Very American Civil War

[FramFramson]

If they're going to be paramilitary in the field, you probably want a pseudo-military euphemism like "Field Captain" or something. You can also use a klan-esque title like Wizard, Grand Dragon, Sentinel, or similar (Grand Sentinel might be really good for this purpose).

Wikipedia actually has a full list of Klan titles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan_titles_and_vocabulary

Some very cool ideas.  

Were the black legion racist or more anti-communist?  

Another point about the interstate Highway system.  It was built in the 50's because of President Eisenhower.  When he was a young man, he took a truck convoy across the US.  It took 68 days to drive coast to coast.  In part because the roads were bad but mostly because the roads never went anywhere directly.  A road would connect 2 towns or cities or a county road might run in a straight line, for a while at least.  Mostly the roads went to the train station.  

That and the Allies' experience of the early German Autobahn system.

[mysteriousbill]

And now someone for the Black Legion to fight.

http://mysteriousbill.weebly.com/2/post/2012/10/another-vacw-faction.html

I am painting away like mad and hope to have miniatures to represent both sides ready to post soon.

[commissarmoody]

Gangster's against, Black hooded clansmen. Sounds like a great pulp film in the making.

[mysteriousbill]

In the early twenties in Southern Illinois there was actually gangsters vs. Klansmen battles, though the Klansmen didn't wear their hoods.

[FramFramson]

How many factions do you think you might be planning?

These factions actually seem more... specialized than I would have originally guessed, being very regional and specific in their membership. I gather you're going for a really chaotic AVACW, with many little splinter factions?

What about the big guns, like one of the two (or three?) main armies, with regular army forces and possibly also national guardsmen/demobbed veteran?   

[mysteriousbill]

Being a bit short of cash right now I'm working on what I already have (plenty in the Lead Pile for militia and JDF). Regulars, marines and naval troops will be added as I get the money.

[Hildred Castaigne]

In the early twenties in Southern Illinois there was actually gangsters vs. Klansmen battles, though the Klansmen didn't wear their hoods.

Reminds me of a certain scene in Boardwalk Empire.
Where the Klan comes around to shoot up Chalky Whites warehouse with a Maxim of all things!
Pure fiction, mind you.


Be warned, it gets messy.

[commissarmoody]

Pretty good idea for a quick technical. 

[mysteriousbill]

Sorry for the delay, but I had to do some research for the next blog, which covers the Illinois National Guard.

http://mysteriousbill.weebly.com/2/post/2012/10/the-illinois-national-guard.html

[Doomsdave]

In the early twenties in Southern Illinois there was actually gangsters vs. Klansmen battles, though the Klansmen didn't wear their hoods.

I grew up in Williamson County (the epicenter for these shenanigans) and we had to learn all this local history. The mine wars, klan wars etc.  "Bloody Williamson"

[commissarmoody]

I bet those were some interesting classes.

[Doomsdave]

In hindsight they were.  At the time I was dreaming of far-off lands and fabled kingdoms.  Home is never as exciting as "elsewhere".  This is actually a pretty good book on the topic if anyone is interested:


http://www.amazon.com/Bloody-Williamson-Chapter-American-Lawlessness/dp/0252062337/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350725593&sr=8-1&keywords=bloody+williamson

[mysteriousbill]

Let's not forget the time the Shelton Brothers tried to bomb Charlie Birger from the air.

Or how both sets of gangsters made their own armored cars.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=18065.0

[Red Orc]

I thought I might post this over here as it seems to me it might be a good resource for AVACW fans - I've been pottering around on the Flags of the World site and come across a page of fictional flags inspired by the Stars and Stripes, which might provide some different takes for different factions in AVACW ("I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognise Missouri!" etc). Anyway, this is the page - http://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/FLAGS/fic-usa.html - including an interesting one with 13 stripes and a single large white star, representing an alternative-reality (I think, rather than an alternative history or future) 'United Republic of America', which might be an interesting idea to chuck into the mix - perhaps one of the groups has a perspective of a closer Union, not a federal republic but a unified national republic. There are also versions with different symbols instead of the stars, including an eagle, and a pyramid-with-eye, as well as one with the flag of the Soviet Union in the corner instead of the stars, for anyone playing a communist faction. There's also some flags based on Confederate flags too.

The good stuff is scattered around, as I'm sure you'll find if you go poking about on the site. I'm not going to link to all the pages that might be useful (partly because there's loads, partly so as not to fall foul of banned symbolism rules), but some of my faves include the flag of 'Central' from 'My Name is Earl' (apparently Camden County refused to join either North or South in the first Civil War and declared 'Central' instead, before being conquered by both the main protagonists)-

 'Daniel's Territory' from 'Jeremiah' that looks like a groovy flag -

and several variations of 'the State Flag of whatever state Sprinfield in the Simpsons is in', including this one -

Anyway, I've been having fun there, I hope y'all do too!

[commissarmoody]

Pretty cool. And thanks for the links