Battleground Gettysburg is the second in a series of games from Talonsoft using their new games engine. The installation is a dream, the user guide easy to follow and it even has on-line help for forgetful people like me. The 3D view is very smooth and in close up (called 3D normal) the whole thing appears like a tabletop battlefield with 6mm figures on it.

If you then switch the hex outlines on, which helped me a lot on troop facing, you have the best of both worlds. By switching to 2D periodically you can get an overall view of the situation.

If you don't have Fog of War on you can see just where the enemy is massing, but its much more realistic waiting till they appear. That's when you see if your well thought out plan (best guess) was right. The speed of your CD-ROM drive will probably influence whether you have the video clips on and the sound, just one or the other, or none. I actually opted for the sound, lots of richochets and pings, rolling volley, and the crump of artillery. Congratulations to Talonsoft for a very nice innovation in allowing you to choose which level of command you want.

When you select semi-automatic, you can choose to be a mere brigade commander and just do your bit, hoping your brother officers do theirs, or any rank on up and ultimately to C-in-C. Obviously you are limiting yourself to the issue of orders and become reliant upon subordinates to carry out those orders. We all know nothing goes according to plan so expect frustration. It makes for a better game.

Watching the brigade to my left vanishing rearward of the line 'we' were defending, leaving my flank perched nicely in air, it came as no surprise when I was well clobbered on the next turn, ouch! You can control all the aspects of your command by selecting manual but I found I actually preferred slotting in at different levels to experience in some small way the difficult problems of command.

The game plays very well, actually pushes you towards using the appropriate tactics, everybody has read Paddy Griffith I presume, because if you get it wrong your units get clobbered, holes appear, no reserves, so defeat. At least you can have another go. Casualties are inevitable so its up to you to make them count. Use lower rated units to absorb the initial impacts. Keep your elite units for close in assault work, where they can be most effective, and don't leave units exposed in the open. Artillery loves going ten pin bowling - more skittles please! Remember that columns will cover the ground more rapidly than a line but are very vulnerable if used in assault, the converse being a line has a significant firepower advantage but moves slower.

When on the attack mass units under cover at the point of assault. When you actually start the attack don't stand off in a fire fight, get well stuck in, take the ground. Keep a reserve, just like the real generals did, a brigade per division if you can manage it, so you can exploit any hole you make in the defence. Make your generals work for you in the attack. If they are with your lead units they add to your combat modifiers for melees and minimise mass routs. Should they become casualties they don't cost you points and you get a replacement. You need your leaders to rally routed troops so keep the higher level commanders safe in the rear as your rallying point. When you defend spread out to hold the maximum ground Keep whatever forces you can manage as a reserve to plug the holes, and move your line back to cover if the casualties get heavy.

Rebs and Yanks

The game plays differently depending on which side you take. As the Confederates you have the initiative. You must attack using your superior quality troops to smash the Union in detail. If they manage to hang on long enough then eventually superior numbers and artillery will win. You have to hit them in the flank and keep up the momentum rolling them back. As the Union you are reacting to events. You have the advantage, ultimately, of superior numbers so stubborn defence is what you need. Falling back slowly to Cemetery Ridge, to prepared positions, where your artillery can really make its presence felt is your goal. Hang on and cover your flanks as best you can. If the Confederates get round your flanks to Culp's Hill or Little Round Top early enough you are in deep trouble.

The effective range of the rifled musket, which most troops have, offers you an effective fire range, in the game, of five hexes. The Union cavalry carbines are deadly close in so try to stay out of their range and keep your artillery well back except in a last ditch defense - otherwise your crews will get a hammering.

This really is an excellent game - very playable, well researched, gives you a real feel of the period, and most important of all, its fun. I have been told by our games editor that the next two games in the series are 'Battleground Waterloo' [to be reviewed in 117] and 'Battleground Shiloh'. I shall look forward to Shiloh and hopefully more ACW battles in the future. {All these items should be available when you read this. The machine requirements are as per Battleground Ardennes review in LW 115.

More Computer Game Reviews

Edit Note, War College, and Rise and Rule of Ancient Empires
Complete Carriers at War
Frontlines
Command and Conquer: Covert Operations
Battleground Gettysburg

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