I have had various communications on social media with Vince Cooper over the past few years as he has embarked on a design odyssey for a few different wargames. Both he and I share an affinity for the designs of David Thompson and especially for the Valiant Defense Series. Through these online communications, I became aware of Vince’s first design called Field Commander: Robert E. Lee. I have played several of the games in the series including Field Commander: Alexander and Field Commander: Rommel and enjoyed them both. So my interest was immediately sparked and I reached out to Vince ahead of the Kickstarter launch to see if he would be interested in an interview. He was and I am pleased to bring the following to our readers.

If you are interested in Field Commander: Robert E. Lee, you can check out the design on the Kickstarter campaign page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danverssengames/dvg-field-commander-lee?fbclid=IwAR1y50lB5edwwlrZzHRt6NgajuSBtR8iv7r8_D5gBGq1TstASMKfqGOamGE

Grant: First off Vince please tell us a little about yourself. What are your hobbies? What’s your day job?

Vince: I live in Fukuoka, Japan and have been here for over 25 years. Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu!! I am deeply interested in the connection between Japanese martial arts and Zen, and how a martial art can become a form of dynamic meditation. I also enjoy cycling, hiking and the onsen (hot spring) culture in Japan. I teach English a couple of evenings a week, mostly to students who are looking to study abroad. I am also a wedding conductor, keeping me busy on weekends. The rest of the time I am now moving into game design!

Grant: What motivated you to break into game design? What have you enjoyed most about the experience thus far?

Vince: The critical point for me occurred during Covid. One thing that I will say now that will make sense later is that I made a very conscious decision not to live in fear. In the early days, nobody knew how serious it would be, and there were a lot of people very afraid. I firmly decided that if this is how things end, then so be it.

Various things changed job wise because of Covid as both teaching and weddings are ‘in person’ jobs, and I ended up meeting a good friend, Jay, who reintroduced me to wargaming. I was a big miniature wargamer in the past, especially the Western Front in 1944, and had been playing Magic The Gathering a lot online. After playing a few games with Jay, I was looking to get myself a game and started searching on Amazon. Given my interest in the Normandy campaign and MTG, Undaunted: Normandy from Osprey Games immediately caught my eye. At the time it had about 5,000,000 Five Star Reviews and I had heard numerous reports that Taylor Swift was furious that her latest album was being outsold by a wargame, so it was an easy choice*. The game was amazing, especially the Initiative rules and I looked for more information on the designers. I couldn’t find much on Trevor Benjamin, but David Thompson was all over social media and it was in fact an interview you guys did with him that led to me his design Pavlov’s House. 

I asked my friends if anyone had a copy and Jay replied in the affirmative, so one evening Jay, Juan De Villanueva (designer of the COIN game A Fading Star) met up to play. Jay and Juan were coming to the end of Caesar: Rome vs Gaul and I was happy sipping whisky and chatting. Finally, we got around to Pavlov’s House and played the 3-player variant. I was in charge of the defense of Pavlov’s House. 

After about 5-10 minutes of playing, I was sitting there stunned. Absolutely stunned. I just couldn’t grasp how anybody could come up with such a superb game design. Right then Pavlov’s House became my favorite game, and it has remained there ever since. Whisky makes me enormously relaxed and with it, my creativity goes into overdrive. By the time we had finished playing (we got a draw) I had two very clear ideas that I felt could adapt the Pavlov‘s model. 

I raced home, immediately ordered my own copy and began to try to analyze why it is so good. I was also developing my own ideas. This was towards the end of 2020. 

As I mentioned, I had been very conscious about not living in fear, moreso than normal, and this attitude encouraged me to contact DVG directly to see what the situation was with regard to perhaps publishing a volume of the Valiant Defense Series. As readers will know, DVG has several brands with different designers working within the same series. I was informed that Valiant Defense was different: It was very much a David Thompson only thing. 

Again, spurred on by my ‘seize the day’ attitude I contacted David directly, not expecting a response to be honest. Why would he give me the opportunity to use – and possible ruin – his IP? 

I outlined my ideas and while there was some hesitation on his part (totally understandable), in his response – and for this I will spend my life being forever grateful – he didn’t actually say no.  

