I would mighty surprised if any Civil War afficionado didn't like this game. I forgot to mention that many of the rules from the old Victory Games "Civil War" are easily recognizable in this one. I'm pretty sure that this one will go out of print fairly quickly.
Always enjoy your videos, Gilbert, and I agree about this game. It's a beauty. That map is stunning, especially the coastal areas, which are incredibly detailed.
The dice differential is a major innovation given most games on the market. From the video this game has potential, and I can see why one would wax lyrical over the play, and indeed the game components. Needless to say one needs to play the game, minus the advance rules pro tem, to evaluate and appreciate the finer points the game has to offer. All credit to Mark for producing what looks like a must-play game. Great video as always. (I also visit a website from a guy called "Stuka Joe" who also makes informative and interesting videos.)
Thank you, Gilbert, for this concise, brief but engaging review and intro. I got a copy of this game as a reward for building a Vassal module for someone, but I'm not that much into strategic level **anything**. However, if there is an era where I might be willing to expand my focus "upward", the War Between the States is likely to be it. You've given me reason to perhaps have a closer look at this one. You did a good job of explaining the Cliff Notes of this game. Now, whether it's a "masterpiece".... well, I might just have to see about that...
Thanks Ray. I'm playing two games of it now. A face to face, multi-session game and an online Vassal game. Agreed, one must play this thing to appreciate the 'beauty' of it. There is much that has been ported over from Eric Smith's "Civil War" for which Mark gives all due credit.
This is a terrific simulation of the entire war. Don't be turned off by the numerous questions about it on Consim. The rules are fairly complete and if common sense prevailed there would have been a lot less questions about it.
Whoa! That's a tall order since a lot depends on what historical periods you are interested in. Victory Games does make a lot of very small 'introductory level' game that might be a good starting point if you have never played a war-game before.
with regard to the cards...just assume that intelligence has revealed "action" in the area specified and make your decisions for both sides with these cards revealed. It actually adds to the fun in my opinion. I am thankful for this beautiful game.
Hello, hangar flying. The trays are obtained from the company GMT who sell them as a separate item. Check out their website. By 'Clipping Counters' I mean cutting the corners off with a nail clipper or a utility knife. Many hard core gamers have been doing that for years. If you cut the right, they look a tad better and are easier to pick up with tweezers or your fingers because the 'burs' at the edge of the square counters don't catch. Which sometimes happens when you don't clip them. You don't have to of course. The game is perfectly serviceable 'as is'.
Actually I use that little 'Counter Cutter' available online. But, Nail clippers work just as well. It's just with the clipper I can do about 8 counters at a time compared to one at a time.
+Gilbert Collins I bought this awhile ago from amazon.com. Have rounded literally thousands of counters with it so far. Works great. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G2G340O?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
I thought so at first Mariano but the 'proof is in the pudding'. This is a fantastic game. Once you start playing it, you don't even notice the change in leadership. Mark didn't want it to be about the commanders and it isn't.
IT IS WRONG TO THROW AWAY THE LEADERS FROM THE GAME,BECAUSE THEY DIED IN HISTORY,WHAT IF STONEWALL JACKSON LIVED AND THE UNION LOST GETTYSBURG BECAUSE JACKSON CAPTURE THE HEIGHTS, STONEWALL JACKSON COULD HAVE AN INPACK ON THE GAME! JACKSON WAS A GREAT LEADER AND ATTACKER! IT'S NOT BEING ABOUT THE COMMANDERS IT'S BEING ABOUT THE GAME,IF THE LEADERS ARE NOT TAKEN OUT OF THE GAME HISTORICALLY THEY WILL HAVE IN THE LONG RUN SOME INPACK IN THE GAME, WHY NOT PLACE A VARIANT IN THE RULES AND UPGRADE THE LEADER CHARTS THAT THE LEADERS COULD STILL PLAY IN THE GAME, [ VARIANT OPTION ] IF PLAYERS WANT TO ,SO PLAYERS COULD HAVE A CHOICE TO PLAY ETHER WAY, THIS WOULD MAKE THE GAME INTERESTING! THE GAME IS NOT ABOUT THE COMMANDERS,BUT DON'T THROW THE COMMANDERS AWAY BECAUSE THEY DIED IN A CERTAIN HISTORICAL YEAR, KEEP PLAYING THE LEADERS UNTILL IF THE BATTLES CAUSES THEIR DEATH IN THE GAME. I HOPE MARK WILL MAKE THIS A VARIANT OPTION IN THE UPDATED RULES, GIVE US A VARIANT TO KEEP THE LEADERS IN THE GAME UNTILL IF THE GAME BATTLES KILL THE LEADERS ,AND THE GAME COULD STILL BE KEPT THE SAME WAY, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HAVE THE VARIANT OPTION IN THE RULES PLEASE SEND MARK THIS POST, LET MARK KNOW THIS VARIANT FOR THE UPDATED RULES THANKS,MARIANO
I have read the book Gods and generals, watched the film Gettysburg and am currently reading the Shelby Foote trilogy of The US civil war, i find this makes me feel i'm there while playing this game.
