American Civil War Games: My interest again peaked....

[Grim.Reaper]

Well, family and I just got back from our summer vacation where we went down to Virginia to the Williamsburg/Virginia Beach area, it was great.  What I didn't expect is a history lesson along the way while we drove there and back.  Although I should have already known this from my fascination with the American Civil War, it is stunning how many battlefields we came across during our drive.  It seemed like we couldn't travel very far without seeing a sign for a battlefield.  I am sure I am missing some but drove by (or at least in reasonable distance) Gettysburg, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Williamsburg, New Market, Shenandoah, Cold Harbor, Hampton Roads, Manassas, Spotsylvania, Petersburg, Yorktown, etc.  I am sure I saw some more, but those are the ones I can most remember.  Of course I knew of these battles, but until I drove by them, really didn't dawn on me where they were and how close they were.  Sadly, the family was in no mood to stop and actually tour any of the battlefields (except we did visit Williamsburg and Yorktown, but from the perspective of colonial times).  I am hoping some day to actually visit them.

So why I am I posting this in the computer games thread?  After being bombarded with that kind of history, it has gotten me back in the mood for some good American Civil War games.  I am trying to figure out which one(s) I should focus on and trying to determine if I have missed any ACW games out there.  Below is a list of ACW games I know exist, but I am sure I have missed some.  However, I have requirements:)  Can't be such an old game where it was for DOS and emulator is required, minimally has to run on Windows 95.  Can't be an console game or a mobile device game.  Although some add-ons, mods, DLC, might have ACW content, more focusing on games specifically created for ACW.

So, have I missed any ACW gems out there?  Or is this about it?

I am thinking mostly of getting some time back with Sid Meir's games (if I can get to work), Scourge of War, and the HPS games....


** Means I actually already own it

Grand Strategy
American Civil War: The Blue and the Gray **
Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War 1861-1865 **
Gary Grigsby's War Between the States **
American Civil War: From Sumter to Appomattox **
Robert E. Lee: Civil War General
Civil War Generals 2

Real-time Strategy
Sid Meier's Gettysburg **
Sid Meier's Antietam! **

Scourge of War: Gettysburg **
Scourge of War: Chancellorsville **
Scourge of War: Antietam **
Scourge of War: Brandy Station **
Scourge of War: Pipe Creek **

Take Command: 2nd Manassas **
Take Command: Bull Run **

Turn Based Operational/Tactical
Campaign Corinth **
Campaign Ozark **
Campaign Shiloh
Campaign Franklin
Campaign Peninsula
Campaign Gettysburg
Campaign Vicksburg
Campaign Atlanta
Campaign Chickamauga
Campaign Antietam
Campaign Chancellorsville
Campaign Overland

John Tiller's Battleground Civil War **

Fight for the Heights (Whitedog Games, doesn't appear to be available anymore)

Gettysburg (Hendrickson Software)

Other
The Bluecoats - North vs South
History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions
Gettysburg American Civil War
History Channel's Civil War: The Game - Great Battles
Mosby's Confederacy
Iron Clads

[Toonces]

I don't see how you can go wrong with the Scourge of War series.  That is some serious meat there and with the quick battles option you have unlimited replayability at whatever level of command you're comfortable with.  That would be my choice #1.

I have HPS Gettysburg and it seems very meaty as well.  However, it requires a lot of micromanagement (move every unit individually) and I've never been a fan of the HPS UI. 

AGEOD's Civil War confounds me, but I know it's a good game if you can figure it out.

Those are my choices, in order, of what you should concentrate on.

[bob48]

Out of all those, I only have 'Take command - 2nd Manassas' but I would certainly like to get all the Scourge of War games, especially the one on Antietam, a battle which has long fascinated me.

[bbmike]

I used to play No Greater Glory back in the day. I never won the game but I remember playing it a lot. Of the ones you listed my favorite ones are Forge of Freedom and AGEOD'S American Civil War (AACW). Forge of Freedom is actually my all time favorite (I love the tactical battles in FoF).

[Rayfer]

Toonces comment: "AGEOD's Civil War confounds me, but I know it's a good game if you can figure it out"  has often been expressed by others in these forums. I feel exactly the same way. There is another active thread running now about which Ageod game is the easiest to learn.  But, regarding the original post, my pick is Forge of Freedom in the grand strategy list and Scourge of War in the RTS. 

[Grim.Reaper]

Thank guys, just curious, anybody still playing the Sid Meir games?   I own it, but still looking for the darn CDs:)  Saw an old review of it recently and it seemed to get very high marks.  I originally got it as part of some bundle which at the time I did not really play so didn't spend much time.  If I remember correctly, the game seemed to run very fast and was a little difficult to control, likely because of the CPU power available nowadays.  Not sure if a patch was ever released to help minimize that.  I'll have to dig up those disks:)

SOW is certainly on my list too...only thing I have never really liked about the series is the fact that for the scenarios you are forced to always play just one side...you can't switch, unless I somehow missed it....I can't bring myself to play as the Rebs:)  Plus, when you get to the corp and division size games, can be a little tough to control.  But don't get me wrong, I do like the series.

