Very impressed so far

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [American Civil War] >> Forge of Freedom: The American Civil War 1861-1865 >> Very impressed so far

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Very impressed so far - 12/22/2006 2:35:20 AM

Nick R

Posts: 57
Joined: 11/28/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline

I purchased Panzer Commander a while back and have enjoyed that. While looking at the other games I chanced upon Forge of Freedom. I must say it is very impressive how they captured the need to balance the politics, military and economics. The subtleties of each and how they mix in the game are fantastic.

I have not spent a lot of time reading the manual. I just dove in but its very straight forward. However, any suggestions for a newbie would be appreciated.

Post #: 1

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/22/2006 2:43:00 AM

marecone

Posts: 469
Joined: 7/31/2006
From: Croatia, Europe
Status: offline

Welcome aboard. I have only one suggestion so far; read the manual

. Many of us have tried to finish the game without looking into it and failed. Too many details. Those AAR's can be very helpfull.

_____________________________

"I have never, on the field of battle, sent you where I was unwilling to go myself; nor would I now advise you to a course which I felt myself unwilling to pursue."

Nathan Bedford Forrest

(in reply to Nick R)

Post #: 2

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/22/2006 2:51:28 AM

Gil R.

Posts: 10821
Joined: 4/1/2005
Status: offline

Nick R., glad to see that you like the game.

Just for you, I bumped a thread that had fallen to pg. 9 (!). It has some good tips, though not nearly all of the potential tips you'll need (until you follow Marecone's tip).

(in reply to marecone)

Post #: 3

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/22/2006 4:11:17 AM

General Quarters

Posts: 1059
Joined: 12/3/2006
Status: offline

Some quick advice:

1. Do the little interface tutorial that is available along with the read-me.

2. Play the Basic Game first, at least for a time -- you don't have to finish it.

3. Start reading the manual, but skip the 50 pages of interface description for now (except for reference) and go to the next section, which is how to play the basic game.

4. On overall strategy, decide in general where you might want to attack and where you will mainly defend.

5. Organize your forces: assigning officers, deciding which brigades go in which divisions, and where you want them.

6. Start your economy by building some combination of mines, factories, horse farms, and mints. You have to figure out what things you want to build or produce to conduct the war, and then build the mix that will produce the necessary resources. For example, if you want a lot of diplomacy, you need money and therefore mints. For artillery, you need iron and therefore mines. To increase your generals, you will need academies and hence money and therefore mints. And so forth.

7. If you are playing the south, make sure you send raiders and smugglers each turn.

8. Look to upgrade your soldier's (and perhaps sailor's) weapons.

9. If you are playing defense, look to improve your forts. If you are playing offense, you may need engineering improvements and artillery or seige weapons to use against forts.

10. Read the model AAR between Gil and jchaisten (sp?).

There's lot's more, of course, but those are some things to get started on.

< Message edited by General Quarters -- 12/22/2006 4:23:55 AM >

(in reply to Gil R.)

Post #: 4

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/22/2006 5:23:01 AM

freeboy

Posts: 9088
Joined: 5/16/2004
From: Colorado
Status: offline

tips and tricks
A. Build lots of mints and horses, you need hourses , well for everything, not just Cavalry but, camps, producing replacements to your depleted brigades, Artillery and a host of other goodies, you never ever ever have too many horses

B. Play the European intervention rules at your peril, hehe, I tried and they just really where a nuisence..

C> Be carefull with your seiges Attackers LOSE A LOT of troops

D.Troops Quality and Genral leadership trump numbers, but numbers always help

specific choices, I always Build another Uni in MAss and several mines and an Iroinworks in HArrisburgh.. don't forget that with unis build all the research builds but NOT schools

in the middle of the game you will need to add hospitals..
I always try to build some artillery and then upgrade it too the best union avail add a baggage upgrade and rapid fire gun.. those guys then start detailed combat with 15 supplies and are virtually indistructable against charging troops, shoot several hex away at tremendiuos killing power, upgrade your basic sword and pistol units also to at least musket... but if you do have them in a fight keep them as a reserve and use that when you weeken an enemy as a charging close assault force.. hope these tricks/tips help.. I only play Union so good luck playing the South..

< Message edited by freeboy -- 12/22/2006 5:34:12 AM >

(in reply to General Quarters)

Post #: 5

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/22/2006 4:54:49 PM

Nick R

Posts: 57
Joined: 11/28/2006
From: Texas
Status: offline

Thanks to everyone for the great advice. Some of which I have done, like doing the tutorial, play the basic game, others I have figured out like, build mints, build more mints and oh yeah build more mints. I have only played the Union so far.

Some initial thoughts I have are it seems that you want to get "free" (ie muster) troops from States that have Govs that are big supporters and use the money to get better infrastructure. I have not gotten into the detail combat yet, since I want to get the Strategic/ Operational level stuff 1st.

As a bit of background, I have been playing games like this for over 30 years from Panzer Blitz to the first games on the Apple II.�I really like the effort, quality and thought put into the games from Matrix.

I did think of 2 things I would suggest:

1. Have the ability to take back a build or develop command. A couple times the mouse clicked in the wrong line.
2. Have the ability to have an overview map showing new units and unattached units.

< Message edited by Nick R -- 12/22/2006 5:29:15 PM >

(in reply to freeboy)

Post #: 6

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/23/2006 1:24:41 AM

Gil R.

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Joined: 4/1/2005
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nick R

1. Have the ability to take back a build or develop command. A couple times the mouse clicked in the wrong line.
2. Have the ability to have an overview map showing new units and unattached units.

Regarding #1, mistaken building purchases can now be undone by going to the main map and hitting BACKSPACE (which undoes the most recent move), but I think that Eric might be working on an easier way of doing this.

As for #2, maybe something could be done on the main overview map, but I'm not sure how necessary this is -- the Event Report says when a new unit appears, so one will know where to look for unattached brigades.

(in reply to Nick R)

Post #: 7

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/23/2006 2:28:18 AM

freeboy

Posts: 9088
Joined: 5/16/2004
From: Colorado
Status: offline

It would be nice to remove buildings in areas that are specializing in one area and you do not need the others..

(in reply to Gil R.)

Post #: 8

RE: Very impressed so far - 12/24/2006 1:42:55 AM

pompack

Posts: 2582
Joined: 2/8/2004
From: University Park, Texas
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Nick R

2. Have the ability to have an overview map showing new units and unattached units.

Go to the Military display. Select Cav, Art and Inf. Turn Hirarchy (never could spell that word

) OFF.

You will see your unattached units that are not in cities or forts. Since I try to boost the "inprovised" weapons (6 pounder for the art) to at least something each turn, for me any units that are then displayed with "improvised" are new units

(in reply to Nick R)

Post #: 9