PBEM Mod Release
Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:09 am
This is an annoucement of the release of the PBEM mod which can be found here: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?p=65950#post65950
The initial and primary purpose of the PBEM mod was to increase the power of offense and maneuverability within AACW. With time, the mod has expanded into many other areas.
March to the guns and command control have both been reduced substantially making isolated corps more vulnerable to concentrated armies. Entrenchment values are reduced at the beginning of the war but gradually increase to original power by 1864. Individual unit defense values have also been substantially reduced. These are the primary changes which increase offense and maneuverability.
The Union manpower advantage for the war has been increased from a 1.4 to 1 ratio to 2-1 ratio. Balancing the increased Union numbers is an increase in the quality of Confederate infantry and cavalry. The confederates may be outnumbered but their troops are very tough on both offense and defense.
The navy game has been completely redone. Many of the ship statistics have been adjusted producing new build times,combat power and speeds. The most obvious change is that many ships take longer to build. Combat is more deadly. Speeds of ships vary substantially. Monitors/Ironclads are now ocean going ships. Finally the numbers of ships required to blockade have been significantly reduced making blockades a worthwhile objective. The reinforcement pools reduce the number of certain ship types substantially. The naval campaign should be a significant part of both Union and CSA strategies.
New events have been introduced providing incentives for the CSA player to invade or strongly raid the north. These special objectives provide one time annual gains in VP's, national morale and/or foreign intervention if the CSA captures a special objective. The Union will no longer be able to ignore CSA armies if they move north.
Both the Missouri and Kentucky theaters have been redone to reflect some of the unique qualities of the conflict within those states.
Automatic recruiting of USCT troops occur as the Union occupies more of the slave owning states of the south.
Recruiting pools for both the CSA and Union have been redone. Pools are updated annually. Unit types convert from the mixed early war brigades, mixed formations of infantry/artillery/cavalry, to the pure infantry formations typically raised from 1862 onwards. Cavalry brigades and artillery battalions/brigades have been introduced into the recruitment pools for both sides.
Hancock's and Runyon's leadership mod has been introduced with significant modifications to meet my own personal biases. Most notable is the reduction of Grant and Sherman's attack/defense ratings but also a number of other adjustments as well. Also I restricted strat ratings between 5 and 2. The only general with a strat rank of 6 is Lee.
Grey's excellent RR work is also included through patch 1.09.
I like the results of the mod. For me, I feel the frustration of trying to command a large but bumbling Union army or the desperation of stemming the Union tidal wave with a small but very tough CSA army. Both armies can lose the war quickly in the east or win slowly in the west. Either way, the game is a challenge as armies manuever for the knock-out blow. It is definitely much more a game of maneuver now.
Finally many thanks to Kilcavalry for his patience and suggestions in playtesting the mod.
The initial and primary purpose of the PBEM mod was to increase the power of offense and maneuverability within AACW. With time, the mod has expanded into many other areas.
March to the guns and command control have both been reduced substantially making isolated corps more vulnerable to concentrated armies. Entrenchment values are reduced at the beginning of the war but gradually increase to original power by 1864. Individual unit defense values have also been substantially reduced. These are the primary changes which increase offense and maneuverability.
The Union manpower advantage for the war has been increased from a 1.4 to 1 ratio to 2-1 ratio. Balancing the increased Union numbers is an increase in the quality of Confederate infantry and cavalry. The confederates may be outnumbered but their troops are very tough on both offense and defense.
The navy game has been completely redone. Many of the ship statistics have been adjusted producing new build times,combat power and speeds. The most obvious change is that many ships take longer to build. Combat is more deadly. Speeds of ships vary substantially. Monitors/Ironclads are now ocean going ships. Finally the numbers of ships required to blockade have been significantly reduced making blockades a worthwhile objective. The reinforcement pools reduce the number of certain ship types substantially. The naval campaign should be a significant part of both Union and CSA strategies.
New events have been introduced providing incentives for the CSA player to invade or strongly raid the north. These special objectives provide one time annual gains in VP's, national morale and/or foreign intervention if the CSA captures a special objective. The Union will no longer be able to ignore CSA armies if they move north.
Both the Missouri and Kentucky theaters have been redone to reflect some of the unique qualities of the conflict within those states.
Automatic recruiting of USCT troops occur as the Union occupies more of the slave owning states of the south.
Recruiting pools for both the CSA and Union have been redone. Pools are updated annually. Unit types convert from the mixed early war brigades, mixed formations of infantry/artillery/cavalry, to the pure infantry formations typically raised from 1862 onwards. Cavalry brigades and artillery battalions/brigades have been introduced into the recruitment pools for both sides.
Hancock's and Runyon's leadership mod has been introduced with significant modifications to meet my own personal biases. Most notable is the reduction of Grant and Sherman's attack/defense ratings but also a number of other adjustments as well. Also I restricted strat ratings between 5 and 2. The only general with a strat rank of 6 is Lee.
Grey's excellent RR work is also included through patch 1.09.
I like the results of the mod. For me, I feel the frustration of trying to command a large but bumbling Union army or the desperation of stemming the Union tidal wave with a small but very tough CSA army. Both armies can lose the war quickly in the east or win slowly in the west. Either way, the game is a challenge as armies manuever for the knock-out blow. It is definitely much more a game of maneuver now.
Finally many thanks to Kilcavalry for his patience and suggestions in playtesting the mod.