Yes, I have followed the same 'reading regime' myself and even more. Another great series is Douglas Southall Freemans' "Robert E. Lee'. It's a Pulitzer Prize winning 4 volume set. This game, in my opinion is the best out on the entire conflict.
@@XLEGION1 Thank you, Gilbert, for another superb game review. I owned and played Eric Smith’s “The Civil War” by Victory Games for many years. It was a favorite for me and my former father-in-law. Such a great game. When I recently discovered TUSCW from GMT I immediately recognized much of the gaming system lifted from TCW but was especially impressed with this game as being the logical evolution forward from that classic old title. I decided to retire my well-worn old copy of TCW from my collection and sold it this week on eBay. Yesterday I found a new copy of TUSCW (2nd Printing with 3rd Ed. rules, etc.) on eBay and immediately placed my order. It arrives on October 1st. I am chomping’ at the bit and cannot wait to get it and starting playing it. I will close by noting that I’ve been dormant from gaming for about 20 years, but this will be the game that “activates” me again! I’m really looking forward to setting up the beautiful, fully mounted maps and the large size unit counters. The full color graphics in vivid colors just blow me away. Wargame quality sure has improved in recent years. Games like this are LIGHT YEARS better, (in terms of being physically higher quality of manufacture), than the old AH and SPI titles that I cut my teeth on back in the 1970’s.
Great review, Gilbert - between you and Marco you've just spent all my Christmas money! I'll have to send Mark congrats on this masterpiece! Too bad I couldn't have worked on the map...... ;-) Kidding there, as Mark's a master at such things.
Yes, I think 'US Civil War' is now at that sweet spot. It is very close in my opinion. Oh, the Union has all the bells and whistles but in order to win they have to have all of their ducks in order and get those initiative pulses. A slow initiative pulse game favours the confederates.
Thanks Joey. Come on over on Consim where we will be starting a 'staff game' of the entire war. I will be taking the Confederates against Fred Finckenbinders Union.
I have never played this game before but sounds great. On the GMT site it says for 2 players. For those who have played it, do you think it is a good game for 4 people to play?
I have been looking for one for years. The only two that I have that even come close are: "Age of Napoleon" from Phalanx Games and "Napoleon Against Europe" from Hexasim. Both are 'Euro' in general conception. Both are quite nice looking but somehow neither is 100% of what I'm looking for either.
Just received my game, as you say the board is a work of art, i am currently reading through the Rule book ready to play the first solo game. I was wondering, what are the numbers for in the yellow boxes on theTurn Record Track, still got to get my head around the Status Track.
The yellow numbers on the turn track are the 'benchmark' figures that determine for the Union how well they are doing in the game. For example if the number is 10, it is a guide to how well you are doing. If you do not have 10 points on that particular turn (at the end of the turn) you are not losing but are beginning to fall behind. If you fall behind by 12 points at the end of a turn the union has lost the game due to 'sudden death' victory conditions. So you will want to monitor those figures carefully. Don't be intimidated by them, but watch them.
