Union or Confederates?

[Jarkko]

Of course, but there is the slight difficulty with the "Here, take these 100 ships, do what needs to be done!" and then you wonder what the heck they can do? Can they sail more than a few areas without sinking? How about rivers? Oh oh oh, them forts, them look nasty, should I avoid them with my fleet or head bang on? How much does the fleet cost in upkeep? Is there some sort of resources I need to save up for the upkeep? Is 100 ships quite a lot or pitifully few? Do I need to set up a rotation system of some sort?

All that *in addition* to everything else you have to learn about the game. I did prefer to initially play with CSA because of that, one huge thing less to worry about :P Now, when I feel confident with the game system, know how to effectively move land troops, know how to plan a working economy and know how to take into consideration leaders not always doing what I'd like them to do, I have started to take a look at naval things. Vs the AI I can already blow up all the CSA forts (on the Atlantic and Gulf coast, nuking the river forts take a bit longer as I can't buil enough Ironclads before spring '62) before 1861 ends (and garrison them all with Federal troops) and I am able to land massive troops at will anywhere in the South, but I am *very* happy I didn't try that a couple weeks ago

[Heldenkaiser]

Of course, but there is the slight difficulty with the "Here, take these 100 ships, do what needs to be done!" and then you wonder what the heck they can do? Can they sail more than a few areas without sinking? How about rivers? Oh oh oh, them forts, them look nasty, should I avoid them with my fleet or head bang on? How much does the fleet cost in upkeep? Is there some sort of resources I need to save up for the upkeep? Is 100 ships quite a lot or pitifully few? Do I need to set up a rotation system of some sort?

Yes ... I recall having had all those thoughts.

This here was the product of *my* initial perplexity.

[andrea84ta]

Surely I prefer Confederates for many reasons . I have just finish the game with the CSA at my first attempt in the early 1864, and it wasn't too hard. My final score was 4800 against only 1600 by federals which I kicked every time during the war. Memorable was a battle near Fredericksburg in which Yankee's casualties were almost 22.000 and I gained 8 moral points there Surely the IA works better in defense mode, an sometimes the enemy makes bad errors, like the one when he march with the all Army of the Potomac toward Richmond leaving Washington almost free. Naturally I conquered the capital city and push the enemy army in the Peninsula, where they can't hurt me. At the end of the game I conquered Missouri - Kansas - Kentucky - Maryland (Washington and Baltimore) - West Virginia - half Illinois and all extra-map cities (except San Francisco). Lincoln gone bad with the 1864 elections and I won the war great game
CSA economy disadvantage can easily passed with a good defense strategy for the first - second year, after you can try to conquer some lands (easy in the west, where the only Grant can't do all the work, and where my strong bishop Leonidas Polk gained victory after victory ) and build great Armies.
Now I've started with the North, but I've found some difficulties, like the numerous rebel's cavalry raids, the straordinary incapacity of the generals to be always not ready to move and the low morale: every loss costs morale! But there are also many and many advantages, like the better rail system, the great number of vessels and the better economy.

[kcole4001]

So far I've only played the Union.
It's easier to start off and learn an unfamiliar game system with the 'safer' side.
I've won three full campaigns on the standard difficulty setting, and there still seems to be plenty of alternate strategies to try, so I can't see myself getting bored with this game.
The Confederates are more difficult to play, and I'm sure there are several workable strategies for them as well.
A great effort, guys, and great support!

[Reiryc]

south... I support more of their causes than the north.

[Nial]

I play both, but the south is certainly a more challenging game by far. So I prefer the South. On top of that, politics aside, I like the Souths generals better.

Nial

[dragoon47]

I play the South, mainly because they were one of the most...colourful armies of all time. I somewhat prefer their somewhat ragtag clothing over the Union. It just goes to say, it's not the uniform that does the fighting.

I also just like to forget causes and play the game for what it is, the past is the past and there's no use arguing over it now. Personally I can't see how someone can pick sides in real life when both sides are your country.

