Just a long time Civil War buff, saying THANKS!

[Geohff]

I am a serious Civil War buff with years and years spent on this wonderful hobby. My main joy is digging into my huge book collection and my second my huge Civil War movie collection but Civil War games have always been my third passion. Third because in the past I have never been quiet sastified with any game (board game, computer game or live action game). With Agods American Civil War I came the closest to being sastified and this one game has seen more playtime than any other in my collection. With the email I recieved Ageods American Civil War II was out I went click immediatly and downloaded and got me a hard copy. This one will now rule my playtime, there is simply no doubt it simply the best yet!

I am too picky and no game will ever live up to my minds eye with all the possibilities of reimagining the Civil War but this game has blown my mind with how sastified I am even with my unreasonable expectations aside. I find myself awed by the landscape (I am a big fan of Civil War maps), I scroll the map and lose myself in the beauty of it. Sometimes I dont even play I just load it up and scroll the map and get lost in it. I look at the chits and marvel at the little graphic figures. The details are amazing and the pose makes me feel these are real people, people I want to know, people I want to relate to. I read the vast details of each stack and find myself seeing these brave men standing in line of battle or huddled arounf their artillery ready to give their last full measure of devotion and I feel for them. I feel the sea spray as that Steam Frigate plows on toward that imposing fort or chasing that rouge enemy ship. I am on board that Gunship as it rounds that bend in the river to find who knows what waiting for them. I can get into the mind of Lincoln and Jefferson and understand the complex and vast, vast, vast complicated choices political, social, public and moral that they faced. I never want to hit that next turn button; I wonder if I have made the right choices, have I comprimised myself to political, public, moral, social or resourse limits and not done everything I could to end this mighty scrouge upon the land to cater to these pandering forces? I actually told a friend too old for video games but a Civil War fan to get this game load it up and just marvle at it like I do, he would not be sorry he did so.

In conclusion great job and thank you. I dont care if your motivation was money, love of subject, creative outlet or all of these things. I wish you all would take a moment to pause and everyone involved take a moment to congratulate yourselfs and know there are "out there" people like myself whom this is more than just a game it it a work of of art, a work of history, a respectable tribute to those who fought that great war and a indulgence of the passions of myself and I am sure many others like me.

[ajarnlance]

I am a serious Civil War buff with years and years spent on this wonderful hobby. My main joy is digging into my huge book collection and my second my huge Civil War movie collection but Civil War games have always been my third passion. Third because in the past I have never been quiet sastified with any game (board game, computer game or live action game). With Agods American Civil War I came the closest to being sastified and this one game has seen more playtime than any other in my collection. With the email I recieved Ageods American Civil War II was out I went click immediatly and downloaded and got me a hard copy. This one will now rule my playtime, there is simply no doubt it simply the best yet!

I am too picky and no game will ever live up to my minds eye with all the possibilities of reimagining the Civil War but this game has blown my mind with how sastified I am even with my unreasonable expectations aside. I find myself awed by the landscape (I am a big fan of Civil War maps), I scroll the map and lose myself in the beauty of it. Sometimes I dont even play I just load it up and scroll the map and get lost in it. I look at the chits and marvel at the little graphic figures. The details are amazing and the pose makes me feel these are real people, people I want to know, people I want to relate to. I read the vast details of each stack and find myself seeing these brave men standing in line of battle or huddled arounf their artillery ready to give their last full measure of devotion and I feel for them. I feel the sea spray as that Steam Frigate plows on toward that imposing fort or chasing that rouge enemy ship. I am on board that Gunship as it rounds that bend in the river to find who knows what waiting for them. I can get into the mind of Lincoln and Jefferson and understand the complex and vast, vast, vast complicated choices political, social, public and moral that they faced. I never want to hit that next turn button; I wonder if I have made the right choices, have I comprimised myself to political, public, moral, social or resourse limits and not done everything I could to end this mighty scrouge upon the land to cater to these pandering forces? I actually told a friend too old for video games but a Civil War fan to get this game load it up and just marvle at it like I do, he would not be sorry he did so.