From there the idea of Guadalcanal came about, and by the summer of 2021, I knew I wanted to take game design more seriously, which in turn led to Field Commander: Robert E. Lee.

There is no aspect of the process that I have not enjoyed. Interacting with David is a blessing, and getting to do work everyday that is truly challenging and stimulating is fantastic.   

* Only parts of that story are strictly true 😉 😉 

Grant: What is your upcoming game Field Commander: Robert E. Lee?

Vince: Field Commander: Robert E. Lee takes the very popular Field Commander: Napoleon model and modifies it for the American Civil War. Everything that everyone loves about FC: Napoleon is all there, in particular the ability to shift between the Campaign map and the Battlefield sheet and fight out battles in more detail. There are some historical differences though that are reflected in the game play, the most significant of which is the greater range and accuracy of the firearms used. This development blunted the use of cavalry as ‘shock troops’ and also made the use of a column to bludgeon through a line next to impossible. These historical changes are reflected in the development of the rules for FC: Lee. 

Grant: Why was this a subject that drew your interest?

Vince: I have had a long interest in the American Civil War, stemming from my childhood and the naming of the WW2 tanks ‘Lee’, ‘Grant’, ‘Stuart’ and ‘Jackson’. I was also a fan of The Blue and the Gray and loved the contrast in the uniforms as a kid. As a subject for a game, as noted, I felt there were enough differences between warfare in the first half of the 19th century and the second half to warrant a fully-fledged game. Dan Verssen was interested in seeing the game developed, and so things got underway a couple of years ago. 

Grant: What research did you do to get the details correct? What one must read source would you recommend?

Vince: I would say the game tries to capture the key elements of each campaign and reflect those details in low-medium complexity mechanics that will be familiar to FC: Napoleon players, while making each campaign unique and challenging in its own way. The details come from reading as much as possible and coming up with creative ways to represent events in game play. The best biography on Lee in my opinion is Clouds of Glory by Michael Corda. For an overview, The American Civil War by John Keegan is a great read. And of course, anything by Stephen W. Sears. 

Grant: How does the American Civil War fit into the Field Commander Series? What in the system had to be changed?

Vince: As noted, the biggest shift had occurred curing the Crimean War when it became apparent that an infantry unit in line was now capable of destroying, or at least turning back, a cavalry charge. The rules for Cavalry (and Scout counters) therefore had to be changed, and Cavalry are now much more about harassing and scouting. Their impact on the Orders issued by the Union AI is much more powerful than in FC: Napoleon (and mastering the use of Cavalry will be critical to the success of the player, especially when you get to Gettysburg), but their combat effectiveness is blunted. This is achieved by rewriting the Shock attack rules, which also apply to Infantry. In FC: Napoleon, a Force can ‘charge’ into melee combat. Historically this is accurate as the muskets used in the Napoleonic era had a limited range and were inaccurate even at close quarters. Not so by the time of the American Civil War. In FC: Lee, a Force must make an additional Activation roll to ‘summon the courage’ and will then experience Defensive Fire. A Cavalry Force, with only 1 Hit, can therefore be potentially destroyed while making the Shock attack. 

Another difference is that artillery can be captured. This was a key aspect of the Civil War, especially for the Confederacy who were never able to match the Union in terms of numbers, caliber and quality of munitions. Nothing complicated, but if an Army Routs the artillery are ‘left behind’ and captured by the enemy. That includes the Union AI as well!  

The other major shift is towards greater use of Special Battle Plans by the Union AI, with their use being determined by Aggressive or Defensive Tactics. The Union AI will not blindly move forward and attack anymore. Plus ‘Flanking Fire’ and ‘Screened March’ ensure that no Region on the Battlefield sheet is safe, so you can no longer set up your artillery at the back protected by a screen of Infantry and blast away! 

Grant: What is the scale of the design? Force structure of the units?

Vince: The Named Force counters represent the historical divisions in each campaign. The division is identified by the commander at the commencement of the campaign (many generals were killed or wounded in battle, but I have kept things simple and consistent). There are other, Independent Forces, such as Buford’s Division at Gettysburg and Additional Forces that represent Infantry and Cavalry Brigades and Regiments, along with Batteries of Artillery of various caliber. 

