Movement speeds and distance covered is not calculated by individual units, but by marching column. The column could be cavalry, infantry or a supply train. Column size may vary from a single company under a captain or lieutenant, or a division-sized column. Movement speeds can vary over the course of a single day of the campaign, as a column moves through different types of roads or moves into a different weather zone. Important factors for each column are the senior officer leading the column and the experience (quality) level of the units in the column.
The column may have an increased speed modifier if there is a senior commander leading the column (Lander or Jackson) or a brigade level commander with a high loyalty command attribute. This increase the morale of the column, which increases its speed on the march. The initiative rating of the column commander also affects the column. Higher initiative ratings make it more likely that the column will start off at 7:30 a.m. Lower initiative ratings make it more likely for the column to get a late start.
Experience of units also affects the column. The column will move at the speed of the lowest unit.
Column size also effects speed. A very large marching column tends to move like an accordion with significant confusion during stops and starts. Smaller columns are more efficient, but end up dispersing units which may need to be concentrated at a later time.
Among the myriad of templates used to run the simulation, movement speed is calculated per column. Each column is given a unique identity and listed with its senior officer, member units and destination. Columns are likely to be disbanded, split up and reformed during the campaign.
When a detached unit is given marching orders, an officer is assigned to the unit and is entered into the simulation's "officer roster" template. Command attributes are randomly assigned to the officer through the role of a die and recorded for use through the rest of the simulation. Wherever possible, a historic commander will be used. For example, if the 2nd Battalion of a regiment is ordered to move to destroy some railroad tracks or garrison a town, an effort will be made to find the name of the major or lieutenant colonel of the regiment during the winter of 1861-1862.
Supply trains are formed as separate columns, led by a commissary or ordinance officer (or NCO), who also is given command attributes. The supply train is composed of a designated number of wagons and any unit attached to guard it. Most likely, a supply train will trail behind the marching column it supports, but in theory and given the right combination of random rolls of the die, a supply train could possibly outpace an infantry column.
One of the challenges for a player will be to determine whether to replace an officer. Caution is advised. The players will not know the initiative, quality and other command attributes applied to each commander. A column leader may get his column off to a slow start, but it is possible that the commander actually has excellent initiative and quality ratings, but through the luck of the roll got the 1/20 chance of the latest start time possible - which even the best commander can get. A "slow" commander is best judged over a few weeks of the campaign, rather than one or two days.
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