Drums of War: An All-CPU Playtest of the Civil War

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 Whig Convention Aftermath

• For coming second, John McLean gains -1 in primaries and no convention speech boost in the next convention.
• For coming third, Samuel C Pomeroy gains uncharismatic.

[vcczar]

Francis Granger just oozes of charisma:

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

4 minutes ago, vcczar said:

Francis Granger just oozes of charisma:

Shockingly in this playtest, he gained charisma. Also he could be the first Postmaster General to be elected President. He served in that role in Harrison's cabinet from 1840-42 and Jacob Broom's cabinet in 1852 in the playtest.

[matthewyoung123]

34 minutes ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

1860 Whig Convention

Whig Platform

• Domestic: Establish Congressional Gag Rule Against Slave Power Bills and Debate
• Economic: Federal excise tax on alcohol
• Judicial: Abolish Slavery by Compensating Owners Act
• Military/Foreign: Increase the size of the navy
• Executive: Reform Executive Appointments (Party Cabinet balance)

Keynote Speaker

• Fmr Sen Nathaniel Tallmadge of NY (Trad Whigs). Rolls a 4, so nothing happens.

 

1860 Democratic Convention

Meanwhile in St. Louis, MO, Pres James Polk needs to select his VP, platform, and keynote speaker. @matthewyoung123

Polk will retain his current VP.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

VP Assessment

Whig (Francis Granger-James Speed)

• VP comes from another faction +1
• Ticket had a moderate, conservative, or liberal (Mod/Mod) +0
• Ticket is at least 20 years of age apart (66/46) +1
• One person on the ticket is older than 50 +1
• One person on the ticket is younger than 60 +1
• One member (but not both) on the ticket is marked “independent” or is currently not holding office +1
• One member on the ticket is from a Big State and one from a Small State (NY/KY- Big/Medium) +0
• Members on the tickets come from different regions (Mid-Atlantic/Upper South) +1
• James Speed is Obscure. Rolled 3, VP keeps obscure, gains lackey, gains pliable. +0
• Total Points= 6

Democratic (James Polk- Silas Wright)

• VP comes from another faction +1
• Ticket had a moderate, conservative, or liberal (Cons/Mod) +1
• Ticket is at least 20 years of age apart (63/63) +0
• One person on the ticket is older than 50 +1
• One person on the ticket is younger than 60 +0
• Incumbent ticket, with the same Pres and VP +1
• One member (but not both) on the ticket is marked “independent” or is currently not holding office +0
• One member on the ticket is from a Big State and one from a Small State (TN/NY- Medium/Big) +0
• Members on the tickets come from different regions (Upper South/Mid-Atlantic) +1.
• Silas Wright is not Obscure. Rolled 16/50, so +1.
• Total Points= 6

Assessment is tied on the VP selections and results in no Party Pref change.

[matthewyoung123]

3 hours ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

1860 Democratic Convention

Meanwhile in St. Louis, MO, Pres James Polk needs to select his VP, platform, and keynote speaker. @matthewyoung123

Polk will retain his current Vice-President.

Keynote speaker is Orator William Lowndes Yancey of Alabama.

1860 Democratic National Platform-

Domestic- Establish National Newspaper

Foreign/Military- Increase the size of the Navy

Economic- Create a non-partisan, independent treasury to handle the banking and financial wellbeing of the country

Judicial- Make US Flag Desecration Illegal

Executive Action- Purchase Canada

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

5 minutes ago, matthewyoung123 said:

Polk will retain his current Vice-President.

Keynote speaker is Orator William Lowndes Yancey of Alabama.

1860 Democratic National Platform-

Domestic- Establish National Newspaper

Foreign/Military- Increase the size of the Navy

Economic- Create a non-partisan, independent treasury to handle the banking and financial wellbeing of the country

Judicial- Make US Flag Desecration Illegal

Executive Action- Purchase Canada

William Lowndes Yancey rolls 37/50 to gain +2 to roll. Rolls 3+2=5, so Yancey gains +1 in the next primary election for president, if they choose to run, and loses “obscure” trait.

Will process platforms and then move to election.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

13 minutes ago, matthewyoung123 said:

Polk will retain his current Vice-President.

Keynote speaker is Orator William Lowndes Yancey of Alabama.

1860 Democratic National Platform-

Domestic- Establish National Newspaper

Foreign/Military- Increase the size of the Navy

Economic- Create a non-partisan, independent treasury to handle the banking and financial wellbeing of the country

Judicial- Make US Flag Desecration Illegal

Executive Action- Purchase Canada

You cannot purchase Canada since Alaska has not been purchased first. Please select another executive action.

[matthewyoung123]

36 minutes ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

You cannot purchase Canada since Alaska has not been purchased first. Please select another executive action.

Call for Special Session of Congress

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Platforms Assessment

Whigs

• Do the points that the party would gain by fulfilling the platform goals exceed those that the other party would gain?
  • Whigs +1000, Dems -850 ✔️ 
• Does the score of the lowest scoring faction with the platform exceed the lowest scoring faction of the other party?
  • Whigs -900, Dems -750 ❌
• Does the president’s personal ideology score the most points (or tied)? 
  • Mods +200, Highest: Libs +400 ❌
• In addition, Whigs would score Trads, Cons, and LW Pops in their party negative points and these factions move -1 Red. All three are maxed Blue +3.