Hello Gilbert... another strategic game about American Civil War. Not available now in Spain, waiting for the new edition. I think that at first it attracts me more than FTP and more than GCACW and GBACW (I have both of them and the second because of its complicated and the first because of its scale, maybe they don't attract me too much). Decidedly my scale of play has the most operational-strategic level. . . Being different, better FTP or USCW?
I really wish that when they made computer civil war games they would just copy this instead of using lurid graphics and odd shaped polygons instead of hexes.
Would love a simulation of the 1861 scenario, using both basic and advanced rules; I stumbled with my first game of it as a union player. any visual assistance as in a video would be helpful.
Hello peezebuponyou, no the audio is exactly that same as I have always done. Playing back on a Windows 10 machine and an iMac the sound is ok. Wish I could help.
I'm not sure how I would do that, since the BP system is really mathematics and doesn't lend itself to a visual interpretation very well. Doesn't the Play Book have an example?
Well, now that I'm trying to get into Civil War games, this will be another one I'll have to add to my collection, because I love all the Mark Simonitch's 194- games. And if Master Collins says it's great, well that's good enough for me. (Now to pay for it I can forget about the ex-wife's birthday later this month and I guess skim some money out of the monthly food allocation...lol)
Good one Charles. This is a very good game. Be aware that the 3rd edition rules and and new set up charts have been posted on the Consim folder. I'm play testing it now myself and it is still the great game that it is. It is going to be reprinted with the 3rd edition rules of course.
@@XLEGION1 was out of gaming for a while got back in... good lord three and a half years I've been retired... So I got some of the Mark's games on p500 that I missed out on, though I couldn't wait and bought a first edition Ukraine 43. Also decided to wait and get 3rd edition Normandy 44. Holland 44 sold me on his games.
In my opinion it can be played solo. You have to be 'fair' and use 'common sense' because you are not supposed to know what your opponents five cards are, but the game plays well solitaire.
I like how you organized your counters in the tray and would like to emulate it. Did you organize the leaders based on what turn they arrive? Any chance I can get a close up of the labels on the tray?
Sir my wife's great great great uncle was captured at the Battle of the Wilderness and spend the rest of the war at Danville in prison. He was wounded. Would you recommend a game on the Battle of the Wilderness?
I just ordered this game-after watching not more that 3 minutes of your video. Where do you procure your counter tray? Additionally, what do you mean by clipping counters, and what purpose does that serve? Thanks!
+Sando1975, yes. It's called War & Peace, and it's an Avalon Hill game from 1980. You can take a look at it on VASSAL. Rulebook 4.0 is available as well. IMO it's a beautiful and interesting game with several different scenarios covering the various campaigns as well as a grand campaign game.
To Great North Web: Try "A House Divided." It is truly playable and it is actually a good simulation of the strategic situation, assuming the use of most of its optional rules and some common-sense house rules (like not allowing a single Confederate cavalry unit to take New York or Philadelphia).
Gilbert Collins - Thanks for the reply. I’m 68 and American Civil War has long been my favorite game. I’ve not played much in recent years but getting back to it. I saw this had been redone and my heart kept! I have never used Vassal but it might be time to do so. Best wishes and stay healthy.
Even before the game came out this was a controversial matter. I wasn't in favour of it either. But now that I have played the game for several years now, it is no big deal at all and I don't even think twice about it.
Personally, I like the US Civil War better than For the People. The latter game is 'to open' in my opinion the way the cards work. I would have liked it better to have more control over the card deck. Maybe an 1861-1862 Deck and so on. It isn't realistic to have events like "Draft Riots in New York" when there was no draft in 1861. Or "Red River Campaigns" in the first year of the war. Just wouldn't have happened. It's a fine GAME but to open as 'history'.
Mariano, there is little point in making every sentence of your argument in CAPITAL letters. It is not necessary to SHOUT out your replies. My last word on the subject is this: In the year of discussion that took place before the game was releases, many people, including myself were very wary of the game because the very point that you are SHOUTING OUT. However, upon PLAYING the game, not talking about it I, and the others, have found this to be an excellent simulation of the war. I say this in all fairness, one cannot know anything about this game, or pre-judge it, before actually playing it.