In conclusion great job and thank you. I dont care if your motivation was money, love of subject, creative outlet or all of these things. I wish you all would take a moment to pause and everyone involved take a moment to congratulate yourselfs and know there are "out there" people like myself whom this is more than just a game it it a work of of art, a work of history, a respectable tribute to those who fought that great war and a indulgence of the passions of myself and I am sure many others like me.

I agree with your tribute to this outstanding game. As a fellow Civil War enthusiast I would be interested to know which Civil War movies/ documentaries/ books you can recommend. I have the excellent Ron Maxwell movies, plus the wonderful PBS series. Shelby Foote remains my favourite author. What others can you recommend? Thanks.

[minipol]

Geohff, couldn't have said it better. As ajarnlance, I also would like to know what books or documentaries you recommend.

[Gen.DixonS.Miles]

Yes, please share! I'm currently planning on following the campaign trails of the Shenandoah-actual hiking over specific routes instead of doing it by car. I plan on using period reports from the soldiers and generals to help of course.

[canuckinfl]

I gotta admit Ageod has done a number with this title. Breathtaking maps, awesome depth-and I keep learning things. I've been on this since Civ War 1, and I just realized the tooltip on a city if you hover, suggests a ctl-click for a look at buildings/improvements present, which then opens some small info boxes with these gorgeous artistic representations of those buildings. I never knew that.
The new map filters are excellent, particularly the terrain overview that actually spits out the relevant combat affects on the various types of units. That and weather, almost allow you everything you need in two clicks to plan 'an operation'. Now if the damned generals would just activate when I want them to, my plans would rival Hannibal's. But no such luck in general. When everything lines up well your plans have met with good fortune, and the results are almost perfectly in line with what a civil war casualty rate would be.

I play the game almost every day, solo-and I gotta say this is THE treatment of the civil war to have on a strategic/operational level. Fantastic depth.

But the base map I sometimes just sit and stare at. It's a very good game. Kudos

Note: One quibble I don't know is addressed. Given the various sizes of the 'province/counties', is the frontage at all given a multiplier based on actual geography? Surely the combat area of a county in Shenandoah would be less than similar terrain in Eastern Virginia. IN other words, I'm wondering if frontage opens up in Nevada to where more of the units get into combat at once. Clear terrain in the East is different than clear in Arizona. There might be less clear terrain in a heavily urban (northeast) environment than in Arkansas.

[AndrewKurtz]

Awesome feedback and passion!

[H Gilmer3]

Very nice tribute. You make me want to load the game up and just look at it now, also. /cheers and welcome.

[Jim-NC]

I gotta admit Ageod has done a number with this title. Breathtaking maps, awesome depth-and I keep learning things. I've been on this since Civ War 1, and I just realized the tooltip on a city if you hover, suggests a ctl-click for a look at buildings/improvements present, which then opens some small info boxes with these gorgeous artistic representations of those buildings. I never knew that.
The new map filters are excellent, particularly the terrain overview that actually spits out the relevant combat affects on the various types of units. That and weather, almost allow you everything you need in two clicks to plan 'an operation'. Now if the damned generals would just activate when I want them to, my plans would rival Hannibal's. But no such luck in general. When everything lines up well your plans have met with good fortune, and the results are almost perfectly in line with what a civil war casualty rate would be.

I play the game almost every day, solo-and I gotta say this is THE treatment of the civil war to have on a strategic/operational level. Fantastic depth.

But the base map I sometimes just sit and stare at. It's a very good game. Kudos

Note: One quibble I don't know is addressed. Given the various sizes of the 'province/counties', is the frontage at all given a multiplier based on actual geography? Surely the combat area of a county in Shenandoah would be less than similar terrain in Eastern Virginia. IN other words, I'm wondering if frontage opens up in Nevada to where more of the units get into combat at once. Clear terrain in the East is different than clear in Arizona. There might be less clear terrain in a heavily urban (northeast) environment than in Arkansas.

Welcome to the forums. You'll find us forumites a helpful bunch ready for questions, and brimming with answers.

