John Tiller Civil War

[bartello]

I'm a newcomer to this type of game. Any suggestions as to tutorials and/or easy directions. Manual didn't help! Example- I start game and when I try to move- get message that it isn't allowed. Frustrating (not like a first person shooter!) Thanx

[lordhoff]

Don't believe there are any - I just used the smaller scenarios to learn game play. Without more info, I'm not sure what the problem and you will find the gaming system easy once it is initially figured out.

The game is turned based with sub turns. Perhaps you are not in the movement phase? Another possibility is that you are trying to move the wrong side - you can choose either side or manual for both sides (no AI). That's all I can think of at the moment.

[Vilhjalmr]

If you haven't played any titles that use John Tiller's general gaming system, then you will likely need to read the manual from cover to cover. Once you have played one of his games, many of the functions tend to carry over and then it is the ideosyncrasies that you need to learn. However the first time you play one of his games, you really need to read the manual from cover to cover in order to understand how to play it. It definitely isn't the most intuitive gaming system and feels quite long-in-the-tooth compared with many computer games these days. But the strategy and game-play is rock solid, so it is well worth the time investment.

This might not be the best choice of games if you prefer a "shooter" type game, since this will feel quite cumbersome. But it is an excellent game if you enjoy the cerebral/strategy side of gaming. For instance, units control the hexes immediately in front of them, thereby limiting enemy movement in adjacent hexes. This has the effect of preventing enemy units from flanking you if you are able to maintain a row of units together. However, you can get flanked if the enemy is able to break through your line of units. A lot of thought needs to go into how you arrange your units to "hold the line" and how the enemy goes about breaking a hole through the line.

But back to your original question, my guess is that you are attempting to move "fixed" units. According to the manual: "When an “F” on a red background appears [in the lower-center part of a unit’s data area that appears in the lower part of the screen], the unit is Fixed, meaning that it cannot leave its hex. A unit’s Fixed status is removed whenever its hex is attacked by enemy units, the unit becomes Routed or is “Released” according to the scenario’s Release Schedule."

Hope that helps,
Bill

[lordhoff]

Forgot about those pesky fixed units.

I didn't find the game system hard to learn at all. I played the CSA in Gettysburg using one of the early scenarios for a few turns, quit that and started a campaign, and proceeded to nearly wiping out the entire union army. Then again, I had been playing board games for some 15 years prior to that so that might have made it easier to understand. I DID and always do read the rule book cover to cover, though.

[Ashantai]

If you're getting 'movement not allowed' then you haven't selected the unit. Left click a unit on the map, then left click on their profile so it goes a lighter shade. You can now move them.