Hello Gilbert.I did not mean to shout,i just was trying to get my point across, i apologize, please don't take offense, much has been written about this on boardgame geek,and there was a very good variant response to fix the problem of leaders casualties from Bill Wood and Tom Willcockson. please see their post under Forums Variants: Leaders Flexibility In Game, please let me know what your feedback is on Bill and Tom's posts on boardgamegeek under FORUMS VARIANTS:LEADERS FLEXIBILITY IN GAME It's a Real Shame and Mistake that the designer making a great game on the Civil War did not add better the leader casualties rules as i have stated. I hope something will be done about this,because the game does not feel right without doing better in flexibility on the leader's casualties, if they add a variant to the rules and charts it would make the game better! Bill. Please see the post's on Boardgame Geek,i would like your feed back on this if you could,again i did not mean to shout just my italian in me to try to get my point across on this important issue, GMT needs to examined again the leader's casualties rule, and let the game's play take it's course to see who gets killed or not killed in battles,no one knows what tomorrow brings,but don't let history rule the game play! To me the proof is not in the pudding until the pudding taste right with the leader's causalities rule corrected, not just throw the leaders away in the game because they were killed in battle, in history! I hope the GMT Civil War game designer's sees this! Gilbert,All in All thanks for agreeing with my point of view Gilbert,thank you,if you could let then know at GMT this would make for even a better game! let me know, thanks,Mariano
Whoa! You couldn't have played the game out to the end then. It is at least a 20 hour game. As for luck....you must be kidding. Of course there is some luck but it is the more skillful player who will very likely win.
Wow! That has got to be one of the more illogical statements that I have ever heard concerning this game. Any game with dice has an element of chance in it. This game is no different. But to say that it is all determined by luck is completely a false statement.
Illogical? Hardly. Its just my opinion. I prefer games that are not dice heavy and card heavy. But I still enjoy your videos Gilbert, its nothing personal.
I would mighty surprised if any Civil War afficionado didn't like this game. I forgot to mention that many of the rules from the old Victory Games "Civil War" are easily recognizable in this one. I'm pretty sure that this one will go out of print fairly quickly.
Got this a couple weeks ago. Cannot stop playing it, solo or ftf. Great video Gilbert. I was looking forward to what you had to say about it.
Always enjoy your videos, Gilbert, and I agree about this game. It's a beauty. That map is stunning, especially the coastal areas, which are incredibly detailed.
No longer on the fence about this one. Your excellent review sealed the deal for me! Will be purchasing.
The dice differential is a major innovation given most games on the market. From the video this game has potential, and I can see why one would wax lyrical over the play, and indeed the game components. Needless to say one needs to play the game, minus the advance rules pro tem, to evaluate and appreciate the finer points the game has to offer. All credit to Mark for producing what looks like a must-play game. Great video as always. (I also visit a website from a guy called "Stuka Joe" who also makes informative and interesting videos.)
Thank you, Gilbert, for this concise, brief but engaging review and intro. I got a copy of this game as a reward for building a Vassal module for someone, but I'm not that much into strategic level **anything**. However, if there is an era where I might be willing to expand my focus "upward", the War Between the States is likely to be it. You've given me reason to perhaps have a closer look at this one. You did a good job of explaining the Cliff Notes of this game. Now, whether it's a "masterpiece".... well, I might just have to see about that...
What a gorgeous map!
Thanks Ray. I'm playing two games of it now. A face to face, multi-session game and an online Vassal game. Agreed, one must play this thing to appreciate the 'beauty' of it. There is much that has been ported over from Eric Smith's "Civil War" for which Mark gives all due credit.
Excellent overview, just got the game and can't wait to play it.
Thanks Rick, I think this is a 'must have' in your Civil War collection of war games.
This is a terrific simulation of the entire war. Don't be turned off by the numerous questions about it on Consim. The rules are fairly complete and if common sense prevailed there would have been a lot less questions about it.
agree...rules are very good.
Whoa! That's a tall order since a lot depends on what historical periods you are interested in. Victory Games does make a lot of very small 'introductory level' game that might be a good starting point if you have never played a war-game before.
