From: Perry Andrus Subject: GMT's 3DoG Errata - Long ------------ Category 4, Topic 7 Message 337 Fri Aug 11, 1995 RICHARD.BERG at 06:43 EDT Mark, I'm not sure what kind of specific instructions one needs to set up. Just put em in the hexes. As for artillery leaders, they get placed with any battery in their battalion, if the battalion is medntioned as a whole (e.g., Cabell's battalion). If a single battery is listed, no commander. (That's part of the errata . . . you'll notice that arty commanders are often left out of set-ups; must be a form of tubular discrimination.) I will be posting the errata this weekend (probably Sat morning). Gene is still on vacation, but the incredible Jewel can take care of viretually anything, as those who have spoken with her can tell. 3DoGs will be shipping out to distributors this weekend . . . you can always order direct from GMT (1-800-523-6111). RHB ------------ Category 4, Topic 7 Message 344 Fri Aug 11, 1995 P.DANGEL [Paul] at 20:43 EDT *** WARNING! LONG 3DOG POST FOLLOWS *** Earlier this week I spoke to the 3DOG map artist, Rick Barber, and we discussed the 3DoG maps. I read to him some of the comments and questions concering the map that have appeared here and he agreed to send me list of clarifications and corrections that he's put together since he's had the opportunity to take a close look at the printed maps. He requested me to post them on GEnie. What follows are his complete notes. I apologize for the length but Rick's perspective is unique and worth reading. "TERRAIN NOTES * 3DOG MAPS First of all, I'd like to apologize to anyone who has had any trouble interpreting the terrain on these game maps. If you read the Cartographer's Notes you'll understand that this one was somewhat of a personal Holy Grail, and no one is sorrier than me that it turned out anything less than perfect. I certainly feel that there is no place on the maps where the correct terrain interpretation _cannot_ be achieved simply by a good close look. However, I know how much I dislike having to 'decide' how the terrain works on someone else's map, and it greatly bothers me that there might be cause for questionhere. If you already own the game at this early date, you're well aware of the rather unfortunate and absolute nature of the deadline in getting it out the door. That promise, made with the best intentions and kept through immense labor and personal sacrifice by one of the more talented groups of professionals that I've yet worked with, came up against one of the more basic truths in our business: Game Production, in terms of design, development and graphic production, is a _very_ complicated and time consuming process and an absolute magnet for Murphy's Law! I have nothing but sympathy for anyone involved with getting a series of magazines games out the door! Having said all that, let me try to clear up a few areas which I can see might be open to misinterpretation - * GENERAL INTERPRETATION - the contour level or terrain type of any given hex is _always_ that which occupies the center-point/majority of the hex's area. NO EXCEPTIONS! i.e., a tree or two sticking over the line does _not_ a forest make! * COLOR SCHEME - I've always wanted to do a game map that showed the terrain in a more natural manner than that usually used, and I think the scheme we decided on here (dark to light in Green - not the light to dark in Brown) works well in that regard - sort of like all those wonderful wall maps we spent our elementary school years staring at. The contrast may be slightly strong, both in terms of value and color, but you have to start somewhere. First and foremost, this has to be a functioning game map, not just an artistic approximation of an aerial photograph. Especially in a game which so heavily emphasizes ranged fire and LOS, the ability to easily determine any given hex's altitude is all important. * CONTOUR LEVEL GLITCHES - Hexes A6226, A6326 & A6729 are _indeed_ the _higher_ level terrain as indicated by the contour lines. Color plates not corrected in time. * SLOPES - The elevation change from level 5 to 6 on the _west_ side of Oak Hill Ridge (B2034 to B1133) should be minor slope. [see the piece of Oak Ridge on the east edge of Map A for this - PD] * INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS/FARMS - In my own defense, the first time I was made aware that these were to have game effect whatsoever, beyond