American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

This post is not as entirely off topic, ACW, as at might first appear.

I have followed this series, Strategic Command by Fury Software, for some time, reading the numerous reviews, checking out Slitherine/Matrix, Steam etc. Having a range of other WWII games I resisted the temptation to get another, despite the glowing reports on the series. When, however, last year Fury released an American Civil War game in the series it caught my attention and when they further released, shortly afterwards, a DLC for it based on the Franco-Prussian War, this really caught my attention. These games are strategic in nature, far removed from our WDS offerings and hence I held off on purchasing. However in the past days the sales appeared on the various games sites and with one of these games, SC WWII World at War, being offered at 60% discount, so how could I possibly resist any further, so it was purchased . I have, thus far, held off on the ACW offering as it's generally offered at full price being relatively new and in any event I have GG War Between the States and which I still haven't played yet

Interested to hear any views, comments etc regarding the series generally and the ACW game in particular.

_________________
Karl McEntegart
Brigadier General
Officer Commanding
Army of Tennessee





Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if defeated, I will not be ashamed.

I have Strategic Command - ACW.

It's an okay game. I enjoyed it a fair bit at first. It's a fairly abstract reflection of the Civil War and thus is a game rather than a simulation. Researching technologies and managing Indians helps make it interesting.
I've only played as the CSA and after playing out the whole war several times I win every time. It was then just a matter of how quicky I could bring the war to an end by subduing the Yankee invader through incursions into their territory. I suspect playing as the Union would be very easy indeed.
The AI is predictable after several plays. As the war progresses the Union seems obsessed with sending unsupported invasion forces to Texas and/or the Carolinas. The Union seems to do this irregardless of how the war develops elsewhere. Consequently, I have a couple of brigades waiting for them and send more to help out when needed. Consequently, the Union invasion forces are obliterated each and every time.
I don't worry too much about naval units. I research ironclads as early as possible then build a few. Once built the Confederacy rules the seas. It's a lot of fun blasting away the much larger Union as down they go one after another.
Generally, I play defensively in the east and attack towards Kentucky/Missouri and with a force far west of there. A CSA win each and every time.

So, a fun game for a while but that's what it is, a game.

_________________
Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Thanks Paul, I believe we actually discussed this previously, I had quite forgotten tbh.

_________________
Karl McEntegart
Brigadier General
Officer Commanding
Army of Tennessee





Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if defeated, I will not be ashamed.

I know we did discuss other games in general a while ago but I had only just purchased Strategic Command ACW so I hadn't had time to assess it. I originally had a lot of fun playing around with it. I haven't played it for a long time now as it became predictable and boring. I like to win but I want a challenge in doing so and that game no longer provides me with any challenge.

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Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Paul, would you like to try your hand at the head of the Confederate army against a live opponent?

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Brigadier General Denny Holt
5th Bde, 2nd Div, II Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Certainly not!

As I said above: " I suspect playing as the Union would be very easy indeed." Doing so against a human opponent as the Union would be a recipe for disaster.
Walloping the AI is one thing; defeating a capable opponent like yourself is quite another. The CSA would lose every time unless there was a vast difference where the USA player is vastly inferior to the CSA player (certainly not the case with someone who easily [I made a fatal blunder early on and you capably took full advantage of it] defeated me in the Last Man Standing Tournament to become the eventual winner).

_________________
Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

My apology, Paul. I misunderstood your position.

I fully agree that, player skill being equal, the Union player should win every time.

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Brigadier General Denny Holt
5th Bde, 2nd Div, II Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Karl, I have the Gary Grigsby one I also own Civil War 2 (AGEOD). I actually have not really dove into either. I must have gotten them on sale and your post reminded me of that. I suppose I should probably at least try them. What do you think of the GG one? I have War in the East 1 and 2, fantastic games.

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Lt. Colonel JJ Jansen
3rd Calvary Brigade, 4th Calvary Division
Army of Tennessee
CSA

Thanks Josh, Like yourself I have never played the GG one, yet either ! I had the original War in the East and War in the West way way back in the day and played them a fair bit at that time, always against the AI though. I'm holding off on the SC game for the time being and even the AGEOD CW2 which I looked at also.

