Why does everybody loves this game?

[Ilitarist]

Every time I come in this forum I see much more people in ACW forum despite the game is relatively old. Judging by reviews later AGE games have everything this game has. Sadly it's not on Steam so it's hard to get in my wild lands, but... Really? What makes this game better than others? Is this just a setting?

[Durk]

Every time I come in this forum I see much more people in ACW forum despite the game is relatively old. Judging by reviews later AGE games have everything this game has. Sadly it's not on Steam so it's hard to get in my wild lands, but... Really? What makes this game better than others? Is this just a setting?

My take, everyone loves all these games. Add up non-ACW to see this.
All AGE games are played hard and long.
Preference is the single factor.
All games are loved, very thoroughly. ACW, fun challenge.

[charlesonmission]

For me, I played computer games as a kid many years ago and then took 10 years away from them. I bought another ACW game, was rather disappointed, and then ran across AACW. I'm mainly interested in the historical aspect of the game as the ACW is my main hobby. The game does a great job of creating the historical situation of the war. PBEM really brings out the game as playing against another human increases the intensity. I'm not sure why you need steam to download it, I downloaded the game here in Afghanistan on speed of about 15 KB/sec. You just need a download manager in case the download gets stopped, it can start again.

Charles

My take, everyone loves all these games. Add up non-ACW to see this.
All AGE games are played hard and long.
Preference is the single factor.
All games are loved, very thoroughly. ACW, fun challenge.

[Mickey3D]

A very long time ago I used to play wargames (the ones with paper map and cardboard counters) and liked very much "The Civil War" by Victory Games. AACW is the only computer game that give me the same and even better enjoyment (PBEM, better fog of war, various unit types, ...).

[oberst_klink]

No Greater Glory (SSI) and of course 'A House Divided' from GDW (boardgame)...



Klink, Oberst

[Altaris]

A lot of other AGEOD games are based on more obscure wars (such as Rise of Prussia and Revolution Under Siege), I think the setting for AACW just has a bigger fan base. Since this game has the larger fan base, it seems to have gotten more steady support/patching throughout the years. I'd say having played AACW, WIA, RUS, and PON, this one is the most balanced by far. WIA is pretty well balanced too, but its biggest flaw, IMO, is the simpler game mechanics - it's still a good game, but it doesn't have the same level of depth that AACW has (no divisions, corps, economy, etc). ROP looks promising, but I've yet to get around to that one.

So far, AACW does the best job of simulating the war in question, IMO. That's not meant to take anything from the others (which are all quite good), I just think AACW gets the closest and makes for the best game out of all them.

[Longshanks]

Also, don't forget we're in the 150th anniversary of the US Civil War here in the states. I spoke to a gentleman in a coffee shop this morning who was interested in my laptop screen with AACW on it. I explained it to him and he asked good questions (like, Where can I get that?) Turns out he's a civil war buff. Which takes me to my reason: it's a game that is kept up to date with corrections and such, and it has many subtleties of play that keep it fresh.

[Jim-NC]

Subject matter. It all comes down to subject matter. A lot of people got hooked on this subject matter as young kids. I remember being in school and reading/dreaming about the civil war. I knew all the commanders, battles, etc. Then I dreamed about fighting and winning it.

And now I get the chance. What could be better? The best part is, that this game is about strategy. No "how fast can I click the mouse", it is how good I can think/plan. And PBEM, I mean I can find opponents out there who are just as dedicated, and just as smart (even smarter). They will teach me a thing or two about this game.

My kids are now hooked on the civil war, we "drag" them to the sites, watch shows, read about it. My wife and I try to show them their history, and our passion for that war that so divided the country, and cost so much.

[ERISS]

What could be better? The best part is, that this game is about strategy.
My kids are now hooked on the civil war, we "drag" them to the sites, watch shows, read about it. My wife and I try to show them their history, and our passion for that war that so divided the country, and cost so much.

What could be better is about politics. South were the Democrat (like ancient Greek), and North for Republic (like ancient Roman, with slaves made owned in waged labour), so there were not so differences between the both sides: That was not a war for actual freedom.

[willgamer]

AACW ranks #1 among all my computer war games.

AACW hits the sweet spot in so many areas for me-


Subject matter;

Strategic/Operational level;

Creation of customized divisions/corps;

Hundreds of leaders with detailed stats;

Area movement (i.e. not hex);

Spans the entire war;

Includes management of economy and politics;

Strong naval component;

NOT a monster game with lots of micromanagement;

Rational battle results;

Reasonable level of weather detail;

Gorgeous, zoomable, authentic (huge thanks to volunteers!) map;

Good turnaround time for AI turns;

Excellent AI!

