the lines of my current project so I felt pretty good working on it. At the end of the summer I should be mostly finished with my mod, and I expect that we'll have a good idea what is in the pipeline.

That said, thanks for suggesting that you could be of assistance. I'll definitely come knocking if/when I decide to try an Indian wars mod, and I'm definitely looking for volunteers.

[Merlin]

I'm not so hot on the plains conflicts (the Colorado War, Red Cloud's War), but if someone knows scripting it would be entirely possible to integrate the US-Dakota war into the main campaign. I don't have any resources which state the US OOB for the war, but I'm sure I could find something with my limited access to the Minnesota Historical Society. Add a few leaders, a few Dakota and US units, and when it ends just lock in place or disband everything in the Upper Midwest.

[elxaime]

This is nice flavor. But my thought on this is whether all Southern governors should add benefits. As mentioned some of them were anti-draft and anti-central government. One of the big problems Richmond had was squaring its centralized war effort with the states rights principles upon which it was founded. At the least, I don't think all of them should add loyalty.

Any plans to add Northern governors?

[tripax]

I'm not so hot on the plains conflicts (the Colorado War, Red Cloud's War), but if someone knows scripting it would be entirely possible to integrate the US-Dakota war into the main campaign. I don't have any resources which state the US OOB for the war, but I'm sure I could find something with my limited access to the Minnesota Historical Society. Add a few leaders, a few Dakota and US units, and when it ends just lock in place or disband everything in the Upper Midwest.

Isn't the Sioux uprising already part of the main campaign? In any case, adding events isn't very hard - I could help you do it or would be happy to do it for you when I'm closer to finished with my current project. My current project is: to add graphics and customize skills and abilities for the governors, to integrate a possible forthcoming leader mod, and to finish naming regiments)

This is nice flavor. But my thought on this is whether all Southern governors should add benefits. As mentioned some of them were anti-draft and anti-central government. One of the big problems Richmond had was squaring its centralized war effort with the states rights principles upon which it was founded. At the least, I don't think all of them should add loyalty.

Any plans to add Northern governors?

The northern governors are in the mod already (in the version online, NH's Ichabod Goodwin is missing but the rest are there and timed mostly correctly) except for graphics.

As I'm adding graphics, I'm going to try to customize the abilities and skills. I'd really love any input or help, especially with abilities and skills.

[tripax]

Here are graphics for Arkansas Governors.

[ATTACH]28732[/ATTACH]
Henry M. Rector

[ATTACH]28733[/ATTACH]
Thomas Fletcher - It is nice when I can just remove the background from an already color image, as in this case. I don't want to wash-out the color so he is not as pale as the other images. Since I'm not talented enough to replicate the cartoony style of the rest of the images, I'm not worried about this sort of inconsistency.

[ATTACH]28734[/ATTACH]
Harris Flanagin - The image I used online was a bit blue-ish. So instead of adding color, I just removed blue and added yellow. Now he looks green, which is terrible. Maybe I'll come back to him and recolor him later.

[ATTACH]28735[/ATTACH]
Isaac Murphy - Who was governor of a Union Arkansas, so if the Union holds Little Rock in April of 1864, it gets a Union Governor. If not, if Flanagin is still there, then he stays.

Anyway, let me know what you think about these (or any) governors. Were any of them known for any particular traits?

[Merlin]

Isn't the Sioux uprising already part of the main campaign? In any case, adding events isn't very hard - I could help you do it or would be happy to do it for you when I'm closer to finished with my current project.

The US-Dakota war is in, but it's more a Union nuisance than a fun little diversion. I was thinking something more along the lines of a heavily scripted mini-campaign where the CSA player gets control of the historical Sioux forces and the Union player gets their historical forces. Add in all the significant leaders for both sides (about 5-6) and create some win-lose objectives, and I can see it being some side-show fun. Once the Union player wins, everything gets removed or locked by event and the objectives go away, just like the current implementation. It would also give players a feel for the lack of MN units in the game outside the scripted brigades and state militia.

I may just have to take you up on the help, but not likely before December. I'd need to read up on the war again and then find the time to make it all happen.

[tripax]

Here are the graphics for Florida:
[ATTACH]28771[/ATTACH]
Madison S. Perry
[ATTACH]28770[/ATTACH]
John Milton
[ATTACH]28769[/ATTACH]
Abraham K. Allison

Also I've got Georgia:
[ATTACH]28768[/ATTACH]
Joseph E. Brown
Brown is, I think, the most famous governor I've gotten a graphic for so far. As Merlin said, he was a definite thorn in Davis’ side, but was well liked in his state, I think. What abilities would work for him? I was thinking that it would be ok to give a couple of governors the patriot ability, as a nod to their success working with state militias. What other abilities would work?

