History Channel: Take Command Civil War

Rating:
Summary: Best Civil War Computer Game Ever
Review:
I strongly encourage any strategy gamer or wargamer to pick this game up. I enjoyed Sid Meier's Gettysburg and think Sid is an absolute genius. But I honestly like this game more. (And besides SMG won't run on my XP system) Some reasons:

1. It is not a clickfest. Unlike SMG and most RTS games, the pace here is closer to reality. It exists in a space between real time and turn based strategy games. You have the time to create a strategy and make plans (rather than just click things madly) but you don't have unlimited time, and you can find yourself surprised and forced to make quick decisions.

2. Is is immersive. The graphics are better than any real wargame I know--better even than Combat Mission. You really feel like you're there as you see the troops marching into place, see the puffs of smoke as they open fire, and off in the distance--whose troops are those? Reinforcements or a flanking movement. In this game you really feel like YOU ARE THERE.

3. It is accessible. The tutorial is excellent and gives you all the info you need to play. Best of all, it is in-game, just like SMG, not like the printed tutorials common in computer wargames. Also, the interface is reminiscent of SMG, so your learning curve will not be that steep.

4. It is historically accurate.

5. It is scalable. You don't have to play at an insane difficulty level just because the designers want you to. Play at the level that provides the right balance of challenge and accomplishment.

6. It is fun. Unlike some historical games, it doesn't feel like a history lesson, or like the deck is stacked to force you to just recreate the actions of history. You have choices and it is exciting and challenging.

7. You won't regret it. I haven't been this fired up about a game since...well I better not say. I play non-wargames and I don't want to hurt my credibility by naming an uncool genre.

Buy this game. I've been gaming since 1970 or so, and this is up at the top of my list of great games

Rating:
Summary: Just a little bit of info
Review: The developer's website for this game is www.madminutegames.com, if you have questions or comments, please try their forums.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Civil War Combat Simulator
Review: This is not simply a game. It is a simulator for Civil War Combat (the whole 19th century with mods). I have never seen command and contol issues implemented so well. When you play, you can place yourself anywhere in the chain of command from brigade commander all the way up to army commander. The units in your army not under your command are controled my the computer AI, and each unit commander is has his own personality that affects the way he behaves. These behaviors range from the cautious plodding of McDowell, to the daring boldness of JEB Stuart.

This game is not for those who want to be in complete control of everything that happens. Sometimes things get completely out of control, and that is when the fun really begins. There is nothing like watching, and pulling your hair out, as one of your flanks is getting savaged, and some dolt of a brigade commander will not advance to support you. On the other hand, you will want to cheer when unexpected help arrives, and through brilliant manouvers and troop handling, the enemy is routed.

The graphics, while not exactly Half-Life 2 quality, are quite good. It is really cool to pull back to a wide angle and get a panoramic view of the battlefield. It is then that you understand what Lee felt when he said, "It is good that war is so terrible, else we should grow too fond of it".

All the other details that you would expect from a battle simulator are included, such as unit morale, quality, fitness, weapon types, etc. Terrain and positioning also play a vital role in dertiming the outcome of a battle. Watch your flanks!