[Altaris]

AACW ranks #1 among all my computer war games.
NOT a monster game with lots of micromanagement;

This really is the best part - AACW hits just the right balance of complexity, you feel like you have the necessary level of control for a strategic level war game, without having to pay attention to overwhelming little grog details every turn. I've never seen a game manage this so well with such a relatively simple interface.

[Longshanks]

This really is the best part - AACW hits just the right balance of complexity, you feel like you have the necessary level of control for a strategic level war game, without having to pay attention to overwhelming little grog details every turn. I've never seen a game manage this so well with such a relatively simple interface.

Agree on all counts. Plus, it's hard to "break" the game, as it seems all the old exploits have long since been revealed and fixed. So, most game give results that seem very believable, and even when you get an odd one, it still seems plausible. I never got that in the old "monster board games" and had to invest MUCH more time in those, just to be disappointed. This game does not disappoint. It may frustrate you at times (with all the rules subtleties) but it doesn't disappoint.

[Hobbes]

I love the AGEOD games more than any wargame that I have played - yet I still keep several of John Tiller's games as an occasional mistress.
There is something about a hex and an instant combat resolution at the click of a button that can excite.

Cheers, Chris

[Rexor]

I think it has a lot to do with scale. In my opinion at least, the brilliant idiosyncrasies of the AGE engine are ideally matched to the American Civil War. It's just the right balance of operational, strategic, and industrial elements to keep you utterly absorbed--each is represented with an eye to historicity without overshadowing the other elements or feeling implausible. And mastering game play is truly challenging without being overwhelming. I've been playing this game on and off for many years and I still spend hours plotting every turn while pouring over the map. It's quite an achievement, really.

[Franciscus]

I can sum up my feelings about AACW with this:

I bought a new computer recently. I own dozens of games. The first game that I installed on my new rig was, OBVIOUSLY, AACW !

I really love this game.

As a young boy, for some reason, I got deeply interested in the ACW. My dad gave me a subscription of the whole Time Life collection of books , that I still have in my library and regularly read.



AACW is probably the best game I ever played. Everytime I fire it up, I get immersed. Every little thing is right: The scale of the game is right, the map is detailed and beautiful, the generals with their differences are all there, the recruitment and creation of your forces is fantastic, battle results are almost always believable, the music is great, the political, economical and diplomatic aspects are all there and although simplistic, make sense and blend really well with the flow.

And the best is that I sincerely believe you do not need to be a grognard to enjoy this game. I am not one, for sure. I do not know and I do not care about more than half of the rules of the game, and you know why ? Apart from some basics (how and when to create divisions and corps, sync movement, etc), I truly believe that common sense and a basic knowledge of the real "ACW" is enough to play and immensely enjoy this game (maybe not to win over a veteran human player, but my main pleasure is not derived from "winning")

Regards and happy 2012 !

[Chaplain Lovejoy]

A very long time ago I used to play wargames (the ones with paper map and cardboard counters) and liked very much "The Civil War" by Victory Games. AACW is the only computer game that give me the same and even better enjoyment (PBEM, better fog of war, various unit types, ...).

As David Letterman says, "It's like I have a twin!"

[Aphrodite Mae]

I can sum up my feelings about AACW with this:
[...]Every little thing is right: The scale of the game is right, the map is detailed and beautiful, the generals with their differences are all there, the recruitment and creation of your forces is fantastic, battle results are almost always believable, the music is great, the political, economical and diplomatic aspects are all there and although simplistic, make sense and blend really well with the flow.

And the best is that I sincerely believe you do not need to be a grognard to enjoy this game. I am not one, for sure. I do not know and I do not care about more than half of the rules of the game, and you know why ? Apart from some basics (how and when to create divisions and corps, sync movement, etc), I truly believe that common sense and a basic knowledge of the real "ACW" is enough to play and immensely enjoy this game [...]

Thanks for succinctly capturing my feelings, Franciscus! I couldn't quite find the words to say it "just right". You did, though, and in a rare way in which I agree with every single word! Well said! As Ron said,

[...]"It's like I have a twin!"

[font="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="4"]Havely[/size][/font]

[Chaplain Lovejoy]

Gasp! The queen has revealed my real name!! I must flee this fiefdom at once!!!

[Longshanks]

Chaplain Ron Lovejoy ... we be down wid it.

[Coldsteel]

AACW is a wonderful game. . . . Personally for myself, like stated by others on here, the ACW always was / still is a passion of mine. . .
I can't really nail down where that came from, no one in my family growing up was / were big history buffs. . . . But I remember when the movie "Gettysburg" came out, I was around 13 or so at the time (I'm 31 now), and I just really loved everything about it. None of my friends understood it, nor do they even now (Their loss :-) ) It just got me hooked on the entire CW and that turned into the Past American wars in general.

Its just a fun game with GREAT replayability (is that a word?)
Personally, my two favorite games are AACW & Hearts of Iron 2 by Paradox. . . it's really a toss up to me, depending on what war I want to fight.

