Well that's a shame, just when things were about to really kick off :(

I've got plenty of NPC's to handle as is.  I advertise every week for new players but if anyone is interested in taking on a second character, please let me know, you are most welcome :)

Trust me, this game gets a lot more interesting as you go.  The action gets intense, and the exploration is exciting at times.  I am just waiting for everyone to catch up to where it left off the first time to rejoin the storyline.  Wouldn't be fair to join now, as I know too much.  But, if y'all stick with it, it can be very rewarding.

(Fading back to observer)

For something less of a bummer, were sergeants not considered officers back then? I know them as non-commissioned officers nowadays, but I am by no means an expert on military protocol now or then.

Just want to be sure I know how the hierarchy works. ’Cause Vergil should!

I don't believe sergeants in any army have ever been called 'officers', they have always been NCO's.

In the Game Wiki is some info on each of the units but the basic make up of 35th Maine is 12 company's of 50 men each.  Each company is divided into two ranks when in battle line and each rank is called a platoon (though I don't think this is an official formation in the Civil War, however it is the first time the term platoon is used in the military I believe).  Each company is commanded by a Lieutenant or a Captain who has at least one sergeant (usually 2 sergeants, 1 per platoon) who is assisted by Corporals.  In the 44th they have 'guns' rather than 'platoons'.  Infantry are armed with rifled muskets and bayonets, artillerymen have revolvers and everyone has a knife.  At 600 men the 35th is under strength (1,000 men when the war started) but this is probably about an average size at this time in the war.

All the player characters are new recruits/replacements, having joined within the last 3 months and joining the regiment in the siege lines around Petersburg before being sent on this mission.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:35, Sat 09 Mar.

Ah, yeah. In the Army, even though NCOs are officers and can assume command, they are typically addressed by their rank and do not warrant a salute. In the modern era, that is. Which is just another fact that illustrates my ignorance on the subject.

PS When my dad served on a destroyer escort during the Vietnam War, the smallest class of ship, essentially everyone was always addressed as “Mister.” Things were different for commissioned officers, but the captain was usually the only one and was always on the bridge. And very few people were ever allowed on the bridge.

And no one ever said “aye.” NEVER. That question was what started the conversation, and the answer really bummed me out for some reason.

Dobs and the Bartons are all in the 6'1" - 6'2" range. The average American soldier in 1865 was 5'8", so Dobs and the Bartons are tall, but not exceptionally so. (The average American male is 5'9" today, and the Barton brothers' heights are consistent with RL.)

But "six and a half feet' would be 6'6" (i.e., much taller), so I assume, based on the full context, the colonel is actually 6 feet and one half inch? Just making sure we're all on the same page...

FWIW, the US President during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, was a little over 6'3", but he probably looked 6'11" with his top hat. :)

https://millercenter.org/sites...80.jpg?itok=5DfdxKxv

Not sure if this link will work, but it's a good illustration of Lincoln and his trademark hat.

In reply to Randolph Barton (msg # 14):

Hum... will the next thing be comparing weights.

In reply to Donald Dobs (msg # 15):

Ha! No, I am perfectly fine with leaving weight out of the discussion. I just don't want Randolph to get his head shot off for being freakishly tall! :)

In reply to Randolph Barton (msg # 16):

Ah-ha head Hunters unite.

Grin cheekily
This message was last edited by the player at 08:21, Mon 11 Mar.

The Colonel is 6'5"

You guys can see the description pages for the NPCs?
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:31, Mon 11 Mar.

In reply to GM (msg # 18):

Yes. I didn't think to check there. Thanks for pointing it out. So... the colonel is freakishly tall!

In that case hopefully he will draw focus away from Dobs and the Bartons! LOL.

In reply to Randolph Barton (msg # 19):

Chances are he's also riding,

In reply to Donald Dobs (msg # 20):

When in doubt, always shoot the man on the horse.

In reply to Randolph Barton (msg # 21):

There's several bearing bown on us Which one should I target
This message was last edited by the player at 09:09, Mon 11 Mar.

In reply to Donald Dobs (msg # 22):

I think that's what's called "open season." Just don't shoot the colonel.

Been under the weather, so posting will probably be quite slow for a bit.

In reply to Randolph Barton (msg # 21):

And the fanciest suit. The fanciest armor had already become totally useless against shoulder arms. But, if memory serves, the Civil War quickly stripped officers near the front of their commissions courtesy of a marksman’s Minié ball.

Not that it would matter if a mediaeval army somehow levied thousands of men. The orders would revert from “aim” to “level” with muskets. You’ll hit someone.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:42, Mon 11 Mar.

Gate already showed it with a modern army. Still i think they would fare about the same unless our guys lack ammo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brFH0umbD1M

Tsk, tsk, Papist.

I meant to ask, what does this mean?

Unfurling the battle flags and displaying them, the regiment has a national flag as well as a regimental flag.  The battle honors of the regiment are stitched on the flag.  The flag also usually marks the position of the commanding officer.

Ah, that makes sense. I thought it might have been the opposite, which seemed odd. I am under the impression that losing* a unit’s standard is one of the single worst things it could do.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:19, Wed 13 Mar.

Yeah if a unit looses it's battle flag, fair chance most of the unit are not alive either.

Just after some feedback on the pace so far guys, I know you don't have too many options just yet so I want to get through the "Intro" as quickly as I can but I don;t want to swamp folks either :)

As GM, can you just change O'Maley's first name to Brain? Because at this point I feel like I'm being subjected to full-blown psychological warfare, and I won't be able to take it much longer.

Brain was in the canteen...

Brain wasn't one to say no.

That was... the first thought Brain's aching body sent out to him.

Slowly but surely the training started to grab hold of Brain...

When Brain had gathered his gear, he started to move past the people he could see.

So that was what Brain kept doing...

Brain looks onto the beach...

Brain salutes...

Brain eyes the sergeant...

Brain stood at his gun...

Brain holds a wet finger in the air...

Brain... looked in awe at how effective their attack had been.

Brain stops singing...