malthaussen wrote:That "city" requirement is kind of silly. There is no "city" where Forts Henry and Donalson are, and lots of coastal forts were built where there were no cities. Not to mention places like Fort Laramie.
From the standpoint of realism, it seems strange. If pre-war forts were built anywhere the Army's little heart desired, the combatants of the Civil War should have the same privilege.
-- Mal
The forts are indeed a somewhat limited element in AACW. On the one hand, the big brick bastions like Monroe, Sumter, Pulaski, Jefferson, and Pickens were built over many years and at great expense, but mounted scores of protected guns for both seaward and landward defense. Other forts, like Henry or Clark, were thrown up in a few months at the beginning of the war, often mounting only a dozen older cannon and quite vulnerable. However, these are treated the same, and only their infantry complements (due to to nationality) differentiate the 'Gibraltar of the Chesapeake' from forts that were reduced by a few hours of bombardment by wooden ships.
Henry and Donelson, built over a couple months in 1861, are likely the most obvious wartime forts. However, Henry was basically a waste, while Donelson was sited around the town of Dover. Perhaps Henry/Donelson would aesthetically be better represented in-game by the level-1 city of Dover that becomes fortified in late July '61 by event. Similar events could create the majority of the small coastal fortifications the South commissioned during the war. For instance, Fort Clark might be a static militia regiment and artillery battery at level 4 or 5 entrenchment.
These alterations are beyond what is necessary, though they might add some realism and provide for a more historical coastal campaign. I'm pretty sure that no one has captured Fort Clark in 2 days by landing a militia brigade supported by 5 steamers, a frigate, and a blockade ship. Maybe material for an interested modder with more time than I have. Anyhow, I hope I've helped you understand why the
ante bellum forts can exist outside towns, and why you can't build them during the game.
