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

[matthewyoung123]

1 hour ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

@matthewyoung123 @OrangeP47 gains are posted for Congressional committees. Please update both gains and committees.

Updated on my sheets.  Thanks.

[OrangeP47]

No faction leader changes.  Name change:  Populist Democrats (RW) become Farmer Democrats.

[matthewyoung123]

As previously noted, new faction leader for Pop Sov Dems is NC Gov Henry Toole Clark.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Faction Leader Gains

Farmer Democrats: Former Vice President John Tyler

• Gains Kingmaker

Conservative Democrats: Gov Howell Cobb

• Nothing

Popular Sovereignty Democrats: Gov Henry Toole Clark

• Gains Kingmaker, Likable

Imperialists: Rep Sam Houston

• Gains Command +1, Lowbrow/Everyman

Semple Democrats: AG James Semple

• Gains Command +1, Legis +1, Kingmaker

Traditionalist Whigs: Gov Robert E Lee

• Gains Command +1, Admin +1, Orator

Wall Street Whigs: Sec of Treasury James Pollock

• Gains Command +1, Uncharismatic

Moderate Whigs: Pres Francis Granger

• Gains Command +1, Gov +1, Harmonious, 

Liberal Whigs: Associate Justice John McLean

• Gains Leadership, Command +1

Abolitionists: Lyman Trumbull

• Gains Command +1

[OrangeP47]

Some good gains.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Party Leaders

Francis Granger as President is automatically the Whig Party Leader.

• Gains Iron Fist.
• Shares Military-Industrial card with all Whigs.

Democrats have a leadership election.

• Former Vice President John Tyler
• Gov Howell Cobb
• Rep Sam Houston
• @matthewyoung123 will you run Gov Henry Toole Clark for Party Leader?

Edited December 4, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

While we aren't to the cabinet yet, I was working through the CPU rules and I had a question about the intention of the CPU behavior.

As it stands, a pick for a cabinet position without an active crisis defaults to most appeased lobbies. When it comes to this, would the CPU take into account already appeased lobbies?

Example:

• The CPU has already picked a Sec of War and satisfied Expansionists and Nationalists cards. Now it is selecting a Sec of State.
• Faction A has the Expansionists, Nationalists, and Big Corp cards, which satisfies 3 of the Sec of State lobbies.
• Faction B has Welfare and Technology, which satisfies 2.
• However, the Sec of War position already satisfied Expansionists and Nationalists, so Faction A would only satisfy 1 additional card and Faction B would satisfy 2.
• Who would the CPU pick?

Any advice, input, or insight is very helpful for a lot of us running the playtests with CPUs.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[OrangeP47]

1 hour ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

While we aren't to the cabinet yet, I was working through the CPU rules and I had a question about the intention of the CPU behavior.

As it stands, a pick for a cabinet position without an active crisis defaults to most appeased lobbies. When it comes to this, would the CPU take into account already appeased lobbies?

Example:

• The CPU has already picked a Sec of War and satisfied Expansionists and Nationalists cards. Now it is selecting a Sec of State.
• Faction A has the Expansionists, Nationalists, and Big Corp cards, which satisfies 3 of the Sec of State lobbies.
• Faction B has Welfare and Technology, which satisfies 2.
• However, the Sec of War position already satisfied Expansionists and Nationalists, so Faction A would only satisfy 1 additional card and Faction B would satisfy 2.
• Who would the CPU pick?

Any advice, input, or insight is very helpful for a lot of us running the playtests with CPUs.

Given there's a priority ranking for what cabinets get filled in what ordered I'd say yes it does account for already satisfied.

[matthewyoung123]

16 hours ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

Party Leaders

Francis Granger as President is automatically the Whig Party Leader.

• Gains Iron Fist.
• Shares Military-Industrial card with all Whigs.

Democrats have a leadership election.

• Former Vice President John Tyler
• Gov Howell Cobb
• Rep Sam Houston
• AG James Semple
• @matthewyoung123 will you run Gov Henry Toole Clark for Party Leader?

He will not run for Party Leader.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

5 hours ago, matthewyoung123 said:

He will not run for Party Leader.

Will you endorse any of the other candidates?

[matthewyoung123]

1 hour ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

Will you endorse any of the other candidates?

Sam Houston. 

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Democratic Party Leader Election

Ballot 1 (need 50%+1)

• Former Vice President John Tyler: 6+10=16
• Gov Howell Cobb: 6+8=14
• Rep Sam Houston: 3+2+2+6=13
  • Endorsed by Gov HT Clark
  • Endorsed by AG Semple

Fmr VP Tyler and Gov Cobb will move on to the next round since no one got 50%+1 of the votes.

