American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

I usually play with the isolation option turned on. With that option, I know that when you isolate a unit, that unit then fights with only 1/4 of its strength and thus it is much easier to get it to surrender or rout. However, I am currently engaged in a multiplayer game where we are not using the isolation rule option. I have been unable to find in the manual what the advantage is to isolating an enemy unit when the isolation option is turned off. Can anyone please tell me what the effect of isolating a unit has on the isolated unit? Thanks in advance!

Lt. Col. Gary Krenek
2/3/III
ANV

Hm, for sure, a unit that is both isolated and routed will "surrender" when any unit melees it (even a unit with only one man left).

I'm also fairly sure (but not positive) that it's an automatic negative modifier on morale checks.

Major General Gary McClellan
1st Division, XXIII Corps
AoO,USA

Hi, Colonel,

As near as I can tell, no advantage per se accrues to isolating a unit if the isolation rule is turned off. But if you have a unit surrounded in the open it means you can probably bring flanking fire, which increases both casualties from fire and a much greater likelihood of failing the morale check due to the -2 modifier. Also, if you achieve the rout, there is a better chance the unit will rout toward your lines. I also have always used the isolation rule, but have come to believe that as modelled it doesn't represent the realities of combat in the Civil War.

MG Mike Mihalik
1/III/AoMiss/CSA