[video=youtube;LJp3X_TVlXM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJp3X_TVlXM[/youtube]

(Cross-posted from RPG Pub)

I've been watching the classic 1990's Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War" and it got me thinking about the American Civil War in gaming. I know of several wargames set in the Civil War. In fact, one of Gary Gygax's earliest works was a Civil War-themed wargame named "Hardtack", which was a collaboration between Gygax, Don Lowry, and Lou Zocchi and was published in 1972 by Guidon Games (the same company that originally published Chainmail).

I am well aware of Deadlands incorporating an Alternate History take on the Civil War, but what I am seeking is an old-school style game set during the actual Civil War. Something like Recon (only the American Civil War instead of Vietnam) or something like Original Dungeons & Dragons if it were derived from Hardtack instead of Chainmail.

It would focus on survival and one-on-one skirmish combat. Player parties could consist of small squads of soldiers, either Union or Confederate, ranging from light infantry, militia, and cavalry all the way to lesser-known Civil War units such as engineers or marines.

If I were to create a Civil War old-school RPG, it would also have a supplement or an appendix that covers Reconstruction, Civilian PC's, the Wild West and Victorian Britain, as well as guides on incorporating Steampunk, Gothic Horror, and Gaslamp Fantasy in a Civil War-themed game.

Do any of you find this idea interesting?

I'm sure it could be good. If I were to write something like this I'd start with Behind Enemy Lines as a base model and go from there.

Everything but the fantasy, "steampunk," horror, and other unnecessary additions to a fascinating period.

Yes. I ran a GURPS campaign weekly for 18 months that took place in the Civil War and it was pure history and no Fantasy added.

Quote from: Dumarest;980389Everything but the fantasy, "steampunk," horror, and other unnecessary additions to a fascinating period.

On the contrary, I think the only way you could actually get people playing the game would be to make it radically a-historical. The real war was basically WWI without machine-guns; trying to present it as something where individual soldiers' narratives matter is a stretch and, I think, unlikely to attract serious history buffs. So, better to go gonzo--although it wouldn't hold much attraction for me, either.

OR if you somehow made something like "Letters from the Battlefield" focusing on the emotional and mental struggles of soldiers, with abstracted battles...well, maybe. But I don't think that's what the OP is aiming for.

Quote from: Arminius;980395On the contrary, I think the only way you could actually get people playing the game would be to make it radically a-historical. The real war was basically WWI without machine-guns; trying to present it as something where individual soldiers' narratives matter is a stretch and, I think, unlikely to attract serious history buffs. So, better to go gonzo--although it wouldn't hold much attraction for me, either.

OR if you somehow made something like "Letters from the Battlefield" focusing on the emotional and mental struggles of soldiers, with abstracted battles...well, maybe. But I don't think that's what the OP is aiming for.

I don't care what other people may need to get them interested. I was answering for myself. I find insertion of magic and fantasy into historical settings lazy, insipid, uninspired, and uninteresting. You might like it.

As I wrote,

Quote from: Arminius;980395it wouldn't hold much attraction for me, either.

Personally, I think the OP should do whatever interests them but they shouldn't hold their breath about the market.

I find the concept interesting but I would guess it would be difficult to pull off. Soldiers have more agency than many people think but not enough agency, in my opinion, to be satisfying player-characters.

That said, I played in a campaign where we were playing former Confederate soldiers turned outlaws. It was a fun dozen sessions and then we were all, as we all felt we deserved to be, hanged. Or rather, out characters were hanged. We used a heavily edited of the Glory Road Roleplay rules that I wrote, although I was not the GM. The GM created the firearms rules etc. for what has usually been a fantasy system and we did not use the magic or the powers from above and below. Nor did we involve any monsters or non-human peoples.

If you included the steampunk and other things you list toward the end, I would not use them but I think you should include them because some people might want them and because I never mind suggesting that others do more work.

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https://sites.google.com/site/grreference/

I like the idea of a straight historical rpg.  I wince when things like magic and the fantastical get thrown into the mix.  My dad is a huge civil war guy.

 My great-great-great grandfather (think it's greatx3) fought in the civil war.  Originally he was a Confederate soldier who was wounded in battle, taken prisoner by the Union, and then later joined the Union fighting with New York's 69th- the Irish Brigade.  Will have to ask him about this at work later.  We do have a picture of him as a Confederate when he enlisted at 15 or 16.

 Methinks you'd have a lot of homework to do with this.

There is/was an Austrian rpg called (IIRC) "Brüderkrieg".

Oh, if I were to make this, it'd be primarily historical in nature. The fantasy and steampunk would be more of an afterthought, sort of like a supplement or an appendix at the back for those who want to include such elements.

FWIW I've played in a Delta Green game set in the American Civil War, playing a Provost Marshal investigating mysterious goings on.  Fantastic game.

Quote from: Doc Sammy;980376Do any of you find this idea interesting?

A while back, This Favored Land was released for Wild Talents.  It's basically what you describe, but with low "why even bother" supers bolted on.  I'd be surprised if there wasn't a GURPS supplement or three covering the material as well.  Really though, I think the problem with all the hard core historically accurate games is that they're a niche within a niche within a niche.  You're trying to target RPGers, with an a historical game, that offers no escapism* beyond the different time (no magic, robots, etc.).  -Then- you want to make an OSR variant to do it with.  

I'm not saying there aren't people out there who want such a thing, but that their numbers probably won't break the double digits.  

You -might- fare better working on a system free general reference book for the time period though.  What life was like, what war was like, a default timeline (be sure to set it -before- Deadlands starts).  Something that people could use rather than doing a bunch of research themselves (and yes, a well researched reference book by an indy game publisher is still a well researched reference book).

(*I know you mention adding on fantastical elements, but as a supplement and not part of the initial game)

Would I find this personally very interesting? Probably not but them I'm a limey and we have our own glory days to relive!

Could it be interesting? I don't see why not. I would take a page out of how the Sharpe books / TV series presented the Napoleonic War: something of a unit of irregulars, effectively special forces for their time. I understand asymmetric warfare was a big part of how you guys whipped us in the War of Independence, I'm not sure how much of a factor that was in the Civil War.

If I wanted to play such a game, GURPS would be my go-to like Ulairi.

Quote from: dbm;980446I would take a page out of how the Sharpe books / TV series

I got into the books about a year or so ago- they're great!