Democrats

•  Do the points that the party would gain by fulfilling the platform goals exceed those that the other party would gain?
  • Whigs -800, Dems +1300 ✔️ 
• Does the score of the lowest scoring faction with the platform exceed the lowest scoring faction of the other party?
  • Whigs -500, Dems -250 ✔️
• Does the president’s personal ideology score the most points (or tied)? 
  • Cons +350, Highest: Cons+350 ✔️
• In addition, Dems would score Mods in their party negative points and this moves -1 Blue (now Red +1)

For having the best platform, Dems gain +1 Party Pref (now Neutral).

Libs would score the highest between the platforms through the Whigs, so Libs +1 Red (now Red +2).

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 Third Party

While Party Pref would allow for a third party, none of the enthusiasm meters are neutral (two are close though). For the first time since 1852, there will be no major third party.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 Presidential Election

Action Phase 1

• Polk will attempt Using the Power of Their Office: Rolled 6, Party Pref +1 Blue (now perfectly Neutral).
• Polk will attempt to get Help from the Media: Rolled 3, nothing happens.
• Polk will attempt to Send the VP to Shore Up Support in Mid-Atlantic. Rolled 2, nothing happens.
• Granger will attempt to Send the VP to Shore Up Support in Upper South. Rolled 4, nothing happens.
  • Rolled 88/25 for Cosmopolitan, nothing happens.
• Scandal rolls
  • Polk: Rolled 3, no scandal.
  • Granger: Rolled 1, no scandal.

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 Presidential Election

Action Phase 2

• Polk will attempt Using the Power of Their Office: Rolled 4, nothing happens.
• Polk will attempt to Send the VP to Shore Up Support in Mid-Atlantic. Rolled 4, nothing happens.
• Granger will attempt to Send the VP to Shore Up Support in Upper South. Rolled 6, so +1 in VA.
  • Rolled 62/25 for Cosmopolitan, nothing happens.
• Scandal rolls
  • Polk: Rolled 5, so scandal.
    • Rolled 6, Major scandal (-2)
  • Granger: Rolled 3, no scandal.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 Presidential Election

Action Phase 3

• Polk will attempt Using the Power of Their Office: Rolled 4, nothing happens.
• Polk will attempt to Send the VP to Shore Up Support in Mid-Atlantic. Rolled 5, so +1 in NJ.
• Granger will attempt to Send the VP to Shore Up Support in Upper South. Rolled 1, nothing happens.
  • Rolled 98/25 for Cosmopolitan, nothing happens.
• Scandal rolls
  • Polk: Rolled 3, no scandal.
  • Granger: Rolled 4, scandal bc Granger is Controversial.
    • Rolled 5, Minor scandal (-1) and any attempts to to stop the damage fail.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 Presidential Election Result

After a hard fought election, Pres Polk is defeated for a third term by Sen Francis Granger. Granger won 183 EVs (47.4% Pop Vote) to Polk's 132 (48.1% Pop Vote). After the initial votes were counted, five states were tied: CT, IN, OH, OR, and UC. Granger won all but one of those. 

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Presidential Aftermath

• For losing, James K Polk gains a -1 for all future bids for President and loses Leadership. @matthewyoung123
• For losing, Silas Wright gains a temporary -1 in the next presidential election if running for president. @OrangeP47
• For winning, Francis Granger gains Command +1.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 Gubernatorial Election

Overall, the election was a status quo election. Democrats did flip 3 states (DE, TN, UC). Whigs maintain their control over the states 24 to 12.

Lighter colors are states without elections. Darker colors are flips.

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

1860 House Elections

Whigs maintain their large majority in the House, but Democrats did flip several seats. Whigs maintain a 165-73 majority.

Lighter shades indicate the majority of the House delegation for that state.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Supreme Court Appointments

And in a major mistake on my end and forgetfulness, Pres Polk gets to appoint two Supreme Court Justices. 

@matthewyoung123 you get to appoint the replacements, so let's pretend you did this before the election. haha

[matthewyoung123]

6 hours ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

Supreme Court Appointments

And in a major mistake on my end and forgetfulness, Pres Polk gets to appoint two Supreme Court Justices. 

@matthewyoung123 you get to appoint the replacements, so let's pretend you did this before the election. haha

Herschel V. Johnson of GA (3 Judicial), Matt's faction & Judah P. Benjamin of LA (4 Judicial), ShortKing faction.

[matthewyoung123]

Senate appointments for 1860 from Pop Sov Dems-

AR- Reappoint Ambrose Sevier

DE- No Class III

KS- Reappoint Marcus Junius Parrott

LC- No Class III

NC- Reappoint Thomas H Ruffin

SC- Thomas De Lage Sumter

[OrangeP47]

Don't do senate yet though because we need the old senate for the confirmations.

[matthewyoung123]

2 hours ago, OrangeP47 said:

Don't do senate yet though because we need the old senate for the confirmations.

All my guys are the same anyway...no new appointments. ;-)

[OrangeP47]

Also speaking of the supreme court... since we had tied states can't we have some lawsuits now 😉 *hint hint*

[matthewyoung123]

12 minutes ago, OrangeP47 said:

Also speaking of the supreme court... since we had tied states can't we have some lawsuits now 😉 *hint hint*

The only thing I think that needs to be adjusted is how tied states are solved.  In OH for example, Granger had a +3.  Granger rolled a 2 and Polk rolled a 5 so they were tied.  Then, when the tie breaker roll happened, Granger got another +3 bonus.  The rolls were tied at 1 to 1, but Granger won with his second bonus 4-1.

I don't think that there should be a 2nd bonus to a tie roll.  The underdog has already overcome that bonus.  It shouldn't apply twice.  It should simply be a roll off until one candidate wins a die roll.