Re: [DL] Civil War re-enacting

["Mr. Christopher McGlothlin, M.Ed." <sosentinel@adelphia.net>]

At 08:11 PM 1/8/2003, Mr. Dan Sulin wrote:
>That kinda gets me wondering.  How many people here have tried Civil War 
>Re-enacting.

         Me.

>  And how exactly does it work.

         I camp out all weekend in the heat/cold, only to lose the battle.
         Kinda like being a Cubs fan.;-)

>   Do you act out a certain battle

         Usually yes, but there are unscripted battles called "tacticals."

>  and all the people have a script.

         It's kinda like pro wrasslin': we know who will win, and roughly 
how, but we participants still get to "call moves" within that 
framework--whatever makes it the most fun for us and the spectators.

>   Or are there actual rules.

         Yep.
         1) No live rounds.
         2) No sneakers or Walkmen.
         3) Never do hand-to-hand with guys from New Jersey.
         4) Never take "medicine" from a Texas unit.
         5) Watch out for Pierre.
         6) Always take *all* of a cavalryman's revolvers before he gets 
*really* drunk.
         7) Watch out for artillerymen looking at their cannon with really 
scared looks on their faces.
         8) Hide your cooler when spectators are around.
         9) Don't whip out one of those metal sun-reflector things when 
you're supposed to be dead.
         10) Expect to be beaten when you ask a bunch of guys in wool 
uniforms in 90-degree weather if it's hot.
         11) Never be afraid to smell really bad.
         12) There's always someone more authentic than thou, and willing 
to point out that fact. Please kill these people.
         13) If you want to sleep, go join the Union Army.
         14) If you want to drink until you go blind, join the Confederate 
Army.
         15) Putting extra rounds in your musket will not help make it go off.
         16) Always strive to be full of history, liquor and bullsh!t.
         17) Women in hoop skirts are d@mn sexy. (Not really a rule, just a 
nice thing to think about)
         18) That is a bayonet--I may or may not actually be glad to see you.
         19) Hearing is overrated--never buy those namby-pamby earplugs.
         20) Always bring enough smokes for everybody, including the 
enemy--never know when you'll get captured.

>   Or is it all improvised.

         Only when things get FUBARed, which is kind of a lot.

>It always seemed kinda fun, but I never understand how it works

         It really is fun, but it's more like being in the real military 
with the waiting, disorganization, etc. than most people imagine.

Deo Vindice,
Mr. Christopher L. McGlothlin, M.Ed.

Educator & Freelance RPG Writer
Fellow, Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design
Moderator of the New Gamers Order Listserver

"Look upon me! I'll show you the life of the mind!"
--Charlie Meadows (John Goodman), _Barton Fink_