AGEOD Forums

What is a set of good house rules for pbem?

What i am looking for is a set of rules that keeps out gamey tactics and helps the game play more historical.

thanks Krec

I somehow suspect that you pose a question that almost impossible to answer. Its rather like saying 'how long is a piece of string'.

Each of us players, modders and even game designers come at the game with our own ideas, perspectives, background etc as to what should and should not be allowed. All you can hope for is that you find PBEM opponents whose views are not too dissimilar from your own. But a universal set of house rules that all can agree on....forget it.

ok , let me ask you then, what are a set of house rules you like and why?

thanks

Hi Krec,

I'm going to be deliberately annoying and respectfully decline from answering your direct question merely because to do so would open up old wounds. My own ideas I reserve exclusively for potential opponents and not in open forum.

I'm sure though that other players will be more than willing/happy to share their views with you.

Kind regards.

Here is a thread already dedicated to the questions you ask:

Human vs. Human rules from April 2009

If you search for "house rules" you can find lots more, but some of those are probably out of date due to AACW.exe engine changes.

Another good place to look is in the AAR forum; most pbem games posted there will have an explanation of house rules and why they were chosen.

Soundoff is right - its just really a matter of finding a compatible opponent. Most will know before starting if you do or do not have one.

Good luck!

edit: BTW welcome to the forums. The "search" function is your friend.

I have played two PBEM games since the thread mike refers to. Here's the rules Redeemer and I are using right now:

No units without leaders moving into "enemy" territory, defined as an area where you have neither >50% military control or >50% population support.

Only one Confederate invasion of the unambigiously northern states (WI, IA, IL, MI, IN, OH, PA, NY, or New England) per calendar year starting in 1862. The invasion can last three turns max - on the third turn, the CSA units must all have orders to leave prohibited territory.

We tried to play without using the draft option at first - CSA allowed a limited draft in 1862, USA in 1863, and both sides full draft starting in July, 1863 - but the result was way too few companies for the CSA. I would prefer the method used in Clovis' SVF mod but Redeemer was unimpressed by SVF.

I don't play with any house rules. I have 5 full campaign games going on right now, 3 of them official ladder games in the Civil War gaming club I joined. I have seen absolutely no need for them and almost all of my opponents agree. We just enjoy this great game as is, i.e. by far the best strategic/operational Civil War game made so far.

3 CSA and 2 USA

"Rules, in a knife fight? NO RULES!"

Mark

thanks for the replys , i am getting ready to jump in.