The Battle Packs focus on smaller engagements within the larger campaign, and the Forces represented are Brigades, Regiment and Companies. 

Grant: What is the difference between Mobile and Static forces?

Vince: Mobile Forces can move; Static Forces cannot. Static Forces play a big part in FC: Napoleon given the much larger geographical scale of each campaign, but do not play such a significant part in FC: Lee. The campaigns lasted only a few weeks at the most and were fairly mobile, so the idea of capturing a town and occupying it is not really relevant to the campaigns covered in FC: Lee. 

Grant: What is the anatomy of the counters? 

Vince: Counters are first identified by their loyalty to the Confederacy or the Union. Each Force has a Skill Level (Conscript, Poor Line, Line, Veteran and Elite) and two numbers: The Activation number (used when giving orders) and the Combat Value (used to resolve various types of Combat). The player uses a d10 in all cases and compares the result to the Activation number or Combat Value to determine the success or otherwise. 

Grant: For those unfamiliar with the Field Commander Series, what is its focus and structure?

Vince: The Field Commander Series focuses on the campaigns of one of the great military commanders in history. Thus far DVG has covered Alexander, Rommel, Nimitz and, of course, Napoleon. Field Commander: Robert E. Lee is the latest addition and signals the start of a new emphasis on the series. There are already several future titles decided upon, with all kinds of expansions planned for each. 

The system used is a fairly simple system that has the player making choices about troop movements, the purchasing of Battle Plans to use in battles to improve dice rolling through DRM’s and the purchase of new troops to fill the ranks when troops are lost. Areas are contested and objectives taken and then when complete, the performance of the player is ranked against a scale to determine victory and its level.

Grant: What campaigns are included in the game?

Vince: Seven Days Battles, Second Manassas, Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. Future expansions are already planned to cover Lee and other commanders (in particular, Jackson’s Wilderness campaign) and the FC: Lee core rules will be used to cover other conflicts, such as the Crimean War and the Franco-Prussian War. Basically, any conflict where the main antagonist is using a single shot firearm, whether muzzle or breech loaded, of increased range and accuracy compared to the Napoleonic era. 

Grant: What is the layout of a campaign map? Where are objectives located?

Vince: Objectives are detailed in each Campaign Information Sheet and are identified with Objective markers. Not every Objective is of military significance however. For example, in the Chancellorsville Campaign an Objective marker is placed in the Orange Plank – Furnace Road Crossroads Area and must be reached by Lee and at least one of Jackson’s Forces by the end of Turn 2 to replicate the fateful meeting between the two men in deciding to split the Confederate Forces and have Jackson march around the Union flank. 

Grant: Why is area movement the best fit for the game?

Vince: Given the larger geographical area covered and the emphasis on historical events, Area Movement gives me the opportunity to identify (and name) the features most apt to the campaign. This in turn allows various mechanics and design elements to be created that further simulate historical events. There is the further consideration that most of the tactical choices take place on the Battlefield sheet. Unless the player is using the optional Quick and Very Quick Combat Resolutions rules, the Campaign map is literally only used for Area Movement. In turn, not having to confine everything to individual hexes allows us to focus on the gorgeous artwork created for the game. 

Grant: Can you show us images of a few Campaign maps? What strategic choices are required by the commander with respect to terrain?

Significant Terrain features are dealt with by using Special Rules detailed on each Campaign Information Sheet. An easy example would be the Antietam campaign, which has the following Special Rule: 

South Mountain and Antietam Creek

These Areas are impassable and cannot be occupied by any Forces, Confederate or Union. Any Union Order that requires a Force to move into a South Mountains or Antietam Creek Area should be ignored and replaced with an Advance to Sharpsburg Order. These Area names are identified in red on the Campaign map.

Dealing with River Fords in the Second Manassas campaign, we find the following Special Rule: 

River Fords

At the beginning of the game, randomly place a downturned Ford counter in Brandy Station, Freeman’s Ford, Rappahannock Station and Sulphur Springs. There are two Guarded and two Unguarded Ford counters. To flip one of these counters and claim the Objective marker, the player can either expend a Scout counter (in which case, you can flip the Ford counter immediately) or place Stuart’s Force in an adjacent Area on the campaign map as the Ford counter. Stuart must remain in that adjacent Area for the duration of the following turn. If he does so, flip the Ford counter to reveal if the ford is guarded or unguarded. Remove the Objective marker.

