Still using the "imaginary" 53rd Corps as my experiment using Mr. Empson's interesting tables and rules mechanisms. I've randomly generated the entire command elements of the 53rd Union Corps right down to regimental level. Note: I've simply named them all Pennsylvania units and used sequential numbering for now. For convenience while I recreate my Union forces proper. I will add their "assigned" names and numberings later on. I've also named those Infantry regimental commanders that are either Exceptional or Political. I have however named all the artillery commanders because I can. An Exceptional commander represents someone being very good while a Political appointee commander is generally not so good. And as the list will show, the majority of commanders slotted in-between these two extremes.
53rd Corps (Maj-General Evans - Average)
Corps Artillery (Col. Harrison - Exceptional)
8th Infantry Division (Brig-General Taaffe - Average)
1st Bde (Col. Jacobs - Average)
73rd Penn. Inf. (Col. Aspley - Exceptional)
74th Penn. Inf. (Dullard)
75th Penn. Inf. (Average)
76th Penn. Inf. (Dullard)
77th Penn. Inf. (Average)
2nd Bde (Col. P. Smith - Average)
78th Penn. Inf. (Average)
79th Penn. Inf. (Whitney - Political)
80th Penn. Inf. (Darlberg - Exceptional)
81st Penn. Inf. (Dullard)
8th Division Artillery (Maj. Tomlinson - Average)
4 x 10lb Parrot (Yates - Average)
4 x 12lb Napoleons (Fealey - Political)
6 x 12lb Napoleons (Wilkes - Exceptional)
6 x 3" Rifle (Venning - Average)
9th Infantry Division (Brig-Gen. Williams - Political)
1st Bde (Col. van Kinsbergen - Exceptional)
82nd Penn. Inf. (Average)
83rd Penn. Inf. (Average)
84th Penn. Inf. (Dullard)
85th Penn. Inf. (Mohler - Exceptional)
86th Penn. Inf. (Zietsen - Exceptional)
2nd Bde (Col. Garson - Political)
87th Penn. Inf. (Average)
88th Penn. Inf. (Average)
89th Penn. Inf. (Average)
90th Penn. Inf. (Average)
3rd Bde (Col. E. M. Hall - Political)
91st Penn. Inf. (Mason - Political)
92nd Penn. Inf. (Average)
93rd Penn. Inf. (Average)
94th Penn. Inf. (Average)
4th Bde (Col. Rolleston - Average)
95th Penn. Inf. (Average)
96th Penn. Inf. (Hickstone - Political)
97th Penn. Inf. (Average)
98th Penn. Inf. (Average)
9th Division Artillery (Maj. Beal - Average)
4 x 10lb Parrot (Quinn - Average)
4 x 12lb Napoleon (Zimmerman - Average)
6 x 3" Rifle (Boxton - Dullard)
6 x 10lb Parrot (Keinmer - Average)
6 x 3" Rifle (Dobson - Average)
10th Infantry Division (Brig-General Browning - Average)
1st Bde (Col. O'Loughlin - Average)
99th Penn. Inf. (Average)
100th Penn. Inf. (Dearborn - Exceptional)
101st Penn. Inf. (Average)
102nd Penn. Inf. (Kirkpatrick - Exceptional)
103rd Penn. Inf. (Average)
2nd Bde (Col. Pasquale - Average)
104th Penn. Inf. (Col. Thornton - Exceptional)
105th Penn. Inf. (Average)
106th Penn. Inf. (Average)
107th Penn. Inf. (Average)
3rd Bde (Col. Dalton - Political)
108th Penn. Inf. (Average)
109th Penn. Inf. (Nillson - Exceptional)
110th Penn. Inf. (Average)
111th Penn. Inf. (Average)
112th Penn. Inf. (Average)
4th Bde (Col. Talley - Dullard)
113th Penn. Inf. (O. Jackson - Exceptional)
114th Penn. Inf. (Average)
115th Penn. Inf. (Dullard)
116th Penn. Inf. (Average)
10th Division Artillery (Major Clapperton - Dullard)
4 x 3" Rifle (S. Hall - Average)
4 x 12lb Napoleon (Bergson - Average)
6 x 10lb Parrot (Prentiss - Exceptional)
4 x 3" Rifle (Phillips - Average)
Corps Artillery Reserve (Maj. Anderson - Dullard)
4 x10lb Parrot (Merryweather - Average)
4 x 12lb Napoleon (H. J. Simpson - Exceptional)
2 x 10lb Parrot & 2 x 12lb Howitzer (Barfleur - Exceptional)
6 x 12lb Napoleon (Rawling - Average)
6 x 3" Rifle (Theodore - Average)
4 x 10lb Parrot (Oswalt - Average)
Corps Cavalry (Brig-General Talbot - Average)
1st Cavalry Bde (Col. Mawley - Average)
51st Penn. Vol. Cav. (Average)
52nd Penn. Vol. Cav. (Mortimer - Exceptional)
53rd Penn. Vol. Cav. (Abbot - Political)
54th Penn. Vol. Cav. (Dullard)
2nd Cavalry Bde (Col. Travis - Average)
55th Penn. Vol. Cav. (Average)
56th Penn. Vol. Cav. (T. Wise - Exceptional)
57th Penn. Vol. Cav. (Average)
3rd Cavalry Bde (Col. Schiller - Average)
58th Penn. Vol. Cav. (Average)
59th Penn. Vol. Cav. (Average)
60th Penn. Vol. Cav. (Garrison - Political)
61st Penn. Vol. Cav. (Dullard)
4th Cavalry Bde (Col. M. Davis - Average)
62nd Penn. Vol. Cav. (Dullard)
63rd Penn. Vol. Cav. (Ribbel - Exceptional)
64th Penn. Vol. Cav. (Average)
By "Dullard" what is probably meant from reading the notes and comments in his tables is that the commander has reached their ceiling level. They are capable and often experienced but they lack the necessary skillset to succeed at the next level. Quite a common thing and does not mean they are stupid as some might read by looking at the word.
The next section goes more into the character profile by adding more detailing in creating new commander profile (5.5.2). I recreated the simple Excel spreadsheet and can now "flesh" out my characters in a simple manner. I have yet, however, to explore further the impact that migrants and first-generation migrants had regarding CPS. Maybe next post.
Yes, there are definitely gaps - pieces that are missing - or omissions (deliberate so I've figured which makes sense) that can be "filled in" by whomever is using these tables to create their own "house rules" version. Which is always the fun and challenging part. Reverse engineering? Not really but at least I can put together something that is doable tabletop-wise.
There is so much more to this which Mr. Empson has generously provided with his tables and mechanisms. It reminds me so much of how much detail I instilled within my campaign narrative back in the late 90s. Cheers.
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Addendum
Found a writing site that listed around three hundred and fifty character traits. Perfect for my spreadsheet. One hundred and fifty negative and one hundred and fifty positive. Just some tweaking of some of the traits (such as changing romantic to robust) to make it more amenable to my needs. Refined the spreadsheet so that I get a randomised selections of traits befitting any character's profile. So, for example, an Exceptional commander will more likely have more positive than negative traits. Just working out a suitable die roll to match my aim.
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Postscript
Will plough on regardless because I am very interested to know if I can somehow come up with a workable set of ACW rules based on Mr. Empsons tables and mechanics alone. Somehow that's never going to happen (spreadsheet for character traits for instance) but if I can generate a playable set incorporating various rules I've used in the past then I will have achieved my goal set. Cheers.
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