Thanks to your videos I am enjoying 2 of your "Masterpiece" games, EOTS and the USCW, thank you for inspiring a new wargamer!
Glad you liked the videos Hans. I still stand by these two games whole heartedly.
Thank you so much for your video...very informative and simplified...keep up the great work ..
Thanks again for posting another great video. I enjoy your commentary very much!
This one can definitely be played solo, the cards 'influence' the game but not unduly so.
completely agree...I have done 3 solo campaigns...very enjoyable
with regard to the cards...just assume that intelligence has revealed "action" in the area specified and make your decisions for both sides with these cards revealed. It actually adds to the fun in my opinion. I am thankful for this beautiful game.
I haven't bought many new wargames the last few years but I think I'm going to get this one. Sounds very cool.
Thanks for this helpful review
Hello, hangar flying. The trays are obtained from the company GMT who sell them as a separate item. Check out their website. By 'Clipping Counters' I mean cutting the corners off with a nail clipper or a utility knife. Many hard core gamers have been doing that for years. If you cut the right, they look a tad better and are easier to pick up with tweezers or your fingers because the 'burs' at the edge of the square counters don't catch. Which sometimes happens when you don't clip them. You don't have to of course. The game is perfectly serviceable 'as is'.
Actually I use that little 'Counter Cutter' available online. But, Nail clippers work just as well. It's just with the clipper I can do about 8 counters at a time compared to one at a time.
+Gilbert Collins I bought this awhile ago from amazon.com. Have rounded literally thousands of counters with it so far. Works great. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G2G340O?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
hi Gilbert is the game any good solo.i always learn a game by playing solo
I thought so at first Mariano but the 'proof is in the pudding'. This is a fantastic game. Once you start playing it, you don't even notice the change in leadership. Mark didn't want it to be about the commanders and it isn't.
IT IS WRONG TO THROW AWAY THE LEADERS FROM THE GAME,BECAUSE THEY DIED IN HISTORY,WHAT IF STONEWALL JACKSON LIVED AND THE UNION LOST GETTYSBURG BECAUSE JACKSON CAPTURE THE HEIGHTS, STONEWALL JACKSON COULD HAVE AN INPACK ON THE GAME! JACKSON WAS A GREAT LEADER AND ATTACKER!
IT'S NOT BEING ABOUT THE COMMANDERS IT'S BEING ABOUT THE GAME,IF THE LEADERS ARE NOT TAKEN OUT OF THE GAME HISTORICALLY THEY WILL HAVE IN THE LONG RUN SOME INPACK IN THE GAME,
WHY NOT PLACE A VARIANT IN THE RULES AND UPGRADE THE LEADER CHARTS THAT THE LEADERS COULD STILL PLAY IN THE GAME, [ VARIANT OPTION ] IF PLAYERS WANT TO ,SO PLAYERS COULD HAVE A CHOICE TO PLAY ETHER WAY, THIS WOULD MAKE THE GAME INTERESTING!
THE GAME IS NOT ABOUT THE COMMANDERS,BUT DON'T THROW THE COMMANDERS AWAY BECAUSE THEY DIED IN A CERTAIN HISTORICAL YEAR, KEEP PLAYING THE LEADERS UNTILL IF THE BATTLES CAUSES THEIR DEATH IN THE GAME.
I HOPE MARK WILL MAKE THIS A VARIANT OPTION IN THE UPDATED RULES, GIVE US A VARIANT TO KEEP THE LEADERS IN THE GAME UNTILL IF THE GAME BATTLES KILL THE LEADERS ,AND THE GAME COULD STILL BE KEPT THE SAME WAY, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HAVE THE VARIANT OPTION IN THE RULES
PLEASE SEND MARK THIS POST, LET MARK KNOW THIS VARIANT FOR THE UPDATED RULES
THANKS,MARIANO
Beautiful map. It reminds me of Victory Games The Civil War. Is it based on that?
I have read the book Gods and generals, watched the film Gettysburg and am currently reading the Shelby Foote trilogy of The US civil war, i find this makes me feel i'm there while playing this game.
