IL, one thing that has impressed me from reading various historical novels about the Civl War was how these armies were moving all over the place using rail lines. Did you incorporate rail movement into this game? I’m just curious. It seems to me that would be a key strategic component to any Civil War strategy game. I would also love to see the CSS Virginia and CSS Arkansas incorporated as special pieces somehow (make them like self-healing BBs, say). I know it probably breaks some gaming convention, but those were such special ships historically speaking and it would give the South some unique units to screw with the Yanks with.
This is direct from the rules:
3.1 Railroads:
The Union had twice the Railroad capacity of the South and can rail up to 12 ground units across any Blue territories while the Confederate player can rail up to 6 units. This is done following all player movement activations. No units can be railed thru Brown Indian territories, Green or enemy territories. Generals cost one Rail point.
Thus is kind of a risk idea where you can move within your own territories.
Those units are in the game as other types of ironclads. I game has gunboats
Here is how the naval combat goes:
4.2 Naval combat:
Naval Combat is performed when two opposing fleets are in the same sea zone or river. It is conducted in a similar fashion as land combat with the volley of combat rounds where each side exchanges “naval broadsidesâ€. Ironclad naval units of the attacker followed by the defender always receive preemptive fire, followed by gunboats. Ironclads take three hits before sinking and if they take only one or two hits they can be repaired only if they return to a friendly port. Full repair takes one turn to complete. Gunboats only take one hit before sinking. After each combat round either player can retreat or move thru the sea zone into a new sea zone. All naval vessels can fire one free “salvo†at any enemy units adjacent from the river territory. These ground units cannot fire back unless they possess a “fortification unit†(see advanced game section).
Under Optional rules we have:
6.9 Confederate blockade runners:
During the war The South used per position as “King Cotton†to sell goods to Europe in exchange for weapons and other war materials to sustain herself. This required the use of quick warships that could slip past the Union naval blockade of Southern ports.
Procedure: The South allocates at least one gunboat (not Ironclad) and if it survives one round of combat against Union Naval forces in the sea zone it is placed off board until the next turn where again it must face one round of naval combat. If it survives this action it rolls one D6 1-2= two PP gained, 3-4= four PP gained, 5-6= six PP gained. Of course other warships can also engage the union blockade in order to facilitate the “escape†of the blockade runner. Only one such “Blockade Runner†can be used each turn per southern port. Thus a maximum of three attempts can be made per turn each from a different southern port.
6.9A Port Siege:
The Union player can lay siege to Confederate merchant commerce and attempt to stop her from trading with foreign powers. This can have a negative impact upon the Southern player. At any time when at least one southern port and the sea zone adjacent to it are occupied by Union Naval forces. They roll one D6 and apply the result as follows: 1-2= south loses one PP, 3-4 South loses two PP; 5-6 souths lose three PP. Note: This roll is performed for each port under siege.