American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Hey Bill,

The game was developed by AGEOD using the same game engine from their Birth of America game. You can get the AGEOD game for about 14.00 cheaper then the Matrix one at the NWS online game store. If you go to the AGEOD site you can read all of the reviews there and see the graphics there also. They seem to keep up with new patches when needed. I was looking into getting it, but I'm having computer problems so I'll wait and get the computer fixed first.


Respectfully,
Maj. Gen. Gery Bastiani
II Corps, 3rd Div. Tarheel Division
AotM CSA

"If there is a shell or bullet over there destined for us, it will find us" - General James Longstreet

I have Birth of America, which came first, and I like it a lot. Their ACW game has many more features added I believe and is very sophisticated. They seem to be a company with a great attitude and they support their games very well. I like the look of their soon to be released Napoleonic game too. Here's an interview with one of the designers: http://www.wargamer.com/articles/AGEOD/


[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/acw/acw.htm"]General Antony Barlow[/url]
[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/aoc/Western_Theater.htm"]Commander, Western Theater, Union Army[/url]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Antony Barlow</i>
<br />I have Birth of America, which came first, and I like it a lot. Their ACW game has many more features added I believe and is very sophisticated. They seem to be a company with a great attitude and they support their games very well. I like the look of their soon to be released Napoleonic game too. Here's an interview with one of the designers: http://www.wargamer.com/articles/AGEOD/


[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/acw/acw.htm"]General Antony Barlow[/url]
[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/aoc/Western_Theater.htm"]Commander, Western Theater, Union Army[/url]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

The Napoleonic game has been out for some time now according to their site: http://www.ageod.com/

Yours Respectfully
Brig. Gen. Kling
Commanding
2nd Division, VI Corps
AOS, Union Army

There are demos out for these, if you want to check em out.

http://www.a-acw.com/

http://www.ageod.com/

http://www.birth-of-america.com/

Lt.General Dale Lastowicka
VIII Corps
Army of the Shenandoah

Hi,

Here is my personal view, which seems to be at odds with the reviews of a lot of players. I got the game, played through the tutorials, and tried a short scenario. I came to the conclusion that this is not the holy grail I have been seeking. There are many things to like about it, including wego and PBEM, and I had high hopes, but it is still too complicated for this simple Texan. I would download the demo if I were you and check it out though. An awful lot of folks praise it to high heaven, so I have to assume it's me. They also have a demo on the Napoleonic game, which uses the same engine.

MG Mike Mihalik
1/III/AoMiss/CSA

Funny,
I am playing this game as I type. I think it is one of the best games I have ever played. For point of reference, my other "best games" are the HPS Nappy and ACW games, Airborne Assault/Conquest of the Aegean, and MAd Minute 2nd Bull Run.

Pros:
-wego

-strategic/operational level, no fighting out battles

-simple economy and politics, but with several options that can make large differences in teh course of the war. The economy-how much $, war supplies and conscripts you have, determine what you can build. Troops are built form a state pool. you can do prisoner exchanges, etc.

-great OOB: lots of leaders with differetn ratings and skills, lots of differnt infantry, cav, artillery (lots of types of inf and art), historical brigade names, etc

-three levels of command and leadership, leaders make a big difference and help the rebs a lot early in the war

-promotable officers (when the win battles their seniority goes up and then they can be promoted. Their ratings also go up as they gain experience and wins)

-political costs for removing officers. Remove Banks or McClellan ealry in the war before Grant or someone else has gained seniority and pay a penalty. When you put Lee in charge someone else is goign to cry

-naval and blockades matter. You can ignore it and win but it
really helps to pay attention, esp as the rebels running the blockade

-good supply system

-suberb AI, very competent. As the yanks, I have beaten the AI i, 18 m,onths and it has taken me 5 years.