As for ACW, count me in as someone confused...but to be honest, all the strategy ones including FOF confuse me...which is a shame, since I would love to play at that level....hoping ACW 2 goes a long way to make it easier.

As for HPS, I remember playing them when they were Talonsoft.....simply loved them back then.  Graphics stink and some say the AI is easy, but for me it always gives me a fight.  If anybody owns any of them and no longer want them for a reasonable price, I might consider taking them off your hands:)

[mikeck]

Definitely play "Scourge of War". With the new gold addition, you get Gettysburg, Chancellorsville (so Wilderness as well), and Antietam. Also has a sandbox mode where you can play any sized battle with any sized command with any of the OOBs on any map!

If you like big battles but find corp control difficult, then in sandbox mode select "corp v corp" or "army v army" . Then select a division to command in the OOB. When It starts, you will be the division commander in a corp or army sized battle with an AI "boss issuing you orders"

[Grim.Reaper]

Definitely play "Scourge of War". With the new gold addition, you get Gettysburg, Chancellorsville (so Wilderness as well), and Antietam. Also has a sandbox mode where you can play any sized battle with any sized command with any of the OOBs on any map!

If you like big battles but find corp control difficult, then in sandbox mode select "corp v corp" or "army v army" . Then select a division to command in the OOB. When It starts, you will be the division commander in a corp or army sized battle with an AI "boss issuing you orders"

Can you also just select a brigade to command?  And does this only work in sandbox or could you also do it within the canned scenarios?  Would really like to remain at the brigade level when possible?

[TheCommandTent]

Definitely play "Scourge of War". With the new gold addition, you get Gettysburg, Chancellorsville (so Wilderness as well), and Antietam. Also has a sandbox mode where you can play any sized battle with any sized command with any of the OOBs on any map!

If you like big battles but find corp control difficult, then in sandbox mode select "corp v corp" or "army v army" . Then select a division to command in the OOB. When It starts, you will be the division commander in a corp or army sized battle with an AI "boss issuing you orders"

Can you also just select a brigade to command?  And does this only work in sandbox or could you also do it within the canned scenarios?  Would really like to remain at the brigade level when possible?

You can select brigade command in sandbox, it is what I usually play at.  Scenarios have a set level that you command at which is state in the description.  As far as I know you can't change it, unless that has been modded.  However, some scenarios tread the same ground at different command levels.

[mikeck]

Yep. I love playing Army v Army on the big Gettysburg map and choosing to command a brigade. Really makes it feel like you are part of something big. Your area might be quiet and you will get an order to hold your position....after some time of nothingness, you will get a courier message from your AI division commander telling you to march to a specific location way off (maps are huge). Once you get there you will realize your are on the enemies flank... Then you get an order to attack. It's really immersive when you realize you are a cog in a larger AI flank attack!

Of course, with any Ai, sometimes you will scratch your head

Edit: it's also a blast when you are fighting and you send a courier message to your division commander asking for artillery support... 10 minutes later, artillery begins coming down o. Your enemy. Can't beat it

[Grim.Reaper]

Going to have to try that in a sandbox game.....had the games for ages and didn't know that:)   I think I will try it first with Brandy Station for kicks.

[Grim.Reaper]

Just tried a sandbox in Brandy Station....my general sent me to guard an objective on the left flank.......didn't really get any action, so I made my own by attacking nearby units:)  Although right after that I then did get orders to attack somewhere...should have been a little more patient:)

One question though....when the courier comes and gives me an order, they tell me the destination is marked on the map.  I believe the destination is the green star, is that correct?  If so, sometimes there are so many units on the map, the icons get covered up and I can't see it....any other way to know where my destination is?

[jomni]

You mussed this...



http://oldschoolgameblog.com/2011/08/20/review-north-south-amiga-500-1989/

Played it to death wen I was a kid. Concept of turn based strategic + real time tactical predates Total War. This game deserves more recognition but no one takes it seriously for obvious reasons.

[Grim.Reaper]

You mussed this...



http://oldschoolgameblog.com/2011/08/20/review-north-south-amiga-500-1989/

Played it to death wen I was a kid. Concept of turn based strategic + real time tactical predates Total War. This game deserves more recognition but no one takes it seriously for obvious reasons.

I believe this is the "The Bluecoats - North vs South" from my list...the more modern version that was release awhile ago:)

[jomni]

Ah I see.