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American-Mexican
War Online
Rule Book
Last modified June 19,
2017
This document provides the rules of the American-Mexican
War OnLine (AMWOL) game. AMWOL is divided into four game
modules. The first module, Gathered In Their Masses
(GITM), is the land warfare component of AMWOL. The second
module, Placed Alongside The Enemy (PATE), is the naval
warfare component of AMWOL. The third module, Revolution
and Reaction (RAR), is the diplomatic component of AMWOL,
governing relations between the various factions in
Mexican politics. The fourth module, Sinews of War (SOW),
is the financial and economic component of AMWOL. Each
module has its own rules, which are linked from this
document. This document contains the rules that apply to
all four modules and establish the framework in which each
module is played.
1. Nations and States
1.1.
AMWOL contains two nations, the United States and Mexico.
1.2. AMWOL also contains states. The
United States contains one state, also called the United
States; but Mexico contains multiple states. One of these
states is the Yucatan rebel state. Another is the state of
"Mexico" which controls Mexico City. The leader of the
Mexico state is also the President of the nation of Mexico,
and is selected by the leaders of the various Mexican frags,
except Yucatan. The President of Mexico must be the leader
of one of the regular Mexican frag states. Within AMWOL there
are six regular Mexican fragmented states, of which the
leader of the mission towns frag ("Ciudades Mision" on the political map) does not have a vote. The
President of Mexico is selected by the vote of three of the
five leaders, and can be removed by the vote of three of the
five leaders. If the President is removed, the President's
office (and the leader of the Mexico state) is unassigned
until a new President is selected. The state of Mexico has
high income but little manpower; its income may be given to
the other Mexican states as the President of Mexico chooses,
enabling the states that receive additional funds in this
way to field larger armies than would otherwise be the case.
1.3.
Each
player
of
AMWOL is a citizen of one state; either the United States,
or one of the Mexican states. It may be possible for a
limited number of players to change states during the course
of the game; frequent changes of state will not be possible.
Players changing states are required to keep confidential
all confidential information learned in the service of the
former state while playing for the new one.
1.4. A player is not limited to serving
with the armies and fleets of the state of which he is a
citizen, but may serve in the armies or fleets of others
states of his nation. American players cannot command
units/ships for Mexican states and vice-versa. On a player's
position reports, units and ships will show red, blue, or
gray depending whether they are allied with, hostile to, or
neutral to the player's home state. A player who is
commanding units for another state may request that his
position reports instead show units as red, blue, or gray
depending whether they are allied with, hostile to, or
neutral to the state for which he is commanding. If so, he
will show on the census as a citizen of his home state but
playing for the other state. Contact the GAs with such
requests. A player may also choose to command units and
ships for another state and continue to see the colors
determined by his home state.
1.5.
Each
city
and
port
in
AMWOL is permanently owned by one state. In the United
States, the permanent owner is the state of that nation, and
does not change throughout the game. In Mexico, a city's
permanent owner initially is the state that originally
controlled the city at the start of the game. In Mexico
only, if a different state in the same nation takes control
of the city and keeps control for 5 consecutive turns, then
that state may take over permanent ownership of that city.
Requests for permanent control should be made to the GAs.
2. Government of States
2.1.
Each NWOL state has a government. The government has six
positions: Leader, Deputy Leader, Secretary of War,
Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of State, and
Secretary of the Treasury.
2.2.
The
leader
of each state is initially selected by the AMWOL game
administrator. If a leader resigns his position he may
designate his heir, subject to the approval of the game
administrator; if the leader designates no heir, or the heir
is not approved by the game administrator, the game
administrator will select a new leader. The leader will
normally be a citizen of the state but in extremely unusual
cases may not be. The leader's primary power is to appoint
the state's ministers.The leader may appoint any AMWOL
player to any ministry, including the deputy leader,
including citizens of other states, and a player may serve
as a cabinet member for more than one state. A player may
serve in more than one cabinet post, and the leader may
appoint himself or herself to any of the cabinet posts he or
she wishes to occupy. However, the leader has the power to
carry out any action that any of the cabinet members can
carry out, even if the leader is not assigned to that
cabinet post.
2.3.
The
deputy
leader of each state is a backup for the leader, and may
take any action that any of the four cabinet members may
take. In Mexican states with one or two players, only the
positions of leader and deputy leader will be filled (since
they can take any action any cabinet member can take).
2.4.
The
Secretary of War is in charge of the state's activities in
GITM, the AMWOL land warfare module. The Secretary of War
makes assignments of commanders and deputy commanders for
units. The Secretary of War also forms the units into
divisions and armies, and appoints commanders of these
formations. The Secretary of War may appoint a commanding
general, or the Secretary of War may command the armies
himself or herself. Last, the Secretary of War manages the
supplies of the armies, getting them from the home country
to the forward depots in the field. Some of these powers can
be delegated to commanders of army headquarters units; see
the GITM rules for further information.
2.5.
The Secretary of the Navy is in charge of the state's
activities in PATE, the AMWOL naval warfare module. The
Secretary of the Navy makes assignments of commanders and
deputy commanders for ships. The Secretary of the Navy forms
the ships into squadrons and fleets, appoints commanders to
those formations, appoints a commanding admiral or serves in
that capacity himself or herself, and manages the naval
stores of the nation.
2.6.
The Secretary of State is in charge of the state's
activities in RAR, the AMWOL diplomatic module. This
position is meaningful only in the regular Mexican states
and may be left unfilled in the United States. The Secretary
of State negotiates and activates alliances, and declares
war. He may also appoint ambassadors to other nations at his
discretion and may designate some of his powers to those
ambassadors.