[Taciturn Scot]

@ OP

That is indeed a very nice tribute to the game. If a life-long ACW enthusiast loves the game and is moved to post about it like that then it has to be something special.

I don't have this one yet as it looks to be closer to PON's level of difficulty than the other AGEOD games I have but I'll definitely pick this one up after the New Year.

[Ace]

@ OP

I don't have this one yet as it looks to be closer to PON's level of difficulty than the other AGEOD games I have but I'll definitely pick this one up after the New Year.

About the level of difficulty - it is similar to aacw1, it is even more friendly in finding stacks. That was bad in acw1. Here you can find them with the F1 button, or even more easier with the interactive strategic map (F7 button I think)

[Geohff]

Hey all, thanks for the kind words. I will answer some questions I was asked about movies and books I like.

For movies I like some of the more obscure stuff, I find a good realism or story better than the cinematic Gods & Generals. I love a small movie producer in Richmond named Lionheart who put out movies on a small budget but are really good. The best is Wicked Spring really compelling story and great film work! They also put out No Retreat from Destiny another great story and film work but the soundtrack is awful ;( One of my very favorites is called Ride with the Devil, of course the singer Jewell is in it and I love her so I am biased , but it is still very good and a compelling story and was I believe a quality budget film that I am surprised never made film fame like Glory in theaters. Two classic black & White films I admire are Birth of a Nation and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Both were early films but well done to stand the test of time. I like Gone with the Wind and Little Women, both good entertainment and quality. I am a particular fan of General Rosecrans feeling he was a great General but got cheated by fate so I like the film Shadow in the Valley which is about Chickamauga. A good series not all about the Civil War but embracing it is Into the West, this series is great for any Civil War and Wild West fan, so well done it a must watch! Of the cookie cutter series my favorite is The Blue and the Gray in the recut version, it was remade the way it was supposed to be. It has a family drama style but yet it is still good and your feel the characters. Of course I collect all History Channel and PBS as well as other documentary fllms and shows, I like Shermans March to the Sea as one of the best done in this area.

For books I collect books that tell the whole history of the war and diaries and journals more than specific topic books, I also love Atlas. For whole History I have the excellent series by Allan Nevins which starts in 1847 and through 8 books tells the whole history, I also like The Civil War series by Shelby Foote, I have an old rare three book set. The Photographic History of the Civil War by The Blue and the Grey Press is excellent also. I tend to like series and counter viewpoint books like The Military and Naval History of the Rebellion in the United States by Tenny is the "official Union version of the war" while The Lost Cause by Pollard is the same format from the "foremost post war torch bearer of the Confederacy". One exception to specific battle books is Mark Adkin's Gettysburg Companion it has so much info on the armies as well as the battle it is worth the investment just for the info. I have all the "Annals Of" books and one of my other very favorites is The Great Conspiracy by John A Logan because it is a signed copy that (good grief) was in a Library and pulled because it was out of date, I picked it up for $1.00! Another great read or read(s) is How The North Won and Why The South Lost another counter viewpoint set but they both endorse the belief I do the South lost because their moral broke not because they were defeated. The causes of their lost of moral was many fold but had the had the will they could and should have won. BTW this is something Ageods Civil War II stresses break your enemies moral you will win! I have about a hundred diaries and journal and saying which I like best would be hard but a good one is Diary of a Rebel War Clerk by Jones and I simply loath the Mary Chestnut diaries, she is highly educated and makes so many allusions to so many obscure topics of her time I cannot follow it.

So thats some of what you asked hopes this helps you along on your own collections!

[Mickey3D]

Thanks for the tips.

Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson is also a good read : it looks at different aspects of the war, not only military operations.

[minipol]

Thanks Geohff. Some reading material is available for free @ the Project Gutenberg.
The "Diary Of a Rebel War Clerk" by Jones is available: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31087
There are other civil war books that you can get there like the Memoirs of Sherman and so on.

[Geohff]

As I look over my collection I see many great books on the Civil War are found published by Stackhouse Press and Blue and Gray Press, these are good places to start a search.