Gettysburg battle game

Opposing military forces are shown as different colored lines or dots. The longer or thicker the line, the more troops they represent. Straight lines, like those at left and below, indicate infantry and artillery forces. Dots represent cavalry patrols in this case, Union cavalry since they are blue in color. There are also victory point locations on the battlefield that help define your objectives.

In addition, as you move from scenario to scenario, the AI does not blindly stick to historical events, but instead reconfigures the objectives accordingly, which enhances re-playability. Within the context of these little battles, the main focus of Gettysburg is military leadership. Unlike other strategy games such as Age of Empires , there are no economic, scientific or cultural algorithms to contend with, only military. Also unlike other real-time action games, there is finesse to the control of your troops -- combat is not reduced to mob-like meetings of men on the battlefield.

The most importing thing you learn in the tutorials is how to control and keep your men moving and in formation. If you allow things to degenerate into an all-out melee, your men will suffer the consequences of flank attacks and mindless charges into the enemy line. Gettysburg is all about command, and the game controls reinforce this to great effect, if not frustration. Moving and controlling troops is basically a two- or three-step process -- click on a unit by selecting its regimental flag, drag in the direction you want to move, and if necessary select an action use the command bar at the bottom of the screen or hot keys.

Although you can command on a unit-by-unit basis, it is much more effective to use your commanders to control entire brigades. Without commanders, combat and movement becomes a constant task of keeping track of all units and getting them going in the right direction. Occasionally, in the midst of the gunfire, cavalry movement and artillery barrages, you can loose track of your commanders.

Keep an eye on the command bar; it will let you know when you have a single unit or an entire brigade highlighted. Each unit is represented by a regimental flag, with the strength of its wave indicating the morale or strength of the unit. In addition, there is a hidden menu at the top of the screen, which appears when the mouse is over it. All in all, although it takes some patience to find all the controls, everything you need is accessible from the main screen.

You can even zoom in and zoom out to get close up views of combat or panoramic views of how the battle is shaping up. History allows you to control how much game play is based on historical events and how much is randomly generated. Difficulty ranges across four levels, least competent to most competent. Tactical Personality allows you to combine different sets of strategic thinking, Aggressive, Prudent, and Cautious cross-referenced with Indirect, Flexible, Direct, with each combination being represented by an opposing general.

This game has great graphics, period. No other Civil War game comes close, and it gives most real time strategy games a run for their money.

This simulation of the battle is a test to pit your decisions as Robert E. Lee against what actually happened. Many historians write that this battle was not Lee's best battle and that certain choices could have dramatically improved the fate of his army on these three critical days.

For example a defensive opponent may not attack ferociously in the first engagement and progressively advance its forces in the next battles. Reinforcements arrive from historically accurate directions as the battle progresses, however, random events, delays and tactical differences are always a possibility that can change the results of each engagement compared to history.

What if Lee attacked the center of the Union Army early in the morning of July 2nd of instead of attempting to flank the extreme left in the afternoon? What would happen if Meade counter-attacked on July 4th ? These questions and more can be answered within the game engine of Ultimate General: Gettysburg. The battle is dynamically fought in time phases and can last up to 4 days. According to battle events, you have the possibility to take decisions that can change the tide of the battle based on your prior tactical prowess.

For example, when leading the Confederates, on the morning of July 2nd, you can choose to attack at Cemetery Hill and not make a delayed flanking maneuver at Peach Orchard… if you have managed to take Seminary Ridge the previous day! You can even choose to defend and wait for your AI opponent to take the initiative between days.

These choices greatly increase the number of possible battle outcomes and challenges. This game is a different experience every time. Well worth it, can't wait for the next one. Units do not need your micromanagement because they are able to act on their own initiative and re-align, switch targets, withdraw and form battle lines without player input.

If you are an American Civil War enthusiast, you will be especially happy to notice the amount of precision and information that the map provides. Not only will you be able to better understand the historical layout of the map, you will also be able to make use of each location and landmark in battle, thanks to the simulation of cover, concealment, terrain and high ground in the game.

Units may make use of concealment and cover to survive artillery barrages, stage ambushes and more, but beware — the AI will attempt to do the same to you. Every basic tactical element that is expected for a strategy game is incorporated into gameplay.

Most importantly, morale is affected by many factors including flank or rear attacks, casualties, volley shocks, artillery fire and fatigue.

Unit sizes range from the small artillery batteries to vast infantry brigades with cavalry and skirmishers in between. All brigades have troop numbers and differing competencies based on historical facts. Additionally, all artillery battery numbers and types are correctly simulated. Lastly, major generals and officers actively participate in the battlefield to organize and support the armies and appear in after action battle reports to help you monitor battle progress.

Sloping, terrain type and obstructions affect unit movement realistically. Elevations, ridges and hills provide excellent firing positions and give increased sight, morale and accuracy to troops stationed there. By placing your units close to each other, they become more resilient to charges and flank attacks but get more vulnerable to projectile fire.