-great map: rivers and railroads to move, multiple theaters.

cons
-lots of micromanagement
-I would have liked more state level politics, cranky governors, etc. This is one thing Forge of Freedom
-so
-you don't fight out battles
-sieges take too long, especially when the number of defenders is low

for another point of reference, it take me two to four times as long to play an "average" turn of this than to play a T41 turn.

i recommend it if you don't mind a fair amount of mouse clicking
It is a lot better than forge of freedom.

I have only tried the trial version, AGOED download. And I haven't really given it a good test so would appreciate your eventually posting a review of it and how well it simulates the Civil War.

For reference I consider the game to beat for Strategic/Operational simulation of the Civil War to be The Civil War: From Sumnter to Appomattox. This game is quite old now, but free, with very limited graphics as typical of Computer Board games in the 90's. However, it did an excellent job of handling the economy, raising armies, and leadership. Leadership simulation is where most of these games fail or succeed. The South survived the first few years of the war because of better army level leadership. A good S/O game must simulate this initial advantage and slow reversal as the war goes on.

My opinion is a game on Strategic/Operational shouldn't include tactical combat. Forge of Freedom tried to do that and just diluted its affords in both making a poor tactical game and a limited strategic. But my biggest fault with FoF was excessive activity by the armies. If the CW had been fought with the level of activity they simulate both sides would have been exhausted in a year.

The AGOED game may have similar problems with command/leader. I tried the tutorial and watched the Union which is the Manassas campaign. The Union up and moved every available unit without apparent problem and went straight to Richmond. They moved so fast that the following Rebel armies couldn't even catch up. Game was over without ever having an engagement.

This kind of turned me off to the game since it indicated a couple of problems. To high a probability that commanders will exhibit initiative which leads to a frenzy of battles. In a WEGO system the AI must react to actual enemy moves not just follow your orders. The lack of reaction is what allowed a Union army to move right past the Rebel army and go to Richmond without any counter occurring.

But, as I said, I haven't done much with it to give it a fair trial. The Tutorial may have been scripted so it may not be a good indication of how the game plays. I like the grahpics and how armies are organized. Just need to be sure its better than CW:StoA before I waste money on it.

LG. Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
III Corps, AoM (CSA)

I can post a review later. In the game I am playting as the yanks, I got to Richmond is 18 months and, after a siege, took it. I had to beat LEe twice to get there. I just took Fort Donaldson and am sieging Island #10 and have nothing in the deep south or the coast. I hold NAshville.

In my game as the rebs, the yankees, it is July 1862 and the yanks made there first all out move towards richmond. One corps only moved and it beat up one of my corps, then, as part of the 15 day turn, the rest of the yank army did not arrive and the rest of my army entered the fray and Burnside's corps retreated. I am attacking up the valley with 1 corp and 1 division (organized as an army)and it looks like the Union army is respinding to that in force.

Try the demo again. It is lucky, especailly as the union, to have a really coordinated move.

I love the game.They keep updating it and very fun to play.
Joe Bukal
2nd Wisconsin Badgers
Army Of Tennessee

I'm going to have to agree with Mike Mihalik on this series by AGEOD. I have "Birth of America" and just hate it. I can't stand the 'cartoonish' graphics, the horrendous map, and the sense that I'm not 'simulating' anything. I'm not even having any fun!

So when I took a gander at the "Civil War" title and saw that it was much more of the same, I avoided it.

I guess I'm just 'out of phase' with everyone on this one and I'm still waiting for that Strategic game on the entire war out there.

I gave "Forge of Freedom" a good try going through most of the available upgrades but eventually abandoned it also.

What I would really like is Victory games "Civil War" converted to computer. Yes, I know Avalon Hill did that in the 1980's but computer technology of the time couldn't handle it and it was released on a single 3.5" disk.

Bg. General Gilbert Collins
Army of Alabama
III/I/2nd Brigade

I've downloaded the free demo but I find it very complicated. Just too complicated for my little brain to enjoy. I've had to have several attempts at the basic tutorial to try to get into it. I may yet play the demo to death and eventually get used to managing the game, there is a huge amount of detail and a lot to admire. I think the map appearance could be improved, simplified, for starters?