Yes, I have followed the same 'reading regime' myself and even more. Another great series is Douglas Southall Freemans' "Robert E. Lee'. It's a Pulitzer Prize winning 4 volume set. This game, in my opinion is the best out on the entire conflict.
@@XLEGION1 Thank you, Gilbert, for another superb game review. I owned and played Eric Smith’s “The Civil War” by Victory Games for many years. It was a favorite for me and my former father-in-law. Such a great game. When I recently discovered TUSCW from GMT I immediately recognized much of the gaming system lifted from TCW but was especially impressed with this game as being the logical evolution forward from that classic old title. I decided to retire my well-worn old copy of TCW from my collection and sold it this week on eBay. Yesterday I found a new copy of TUSCW (2nd Printing with 3rd Ed. rules, etc.) on eBay and immediately placed my order. It arrives on October 1st. I am chomping’ at the bit and cannot wait to get it and starting playing it.
I will close by noting that I’ve been dormant from gaming for about 20 years, but this will be the game that “activates” me again! I’m really looking forward to setting up the beautiful, fully mounted maps and the large size unit counters. The full color graphics in vivid colors just blow me away. Wargame quality sure has improved in recent years. Games like this are LIGHT YEARS better, (in terms of being physically higher quality of manufacture), than the old AH and SPI titles that I cut my teeth on back in the 1970’s.
Great review, Gilbert - between you and Marco you've just spent all my Christmas money! I'll have to send Mark congrats on this masterpiece! Too bad I couldn't have worked on the map...... ;-) Kidding there, as Mark's a master at such things.
The new rulebook I think certainly seals the deal on this game! Makes every positive comment about this game very true for us mid-level wargamers.
Yes, I think 'US Civil War' is now at that sweet spot. It is very close in my opinion. Oh, the Union has all the bells and whistles but in order to win they have to have all of their ducks in order and get those initiative pulses. A slow initiative pulse game favours the confederates.
really nice review, thank you for your time
I posted photos on the Geek of this map with the VG Civil War map, and another of this map and the War Between the States map together.
I always loved SPIs War Between the States, which this reminds me of.
I had owned that title at one time also but I didn't like the production spiral and there were too many rules that were in-explained.
Thanks Joey. Come on over on Consim where we will be starting a 'staff game' of the entire war. I will be taking the Confederates against Fred Finckenbinders Union.
Also why is this better than the victory version? Like what makes it so much better?
I have never played this game before but sounds great. On the GMT site it says for 2 players. For those who have played it, do you think it is a good game for 4 people to play?
wonderful looking game
I have been looking for one for years. The only two that I have that even come close are:
"Age of Napoleon" from Phalanx Games and "Napoleon Against Europe" from Hexasim. Both are 'Euro' in general conception. Both are quite nice looking but somehow neither is 100% of what I'm looking for either.
Just received my game, as you say the board is a work of art, i am currently reading through the Rule book ready to play the first solo game. I was wondering, what are the numbers for in the yellow boxes on theTurn Record Track, still got to get my head around the Status Track.
The yellow numbers on the turn track are the 'benchmark' figures that determine for the Union how well they are doing in the game. For example if the number is 10, it is a guide to how well you are doing. If you do not have 10 points on that particular turn (at the end of the turn) you are not losing but are beginning to fall behind. If you fall behind by 12 points at the end of a turn the union has lost the game due to 'sudden death' victory conditions. So you will want to monitor those figures carefully. Don't be intimidated by them, but watch them.
@@XLEGION1 , Thanks for that information. I am reading the rule book over and over plus watching clips from the movie Gettysburg.
Very good review on a very good game!
Hello Gilbert... another strategic game about American Civil War. Not available now in Spain, waiting for the new edition. I think that at first it attracts me more than FTP and more than GCACW and GBACW (I have both of them and the second because of its complicated and the first because of its scale, maybe they don't attract me too much). Decidedly my scale of play has the most operational-strategic level. . . Being different, better FTP or USCW?