_________________
Karl McEntegart
Brigadier General
Officer Commanding
Army of Tennessee





Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if defeated, I will not be ashamed.

I shied away from GG's War Between the States as I felt it was less of a wargame than Strategic Command-ACW and more of a 'strategic' game. I'd love GG to develop an ACW game similar to the WWII War in the East which I think is a great game. I usually play WitE about once a year and am currently playing it. I'm almost through that first dreadful winter (in February 1942) so the panzers should be rolling forward again soon. An ACW game built upon a similar game engine would be good to see although probably only a challenge as the CSA player.

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Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Thanks for the insight Paul. I agree with you on the War in the East to ACW. I think it would be great. Im going to fire up GG and check it out for myself, maybe try some CWII as well. Why not? I own them right?

I will let you know what my opinion is as well, see if either of them are worth playing PBEM. Wonder what War in the East would be like PBEM, feel like the Russians would probably always win.

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Lt. Colonel JJ Jansen
3rd Calvary Brigade, 4th Calvary Division
Army of Tennessee
CSA

I suspect PBEM would be difficult. The game is a big commitment in time against the AI. Yep, I think with two players of equal ability the Russians would almost always win.
Victory points are based around controlling cities:
 Heavy Urban - 5
 Light Urban - 3
 City - 1
 National Capital - +5 (Moscow, Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Bratislava, Helsinki)

Victory Levels are:
 Decisive Soviet Victory - If Germany surrenders in 1944 or earlier.
 Major Soviet Victory - If Germany surrenders between 1/1/45 and 5/31/45.
 Minor Soviet Victory - If Germany surrenders between 6/30/45 and 9/30/45.
 Draw - Germany does not surrender by 10/01/45 and the Axis player has less than 142 points.
 Minor Axis Victory - The Axis controls 142-199 points at the end of the game.
 Major Axis Victory - The Axis controls 200-289 points at the end of the game.
 Decisive Axis Victory - At any time the Axis controls 290 points.

The Axis force starts the game with 142 VPs so a Minor Axis Victory seems possible. [It really was a 'United Nations' on the Axis side with forces from many countries. There's even an Arab unit which is very useful against partisans which is true to history (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Arabian_Legion).]

At Turn 75 I had 64 VPs and have caused over 9 million Soviet casualties. I'm trying to break my record of Decisive Victory at Turn 99. [North and Centre has been a great success. Can I get Stalingrad in time and add in the cities in the south to get my win in time? I should know in a couple of weeks. As usual, weather will play a big part.]

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Paul Swanson
Lieutenant-General
First Division
First Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Have either of you played Forge of Freedom? Its on sale and Im considering it.

Quaama: Have you played War in the East 2 yet?

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Lt. Colonel JJ Jansen
3rd Calvary Brigade, 4th Calvary Division
Army of Tennessee
CSA

Josh,

Never played FoF I fear. I see it's on sale, as are a lot of games now, Black Friday/Christmas. It's a WeGo game and RT and it are definitely not my favs tbh.

Speaking of GG, I don't currently have WitE or WitE2 but on sale last week I got WitW & Torch, long slow learning process again....must be 45+ years since last played

_________________
Karl McEntegart
Brigadier General
Officer Commanding
Army of Tennessee





Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if defeated, I will not be ashamed.

Didn't realize it was real-time, not a fan of that either. WEGO doesn't necessarily bother me, but I'm not interested in "twitchy" games anymore.

I own WinE and WitE2, but not WitW. I find that even though it seems super complicated, you don't need to make it so. You can dive into every weapon and support unit if you want, or like I usually do, just take the day one OOB and do your best. I haven't jumped into the "air doctrine" game of the WitE2 yet, but it doesn't appear to be overly complicated. I'm a fan. Its accessible enough without being "beer and pretzels" in my opinion.

_________________
Lt. Colonel JJ Jansen
3rd Calvary Brigade, 4th Calvary Division
Army of Tennessee
CSA