Module:Death Valley: Battles for the Shenandoah

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Winner of the 2019 Charles S. Roberts (Charlie) Award for Best Game in the Post-Napoleonic to Pre-World War II Era

Volume VII in the Great Battles of the American Civil War series, DVBS contains TEN battles fought in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley in 1862 and 1864. (Although Cross Keys/Port Republic are listed as one battle, they are actually THREE: each battle can be played separately on its own map and they can be played together in a 2-day, mini-campaign battle; the fields were separated by some six miles, which can be simulated by off map movement between the two).

There is a great variety of battles in the box, from smaller, half-map games involving just over one division per side (New Market, First Winchester) to three 2-map mini monsters (Cedar Creek, 3rd Winchester ). The famed Valley Campaign masterminded by Thomas "Stonewall Jackson" in 1862 is fully explored, as is the 1864 Union offensive conducted by Phil Sheridan against Jubal Early.

Another notable addition to this, the hobby's first "decigame", is the debut of the v5.0 series rulebook for GBACW. There are many clarifications and minor tweaks to long-established rules, while the artillery rules get a thorough redressing, and new concepts such as Open Order and Sharpshooters are added to the arsenal.

Update log:
 * 10/10/2023: Cedar Creek updated to v1.60; Corrected an improperly assigned graphic to the Confederate 2/Cav AM chit.
 * 05/16/23: 3rd Winchester updates to v1.15; 15WV missing from 3/1/AWV brigade on the Turn Record (reinforcement) chart
 * 02/12/23: Cedar Creek updated to v1.57; Added a toggleable, Fatigue Marker for use as an alternative to the Brigadier overlays.
 * 02/05/23: Cedar Creek updated to v1.55; somehow the Out of Command (OoC) banner went missing on Union brigadiers, and threw Bad Data in Module errors, despite the fact that that same banner is used (and works) for all the other brigs and Division Commanders. Go figure; anyway, it's been re-added. Be sure to Refresh Counters after opening the preset scenarios to be sure everything is updated and current. Also, added an Out of Command, -1 Activation side to the Command Finished marker.
 * 11/20/22: An interim Cross Keys/Port Republic version 1.53b has been uploaded. Feedback has been received that there are issues with Masking, Unmasking and Peeking at the Efficiency Markers. Although the Observer and "sides" have been given these privileges, for some reason they're not working right now. EM Markers are only able to be manipulated by the OWNING SIDE (meaning solo players will have to laboriously use the Retire button to switch sides in order to see one side or the other's EMs). I plan to upload another version when I get this problem resolved.


 * 10/24/22: Cross Keys/Port Republic updated to 1.53. In PR Historical scenario, 1 WV (infantry) was incorrectly placed as 1 WV cavalry. This was corrected.
 * 03/24/22: 1st Kernstown updated to 1.55. Corrected misaligned "spaces" on the OoB charts so that pieces moved to/from the charts throw their proper reports to the chat log. Verified that EMs dragged from the Draw Pool kepi do not disclose the VALUE of the chit if masked upon depositing them in the kepi.


 * 03/06/22: 1st Kernstown updated to 1.51. Adjusted Jackson's forces on the OoB chart to enter at 1200 (they were positioned erroneously at 1100. As always, the printed Battle Books take precedence over any placement on the maps or charts of the modules. Updated for Vassal 3.6.5.


 * 11/17/21: 2nd Kernstown updated to v1.25: SP markers now increase and decrease; added missing "Skipped Activation Marker", added an all-in-one Orders marker, and changed OoB overlay to a more noticeable yellow.


 * 07/13/2021: Cedar Creek v1.52 uploaded, to correct some missing or misassigned units and AM markers.


 * 07/08/2021: Cedar Creek v1.51 uploaded, to correct strength of 3 GA SS Bn.


 * 07/08/2021: Cedar Creek v1.50 uploaded, to correct errors with Valley Pike scenario and other issues.


 * 05/06/2021: 2nd Kernstown upgraded to include separate fatigue markers. Fatigue is still tracked at the brigade level (right-clickable feature on the Brigadier counters), but if players wish, markers can be placed on the map, or in proximity to individual units.


 * 02/23/2021: Upgraded 1st Kernstown to Version 3.5.1. Also fixed a troublesome Extended Line marker that would not rotate to vertex junctures.


 * 02/23/2021: Uploaded 3rd Winchester. Fixed incorrect setup files for the Main Battle (along with the Rebecca Wright or Wrong variant). Added LoS string button. Fixed one misbehaving line extension marker.


 * 11/27/20: Upgraded 3rd Winchester v1.01 to Version 3.5.1. Fixed mis-assignment of cavalry AMs for Wickham and Lomax.


 * 9/12/20: Uploaded Cedar Creek v1.01. Fixed issue of Union brigaider Davis 1/1/XIX using a Confederate brigadier's counter bearing the same name.


 * 6/11/2020: 1st Winchester v1.6 updated to correct reverse side of 9SP 29thPA infantry: cohesion should now read "5" (was 6 earlier)


 * 3/25/20 1.51 version of Cross Keys/Port Republic corrects some missing and misplaced Union units and one CSA battery in the Historical Cross Keys battle.


 * 1/1/2020 1.6 version of 1st Winchester. Changes and errata:
 * 1) Reverse side of 2VA regiment was missing; it now appears normally
 * 2) Weaponry changes to 3 or 4 CSA regiments; now more are armed with smoothbore muskets, instead of rifle(d) ones.


 * 12/10/19: 1.55 version of 1st Winchester. Changes and errata:
 * 1) Jackson's Divisional counter was misidentified.
 * 2) Union Brigadiers were missing their Out of Command banner overlay graphic
 * 3) Orders marker added, with all three orders toggleable
 * 4) SP marker added as an option to loss overlays (these can be hard to see for aging eyes :) !)
 * 5) Random Event AM chit added
 * 6) Toggleable fatigue chit (for Union Cavalry, and unbrigaded units)


 * 10/19/19: v1.5 versions for 1st Winchester, 1st Kernstown and Cross Keys/Port Republic: Changed CSA 23 VA, 27 VA and 37 VA to be musket equipped

"Cross Keys/Port Republic 1.05": Minor fixes - added correct color coding for Union AMs, added Out of Command counters; added Command Finished Counters; in the "Fremont Gets Aggressive scenario", removed a wayward 1 WV Union Cavalry unit from under the properly placed Confederate 15 AL at the church; Fixed a strange anamoly whereby units placed in hex CK0410 did not conform to the map grid. Repaired the OoC label not appearing on Division and Brigade Counters when selected via right-click. Corps Commander Overmove overlays now appear when invoked by right-click. Command marker "counters" now rotate properly. Removed redundant Blenker Division cavalry.

Players

 * allendkrsn@yahoo.com@Stiglr
 * chrisdavis103@gmail.com@chrisdavis103