Uuh..no.

[GraniteStater]

Early January 1865.

Event icon (which is also in the messages, of course): "Emancipation Proclamation!" - with some language about -50 VP (that hurts right now in this game, the VP gap was getting very narrow), yadda, yadda.

NO.

[Jim-NC]

I believe that relates to your choice back when the EP was proclaimed. In the 1862 west scenario, there are 4 choices that give different outcomes. Depending on the choice, you can gain or lose VP each year.

[GraniteStater]

With the utmost respect, I know that. You lose 100 VP a year (4 and change per Turn) for total Emancipation (I would never consider anything less).

This is an erroneous bit of code, I would say. Essentially, in a tight VP race at this point (January, 1865), I just had lost 50 VP for nothingness.

There is nothing historical about Emancipation in Jan 65, AFAIK. The 13th Amendment was in December, 1865. I believe this needs to be removed - the Union loses 50 VP for nothing.

[Gray Fox]

You must play the hand you're dealt. I suppose you also know that some of the Region Decision Cards give you VP's. If you develop regions and build stuff you can get up to a total of 40 VP's from certain cards and the cards are available more than once a year. They aren't cheap though.

[GraniteStater]

When you're playing draw poker and get only four cards, you should speak up.

Bear in mind an observation is not a complaint. havi and I have gotten into the game farther than any recorded PbeM of which I know and it's somewhat rare for SP to get this far. I post some things here because I want others to know what terra incognita looks like. Heck, everything past spring '63 has been new for me.

There's no reason, afaics, for this Event to pop up when it does. I'm almost entirely sure it's a mistake in coding or processing. This statement is not a complaint - it's an opinion.

The only serious reservation I have had is about Replacement rates - but this, apparently, went back to AACW, and I sure didn't notice it then. 1.04 is going to fix finances once and for all, we hope. That's why I noticed it. You had to watch what you were doing in AACW, but you weren't staggered by the Replacement budget to the point where you essentially couldn't buy any but the merest Reinforcements anymore (this is as the Union, to be clear). Base population 22 million to 9 million (and actually a smaller base for the South) - well, the Union should be able to get darn near 3:1 in a game by 1864. So far, 2:1 is the best I've seen onscreen. Again, 1.04 will probably alleviate this.

That's been my only reservation and I think the whole rates aspect is a valid discussion, but I wasn't at the design meetings and I don't expect Aegod to change things to suit lil' ol' me, now matter how cogently I could make a case in any direction.

The other postings and threads are observations and postings of what I've experienced. CW2 is not AACW, nor should it be. I think, in certain aspects and details, CW2 is more exacting and demanding; certain others, more lenient. "Normalization" of NM is a huge difference, I am starting to become convinced - particularly in the early going, there's no stick with which the Union gets hit for ignoring exhortations to attack. I have felt no pressure in any of my Union starts to get going, or the EP becomes threatened, none whatsoever, which was not the case in AACW. You had to do something in the original game, or you ran a distinct risk of NM<80 by Sept62.

So I write in order to help improve the game. We're all still gamma testing. Criticism of my points is more than welcome. But I post what I post out of love of the game, not mere churlishness - for that, I've got co-workers and friends.

[GraniteStater]

Point of information (it's Early Feb 65 & just got a message about the 13th Amendment - got +10 NM, but...):

"[The 13th] was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, by the House on January 31, 1865, and adopted on December 6, 1865. On December 18, 1865, Secretary of State William H. Seward proclaimed its adoption." - Wikipedia