I really wish that when they made computer civil war games they would just copy this instead of using lurid graphics and odd shaped polygons instead of hexes.
have you tried "CIvil war generals 2"? its pretty old at this point, but totally based on hex map wargaming.
Would love a simulation of the 1861 scenario, using both basic and advanced rules; I stumbled with my first game of it as a union player. any visual assistance as in a video would be helpful.
Hello peezebuponyou, no the audio is exactly that same as I have always done. Playing back on a Windows 10 machine and an iMac the sound is ok. Wish I could help.
Can you give me an example ( visually ) the build point system and how it works in the end phase?
I'm not sure how I would do that, since the BP system is really mathematics and doesn't lend itself to a visual interpretation very well. Doesn't the Play Book have an example?
Nice enthusiastic review!
Well, now that I'm trying to get into Civil War games, this will be another one I'll have to add to my collection, because I love all the Mark Simonitch's 194- games. And if Master Collins says it's great, well that's good enough for me. (Now to pay for it I can forget about the ex-wife's birthday later this month and I guess skim some money out of the monthly food allocation...lol)
Good one Charles. This is a very good game. Be aware that the 3rd edition rules and and new set up charts have been posted on the Consim folder. I'm play testing it now myself and it is still the great game that it is. It is going to be reprinted with the 3rd edition rules of course.
@@XLEGION1 was out of gaming for a while got back in... good lord three and a half years I've been retired... So I got some of the Mark's games on p500 that I missed out on, though I couldn't wait and bought a first edition Ukraine 43. Also decided to wait and get 3rd edition Normandy 44.
Holland 44 sold me on his games.
In my opinion it can be played solo. You have to be 'fair' and use 'common sense' because you are not supposed to know what your opponents five cards are, but the game plays well solitaire.
I enjoy your video's very much.
I like how you organized your counters in the tray and would like to emulate it. Did you organize the leaders based on what turn they arrive? Any chance I can get a close up of the labels on the tray?
Not a problem. Send me your email address and I can send you either a photo or the avery template itself. (gilbertcollins7@gmail.com)
Are you doing anything different with your audio Gilbert? I don't have sound on this video.
Do you clip your counters with nail clippers? Thanks for the video!
Sir my wife's great great great uncle was captured at the Battle of the Wilderness and spend the rest of the war at Danville in prison. He was wounded. Would you recommend a game on the Battle of the Wilderness?
I just ordered this game-after watching not more that 3 minutes of your video. Where do you procure your counter tray? Additionally, what do you mean by clipping counters, and what purpose does that serve? Thanks!
Clipping counters means cutting the corner off of 2 or more corners so they fit better into the hexes.
An other great video (just got to it..!). Any opinion about how this plays solo? Thanks, Steve
I have no problem at all playing this one solo.
@@XLEGION1 Thanks. BTW, any chance you'll take a look at "Campaigns of 1777" from the latest issue of S&T?
Can the river shipping in this game move upstream and downstream?
I got TWO trays in the box!!! Just trim down that box insert!
See the piX at BGG!
If it has your approval then it must be good.
I need this game....any help on how to get one etc..do let me know at this time.
Hello Gilbert....great review!
Is there a similar quality wargame dedicated to Napoleonic wars?
+Sando1975, yes. It's called War & Peace, and it's an Avalon Hill game from 1980. You can take a look at it on VASSAL. Rulebook 4.0 is available as well. IMO it's a beautiful and interesting game with several different scenarios covering the various campaigns as well as a grand campaign game.
Have you tried this solo? I know it's 2player but as you know some days it's just you :-). Any thoughts?
Can you provide a recommendation for a good introductory map/counter war game?
To Great North Web: Try "A House Divided." It is truly playable and it is actually a good simulation of the strategic situation, assuming the use of most of its optional rules and some common-sense house rules (like not allowing a single Confederate cavalry unit to take New York or Philadelphia).
Whoops, that's in error. It's gmtgames.com
How good is it for solo play?
Because there are so many die rolls for initiative and numerous other things, I find it very good for solo play,
Gilbert Collins - Thanks for the reply. I’m 68 and American Civil War has long been my favorite game. I’ve not played much in recent years but getting back to it. I saw this had been redone and my heart kept! I have never used Vassal but it might be time to do so. Best wishes and stay healthy.