purely historical nterest, was at Avaloncon (8/5/95) while going over the finished product with the Designer. In general these should still be pretty clear, but you may still have to make a couple of judgement calls. I'd say any hex containing at least 1 full building. * WATER - The solid blue outlining and stippling didn't turn out as dark as expected so here's a couple of clarifications: * Marsh Creek - is a Stream (minor) north of A3333, and a Creek (major) everywhere south of Pfoutz's Mill (3633) except of the _east_ side of the islands at Shriver's Farm (A4430). * Rock Creek - is a Stream (minor) for its entire length on the map, except for the stretch between B5608 and B6605 (See the game's Cartographer's Notes). * Fords - Anyplace an unbridged Pike, Road, or Trail crosses a Stream or Creek is a _ford_. A Road crossing a Run simply negates the already insignificant effect of such a small trickle of water. * THOSE INFAMOUS WHITE TREES! - along the trail over Spangler's Knob to the Z.Taney farm (Map B) and on Map A, at the Teller and Pfoutz farms (A2625/3027) the Pitzer farm (A6711/6712) and those 4 hexes along Willoughby's Run. The last named grove is now offically known as the 'Fennell Forest', after my friend Charles Fennell the tour guide. A week before the project went to the printer he provided me with a full copy of the 25 sheet 1868/69 Warren Survey map, which prompted a number of small changes. Seem I altered all the plates but one - the dropout for the background - with the result see here. * Hexes A6415 & C3825 - these trees _do_ exist, just missed being filled in. * Hexes B5801 & 6001 are level 3 terrain. * MAP TRIMMING - Trim off the half hexes on the _east_ edge of Map A, so it overlaps Map B. Map C should be trimmed off just south of the sawtooth edge on the northernmost (1000) hex row. You will also want to trim back the gray border on hexes C1001 and 1053 so as to have continuity when overlapping Maps A & B. * MINOR GLITCHES NOTICED IN OVERLAPPING - * the southwest and SE hexsides of B6917 should be minor slope. * hex B7009 should be woods, as shown on C1004. Actually, hex B7008/CC1003 should be _clear_ terrain. * hexside C1001/1002 should be _steep_ slope. If any one has any other questions or comments, especially the possibility of future maps bordering these game maps, please contact me by SASE at: Rick Barber 15 Franklin Drive McSherrystown, PA 17344-1132 Thanks Rick B." Rick and I work together on many projects so I'm in weekly (sometines daily) contact with him. If anyone has any notes for him here I'll be happy to pass them on to him. Paul D. ------------ Item 0212252 95/08/12 09:21 From: RICHARD.BERG Richard H. Berg To: P.ANDRUS Perry Andrus Sub: XMODEM File: 3DoG Errata As requested . . . and remember to copy/dowload Barbarber's map notes. RHB Attached File: THREE DAYS OF GETTYSBURG Errata as of 8/11/95 (You thought there wouldn't be any errata?!?) Map: CLARIFICATION: See Rick Barber's notes (in GMT Topic). Cutting the Map: Cut westernmost half-hex from B map and northernmost vertex (not the whole hex) from the C map. (Rick Barber says cut the A map, but what does he know . . . .) Terrain Chart: Effects on Fire. Gradual Slopes do NOT block LOS; the rules book is correct on that situation. Counters: NOTE. The 1 AK regiment in Robertson's brigade (Hood's division) should be 1 AR; they're from Arkansas, not Alaska. Master Reinforcement Chart: Union Corps-level artillery commanders arrive with the Corps Commander. CSA Arty Commander, Pendleton, arrives with Lee (and see 8.2.4, below.) (4.3.5) ADDITION: An infantry brigade commander may "command" any one (1) field artillery battery within his range. A cavalry brigadier can do the same for one horse artillery battery. The batteries are at whatever efficiency the brigadier is at. (5.2.) CLARIFICATION. This section is correct about RE units able to move "adjacent"; 7.2.6 and the Movement Type Chart are not. Units using Full or Restricted Movement MAY move adjacent, but not into an enemy ZOC. (7.2.5) CLARIFICATION: While all "moving" units from a brigade must use TacMove if one does, a regiment does not have to move at all; it can do other things while other units are using TacMove. (7.2.7) CHANGE: Individual units may use Withdrawal while other units from that brigade use other movement types. However, one unit may not use TacMove if another is using Withdrawal, and vice