Thanks for this. I don't check into Matrix as often as I should. Having been a playtester for SSI and for HPS on a number of games, I am tempted, but as the note over there at Matrix says, it is large commitment of time which I would prefer to devote to playing here or testing new HPS games.
I am, however, delighted to hear that Matrix has embarked upon a strategic game of the war. I always liked the simpler one map board games of the ACW like SPI's The American Civil War, GDW's A House Divided, and TSR/SPI's re-make of The American Civil War. Not for people who like only tactical games, but if you like simulating the political and economic considerations, supply, campaign planning and the naval components of the war, grand strategic can be enjoyable; and hopefully a smarter and more challenging A.I. can be developed for that scale than for the tactical. I hope this game will be a success as the computer wargame hobby arena, I think, has needed a strategic or operational level game of the Civil War. The only really strategic level game I recall was not very good, SSI's No Greater Glory, though it sounded good enough to waste $40 on almost twenty years ago. I hope Matrix hits a homerun with this one.
I can't relate to the World at War engine sentiment as I haven't played it. Hopefully whatever players found to dislike with that engine can be modified. I dearly would like a really good-playing grand strategic game of the war...test out the old Anaconda plan.
LtCol.Tom Ciampa
2nd Bgde,1st Cav
XIV Corps, AoC
Games: TS/BG: AN,BR, GB,SH - HPS: GB, SH