There are then follow up Special Rules to deal with resolving Guarded River Ford battles.

Grant: How is victory and defeat determined by the system for each campaign?

Vince: Each Campaign Information Sheet stipulates the Victory conditions the player will need to meet to win. As noted with the Objective markers, these may not always represent significant military targets.

A couple of examples from the Seven Days Battles would be: 

– The Beaver Dam Creek Area of the Campaign Map must be clear of Union Forces by the end of the Confederate Phase of Turn2. Failure is a Confederate Defeat. The Confederacy does not need to Hold Beaver Dam Creek.

– At least 1 Confederate Force must have entered Malvern Hill by the end of Turn 9. You do not need to Hold Malvern Hill.

Grant: How does combat work in the design?

Vince: There are different ways to resolve combat depending on how much time and detail you want. The default method shifts opposing Forces occupying the same Area on the Campaign map to a Battlefield sheet that is divided into 6 regions. On the Battlefield sheet the player selects and assigns various Battle Plans (more effective) and Default Battle Plans (less effective) to each Force, which then try to execute the orders given, and which will often result in a Force moving forward into the next Region and/or resolving combat. The Union AI is making use of Special Battle Plans (more effective) and the same Default Battle Plans (less effective). The Confederate Battle Plans tend to be more powerful than the Union Special Battle Plans, but the Confederate Battle Plans take more thought to use properly and there is a risk/reward factor to consider. 

The Advanced Combat Rules replace the basic Battlefield sheet divided into 6 Regions with a map divided into squares. For the most part everything works the same, with the key differences being instructions like ‘Advance 1 Region’ being replaced with ‘Advance 1 Square’. Where the Advanced rules come alive is that they allow the player to be more tactical and move his Forces into more advantageous positions. There is more opportunity to exploit weaknesses in the Union line. The optional Battle Packs – which highlight key moments in each Campaign, such as the Union defense of Little Round Top or the Cornfield in Antietam – make use of the Advanced Rules. 

There are also two options to resolve combat on the Campaign map without using the Battlefield sheet. 

Quick Combat Resolution allows the player to resolve a battle on a turn by turn basis using a Combat Resolution Table unique to each campaign. In this instance, if things are going badly, the option to retreat exists. Very Quick Combat Resolution resolves the whole battle with a single roll. This does not allow the player to retreat if things are going badly. The purpose of the Quick and Very Quick systems is to allow the player to get through a game at a faster pace without losing focus on the grander strategy of each campaign. 

Grant: How does the Skill a level and Loyalty of units affect battles?

Vince: The Loyalty is not so much of a factor. The Skill Level is important because lower Skill Level Forces will be affected first when decisions such as determining the target of Artillery are made, or when resolving a Shock attack. Without giving too much away (preferring to leave it to the player to discover the nuances of the design) protecting high value Forces with lower Skill Level Forces, as well as Additional Forces like Brigades and Regiments, is something the player will need to master. There are no easy battles in FC: Lee.

Grant: What are Command Points? How does a player have to plan these out?

Vince: Command Points replace Supply Points found in FC: Napoleon. Command Points are used to purchase reinforcements and additional Forces, along with Scout counters. The Union AI also gains Command Points to spend. Command Points put the player in the position of having to make critical decisions as to whether to use the Command Points in the current turn or wait until ‘they are really needed’. Command Points are also accrued by being aggressive on the Battlefield sheet and represent greater morale. 

Grant: What different options are there for the use of these Command Points?

Vince: Command Points can be used to Refit Forces on the Campaign map. Most Forces can absorb 2 Hits, so the player can expend Command Points to restore a flipped counter from 1 Hit to 2 Hits. CP’s can also be used to purchase Reinforcements (previously Destroyed Forces), Additional Forces (such as Brigades, Regiments and Batteries) and the all-important Scout counters. CP’s can also be used to make a Forced March, and Jackson’s Forces have Special Rules in this regard. Campaign specific Special Rules may also require the expenditure of CP’s. For example, the Gettysburg Campaign starts with Lee and Stuart out of contact (historically accurate) but with a chance every turn of Stuart returning to Lee. A single CP can be used to reroll a result. This can be potentially very valuable as the movement of the Confederate Forces is hindered until Lee and Stuart are reunited. 

