In reviewing the victory conditions for the North in the April 61 scenario, it mentions four key cities that the Union must take and hold for victory. These cities are Richmond, Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans.
All of these cities require a forward defense by the Rebels, which is probably a good thing, but as in real life, I would think a fairly competent Union player could achieve at least 3 of these objectives by the summer of 62.
This in turn led me to wonder, why isn't Atlanta included as a fifth key objective? The fall of Atlanta was in many ways the key event of the war in 1864, with its capture ensuring Lincoln's re-election and the terrible demoralizing effects it had on Southerners who now realized that with a Northern Army directly in possession of the major city of their heartland, the cause was lost.
I am curious as to why the scenario does not include Atlanta as a fifth key objective for victory. Without its inclusion, the North could win simply by taking the other four cities, all in border state periphery. Is it really the case that if the South lost these four cities they would have surrendered? Or, with their heartland untouched, would they have chosen to fight on?
Also, might not making Atlanta a key objective city also help the AI South as well, giving it a fall back position to rally around in its heartland, far from the striking power of the main Union armies?
I would be interested in the thoughts of the designers and others on this topic.