2.7.
The
Secretary of the Treasury is in charge of the state's
activities in SOW, the AMWOL finance module. The Secretary
of the Treasury controls the state's finances and spends it
on armies, navies, and monetary portions of diplomatic
agreements.
3. Game Sequence
3.1.
AMWOL is played as a series of two campaigns of 15 turns
each.
3.2.
Normally
campaign
turns will be run twice a week, and peace or truce turns
once a week. There will be a week's pause in the game at the
end of each campaign, and pauses for holidays as necessary
during the game. [More
details on turn schedules]
3.3. At the start of each
game there two special turns, an assignment turn and a
deployment turn. Each state begins with a starting army and
navy. On the assignment turn, players can be assigned to
command the starting units and ships. On the deployment
turn, units can be moved according to the peacetime move
rules, using the peacetime unit and ship orders forms. Also,
units can be reassigned and players can change their
passwords. After the deployment turn, the first game turn is
scheduled one week after the deployment turn.
4. Scoring and Campaign Victory
4.1.
Each
state
receives
victory
points
for
winning
battles
and
controlling
territory.
Each
state
loses
victory
points
for
casualties
taken.
States
can
also
purchase
victory
points using funds from their treasuries.
4.2.
States
receive
victory
points
for
winning
battles;
1
point
for
each
40
enemy
casualties
inflicted
in
GITM
or
PATE
in
victorious battles (including losses from units that shatter
or surrender), and 50/40/20 points for sinking or capturing
enemy flagships/ships of the line/frigates in victorious
battles. They received 10 victory points for damaging shore
batteries or 20 for destroying them (10 if already damaged).
4.3.
States
receive
victory
points
each
time
they
take
control
of
a
city
or
offmap
port
in
battle
and
lose
points each time they lose control of a city or offmap port
in battle; 60 points times the city level for a city in the
state's home nation, and 30 points times the city level for
a city in any other nation. When units from multiple states
jointly attack and capture a city, one unit present in the
city tactical square at the end of the battle is randomly
selected and its side takes control of the city (and
receives the VPs for doing so). If a state transfers control
of a city or off map port to another state in diplomacy,
then the state receiving the city gains 40 points time the
city level for a city in the state's home nation and 20
points times the city level for a city in any other nation,
and the state giving up the city loses 40 points time the
city level for a city in the state's home nation and 20
points times the city level for a city in any other nation.
4.4.
States
lose
1
victory
point
for
every
100
battle
casualties
suffered
in
GITM
or
PATE
(regardless
of
whether
they
win
or lose the battle), and 20/16/8 points for losing (to
sinking or capture) a flagship/ship of the line/ frigate
(regardless of whether they win or lose the battle, or if
the ship is lost in storms). When a transport is lost, the
losing state loses 1 point for every 1000 capacity of the
transport (rounded up). They lose 10 points for having a
shore battery damaged and 20 for having one destroyed (10 if
already damaged).
4.5. States can transfer
victory points from one state to another (see RAR
rules 3.3 and 3.4 for details).
4.6. The score of Mexico is
the sum of the scores of all the Mexican states except the
Yucatan rebels. Scores are tracked and reported both
separately and collectively (or at any rate will be
eventually).
4.7.
Each state's campaign score is measured as a percentage
increase or decrease from its score at the start of the
campaign.
5. Game End and Game Victory
5.1.
The game ends at the conclusion of the second campaign.
5.2.
At the end of the game, all crowns remaining in a nation's
treasury are automatically exchanged for VPs at the rate of
1 VP per 50 Cr.
5.3.
Each state's game score is measured as a percentage increase
or decrease from its score at the start of the game.
5.4. Additional victory conditions also
determine victory in the game: see the Table of
Victory Conditions.
6. Player Behavior
6.1.
Each
player
is
expected
to
respond
to
email
from
the
government officials of his state and states in whose armies
and fleets he or she serves, and to officers whom those
officials may appoint to command over him, in a timely and
responsive manner. Players who fail to do so may not receive
command of units or ships. Players are strongly encouraged
to notify their government and commanders if they must be
temporarily absent from the game, and should expect to be
temporarily replaced if they do not communicate with their
government for several days or longer.
6.2.
Each
player
is
expected
to
conduct
themselves
in
a
manner
which
does
not
disrupt
the
game
or
reduce
the
ability
of other players to participate in the game. Disruptive and
obnoxious behavior will not be tolerated and will result in
removal from the game. Forging emails, or altering the
content of forwarded emails without acknowledgement of the
alterations, will normally result in removal from the game.
6.3.
Each
player
is
expected
to
serve
his
home
state
loyally,
and
if
he
accepts
a
command
or
a
ministry
in
another state, is expected to serve the state giving him the
command loyally in that capacity as well. When conflicts of
interest arise (for example, a state which has offered a
player from another state command of its units or one of its
ministries declares war on his home state) the conflict
should be resolved by giving up the foreign command or
ministry. Players unwilling or unable to loyally serve their
home state should request transfer to a new state under rule
1.5. It is against the rules of AMWOL to purposefully act
against the interests of one's home state, or to accept
command of a unit or ship with the intention of acting in
the interests of any state other than the one to which the
unit or ship belongs. Violation of this rule will result in
loss of the privilege of commanding units for states other
than the state of the player's citizenship, or in the case
of disloyalty to the home state, removal from the game.
Rules for the four AMWOL modules:
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