[Merlin]

The only ones I can think of that might be generally appropriate for political leaders are Charismatic, Dispirited Leader, and Good Population Administrator. Now, if you ever put Jackson in the game, I'd give him Patriot and Recruiter, because that's precisely what he was doing until Lyons threw him out.

Oh, and give Vance (once you get to him) Master Logistician in recognition of his jealous hoarding for NC.

[tripax]

Maybe recruiter only applies if the leader was recruiting for the central government, although it would be fine to give that to a leader in a city too small for it to matter. Since it is really only a flavor (and since I imagine Jackson may have become a recruiter at the national level as governor in exile), it sounds good to me. Certainly a few governors should be given the patriot ability - it gives a historical nod to the role they played in organizing state militias and it can induce the player to increase the number of militias used in a state since they become stronger.

We can create our own abilities, too, so let me know if anyone has any ideas. Once caveat, it seems the only way abilities can change production is by changing loyalty. So, if you think a governor was especially go at forwarding supplies, but not especially loyal, you can't really get that by ability. You could get it by increasing the depot level of the capital city when the governor arrives, or something like that. But going in that direction (changing structures) would, to me, start another ball rolling in a direction that I don't want to go (yet?).

[Merlin]

Jackson got kicked out of St. Louis when Lyons detained his militia. That's covered by the St. Louis riot event that puts Lyons on the map, so you could have him removed at the same time. He stayed active in organizing the Missouri efforts, even led troops (as a CSA governor no less) and died of illness in '62. If you lock him just outside St. Louis with a militia regiment and then remove them both when Lyons shows up, it's as close to the reality of events as we'll ever see in the game.

[tripax]

Hmm, I could leave him in Jefferson City until the St. Louis riot event, then move him to Springfield (since major battles there - aka in-game Wilson's Creek - are much more likely than in neighboring Carthage).

[Merlin]

That would work, but if you put him one region outside of St. Louis and then move him when Lyons shows up it would be as accurate as the engine will allow.

[tripax]

The reason I prefer Jefferson City is it is the capital and the benefits of the character (in terms of loyalty) are greater in a city. If the Union doesn't march on Jefferson City, then he wouldn't need to go anywhere. In my spreadsheet I keep track of a secondary capital in situations where the Confederate capital was moved after the Union seized the it. I'm not sure if (or how, for that matter) I should utilize this.

Note: I accidentally attached some of my newest images. I'm now done with Louisianna governors (both USA and CSA) and Mississippi, including Charles Clark, who could maybe be set to be a general, too. If he is set to be a General before he is elected, I wonder what I should do if he is killed. Is it possible to set his death probability to zero?

[Merlin]

It is your mod and Jefferson City isn't going to hurt anything. I was simply suggesting an historical option.

That last batch of portraits is very well done.

[tripax]

Hmm, I'll think about it (where to put Jackson).

For the portraits, thanks. Actually, though, only George Shepley (the last one with the top hat) was black and white originally. The others I just removed the background (aka made the background transparent) and resized. It takes me a while, but it isn't hard. As a note, these are the portrait images which you see when you click on the model and open its information, for the unit in the stack, I use just a headshot image (and for armies in the field, the image you see on the map is basically the same headshot but smaller).

[tripax]

I just finished with a graphic for Francis H. Pierpont, who was the governor of the Restored Government of Virginia from June 1, 1861 to June of 1865. The seat of this government was in Wheeling until West Virginia became a state at which point it was moved to Alexandria. So, yeah, that is simple enough to add in. As with Jackson (and everyone) I'm not going to have the engine move the people around to follow history, but Wheeling to Alexandria is simple enough (and if the Union doesn't control Alexandria when the event fires, Pierpont doesn't appear). So now I'm finished with images for governors (Union and Confederate) of all Confederate states. Now I can start with the Union states (of which there are nearly twice as many governors - I count 38 CSA and 58 USA).

[ATTACH]29317[/ATTACH]

Here is Extra Billy Smith, just to see.

[ATTACH]29318[/ATTACH]

As an update on the mod itself, I'm running a Union test game now. I've found a couple bugs, but everything seems pretty smooth. I don't like the larger, more historically accurate brigade compositions (discussed here) very much, I'm considering reverting those to what they were with only a few small changes.

[fred zeppelin]

This mod looks very interesting. I'd like to see more done with the political side of the CW.

[tripax]

This mod looks very interesting. I'd like to see more done with the political side of the CW.

Thanks! I'm planning on doing more with the politics, but I'm open to suggestions. I'm trying to avoid modding the guts/logic of the game, and mostly consider 3 types of changes: change/add/subtract units on the board, change/add/subtract options (such as government decisions like blockade or tax), and change/add/subtract region decisions/cards (such as add Telegraph). A fourth type of change, changes to the board, I would consider if it seemed especially useful. I'm currently looking for low hanging fruit of the first type, adding and changing units on the board. When I finish with the governors I'll be looking for the next thing to do (as I continue to improve the changes I've already made).