Sam Houston endorses Cobb (closest ideology), HT Clark endorses Cobb, James Semple endorses Tyler (highest PV). 

Ballot 2 (need 50%+1)

• Former Vice President John Tyler: 5+3+10=18
  • Endorsed by AG Semple
• Gov Howell Cobb: 4+6+4+8=22
  • Endorsed by Gov HT Clark
  • Endorsed by Rep Sam Houston

Gov Howell Cobb is elected Democratic Party Leader. Cobb gains Command +1 and +3 in all primaries.

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Party Leader Meter Changes

Granger

• Mods +1 Red
• Trads, Progs, LW Pop -1 Red (fails leadership roll)
• Party Pref +1 Red (charismatic)
• Party Pref -1 Red (unlikable)

Cobb

• Cons +2 Blue

Net change

• Mods +1 Red (now maxed Red +3)
• Cons +2 Blue (already maxed Blue +3)
• Trads -1 Red (already maxed Blue +3)
• Progs -1 Red (now neutral)
• LW Pop -1 Red (already maxed Blue +3)

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Granger Cabinet Nominees

Key Advisor

• Fmr NY Gov William H Seward of NY (Lib Whigs)- 3 Admin

Attorney General

• Amb to China John A Bingham of OH (Lib Whigs)- 5 Admin

State

• Sen Henry B Anthony of RI (Wall St Whigs)- 2 Admin

Treasury

• Owen Lovejoy of IL (Abolitionists)- 1 Admin

War

• Fmr Sen William A Graham of NC (Cons Dems)- 1 Admin

Navy

• UC Sen Charles L Robinson (Lib Whigs)- 1 Admin

Interior

• Simeon B Chittenden of NY (Farmer Dems)- 2 Admin

PM Gen

• Rep Percy Walker of AL (Mod Whigs)- 1 Admin

Ambassador to Germany

• Humphrey Marshall II of KY (Mod Whigs)- 4 Admin 
  • NY Gov Hamilton Fish rejected the offer.

Ambassador to Russia

• Alexander Ramsey of PA (Mod Whigs)- 3 Admin

Ambassador to UK

• Frederick Low of UC (Wall St Whigs)- 1 Admin
  • ME Gov Freeman Morse rejected the offer.

Ambassador to Japan

• Fmr Rep Ralph Metcalf of NH (Wall St Whigs)- 1 Admin

Ambassador to France

• Rep Edgar Cowan of PA (Trad Whigs)- 1 Admin

Ambassador to China

• Fmr Gov J Wright Gordon of MI (Wall St Whigs)- 2 Admin

Army General

• Charles J Biddle of PA (Mod Whigs)- 4 Mil

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Cabinet Nominee Status

Only Humphrey Marshall II, Alexander Ramsey, and Charles Biddle are auto-confirmed. William Seward does not require confirmation. 

The rest will go through the full hearing process (and Tyler dies a little on the inside)

Edited December 5, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[matthewyoung123]

4 hours ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

Granger Cabinet Nominees

Key Advisor

• Fmr NY Gov William H Seward of NY (Lib Whigs)- 3 Admin

Attorney General

• Amb to China John A Bingham of OH (Lib Whigs)- 5 Admin SUPPORT

State

• Sen Henry B Anthony of RI (Wall St Whigs)- 2 Admin SUPPORT

Treasury

• Owen Lovejoy of IL (Abolitionists)- 1 Admin OPPOSE

War

• Fmr Sen William A Graham of NC (Cons Dems)- 1 Admin OPPOSE

Navy

• UC Sen Charles L Robinson (Lib Whigs)- 1 Admin OPPOSE

Interior

• Simeon B Chittenden of NY (Farmer Dems)- 2 Admin SUPPORT

PM Gen

• Rep Percy Walker of AL (Mod Whigs)- 1 Admin OPPOSE

Ambassador to Germany

•  Humphrey Marshall II of KY (Mod Whigs)- 4 Admin  SUPPORT 
  • NY Gov Hamilton Fish rejected the offer.

Ambassador to Russia

• Alexander Ramsey of PA (Mod Whigs)- 3 Admin SUPPORT

Ambassador to UK

• Frederick Low of UC (Wall St Whigs)- 1 Admin OPPOSE
  • ME Gov Freeman Morse rejected the offer.

Ambassador to Japan

• Fmr Rep Ralph Metcalf of NH (Wall St Whigs)- 1 Admin OPPOSE

Ambassador to France

• Rep Edgar Cowan of PA (Trad Whigs)- 1 Admin OPPOSE

Ambassador to China

• Fmr Gov J Wright Gordon of MI (Wall St Whigs)- 2 Admin SUPPORT

Army General

• Charles J Biddle of PA (Mod Whigs)- 4 Mil SUPPORT

Pop Sov Dems will support all cabinet and ambassador appointments ADMIN 2 and higher.

