Roads

[Amish John]

I understand (I haven't personally researched it) that the Chambersburg Pike, York Pike, and Baltimore Pike were MacAdamized (I think in the 1860's this meant gravel paved, and not like modern asphalt paving). Will there be an increased movement factor for these roads?

[Farm Boy]

"I then rode to Gettysburg, and found Gordon just entering the town, his command having marched more rapidly than the other brigades, because it moved on a macadamized road."

Report of Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early, C. S. Army, commanding division

"roads being miserably constructed and poorly kept are not available for heavy transportation and the macadamized highways necessarily attract armies which in order to move with rapidity are obliged to follow them therefore as we have seen three of these highways those of Chambersburg Baltimore and York centred at Gettysburg"

The Battle of Gettysburg From the History of the Civil War in America By Louis-Philippe-Albert d'Orléans Paris

Seems like to me that a increased movement factor for these roads would definitly be historically Accurate and hopefully will be in the game..


Farm Boy

[Hancock the Superb]

When it rained, the armies would have to travel on those roads, all the other ones wouldn't be fit to even try to walk across. Shield's division in the Valley marched 20 Miles in more than a week because of dirt roads and flooding, while Jackson and Fremont marched down in 4 days, along the Valley Pike.

[Farm Boy]

John Loudon McAdam (September 21, 1756 – November 26, 1836) was a Scottish engineer and road-builder. He invented a new process, "macadamisation", for building roads with a smooth hard surface that would be more durable and less muddy than soil-based tracks.

McAdams method was simpler and yet more effective at protecting roadways: he discovered that massive foundations of rock upon rock were unnecessary, and asserted that native soil alone would support the road and traffic upon it, as long as it was covered by a road crust that would protect the soil underneath from water and wear. He used 2-inch broken stones in a layer 6-10 inches deep and depended on the road traffic to pack it into a dense mass, although for quicker compacting, a cast-iron roller agricultural tool roller could be used.

This basic method of construction is sometimes known as water-bound macadam. Although this method required a great deal of manual labour, it resulted in a strong and free-draining roadway. Roads constructed in this manner were described as "macadamized".




Farm Boy

[Hancock the Superb]

Nice description!

[BOSTON]

Amish John wrote:

I understand (I haven't personally researched it) that the Chambersburg Pike, York Pike, and Baltimore Pike were MacAdamized (I think in the 1860's this meant gravel paved, and not like modern asphalt paving). Will there be an increased movement factor for these roads?

I'd like to add to AJ's question. The railroad that runs paralell to the Chambersburg Pike straight on through GB and beyond, would there be any movement bonus for using that as well? perhaps a defensive bonus? Does anybody know if railroad equipment was utilitized in the immeadiate area of the battle? Stone balast was also used in the creation of railbeds.

Hoistingman4

[Amish John]

It was around 1835 when the so-called "Tapeworm Railroad" bed began to be set west of Gettysburg. The project was abandoned in 1838 when Thaddeus Stevens lost the necessary political support for state financing. At the time of the battle the rail line from the east terminated in the town and there were no rails on the bed west of town.

More info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg ... ad_Station

[BOSTON]

Amish John wrote:

It was around 1835 when the so-called "Tapeworm Railroad" bed began to be set west of Gettysburg. The project was abandoned in 1838 when Thaddeus Stevens lost the necessary political support for state financing. At the time of the battle the rail line from the east terminated in the town and there were no rails on the bed west of town.

More info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg ... ad_Station

OK, With that being said, let me refraze my question. Would the occuping troops on the unfinished railroad terrain receive a defensive bonus? Like in TC2M.

AJ, The reference map I used is at www.mapsofpa.com There is an antique map of the GB battle lines, which shows railroad tracks going west out of GB. It's possible that a temporary construction rail line was in place to bring in material for the unfinished project. I have a history of being a locomotive engineer, often times on temporary tracks laid down then later removed when no longer needed or left there for future consideration.

Hoistingman4

[Amish John]

hoistingman4 wrote:

Amish John wrote:

It was around 1835 when the so-called "Tapeworm Railroad" bed began to be set west of Gettysburg. The project was abandoned in 1838 when Thaddeus Stevens lost the necessary political support for state financing. At the time of the battle the rail line from the east terminated in the town and there were no rails on the bed west of town.

More info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg ... ad_Station

OK, With that being said, let me refraze my question. Would the occuping troops on the unfinished railroad terrain receive a defensive bonus? Like in TC2M.

AJ, The reference map I used is at www.mapsofpa.com There is an antique map of the GB battle lines, which shows railroad tracks going west out of GB. It's possible that a temporary construction rail line was in place to bring in material for the unfinished project. I have a history of being a locomotive engineer, often times on temporary tracks laid down then later removed when no longer needed or left there for future consideration.

Hoistingman4

It certainly seems it could be used as a defensive position with a defensive bonus if in the game you could position your troops near enough the lip (in the deeper areas of the cuts)so they have a line of sight to the enemy. Also, as actually happened during the battle, if your troops are in the bottom of the cut a penalty could be imposed on their defensive rating since that was how many confederate troops were captured. Like shooting fish in a barrel. As most of you know, the railroad cut is actually a series of cuts and minor fills so the bonuses and penalties should only be appied in the area of the cuts.

That's intersting about the possible use of temporary tracks when the bed was made. Do they have to lay ties like used on a permanent track? Anyone know anymore in depth history about the construction of the Tapeworm Railroad in the Gettysburg area? I'll post a guestion on the Military History Online forum and see if anyone there knows.

[BOSTON]

That sucks! I just finished a detailed article on laying rail, hit submit, the website dissapeared. In short, it's not a big deal to put down and take up rail with a good rail gang.