versa. (8.1.2, et al.) CLARIFICATION The Terrain adjustment for firing up/down certain slopes applies regardless of where the slope actually is; it doesn't have to be adjacent to either firing or target unit. (Firing at significant level changes affected "aim", whether this was up or down.) (8.1.4) CLARIFICATION: Artillery '4'. This may occur only during an enemy activation phase not, as someone suggested, during Initiative determination. (Nice try guy.) (8.2.4) CHANGE: The CSA Arty Commander, Pendleton, actually does nothing. (He wasn't capable of doing much more than that, nor did he have the authority to exceed that inadequacy.) CSA players use their Reserve Arty commanders (e.g., Alexander, Pegram, etc.) to initiate Barrage. However, only one such commander may do so in any one turn, and he may do so only if stacked with Pendleton. (There, we gave him something to do you also use Pendleton's Range for barrage, so he's not totally useless.) In addition, that Reserve commander may barrage only with batteries from his Corps. (CSA artillery was not well organized; coordination between corps was virtually nonexistent. Pendleton was supposed to effect this sort of thing, but he wasn't very good at it.) (8.2.9) CHANGE: Guns using Rapid Fire are not auto Low/No. They do use the "0" and "10" "Ammo" results, tho. (See Change to 8.4.1, below.) (8.3.2) CHANGE; Treat Woods as being at one full level higher than the hex they're in. (8.3.4) CLARIFICATION: Firing uphill? LOS is blocked if blocking item closer to Firing unit. Firing downhill? LOS blocked if blocking item closer to Target. Basic Premise: If it can see you, you can see it regardless of what the rules say about relative position. (8.4.1) IMPORTANT CHANGE: The "Ammo" results on the '0' and '10' adjusted DR apply only to infantry and cavalry, NOT to artillery. (8.4.5) IMPORTANT CHANGE: 1 AAP will resupply all guns/counters stacked in any one hex. (We overcompensated for the CSA supply levels a bit.) However, CSA batteries may get ammo only from wagons within their Corps. (8.5.8) CLARIFICATION: Each step of the procedure is undertaken by ALL units involved before proceeding to the next step. (9.2.4) NOTE. "Collapsed" is, perhaps, not the best word; 'depleted' would have been better, as the units is still functioning, albeit at a lesser level. (9.3.2.) CLARIFICATION. A unit disordered by fire while it is moving assumes the MA of its Disordered status for the remainder of that phase. Thus, an infantry unit (6MA) that has moved 1 MP, fired (2MP) and becomes Disordered by Return Fire, now has 2 MP left to use, as he now has an MA of '5', not '6'. (9.4.2) ADDITION: #7: If a unit retreats into a hex which carries a "dr" or "D", the retreating unit must either UDD (dr) or take the auto Disorder (D) as part of the retreat. (9.4.2) ADDITION: #8: Artillery may not retreat into a hex which would normally cost it more than 2 MP's to enter. (9.7.1.) CLARIFICATION A brigadier can rally a unit with which he starts the turn stacked PLUS a unit to which he moves, within 7.3.2. (14.0) RECOMMENDATION. We recommend that you do not use Fatigue for the Herr's Ridge and Little Round Top scenarios. (14.2.2) CLARIFICATION. Movement for fatigue means any type of movement, including advance, retreat and Rout!! However, a brigade increases its Fatigue Level only once per turn for movement-induced Fatigue. (15.0) IN GENERAL: We left some of the artillery leaders out when listing deployments, etc. When an artillery battalion is mentioned by name (e.g., Cabell's battalion), that includes the leader counter. Sometimes - usually with the Union - artillery leaders come in when their entire Corps enters. Otherwise, when in doubt, place the leader eithe with any one of his batteries or with his Corps/Division commander. (15.3.5) ADDITION: Note [a] for the CSA. Altho McLaws is off-map, Longstreet may use his (1) Division Activation Rating to give ME to either or both Semmes and/or Kershaw, if they are in Range. (Use the McLaws LIM.) McLaws may not be used as a DRM when the brigadiers DR for ME. The [b] note, which was left out, served only to inform the players that the 1st Richmond battery was elsewhere. (15.3.6.) CHANGE: The Union 'a' reinforcement - 3/1/V, etc. - enters the turn after the first shots are fired, or 1640, whichever comes first. Arty commanders set-up/enter as follows: Randolph (III) 1525 Martin (V) Enters with ''b'