Grant: What is the structure of a Campaign Turn?

Vince: Each Campaign uses a modified Campaign Turn sequence to allow for the nuances and special conditions of that specific campaign to be detailed. 

For example, let’s take a look at the Chancellorsville Sequence of Play.

Sequence of Play (8.0) / Special Rules (7.1)
Confederate (9.0)
Advance Turn Counter (9.1)
** Hooker Concussed (Special Rule #4)
Moves (9.2)
Resolve Battles (9.3)
Force March (1 CP to Move 1 Force to an adjacent Area) (15.1)
Resolve Battles (9.3)
Confederate Resupply (15.3)
Union (16.0)
** Check if Hunt Restored to Command from Turn 3 to 6 (#3)
** Check if Stoneman arrives from Turn 4 on (#6)
Union Orders (16.1) ** Assign Battle of Salem Church Orders to
Brooks, Howe, Newton and Pratt starting in Turn 3 (#7)
Resolve Battles (17.0)
Union Resupply (18.0)

The standard Sequence of Play is detailed in black.

As you can see, there are references to various Special Rules that are based on historical events (in red) that modify the standard Sequence of Play. The ‘Hooker Concussed’ step covers the chance that Hooker may become concussed under certain conditions (which appears to have been what happened historically) which will in turn affect the performance of the Union army. 

Another issue facing the Union was that Hunt, the expert artilleryman in the Army of the Potomac, had been removed from direct command of the cannons prior to the battle. His return to full command and on which turn is randomized in the game (historically he did return to command, but by then the battle was effectively lost). He may be restored earlier, or perhaps later than in history.

Stoneman commanded the cavalry and set off on an ambitious raid prior to the start of the battle properly, resulting in him and his command failing to return to the battlefield. His return – or not – is randomized.

Finally, the Chancellorsville Campaign offers an expansion beyond the normal Campaign Map orders and Battle Area orders, as reflected in the modified Union Orders step, which introduces a third orders table to be used by Union Forces marching from Fredericksburg to battle at Salem Church. 

Grant: What are Battle Plans? What different type are there?

Vince: Both the Confederates and Union have access to Default Battle Plans. The player is free to select which Default Battle Plans they wish to assign to a Force while the Union AI will choose from different pools depending on whether the AI is using Aggressive or Defensive tactics. The Confederate player can also use Battle Plan Counters. These grant a Force a greater capability but are harder to use as they require certain conditions to be met or a series of rolls to affect, introducing a risk/reward consideration. For example, let’s take a look at Flank: 

Flank – This Battle Plan Counter can only be Activated if the Confederate Force is exactly 2 Regions away from the nearest Union Force at the time of Activation (not at the time the Battle Plan Counter is placed). If the Force is in Column Formation, do not roll for Activation, this Battle Plan automatically Activates. (i) Advance the Force. (ii) Advance the Force again. (iii) When the Force enters the Region containing a Union Force, the Union Force must make a Shock check. In this case, you do not need to roll against the Force’s Activation number to initiate the Shock attack. Resolve Defensive Fire as normal, then the Union Force suffers a -3 penalty to its Combat Value when making the Shock check. Apply other modifiers for Column or Line Formation (11.4.3). If the Union Force passes its Shock check the two Forces are in Melee combat so discard the Battle Plan. If the Union Force fails the Shock check and is driven back, but other Union Forces are in the same Region, they are in Melee combat so discard the Battle Plan. (iv) Otherwise, perform an Attack if there is a Union Forces counter at range 1. If in Column, suffer a -2/-2 penalty to the Combat Value of the Force when you make this Attack.