Just look at some examples in other countries...wait...we're a federation I forgot lol. Just look at say, the English civil wars and try to choose a side lol! I've still yet to see one as I'm studying them!

I will of course play as the Union at times though, but I find it to be too easy. As a defender, you have to be able to cover a lot of ground, and the South is a big place. In that big ground, you will have supply problems, terrain problems, and attritional problems that come with the lack of many large cities. As the Union you can alleviate this problem with many supply trains to give to armies as they move further South.

As an attacker, you control the pace of every campaign. You have all the resources you need at your disposal and when you find a weakpoint you strike your advantage home like a knife through butter. You also know where you're going to attack, giving you local superiority, and you can always try again if you fail.

That's some of my views on it. It's just a game and when I feel that I'm ready for it I'm going to play the side with the biggest challenge as I see attacking as too easy.

[Banks6060]

Honestly I don't know why, but I've always loved playing as the south. I think it's mostly because of the challenge. Being the under-dog if you will. I'm a fluid risk taking kinda guy and the south's generals allow you to utilize this style of play as well.

I enjoy the Union as well though...I'd have to say the challenge there lies in managing the most efficient and effective operations to gradually take territory one month at a time....making sure you get EVERYTHING right. Because in truth...unless you get lazy...you should rarely lose playing as the Union.

BUT....as I mentioned before...the south is what I prefer.

[Rafiki]

[color="Blue"]Moved a number of posts to the main thread in the history forum currently discussing the historical background of the civil war since they had very little to do with the game.

Keep in mind; when posting in this forum, it needs to relate to the game; if you want to discuss the civil war as it historically took place, there's a whole subforum dedicated to that [/color]

[Paul Roberts]

I like playing the South because it combines operational superiority (through better leaders) with strategic inferiority (outmanned, etc.). From a gaming point of view, this is just a more interesting combination to play. The typical World War Two scenario is more fun as the Germans for this same reason.

However, I've started to play the Union more than before, and I'm starting to enjoy wrestling with its particular problems too. As Lincoln, I find myself getting angry at my generals much more frequently than when I'm playing Davis. I gather that this is pretty historical...

[dublish]

However, I've started to play the Union more than before, and I'm starting to enjoy wrestling with its particular problems too. As Lincoln, I find myself getting angry at my generals much more frequently than when I'm playing Davis. I gather that this is pretty historical...

Well, Davis got angry at his fair share of generals as well. Especially Johnston and Beauregard. And Bragg, can't forget Bragg. Hood, too. Price and McCulloch's disagreements led Jefferson to put Van Dorn in command of the Transmississippi (Van Dorn's failures at Pea Ridge and Corinth didn't exactly endear him to Davis, but this was before Davis took any real interest in the western theater)... Actually, chances are good that if we exclude R.E. Lee and A.S. Johnston, there aren't a whole lot of generals that Davis couldn't find some fault with.

[Franciscus]

Yet, one could argue that one of the South's problems was that Davis DID NOT get angry with Bragg when it should...

[razorbackjac]

Got to go with the South.

[Major Dilemma]

[color="Blue"]Moved a number of posts to the main thread in the history forum currently discussing the historical background of the civil war since they had very little to do with the game.

Keep in mind; when posting in this forum, it needs to relate to the game; if you want to discuss the civil war as it historically took place, there's a whole subforum dedicated to that [/color]

What happened to the historical discussion thread?

[Rafiki]

It's still there where it has always been, in the history forum (subforum under this one): http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=10596

[cwjelen]

I prefer to play with the Confederacy,
- better leaders
- usually more difficult
from some time on the north just has overwhelming industrial power, that makes the game boring.

[Major Tom]

I still haven't played either side past the end of 1862, but I find they both have major sources of frustration -- the Union because of poor, inactive leaders and the CSA beause of lack of resources.