It would be great that make this game in PC version..
Go to the GMT website. GMT.com
I doubt you will even read this but do you know if its possible to play the game without the new scripted thing?
I don't know what you mean by "Scripted Thing"????
Gilbert Collins well first thanks for replying and I mean the turn record track I'm just not a fan of taking people out at a certain point of the game
Even before the game came out this was a controversial matter. I wasn't in favour of it either. But now that I have played the game for several years now, it is no big deal at all and I don't even think twice about it.
Gilbert Collins would you say this or for the people is more fun to play and please explain why thank you
Personally, I like the US Civil War better than For the People. The latter game is 'to open' in my opinion the way the cards work. I would have liked it better to have more control over the card deck. Maybe an 1861-1862 Deck and so on. It isn't realistic to have events like "Draft Riots in New York" when there was no draft in 1861. Or "Red River Campaigns" in the first year of the war. Just wouldn't have happened. It's a fine GAME but to open as 'history'.
Mariano, there is little point in making every sentence of your argument in CAPITAL letters. It is not necessary to SHOUT out your replies. My last word on the subject is this: In the year of discussion that took place before the game was releases, many people, including myself were very wary of the game because the very point that you are SHOUTING OUT. However, upon PLAYING the game, not talking about it I, and the others, have found this to be an excellent simulation of the war. I say this in all fairness, one cannot know anything about this game, or pre-judge it, before actually playing it.
Hello Gilbert.I did not mean to shout,i just was trying to get my point across, i apologize, please don't take offense, much has been written about this on boardgame geek,and there was a very good variant response to fix the problem of leaders casualties from Bill Wood and Tom Willcockson.
please see their post under Forums Variants: Leaders Flexibility In Game, please let me know what your feedback is on Bill and Tom's posts on boardgamegeek under FORUMS VARIANTS:LEADERS FLEXIBILITY IN GAME
It's a Real Shame and Mistake that the designer making a great game on the Civil War did not add better the leader casualties rules as i have stated.
I hope something will be done about this,because the game does not feel right without doing better in flexibility on the leader's casualties, if they add a variant to the rules and charts it would make the game better!
Bill. Please see the post's on Boardgame Geek,i would like your feed back on this if you could,again i did not mean to shout just my italian in me to try to get my point across on this important issue,
GMT needs to examined again the leader's casualties rule, and let the game's play take it's course to see who gets killed or not killed in battles,no one knows what tomorrow brings,but don't let history rule the game play!
To me the proof is not in the pudding until the pudding taste right with the leader's causalities rule corrected, not just throw the leaders away in the game because they were killed in battle, in history! I hope the GMT Civil War game designer's sees this!
Gilbert,All in All thanks for agreeing with my point of view
Gilbert,thank you,if you could let then know at GMT this would make for even a better game! let me know, thanks,Mariano
Mariano Antoniazzi, this honestly sounds like something you could house rule if you feel strongly about it.
That's what I would do anyway.
A Mark Simonitch game with no tanks😮, say it ain't so! Dice gods protect us!😃👍😉yeah!
Whoa! You couldn't have played the game out to the end then. It is at least a 20 hour game. As for luck....you must be kidding. Of course there is some luck but it is the more skillful player who will very likely win.
Battle Cry by Milton Bradley has more strategic choices.
Leaves too much to chance, everything is based on the luck of the die rolls.
Wow! That has got to be one of the more illogical statements that I have ever heard concerning this game. Any game with dice has an element of chance in it. This game is no different. But to say that it is all determined by luck is completely a false statement.
Illogical? Hardly. Its just my opinion. I prefer games that are not dice heavy and card heavy. But I still enjoy your videos Gilbert, its nothing personal.
Not a problem, nothing taken personally. You are quite right, everyone has their own opinion on this 'now controversial game.
where can i buy this game , looks awesome and how much is it to buy
Just came out of print, or should i say a second print run, www.gmtgames.com/p-729-the-us-civil-war-2nd-printing.aspx