Example: There is a Confederate Infantry Force in the Confederate Approach Region in Column Formation, and two Union Infantry Forces, both in Line Formation, in the Union Front Region, both with a Conscript Skill Level. Those Union Forces are exactly two Regions away at the time the Flank Battle Plan Counter is Activated. As the Confederate Force is in Column, it does not roll to Activate the Flank Battle Plan. The Force Advances into the Confederate Front Region, and Advances again into the Union Front Region. The player selects one of the Union Forces (as they both have the same Skill Level). After resolving Defensive Fire, the chosen Union Infantry Force suffers a cumulative Shock check at -3 (because of the Flank Battle Plan) and a further -2 (because the attacking Confederate Force is in Column against the defending Union Force in Line. See 11.4.3). The Union Force fails the Shock check, suffers a Hit, and is driven back into the Union Approach Region. The Confederate Force and the remaining Union Force are now in the same Union Front Region and are in Melee. Discard the Battle Plan and take no further action.  

The Union AI on the other hand makes use of Special Battle Plans, the pool again determined by Aggressive or Defensive Tactics. This was a very conscious decision as the AI in FC: Napoleon cannot ‘see’ the board and in trying to use Battle Plans Counters similar to the Confederates, can lead to unlikely and even catastrophic ‘decisions’ by the Union AI. The best example I can give is Charge! 

In FC Napoleon it was feasible for, say, 3 enemy Infantry Forces to roll to activate to advance into an adjacent Region. Perhaps the first, and then the second, Force failed to Activate. At this point it would be clear to a player that advancing his third Force alone would be a mistake, but the AI is not able to understand this (unless you get into some VERY complex flow charts…), and so Activates the third Force, moving it forward, isolated, and an easy target. 

Now, with Charge! (as an example) once Union Forces occupy an adjacent Region to Confederate Forces, if the Special Battle Plan Charge! is drawn, ALL the Union Forces will try to move forward together, in one massive attack. Those that don’t will instead attack using Ranged Combat. This turns each Battle into a very dangerous gamble for the Confederate player and ensures he needs to be careful in planning. It is no longer possible for the Confederate player to set up at the back of the Battlefield sheet and blast away at the mindless enemy Forces marching forward suicidaly.  

Two of the Special Battle Plans I mentioned earlier are Flanking Fire and Screened March. Here are the rules:

Flanking Fire – This Special Battle Plan resolves immediately. Total the number of Union Forces on the Battlefield sheet. Roll that number or less to Activate this Special Battle Plan. If successful, select one Confederate Force at random (not based on Skill Level) that is not in Melee combat. That Force suffers one Hit. If all Confederate Forces are in Melee combat, then draw another Special Battle Plan. In this case, this Special Battle Plan does not count against the total number of Special Battle Plans available to the Union this turn even if it is not used. The effect is resolved immediately when this Special Battle Plan is drawn. It is not attached to any Union Force. Its effect is from an ‘off-board’ Force. All Union Forces on the Battlefield sheet are free to act in this turn. Return this counter to the cup at the end of the Turn.

Screened March – This Special Battle Plan resolves immediately. Total the number of Union Forces on the Battlefield sheet. Roll that number or less to Activate this Special Battle Plan. If successful, select one Confederate Force with the lowest Skill Level in the rearmost Region of the Battlefield sheet. That Force suffers one Hit. If there are multiple Forces with the same Skill Level, choose which Force suffers the Hit randomly. The effect is resolved immediately when this Special Battle Plan is drawn. It is not attached to any Union Force. Its effect is from an ‘off-board’ Force. All Union Forces on the Battlefield sheet are free to act in this turn. Return this counter to the cup at the end of the Turn.

Example: The Battle Plan Quantity for the Union AI is 3. You draw Flanking Fire and resolve it immediately. There are 5 Union Forces present on the Battlefield Sheet. You roll a ‘4’ and the Special Battle Plan is activated. You have 5 Confederate Forces in play: 3 Infantry Forces in the Confederate Approach and 2 Regiments in the Confederate Reserve. Flanking Fire can target any of these Forces and so you select one at random. The target is one of the Confederate Regiments in the Confederate Reserve. That Force suffers 1 Hit, which is enough to Destroy it. Next you draw Well-Struck. For the remainder of this turn all Union Forces will gain a +2/+0 bonus when attacking. You draw the third counter and get Screened March. This is resolved immediately. Again, you need to roll a 5 or less. This time you get a ‘5’. Just enough! The Special Battle Plan is Activated. The Union inflicts an additional Hit on the rearmost Force with the lowest Skill Level (in this case the remaining Regiment Force in the Confederate Reserve). The bonus of +2/+0 for Well-Struck does not apply as the Force making the attack is ‘off board’. You go on to resolve Default Battle Plans for the Union Forces, which now accrue the +2/+0 bonus for attacks from the Well-Struck Special Battle Plan.  