The Union has a ridiculous amount of resources, to the extent that you can have your transport assets maxed to the point that you can easily move entire armies by rail without dippijng below 3/3, do all the industrialization you want, even in "poor" regions, and still have more war supply and money than you can use given your conscript points. I find that kind of boring, as it takes away a lot of the challenge of managing your spending that you face as the CSA.

On the other hand, the Union has a much greater and more interesting challenge in organizing the vast forces at his disposal with a limited number of quality generals.

I think the challenges, reward, and frustrations of the two sides balance each other out in a complementary way. But in the end I'd have to say that I prefer the South because I can usually get my general sto move and fight.

[kglorberau]

I usually play as the underdog so I play as the CSA. I also had relatives on both sides.....a Great-great-grandfather fought for the Union Army as a general (Lochridge) at Gettysburg, as well as other family members.....Others fought for the CSA (family in Virginia and West Virginia-fighting on both sides!!)

By the way, Dixie and Mae are together ?? He must be a lucky man to have a woman who likes to play wargames like this...lol

Kglorberau

[MVDH]

Being new to the game I find playing the Union with its many more strategic and operational choices best for learning the whole game system, i.e. both the land and naval aspects plus the political, economic, draft, reinforcement, replacements as well as my general belief that the AI can play a better defensive than offensive game.

However, Union or CSA I am only practicing for the ultimate challenge in this game as either side, PBEM against a superior opponent (which for me is probably everybody at this point )

Mark

[jazman]

South.

I am an aristocrat. I love liberty, I hate equality.
-- John Randolph (of Roanoke)

[razorbackjac]

I normally go with the South most of the time.

[Tex Willer]

The south, for the same reason why i prefer the Japanese in WITP. They are outnumbered, outproduced and outgunned.

The same for me. I totally agree!
Stay away form South and Dixie!!!!!!!!!

[Greybriar]

I have always played as the Confederacy. Sympathy for the underdog is one reason. The fact that they had the better cavalry and leaders is another.

But now that this topic has been brought up I may try my hand at playing the Union. It would definitely be an interesting change.

[cptcav]

I play the South due to the fact that I am a Texan and my family (both sides) is from Arkansas. I mainly went to school in the South (Texas and Arkansas) and was taught the proper history of the War Between the States. Although I now live in California, I still call people from the North, Yankees, which my wife found weird until she met the rest of my family.

I rarely play the North. When I do, I justify my disloyality to my State by acknowledging that I served in the U.S. Army and, basically, would be honoring my oath to defend the United States.

Regards,
CptCav

[Tex Willer]

The south, for the same reason why i prefer the Japanese in WITP. They are outnumbered, outproduced and outgunned.

The same for me

[husky1943]

I play the Union. I'm from Texas, but I spent all of my adult life in the Navy protecting the country. Even in a game, I believe the country must be preserved. Weird, huh?

[Doomwalker]

I play Confederate more than I do Union. But at no time do I take it easy on either side, when I am playing.

[REBELCAT]

I never,never,never,play and The YANKEES

[jhnbaker41]

I am going to always play for the CSA. I guess my reasons are that I had a GG grand father who fought for the 11th Consolidated Mississippi Calvary who was reported to have been a courier that reported the outcome of the battle of Brice's Crossroads to General stephen D. Lee. I also have another GG Grand Uncle that fought in the 32nd Mississippi at Chickamauga who reported that none of his father's aquaintenances "flickered" when driving the enemy from the field and another GG Grandfather on my dad's side who fought in the famed 2nd Mississippi and was seriously wounded at Gaine's Mill. It is in my blood. I guess we all have reasons that we play for one side or the other. Some of us have entire families that wore the Gray (in my case) or the blue in other cases and for some of us that had families that wore the Gray we actually live on the fields of battle and it is fun to imagine what might have been while we listen to the ghosts of the past. Just my take.

[Colonel Dreux]

I'm playing the Union for the first time now. The crisp, blue uniforms are nice. My soldiers have shoes too which is good. Johnny Reb is probably in trouble because everybody fights like Grant in my army.