Today we will explore a new fascinating feature of War in America: Military and Diplomatic Options!
Expanding on the system first introduced in Napoleon’s Campaigns, but even more versatile, diverse, and prettier graphically, options are proposed to you in the various campaigns depending of the date of the scenario, the side you are playing, and the usage of past options.
If you can afford them (the currency unit is something we call EP, and we will let you guess what is hiding behind this acronym until the next feature focus!), then you gain some new benefits!
Benefits are diverse, and tricky too. The military options usually give you some new units to play with (for instance, it can be regular or Indian raiders, depending on the scenario, often both depending on your situation), or more replacements for the depleted ranks of your soldiers. (You can forget about the free replacements of BOA1, now you’ll have to make choices!). Options can also involve training your soldiers (Continental Army trained earlier, anyone?).
Diplomatic options are even broader in effect because they can alter the entire course of the war. Will you try to secure an earlier deal with Indian tribes? Will you ask the King of France for an early intervention? Or do you want to play dirty? Try proposing a Royal Pardon to those American Rebels to see if they are as motivated as they pretend...
As the American, hire more privateers and send them to plunder the placid British merchantmen (if the British side made the error of not protecting his commercial sea lanes). What, commercial sea lanes? This must be yet another feature to discuss.