Ultimate General: Gettysburg

[FunkMonk]

On the first scenario I drove the Confederates all the way back to edge of map on Herr Ridge.  Next scenario the Confederates send in 19,000 soldiers coming at me three ways.  End of the first day my army is back at Cemetery ridge.

I did the same in one of my plays. I think they Confed AI chose a different scenario in the next mission because I was able to fight them off and stay on Seminary Ridge for one more mission before they threw everything at me in the third mission and I had to retreat all the way back to Cemetery.

Later I had the option to capture Benner's Hill  to the east and took it. The very next scenario the rebels threw everything at me along my entire front, from Cemetery Ridge northeast to Benner's Hill. JEB Stuart's cavalary showed up on my far right and there was a massive cavalry battle on my right while the confeds sent every man they had into a frontal assault all along the entire battle line and I barely held onto Cemetery Hill, the main VP. It was awesome. 

[CountDeMoney]

Lee should've been hanged at Appomattox.

[FunkMonk]

But I just ran the Yankees off Round Top and Little Round Top on the second day and crushed the Army of the Potomac.

[CountDeMoney]

Stop fucking with the code.  MAH HAKS

[FunkMonk]

StonewallJ1863 got TKed

[PRC]

Graphics look like shit.

Simple, stylish, apparently descriptive... the graphics look great.

[11B4V]

Graphics look like shit.

Simple, stylish, apparently descriptive... the graphics look great.

If you say so.

[CountDeMoney]

the graphics look great.

Maybe from across the street.

[Berkut]

So there is a review on the comments section that made me stop from pulling the trigger. The basic point being that the game is a pretty awesome game, but the tactics/strategy decisions it allows the player to make have little relevance to the Civil War, and actual CW tactics at this level.

That is pretty much my primary concern with games like this - that they make a game without actually making a game that simulates the combat it is trying to represent at more than a superficial level.

I am sorry to have to write this for a game with over 99% positive reviews but the truth must be told.

First off, I must acknowldege that this is a early access version of the game and so there is always hope that the game will improve, but for me there are significant short commings in the version that leave this version far short of what would make this a great Strategy game.

Having studied the strategy and tactics of real 19th century warefare I was hoping this game would be a good way to expereince and explore those tactics. I recognize that no game, no matter how well written would be able to capture 100% the reality of that, but this game lacks all of those elements and for me fails on so many levels and makes the game unable to hold my interests.

The game does offer much as a strategy game and I do acknowledge the many good things about this game which the vast majority of reviewers have already pointed out, but I must provide a negative review in order to provide balance to others considering purchasing the game.

The game touts itself a a simulation of Gettysburg and as such I would expect it to use as much of the real commands and tactics as possible for a game, a goal that Sid Meier's Gettysburg better achieved, although that game had many short comings as well.

To make this an effective civil war startegy game I should be able to issue commands to units that real commanders would issue. There is too much automation in the way the troops behave and act. It seems that the only thing I can tell the troops is where to go. I can not make a decision on how to form, single battle line, double battle line, etc. These were critical decisions a commander would make deciding where he needed strength (double line) and where he needed to guard the flanks (single line) I might even want to order a unit to "dig in" I really only have once choice for forming my units and they are made for me,

If I have a brigade arriving to the rear, I might want to position them in a certain location to be ready to reinforce my line, but as soon as I do that they move from colomn formation to a line formation. In fact, if I even order a unit to halt, they will move from column to battle line. This denies me the tactical decision to leave a brigade in the faster moving column formation until I decide to move them into a battle line. I can't order my calvary to mount or dismount, Gamble's skirmishers remain skirmishers. In reality, once the infantry arrived, I would order them to mount up and guard the flanks or scout the north or west, but I can't do that again denying me important tactical decisions. I can't order my artillary to limber up or un-limber and the artillary seems to move the same regardless taking away another important decision that can make or break a battle. When I order a unit to "Fall Back" an experience unit would accept this to mean a slow withdrawl while fighting a delaying action an orderly process to tactically reposition the troops. Instead it looks more like a retreat, even with high morale units.

All too often, units are automatically moving to "face the enemy" again denying me the tactical decision to maintain my line unless I specifically remember to tell them to hold. In reallity they should hold the line unless they are told to skirmish. A unit in real life would never make a move like that. This often creates units with their flanks in the air when my intentions was to have their flanks anchored by other units or natural obstacles. It seems I have a whole army of Dan Sickles.