But with so many other qualified appointments, we cannot and will not support those with 1 ADMIN.

 

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

Cabinet Committee Votes

Attorney General John A Bingham passes 16-2. ✔️

State Sen Henry B Anthony passes 15-3. ✔️

Treasury Owen Lovejoy  fails 6-10. ❌

War William A Graham passes 10-8. ✔️

Navy Charles L Robinson fails 8-10. ❌

Interior Simeon B Chittenden passes 16-2. ✔️

PM Gen Percy Walker passes 10-8. ✔️

Ambassador to UK Frederick Low  passes 10-8. ✔️

Ambassador to Japan Ralph Metcalf  passes 10-8. ✔️

Ambassador to France Edgar Cowan  passes 11-7. ✔️

Ambassador to China J Wright Gordon  passes 13-5. ✔️

Pres Granger only has to renominate for Treasury and Navy. Having a large majority in the Senate is what kept these nominations moving.

Edited December 5, 2022 by Ich_bin_Tyler

[OrangeP47]

2 minutes ago, Ich_bin_Tyler said:

Owen Lovejoy

Man sounds like a Steampunk character.

[vcczar]

Historically speaking this is such an uninspiring administration. Bingham, Anthony, and Graham would probably be the only ones with any name recognition outside of their home states and only among those that read political news in the newspapers. Granger himself would be about at their level. If one had to give a letter grade for their name recognition, I'd say they're like C- to D+. Of course, they might be famous in your timeline. 

[Murrman104]

I feel you're quite harsh on Granger, Irl he had an entire faction of the Whigs named after him (The Silver Grays),  Millard Fillmore who went on to be President was a member of that faction 

[Willthescout7]

27 minutes ago, vcczar said:

Historically speaking this is such an uninspiring administration. Bingham, Anthony, and Graham would probably be the only ones with any name recognition outside of their home states and only among those that read political news in the newspapers. Granger himself would be about at their level. If one had to give a letter grade for their name recognition, I'd say they're like C- to D+. Of course, they might be famous in your timeline. 

Granger actually has been quite active and involved in this timeline. He served multiple terms as PPT, was a minor candidate for President in 1848, served as Postmaster General twice, became a faction leader and then ran for President as a major candidate again in 1856. He was the leading candidate until a compromise candidate was picked, at which point he earned the nomination in 1860.

 

The issue with the cabinet is that the current rules forced the cpu to ignore all of their good admin people and almost exclusively pick people with 1 or 2 admin. These people fulfilled lobbies. There has been a lot of discussion internally about our feelings about this. 

[OrangeP47]

24 minutes ago, Murrman104 said:

I feel you're quite harsh on Granger, Irl he had an entire faction of the Whigs named after him (The Silver Grays),  Millard Fillmore who went on to be President was a member of that faction 

To be fair, while I literally looked up Granger this weekend and learned this because I'm like who the hell is this, now that he's President, he actually has been very active in our playtest, just as the Dem Controller I've ignored him personally.

[OrangeP47]

Just now, Willthescout7 said:

Granger actually has been quite active and involved in this timeline. He served multiple terms as PPT, was a minor candidate for President in 1848, served as Postmaster General twice, became a faction leader and then ran for President as a major candidate again in 1856. He was the leading candidate until a compromise candidate was picked, at which point he earned the nomination in 1860.

 

The issue with the cabinet is that the current rules forced the cpu to ignore all of their good admin people and almost exclusively pick people with 1 or 2 admin. These people fulfilled lobbies. There has been a lot of discussion internally about our feelings about this. 

I say it's fine for the record.

[Willthescout7]

19 minutes ago, OrangeP47 said:

I say it's fine for the record.

There's been disagreement🤣🤣

[Ich_bin_Tyler]

2 hours ago, vcczar said:

Historically speaking this is such an uninspiring administration. Bingham, Anthony, and Graham would probably be the only ones with any name recognition outside of their home states and only among those that read political news in the newspapers. Granger himself would be about at their level. If one had to give a letter grade for their name recognition, I'd say they're like C- to D+. Of course, they might be famous in your timeline. 

I would have to agree that these cabinet picks are very much the backbenchers of the party. The only one with any kind of exposure to the party apparatus in this timeline is J Wright Gordon who was an inoffensive Gov of Michigan. 
 

Seems like the philosophy of Granger is to pick nobodies so that there isn’t anything to criticize.