War trenches
Is the new type of war of 1864 and 1865 possible ? I mean can the units dig trenches and get bonus ? Many of the early CSA victory like fredericksburg were defensive battles using the rifle, is it reflected in the game 's battles.
there is two factors mainly. First elements evolves from early war infantries to late war infantries, and some new units appears too (new kind of guns, gatling guns even if not widespread). These units are far stronger in defensive fire.
Second the game portrays several level of entrenching, with some additionals ones only for artilleries (to the point that you can view the highest level of entrenchment as permanent fortification as the bonuses are really high).
The two combined give a different flavor when you play the Petersburg campaign compared to operations in 61.
Second the game portrays several level of entrenching, with some additionals ones only for artilleries (to the point that you can view the highest level of entrenchment as permanent fortification as the bonuses are really high).
The two combined give a different flavor when you play the Petersburg campaign compared to operations in 61.
Hofstadter's Law: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's law."
I hope Gatling guns are not very prevalent. Scarcely 20 of them appeared in the whole war (and these not till near the end), and most of those were purchased out of the pocket of General Benjamin Butler, who used them -- a little -- at the siege of Petersburg.
They had no impact at all upon any major battle during the American Civil War. By comparison, the two sides together produced about 10,000 cannon during the war, which does not include (limited) imports of artillery from Europe and thos guns already in inventories at the war's start.
What would be interesting is to somehow include the effects of the repeating carbines which were used during the war. These had a major impact upon several battles, and though they were initially employed only by some Federal cavalry units, their use grew. At least one Union regiment purchased them for every man in the unit out of their own pockets.
What might also be a thought, even at the strategic level of this game, is to include the effects of smoothbore versus rifle muskets. This could easily be done by having the former have a greater impact upon "boarding" casualties, to replicate the devastating impact of "buck and ball" at ranges of less than 100 yards, while rifle muskets could be more effective in the standard, pre-melee or pre-charge, battle.
Buck and ball, just for the record, was a cartridge that included one large musketball (usually .69 caliber, in this war), and three smaller rounds, or buckshot. When fired, it had the effect of a shotgun, except somewhat more so, as the rounds were large enough that they could sometimes pass through more than one victim, and any one of them could incapacitate whomever it hit. It was so effective that some units -- such as the Army of the Potomac's famed Irish Brigade -- were reluctant to turn in their smoothbore weapons for rifle muskets, when the latter became available to them.
Similarly, if it is not too complicated (and I speak as a designer who has been threatened more than once by his programmers), the Federal artillery was always better-organized, better-equipped, and more effective than that of the Confederates. It would be nice if they were marginally better than the Confederate artillery, while in return, for the first two years of the war, Confederate cavalry might be better, as was the case.
It's fun making suggestions when you don't have to implement them yourself!
B.C. Milligan
They had no impact at all upon any major battle during the American Civil War. By comparison, the two sides together produced about 10,000 cannon during the war, which does not include (limited) imports of artillery from Europe and thos guns already in inventories at the war's start.
What would be interesting is to somehow include the effects of the repeating carbines which were used during the war. These had a major impact upon several battles, and though they were initially employed only by some Federal cavalry units, their use grew. At least one Union regiment purchased them for every man in the unit out of their own pockets.
What might also be a thought, even at the strategic level of this game, is to include the effects of smoothbore versus rifle muskets. This could easily be done by having the former have a greater impact upon "boarding" casualties, to replicate the devastating impact of "buck and ball" at ranges of less than 100 yards, while rifle muskets could be more effective in the standard, pre-melee or pre-charge, battle.
Buck and ball, just for the record, was a cartridge that included one large musketball (usually .69 caliber, in this war), and three smaller rounds, or buckshot. When fired, it had the effect of a shotgun, except somewhat more so, as the rounds were large enough that they could sometimes pass through more than one victim, and any one of them could incapacitate whomever it hit. It was so effective that some units -- such as the Army of the Potomac's famed Irish Brigade -- were reluctant to turn in their smoothbore weapons for rifle muskets, when the latter became available to them.
Similarly, if it is not too complicated (and I speak as a designer who has been threatened more than once by his programmers), the Federal artillery was always better-organized, better-equipped, and more effective than that of the Confederates. It would be nice if they were marginally better than the Confederate artillery, while in return, for the first two years of the war, Confederate cavalry might be better, as was the case.
It's fun making suggestions when you don't have to implement them yourself!
B.C. Milligan
The suggestions are nice and most of them planned or already implemented.
The rifle / musket difference is already in the firepower / hit power of units over the course of the war. Same for the repeating carbines. Those "events" will appear over the course of the game.
I did not know the Union artillery was better than the CSA one. I included a "price difference" to represent the greater northern potential of manufacturing (so the Union will produce more of them). As for the effectiveness, how drastic can the difference be ? Should it bear on range, rate of fire, damage done, something else, a mix of all these ??
The rifle / musket difference is already in the firepower / hit power of units over the course of the war. Same for the repeating carbines. Those "events" will appear over the course of the game.
I did not know the Union artillery was better than the CSA one. I included a "price difference" to represent the greater northern potential of manufacturing (so the Union will produce more of them). As for the effectiveness, how drastic can the difference be ? Should it bear on range, rate of fire, damage done, something else, a mix of all these ??
PhilThib wrote:The suggestions are nice and most of them planned or already implemented.
The rifle / musket difference is already in the firepower / hit power of units over the course of the war. Same for the repeating carbines. Those "events" will appear over the course of the game.
I did not know the Union artillery was better than the CSA one. I included a "price difference" to represent the greater northern potential of manufacturing (so the Union will produce more of them). As for the effectiveness, how drastic can the difference be ? Should it bear on range, rate of fire, damage done, something else, a mix of all these ??
It's great you are already putting in those changes in the capabilities of small arms. You guys seem to have done a lot of research on the Civil War, which is making this game look better and better to me. You have two customers right here in the same office, at least.
Federal artillery was definitely better. It was better-equipped (with larger batteries; newer guns, and heavier poundage, on the average); had better gunpowder (Confederate shells often did not explode, and Confederate roundshot often lacked the range of its Federal equivalants), and as the war went on, the Federal artillery was better-organized, as well. The Confederates tended not to mass their artillery as often, or as easily, as the Union did. You can see the effects of the latter's organization by reading about the battles of Malvern Hill in 1862, and Gettysburg in 1863.
In game terms, I would suggest you make Federal artillery damage done about 10% better. Range would vary by gun and battery, so it would not be fair to say Union guns had a greater range at any given moment. If you include siege artillery, however, the Federals are more likely to have large siege guns than the Confederates. It was not that the Confederates lacked such guns, but they did lack the ability to move them easily, and most of their heavy artillery was kept in their coastal or river fortications, in an attempt to protect these from Federal ships and amphibious operations.
Speaking of, are the Federal blockade and blockade-running going to be features of the game? You have probably already mentioned this somewhere else.
Too bad I cannot add this game to my Christmas list this year.
B.C. Milligan
perhaps more maximum cohesion for the Union artillery then.
As for the number of weapons type: gatling guns or artilleries, you have several constraints: each unit has a force pool, so you can't really buy tons of gatling anyway. About costs, the Confederate economy being notably weaker in heavy war materials, you will have great difficulties building many artillery batteries.
As for the number of weapons type: gatling guns or artilleries, you have several constraints: each unit has a force pool, so you can't really buy tons of gatling anyway. About costs, the Confederate economy being notably weaker in heavy war materials, you will have great difficulties building many artillery batteries.
Hofstadter's Law: "It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's law."
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