[gotrek]

AACw is the best AGEOd game out there. My favourite time period is napoleonic but I played and play AACw hours on end whereas I gave the Napoleon's Campaigns a quick look and hardly played it.
The music is immersive, the icons are pretty ,the map at first seems cartoonish but once used to it you love it.
Not to mention WWI : La Grande Gerre which I just see as unplayable ( but I'm still trying...) in comparison to the masterpiece they made with AACW. Actually they should' ve have just made a WWI mod for AACW and it would have been fine by me.

Compared to BoA for example it adds that all that economic aspect. It takes the industrialization/ railway building /economy fun of Paradox-like game and adds to it the strategic campaign aspect of AGEOD games which has been unequalled by newer Ageod games or any other manufacturer so far.

Not the mention the historicity yet "what if?" factor which is just the giant cherry on top.

[Banks6060]

I am literally a carbon copy of what's already been said. For some reason, as a boy, I became completely enthralled with the ACW. I gamed it and studied it my entire childhood. I have remained interested my entire adult life.

I have the entire Time Life collection of books already mentioned. I played "A House Divided", Avalon Hill's "The Civil War", John Tiller's ACW "Battleground" series, "Forge of Freedom", even Gary Grigsby's latest game.

AACW brought it ALL together for me. The perfect amount of complexity with an amazing amount of realism and immersion to boot.

Now, I have been a PC gamer all my life as well. I've played just about every historical strategy game there is....AACW ranks among the very best of ANY game I've ever played, period. I STILL talk about the PBEM AAR I did with Soundoff to friends of mine who don't understand why we historical gaming nuts do what we do. That PBEM match was the most enjoyable gaming experience I've ever had. A large part of that....is because AACW, is one of the best strategy games every made.

"One of BEST strategy games ever made" -- Tell your friends .

[Stauffenberg]

I think you can see from the number and nature of responses in this thread that this game hits a major nerve, both in terms of historicity as well as the intriguingly arcane game dynamics derived therefrom. Given some time and patience, these will grab you by the nose sooner or later: the nuance and chrome alone in this are catnip for every cat, whether grognard gamer or newb.

And of course the backdrop to this comes from a long history of game design partial successes and mostly failures in attempting to detail the ACW. In particular the search for the gaming Grail here, in at last realising a game that can cover the broad strategic sweep of the entire conflict, as well as handling the finer details. The feeling here is that the cut and thrust of that war, the colour and drama, the personalities involved in the struggle, are at last convincingly detailed under one title. Not perfect by any stretch, but nothing else comes even close to it. It was well worth the wait--the most exciting and evocative historical study I have come across in decades.

[39battalion]

Well I just finished a really enjoyable learning campaign as the Confederates against the AI. I lost but I had so much fun I did not mind losing ! This experience prompted me to add a few comments to this thread.

These are the attributes which make this game shine for me :

1. The beautifully rendered, detailed map. It is a joy to behold. And because it is so large with so many regions it makes strategic maneuvering a challenging and crucial aspect of the game.

2. The incredibly detailed leaders. Nothing bland here. Each leader has unique abilities which have a real impact in the game. I especially like the fact that leaders can be wounded and killed in battle. And that leaders who perform well can be promoted.

3. Most of the battle results are reasonable and understandable, especially if you take the time to peruse the explanatory symbols in the battle report.

4. The AI will give you a good run for your money if tweaked with a few advantages--at least the Union AI will. I have not yet tried a campaign against the Confederate AI.

5. The recruitment and replacement systems are logical, and present the player with many tricky choices.

6. The fact that you can rename most of your individual forces.

7. It is one of the most immersive games I have ever played. Every aspect is beautifully balanced to provide the player with a memorable Civil War experience.


This game is a strategic wargame classic. The designers and developers deserve immense credit for what is clearly a labour of love. Not to forget the tremendous support provided by lodilefty whose beta patches have greatly enhanced the game.

Many,many thanks guys

After enjoying AACW so much I am now going to try Pride of Nations as I believe it uses the same engine and was designed by the same people.

[Longshanks]

Welcome to the forums, battalion39! Nice first post!

[oberst_klink]

Anybody ever had a result like this at the 1st battle round?

Klink, Oberst

[Coldsteel]

I think maybe once I did. . . but I'll fess up to it, I started over right away :-)

[lodilefty]

Anybody ever had a result like this at the 1st battle round?

Klink, Oberst

No, but AFAIK, cav can't capture the fort anyway, so I've never used them that way! I always send the volunteers (Lite inf with 2 militia]

[Jim-NC]

I've never sent such a weak force to try to capture Ft. Sumter, so nope, never seen that.

[oberst_klink]

t'was Athena... I seem to be the only one playing the USA vs. CSA, uh? Aren't there ANY Yankees here?