Looking in the release notes I see there is work pending on group commands and obliques but not sure if these pending additions will significantly improve these limitations. I also wished there was more granularity in the units as primarily I can only control at the brigade level. It would be nice if I could issue orders at either the regimental or brigade level. For civil war history buffs the role of regiments is of high interest and a good civil war game that fails to recognize the regiment falls short of satisfying a civil war enthusist. Players should be able to control both the regimental and brigade level units. For example, order a brigade to form a double battle line, but during the battle, order a specific regiment in that line to move to a single battle line at the end of the brigade to guard the flank. I should be able to order a single regiment for form a skirmish line in front of the brigade or order the regiment at the end of the brigade to wheel right or left to avoid having my flank in the air. While having division and corps commanders in the game adds historical interest and recognizes these hostoric figures I agree that the way the are implented in the game is correct. Since these roles were more strategic and administative there is not need for tactical commands at the division or corps level. I do look forward to the addition of divisional commander characters to add depth to the game. But the lack of regimental/brigade level tactical commands is a big dissapointment. Ideally, I should be able to issue commands to those units like a real commander would and they would react based on how experienced and well drilled they are. For example. ordering a unit to form a double battle line might be done quickly and smartly for a well drilled and experienced unit but a little slower for a new unit. To me it appears that the developers lack a deep understanding of civil war tactics and army procedures. Even little things like the fact that I issue a "run" command instead of a "double time" command. Nitpicking for sure and an easy fix, but perhaps a symptom of how far off this game is from being a true civil war strategy and tactics game.

So bottom line, a lot of hard work went into this game. The map is beatiful and the game is playable as a basic, simple, strategy game, but as a game claiming to be a civil war strategy game, it lacks sufficient depth at this time to be a rich and satisfying game of civil war strategy and tactics. In a toss up between this game and Sid Meir's Gettysburg, Sid would win. While I hope there is substantial improvement between the early access and final release I can not recommend the game at this time. However, at the early access price of only $9.99 it is worth a look by any strategy game fan and I hope that our early support and honest feedback will encourage the developers to improve on the game and help it to rise to the level of one of the best civil war strategy games ever.

Fair assessment?

[Razgovory]

Fair.  I was looking for a "beer and pretzels", type game and that's what it is.  So I like it despite these flaws.  That said, the inability to properly wheel a unit around, or  change the formations is frustrating.  It's also annoying that there aren't any audio cues for new units coming on the field just a message on the screen.  I imagine that will be changed, this is after all an unfinished game.  I don't think it will ever be a hardcore strategy game though.

[The Brain]

Another game where you order calvary around. Thanks but no thanks.

[FunkMonk]

Fair.  I was looking for a "beer and pretzels", type game and that's what it is.  So I like it despite these flaws.  That said, the inability to properly wheel a unit around, or  change the formations is frustrating.  It's also annoying that there aren't any audio cues for new units coming on the field just a message on the screen.  I imagine that will be changed, this is after all an unfinished game.  I don't think it will ever be a hardcore strategy game though.

Yup, agree.

[Valmy]

I can't order my calvary to mount or dismount, Gamble's skirmishers remain skirmishers. In reality, once the infantry arrived, I would order them to mount up and guard the flanks or scout the north or west, but I can't do that again denying me important tactical decisions.

What the hell?  That is fucking stupid you cannot order your cavalry to mount up or dismount?  I mean I get we are not going for Simulation: Gettysburg for training 19th century army commanders but come on now.

[grumbler]

I can't order my calvary to mount or dismount, Gamble's skirmishers remain skirmishers. In reality, once the infantry arrived, I would order them to mount up and guard the flanks or scout the north or west, but I can't do that again denying me important tactical decisions.

What the hell?  That is fucking stupid you cannot order your cavalry to mount up or dismount?  I mean I get we are not going for Simulation: Gettysburg for training 19th century army commanders but come on now.

I can't recall a single instance of an army commander deciding when a regiment mounted or dismounted.  The whine that the game is badly designed because it doesn't give the army commander enough control over unit tactics is lame.  The problems with the command system are that it gives too MUCH control and information.  Its just another manifestation of the 1000-foot-tall general.  Anything that takes that away is good.

[Valmy]

Ok then what's there for me to do in the game?  If I cannot order cavalry to mount and go scout my flank what is it I am doing?  This is a tactical game not a strategic one.  We are already at Gettysburg and fighting.  If I just want to do things at a level where I do not have tactical authority I would play Grand Strategy.