It must be a huge task to keep track of everything you're trying to do once you get a full campaign started? I don't see me spending out to purchase the full version, not while I still want HPS Peninsula for Christmas! [:D]


Capt. Jim Wilkes
2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, XX Corps,
AoC, U.S.A.

D**N! I guess I jumped the gun on this one and rushed off in a hurry to buy myself my Battle of the Bulge birthday present based on only one early response to this post. I am, however, heartened and hopeful by Jim Pfleck's rather favorable post below. I don't need another bmmer pig in a poke so we will see if I agree with him. I, too, have been hunting for the holy grail of an ACW strategic game and even if short of that I am hoping it is not as bad as the majority seem to say here. [:p]

<b>My big question is:</b> <font color="red">How does it play by email against a human being? </font id="red">It sounds like you all have been playing the A.I. and thus it wouldn't surprise me if "stupit" things happen during gameplay as described. I personally learned very quickly that ANY computer game with few exceptions (Close Combat! excepted) are less than a rewarding experiences when playing the A.I. for the obvious reasons. I am hoping that against a human player these "disappointments" voiced will not be as much of an issue as they sound...of course I have to say that now...now that I have already shelled out forty bucks for it and haven't even received in from NWS yet. I wish, now I hadn't re-visited this post...I was anticipating its arrival like a schoolboy waitng for Santa or the Wells Fargo wagon...now I will <b>HAVE</b> to like it and sincerely hope that all the nay sayers are all wet...forty bucks is like twenty bucks not long ago and is still a lot of money to me...got a $25 COL increase in my pension and my health insurance went up $30...sounds like I am getting doubly screwed this month [:(] Yeah, yeah paisan Gen. Bastiani...I know...you are playing Hearts and Flowers for me [:)]

Perhaps I will feel better when visit their website. Thanks General Barlow for mentioning that.

Brigadier General
Tom Ciampa

Commanding Officer
1st Cav Division
XIV Corps, AoC
Games: TS/BG: AN, BR, CH, GB, SH - HPS: AT, CTH, GB, OZK, SH, VK

I have been playing AACW by email vs Gene Renna for awhile now.Game play is great.But the game is very hard to play right. A lot to do each turn.But game is FUN even if I get beat up by Gene.
COL Joe Bukal
2nd Wisconsin Badgers [:D]<b></b>

Hey Gen. Tom,

Don't feel too bad, my Navy pention only went up $40, but my Delta Dental insurance went up $7.00, but it's be going up every year and is now $70 dollars more then when I first got it. But is still cheaper then the one at work. Working for the State you'd think it would be cheaper. I may get the game next year, hope you have a Merry Christmas. One nice thing about working for the school system here we get two weeks off, but the days that aren't holidays we have to use our vacation time so I'll be working some of the days and save my vacation time this year.



Respectfully,
Maj. Gen. Gery Bastiani
II Corps, 3rd Div. Tarheel Division
AotM CSA

"If there is a shell or bullet over there destined for us, it will find us" - General James Longstreet

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by boilertech</i>
<br />Hey Gen. Tom,

Don't feel too bad, my Navy pention only went up $40, but my Delta Dental insurance went up $7.00, but it's be going up every year and is now $70 dollars more then when I first got it. But is still cheaper then the one at work. Working for the State you'd think it would be cheaper.
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If you think THAT is bad, wait until you hit 65. Once you hit that mark, TRICARE ceases and you HAVE to use Medicare. Medicare COSTS ALMOST FOUR TIMES what TRICARE cost. AND you can no longer use any BASE Medical facility, except for prescriptions.

For those that do not know, TRICARE is a military HMO, which does cost us military retirees, which FORCES you to use a military medical facility if it is within 20 miles of your home.

So goes the erosion of military benefits.[}:)]

<b><font color="gold">Ernie Sands
General, Commanding, Army of Ohio

ACWGC Cabinet Member
ACWGC Records Site Administrator
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