Grant: What is an Insight? Why are they important?

Vince: Insights have become less powerful in FC: Lee as compared to FC: Napoleon. Again, the scale of the campaigns is radically different and the ‘grand movements’ that Insights in FC: Napoleon replicate are not feasible given the time and space constraints in FC: Lee. For example, the Engineers Insight in FC: Napoleon becomes Demolitions in FC: Lee, but it requires a Force to occupy an adjacent Region on the Battlefield sheet, simulating an assault rather than a more elaborate (and time consuming) siege. 

Grant: How are the enemy forces controlled?

Vince: The enemy Union AI is controlled first of all by Campaign Map and Battle Area orders that replicate the historical actions taken by the Union. Allowing for some randomness, the Union Forces will march to the Battle Area and thereafter switch to different orders that will keep them – for the most part – active in and around the key objectives. 

On the Battlefield sheet the Union AI distinguishes between Aggressive and Defensive Tactics, depending on whether the AI is facing a superior force or not. If outgunned the AI will fight defensively, otherwise it will take the initiative. 

Grant: What challenge does the AI present?

Vince: The AI is based on the FC: Napoleon model, but as noted previously, there are no easy battles in FC: Lee. The AI will not suicide its own Forces. it is programmed to amass overwhelming Forces in the Battle Area in key objective Areas. 

Grant: What type of experience does the game create?

Vince: I have worked hard to try and at least give a nod to both the macro and micro problems Lee faced in leading the Army of Northern Virginia. He was often outnumbered and outgunned and had to fight an aggressive war to have any chance of winning. I would consider it difficult for the player to beat each campaign by fighting defensively. Certain historical events have been randomized to help give a feel of the uncertainty in command that Lee faced. For example, in the Seven Days Battles Campaign Jackson does not automatically turn up at a certain place on a certain turn; the player is rolling to randomize his arrival. Jackson’s performance in the Seven Days Battles Campaign is considered erratic, no doubt owing to his exhaustion after fighting in the Wilderness and marching to a new engagement. Another example would be the Weather rules in the Second Manassas Campaign that allow for the possibility of Lee crossing the Rappahannock River. 

There are many other examples, but what I have tried to do is explore, essentially, ‘What if…?’ moments in the campaign that can be used to make the game more decision-heavy. Second Manassas, for example, is definitely not as simple as ‘March north, cut through Thoroughfare Gap, defeat the Union’. The campaign explores the possibility of Lee crossing the Rappahannock and Union reinforcements arriving late in the battle.

Grant: What are you most pleased about with the design?

Vince: From beginning to end I am VERY happy with all that I have accomplished. After Guadalcanal – The Battle for Henderson Field, this is only the second game that I have designed, and it is a monster!! Each turn is VERY decision heavy – exactly the kind of game I like to play – and the Union AI provides a very tough opponent. 

Grant: What other designs are you working on?

Vince: Well, the game that started this remarkable career shift is Valiant Defense Guadalcanal – The Battle for Henderson Field. David Thompson and Nils Johansson are expertly guiding me through this one, and at the time of writing, we are hopefully looking at a KS in the next few months. I will follow that with Valiant Defense #6 which will NOT feature a 20th century battle. FC: Caesar will start as soon as FC: Lee is completed, along with the first expansion campaigns for FC: Lee. (Secret Title) Assault – Merville Battery, (Same Series Title, But Still A Secret, Title) Battle – Midway and PT Boat Leader are also well under development. All of these games will come from DVG. 

Thank you so much for your time in answering our questions Vince. We look forward to this game as well as your other designs in the near future.

If you are interested in Field Commander: Robert E. Lee, you can check out the design on the Kickstarter campaign page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danverssengames/dvg-field-commander-lee?fbclid=IwAR1y50lB5edwwlrZzHRt6NgajuSBtR8iv7r8_D5gBGq1TstASMKfqGOamGE

-Grant